I Feel Broken

Hi. My name is Miranda. I have Tinnitus. I do not know what caused it or if it will go away. I am at the phase of trying everything under the sun to fix or reduce it. It is only in my left ear, as far as I can tell. It is a high pitch sound that depending on the day will be loud or faint. Faint days are better. It took a few months of having this symptom before it broke me. I am broken. The hardest part of having this condition is getting support from my family. Since they do not have this sound in their ears, it is hard for them to understand how debilitating it can be.

I have made an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic to see a group of specialists. I hope their collective minds will at least provide me with ways of coping. I keep reminding myself that there are others that have this and that there are good days and bad - and to just roll with it. However, as you all know, it is difficult.

 

Hello and until a cure is found please try to comfort yourself. Distracting myself is a method I use. Negative self talk will make you upset. Tell yourself tinnitus is not who I am. Keep busy with what makes you happy as often as you can. Here are ideas I hope some will help you... For me I walk alone for miles, I hum louder than the tinnitus my favorite songs. I focus on my body how blessed I am with feet, hands, seeing, hearing, on and on... I remind myself some people do not have eyes that see or ears that can hear. I use a infrared heating wand to warm my ears, a heating pad, or a hair blow dryer on hot. Writing a diary of the tinnitus can help too, what makes it louder or softer. Morning louder or evening... On and on to see if you can see patterns. Salt and sugar make mine louder as an example. I use a massager on my neck and ears. We are all different in what helps us but I do hope for the best for you. Face tapping is a natural way to cope as it releases endorphins. Sound therapy is getting good reviews also. Humming helps me the most as I play piano and love music. Heat too. This forum is inspiring me as I am an elder and young people have great ideas I enjoy reading, plus, I have no grandchildren and hope I can be of help as you young people are the future of our Nation.

 

I don't think anyone that doesn't have moderate to loud tinnitus can understand how debilitating it can be. I have experienced this too, people minimize it as if it should be a minor nuisance. Even people with 'mild' tinnitus do this.

 

Welcome to the forum @Miranda. Here you will never be alone as members here have been where you are and can understand and have empathy for what you are going through. It is important to keep positive and calm as humanly possible as you can, as stress and anxiety are bad for T. If you have days your T is quiet or low, then do take that as a positive. Take all the positives as you can when living with T. Negativity will aggravate your emotions, and therefore your T too. Besides the medical folks, try to also learn the collective wisdom of members here, many of whom have recovered and written their success stories. Do read up as many as you can to learn their insights and copy their success. Take care & God bless.

 

Thank you so much for the support and for this forum.