Long Time Tinnitus Sufferer From New Zealand

Hi folks. Shoulda joined this place long ago. I will give u a quick run down of me and my tinnitus. My name's Al and I've had it for 15 years. I believe I got T from shooting birds on my family's cherry block throughout my teenage years and I also used to mow the lawns for 2 hrs each fortnight - with my walkman on loud over the top! Stupid now but we aren't to know are we...
Anyway my T became permanent from about the age of 25. I am now nearly 40. I also suffer from hyperaccusis as of the last 5 or 6 years. My 4 kids are fantastic in helping me deal with this as are my kids I teach (I'm a primary teacher)
My audiologist measured my tinnitus levels as being from 8-10,000 hertz in pitch - this is off the scale in terms of being very high, and when trying to recreate the sound levels measured them at 65 decibels. This is comparative to holding a healthy conversation with someone in terms of volume, except of course it's a high pitched scream in my head!
I have had a frightening development in the last week which has caused me to go into panic mode. My audiologist was about to fit me with hearing aides to help mask my tinnitus, however 4 days ago I woke with a very low hum in my left ear. Since then this hum has become VERY loud. To the point where it is overpowering my other tinnitus. Since I have had this new sound I have had very little sleep. I'll write about this in another forum as I'd like to see if others have had the same experience. I'm very frightened - and this is from someone who has put up with 65 decibels for 15 years.

I've joined to meet fellow sufferers and hear what u are doing and have done in the past.
Would love to hear from anyone.
Al

 

Hey there! Welcome to the club.....Lots of good people here to share your stories with. I from time to time get the HUM in my left ear only but it's intermittent and doesn't last very long, and as with yours it over powers my regular hi freq pitch. It caught me off guard just like my hiss outta no where just listened to it and realized oh well just another noise to deal with.

You know that I admire soles such as yourself to have dealt with T for so long, 15 years wow! Nothing to be afraid of mate just another sound to add to the devils orchestra, you've dealt with the 8-10kherz you will find away to deal with this also.

I know it's easy to say cope with it, b ut alas you may just have to, it shall pass.

Be well my friend

Danny

 

Hi Danny,
Thanks for replying. It's great to hear from someone this has happened to. Throughout my time with T I've had odd sounds come and go over quick periods of time like 5 or 10 minutes, or even seconds. This one has been with me now solidly since Monday which is why it's a worry. I'm seeing an ENT specialist about it today so I'm hoping he will tell me either I have some kind of inner ear issue or that it will pass as u have.
When it's happened to u, how long has the low hum lasted for??

 

Me again Danny - The local ENT guy said I DO have a virus causing the loud new sound! Thank GOD! So I'm getting steriods and an MRI to try and fix and just check it's not a tumour...relief!!

 

Are you still on here. I to have had the ringing now for 20+ years. I don't remember not having it. It's so loud at times that I can't hear through it. I was also in severe need of hearing aids to here others in meetings. Last January 2014 I had ear surgery. Stapendectmy. My hearing went up 30 decibels. Can hear good now. Today I had my other ear done. Unfortunately I still have the severe ringing. I'm going to try caffeine free coffee, no baby aspirin a day, and anything else I need to cut out to see if it helps. Any suggestions appreciated.

Jeff

 

Good to hear that.there is still tinnitus sufferers that louder than my T. Anyway ,For me , my life change since i have this this. the ENT doctor said, your ringing is from your stress . so he recommend me a anti stress ,now my T is better now . but iam hoping this will never came back again


Robert