I Didn't Understand I Had High-Pitched Tinnitus When I Was Young

Hi everyone.

For me tinnitus probably had its foundation from when I was very young. I heard a faint ultra high frequency ringing when I was probably 12ish. I didn't understand it of course, and brushed it off as a sound that I could hear which was coming from somewhere. At that age it was very faint and not bothersome.

Of course over the years it's become worse. Usually I bring earplugs to concerts, as I have become older. I attended one concert where I forgot my earplugs. We were very close to the stage. It was loud and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I tried stuffing my ears with tissue from the washroom, but that wasn't enough to protect my ears from the volume being raised. That was about 15 years ago. Things started to get worse and worse from there.

Lately it has become quite a loud ringing, so much so that at times I experience the many metal symptoms that so many here have dealt with. From depression, frustration, anxiety, short temperament, and much more. Coupled with age related hearing loss and the frequency of the ringing being near that of the human voice, it makes things challenging.

At this time I have a few various self-therapies that help inconsistently. I don't like to get my hopes up too much, in case the volume amps up again. Today was an okay day.

I don't know what the future holds, I realize everyone is different but here are a few things that have helped me manage.

I carry foam earplugs with me almost everywhere. Work (construction) is intermittently noisy all the time, so I try and put earplugs in immediately when I enter the site. Besides work, I have them at home, in my shop, in my night table even a pair on my car keychain (one of my cars is noisy.)

Recently for a plane flight, I purchased a rather expensive set of over-the-ear, noise-cancelling headphones. These made an absolutely huge difference in reducing the roar and helping me manage to stay nice and relaxed over the flight, listen to music at a low volume and not experience the after-affects of the 6 hour flight. Some audio shops let you try before buying. Might be worth a shot for others.

I've used a Neti-Pot to try and reduce any sinus and ear canal blockage. Occasionally it seems to help.

I have two ear drops that I rotate through. Antibiotic ear drops and another amazon one that stated it was for tinnitus. Presently this treatment is working best for me. I used them when I get up and before bed, usually a different one on alternating days. I also wear foam earplugs overnight when I sleep. It sounds counterintuitive. As many well know it can often have an amplifying affect on the tinnitus. A notable percentage of times I wake up in the morning with a less noticeable ringing.

I also started using a small amount of L-Arginine cream around the outside of the ear lobe where it meets the skull. I've learned that you have to use this cream very sparingly so I've tried it every 3 days maybe. On other parts of my body it has caused a rash if used to frequently. Some people use it a as neuropathic treatment. So far I cannot confirm that it has changed anything for me.

Pressure massage around the skull and earlobe changes the tinnitus for me. Firm massage increases the volume, so I usually try medium pressure with a movement that is away from the ear. This gives me the perception that the volume is slightly reduced while the fingers move outwards. It's temporary but my favourite movement is a two hand symmetrical movement from the ears in a pulling massage over the sides of the jaw, slowing as I get over the side of the face and the volume seems lower. I think I carry a lot of clenching tension in my jaw. Something simple that gives a few seconds of relief for me.

It was helpful to me reading the posts and understanding/empathizing with others who cope with the very challenging an real emotional side effects of tinnitus.

Anyway, I look forward to participating and reading more.

 

Nice to have you here @Riptide. Thanks for the suggestions, I also have a tense jaw and grind my teeth at night. Maybe you do the same without noticing? It’s worth asking your dentist, they can usually tell by the ware on your teeth. A mouth guard may help.

What type of construction do you work in if you don’t mind me asking? I was training to be a building surveyor, but am now terrified of the occasional site visits I would have to make. Even walking by a construction site gives me the fear. I hope I can go back to it eventually.