Hi, Any Idea Where to Start?

Hi, I’m new to this group as my tinnitus is getting pretty awful now.

I have had ear problems since I was a child and had my first operation for grommets was when I was 3 years old so I’m not sure if that’s relevant?

Im absolutely certain that listening to loud rock music both at home and at concerts over the last 35 years hasn’t helped at all!

Any ideas where I might start as the amount of information on various treatments is quite overwhelming.

Thanks in advance

 

Hi @Richard Smith

Listening to loud sounds or exposure to them are the most common causes of tinnitus and making the condition worse. Headphones, used by many people who tend to listen at too high a volume and this can result in the onset of tinnitus. My advice to anyone that has noise induced tinnitus, is not to use headphones even at low volume. Please click on the links below and read my posts. Start with: New to tinnitus what to do. Then: Tinnitus, A Personal View and so on.

Best of luck
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-ent-doctor-and-hearing-therapist.24047/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/inspiration.22894/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/can-tinnitus-counselling-help.22366/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/a-change-of-lifestyle.20643/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-negative-counselling.26669/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-complexities-of-tinnitus-and-hyperacusis.25733/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/what-is-trt-and-when-should-it-be-started.19024/

 

Perhaps but...

...this is probably much more relevant!

This forum is great for support (in particular the psy aspect of it, in my opinion), but your starting point should really be a professional: ENT and audiologist, so you can get a snapshot on your hearing. It is important to know, for example, if you suffer from hearing loss, and if so what that hearing loss looks like. That could determine important next steps in terms of treatments.

Remember that only an infinitesimal amount of posts in here are from real doctors (watch out for those impersonating professionals - they often brand themselves as "counselors" or "advisors" and recount the tales of them giving advice to many sufferers). People generally mean well, but their advice is rarely rooted in science, so unless you're allergic to medical science, I'd suggest you consult real doctors.

Good luck!

 

...what GregCA said

go to ENT and Audiologist and build from there.

 

I'd like to start with a few questions:

Do you have bilateral or unilateral complaints?
What does your tinnitus sound like?
Can the tinnus be covered by ambient noise?
Is the tinnitus largely the same or different from day to day?
Do you have problems with loud noises?
Does your tinnitus follow a pulse-synchronous pattern?
Can your tinnitus be influenced by movements of head, neck, jaw, etc.?
Do you feel any hearing loss?

 

@Richard Smith

Look up one of Michael Leighs posts on masking. It will save your sanity when you try to sleep and when you're in a quiet room. Masking is when you play a nature sound like water, rain, the ocean etc. slightly below the level of your t so your mind doesn't focus on it.