Is This Permanent?

Just checking in to say hi and thank heavens for this forum. Developing tinnitus and dealing with the uncertain prospect of this being the new normal is very difficult, but having such a supportive bunch in the same boat certainly does help!

I've had ringing at night now and then since being a teenager (band, concerts, headphones), but over the last year it has occurred more and more often. My lifestyle offers up a few culprits - headphones, gym and (most likely) full-time driving. Now I have tinnitus any time it's relatively quiet, not just at night in bed. I have to admit, I'm quiet distressed about it.

I was hoping to ask those who might know - is 75-80db for the majority of the working day enough to cause tinnitus? At night in bed, before the tinnitus settled in, I'd often still hear the sound of the wheels on the road. I didn't think too much of it, thinking it was only temporary.

Also, will taking any time off work make the tinnitus go down? Should I find a new, quieter job? Can I ever enjoy silence again?

Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum. You're not alone, many here face the same problems. Tinnitus is not always permanent and many friends have told me they had it once but then it just went by itself. Nobody knows for sure and it's that uncertainty that often leads people to feel so anxious. One way you can help that is to read the Success Stories on this forum.

Re the sound levels anything over 85dB for long periods of time can be damaging according to source I have found like this one: http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/virtualexhibit/3howloudistooloud.html

I have taken to measuring sound levels in my day now to see what it has been causing problems. I do this using a decibel app on my phone. I was surprised to find that just being on the London Subway broke in to the 90dB ranges.

Even though you suspect yours is caused by hearing damage there can be many different causes for Tinnitus. It's a symptom that has an underlying cause like tension in the neck and the jaw can so look for the threads on something called TMJ in case that's causing yours or just making it worse.

 

29 years now with loud tinnitus from too loud music.......we carry on

 

It definitely is loud enough.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus#Prevention