I read your original post, and I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It sounds like your case is exceptionally severe. Can I gently suggest that you still have time to improve, and that your condition isn't necessarily permanent? It seems you've had tinnitus for about the same amount of time as I have. I was injured in late January or early February 2025. I'm improving, although slowly. Your auditory system is in overdrive right now and needs time to recalibrate. Most people with acoustic trauma find that their systems calm significantly between six and eighteen months with the right support.
From my own experience, and from others on this board, the best remedy really is time, calm, and rest. If you're still using supplements, I suggest stopping everything except Magnesium and B vitamins. No heavy doses, just regular ones. Your system needs consistency. If you keep introducing new things, you're constantly forcing it to readjust to biochemical changes.
I'd also recommend avoiding tinnitus apps that try to help you find your frequency. Gentle, consistent sound is all you need. When my tinnitus was at its worst, I used a ten-hour cricket video from Treble Health and layered it with a twenty-four-hour soft jazz channel on YouTube. When it softened, I switched to fountains, rivers, and birds.
I also have a coat made of crinkly material that I place on my shoulder near my worse ear to give it more input. I scratch it lightly with my thumb so it makes a soft noise. I even take it to bed and rub my thumb on it until I fall asleep.
Earbuds were another important part of my therapy. I played the cricket sounds through them at the lowest possible volume on my phone. I used the cuff style and over-ear style so nothing went directly into my ear canal. Sometimes I just held the earbud near my worse ear. I noticed the first softening within days of doing this. I eventually had to stop because my hearing reached a point where even the lowest setting was too loud—not from hyperacusis, but because my system had calmed down and started focusing on what was coming through the earbuds instead of the noise in my head.
I know it's hard, but you also need to practice calm and relaxation. Relax your muscles, clear your mind, and spend time outside in the sunshine. Stress hormones can make tinnitus worse.
When it comes to treating tinnitus, less really is best. Build your routine around consistency and calm, and give it time. You're not hopeless. I hope you put your MAID plans on hold for a while and give your system time to find its balance. I told
@TemporaryTHope this, and I remind myself of it all the time: this is your "right now," not your "forever." When you're healthy, it's hard to imagine being sick, and when you're sick, it's hard to imagine being well again. But your brain is constantly adapting and readjusting. It's not too late for you.
