My Story — Got Tinnitus from Workplace (CNC Milling)

[jel]

Hello, I am not new here. It's just that I decided to make an account. English is not my first language so please excuse me for that.

I got "permanent" tinnitus from the place where I used to work. I always wore hearing protection but got it anyway...

My dad said you have hearing protection so it can't be from your work place... but it did come from there. I worked with old CNC milling machines in a building with echo.

5 months in with raging tinnitus I burned out.

Got welfare for a year... and just tried to live... attempt to take my own life couple times.

Once on a dark day I visited the psych ward where they lock people in. When I got there I said NO this is a mistake you won't do anything for my tinnitus and sped off.

Tried things like acupuncture and chiropractic work... but with no results.

Now 2.5 years later I am fed up and pissed off.
I can't do it like this anymore. I am 25 years old now.

I will try to search other employment which I didn't study for and move in a trailer home. So I won't have arguments and fights with my parents. That is the plan.

Things that helped me:
- Magnesium supplements
- Quitting coffee: it makes my hyperacusis and tinnitus ramp up
- Neck massages

For hyperacusis doing cardio is a really big help.
- long runs as many times per week (the wind will mask the tinnitus sometimes)
- long bike rides (bicycle).

After doing runs and bike rides my tinnitus always ramps up... until the next day. I don't know why but I can tell it helps with just going out and doing things again.

Thanks for reading,

bye.

 

[Autumnly]

Hi, thanks for sharing your story and I'm sorry to hear you're having to deal with these conditions as well. I'm 26 and developing chronic tinnitus and pain-hyperacusis really threw me off the path I had envisioned for myself. However, I'm hopeful that we'll be able to treat chronic tinnitus medically within a few years. Perhaps I'm too optimistic but this hope helps me to keep going.

If neck massages helped, you could also look into:

• physical therapy if you have issues with your neck, posture or jaw
• craniosacral therapy if you have issues with your jaw
  
• using a mouth guard if you grind your teeth at night
• yoga, qi gong, etc.

If you're interested in recent positive research updates:

• a device named Lenire by an Irish company called Neuromod recently launched in Dublin, Ireland
  • here's an interview TinnitusTalk conducted with Neuromod
  • here's the thread on Lenire, we're looking forward to hearing from other members who will soon start using the device
• the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota are working on similar devices
  • here's a link to an article that explains the device by the University of Michigan and the concept of bimodal neurostimulation for tinnitus
  • the University of Michigan might already start commercialization efforts in the US next year

 

[Earing]

I am learning about hearing protection and how it doesn't work the way it is sold to work. If the NNR rating is 30dB, then the reduction of sound is not 30dB, it is 30 - 7 x .5 = 11.5dB reduction, not 30dB. So if you are in 110dB environment the reduction takes you down to 98.5dB not 80dB. If you add foam earplugs that are 30dB, you can only take another 5dB off the 98.5dB, not 30dB again. So the maximum reduction is 93.5dB. This is how you, me, and millions of others get hearing damage when diligently using protection.

 

[jel]

It's been a year since my mother slapped me with full force onto my left ear (not her intention afterwards). It's been very difficult. The 3 years of tinnitus before that compared with this was mild.

I have now extreme tinnitus in my left ear. And can't even hear my right tinnitus over it. It's difficult to hear people sometimes... and when I get water into that ear from the shower it acts up...

I hope you guys can give me some support or advice.

Thanks!

 

[ajc]

I have now extreme tinnitus in my left ear. And can't even hear my right tinnitus over it. It's difficult to hear people sometimes... and when I get water into that ear from the shower it acts up...

I hope you guys can give me some support or advice.

What support or advice do you need?

It's normal for tinnitus get worse temporarily when you get water into the ear.

It's not something to worry about.