Living with Relentless High-Pitched Tinnitus at 64

[TraceyNLa]

I woke up back in 2023 with a high-pitched screeching in both ears that has never stopped. I went to an audiologist and an ENT doctor in August and found out it's due to hearing loss in certain tones and frequency ranges.

I tried high-end hearing aids for a week with no relief, so hearing aids are a no-go for my tinnitus. It's so hard to get my spouse to understand the impact of living with extremely high-pitched tinnitus 24/7. I cry a lot because it's a lot to deal with at 64 years of age.

There are days when I even think about having surgery to clip the nerve endings, but that would mean being deaf, and at 64 I can't imagine how I'd cope with not hearing at all. It's such a vicious circle. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep dealing with the noise. That's my story.

 

[LukeYoung]

I woke up back in 2023 with a high-pitched screeching in both ears that has never stopped. I went to an audiologist and an ENT doctor in August and found out it's due to hearing loss in certain tones and frequency ranges.

I tried high-end hearing aids for a week with no relief, so hearing aids are a no-go for my tinnitus. It's so hard to get my spouse to understand the impact of living with extremely high-pitched tinnitus 24/7. I cry a lot because it's a lot to deal with at 64 years of age.

There are days when I even think about having surgery to clip the nerve endings, but that would mean being deaf, and at 64 I can't imagine how I'd cope with not hearing at all. It's such a vicious circle. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep dealing with the noise. That's my story.

Sorry to hear that, Tracey. It's very hard for people to understand—tinnitus is similar to hidden disabilities. Only those going through it can truly sympathize with you. I think the hearing aid option isn't too bad, though my guess is that a week probably isn't long enough to have a meaningful impact. If you have the funds, it could be worth trying for longer.

As for the nerve-ending idea, I don't think it would work. I believe tinnitus is similar to the phantom pain that amputees experience. Based on my own research, I don't think it would help; in fact, it could make things worse if your brain is compensating for lost input at certain frequencies. Adding more lost input could make it even worse.