Never Give Up Hope & Never Give In! My Tinnitus Frequency and Severity Have Improved Substantially

This Forum has been a godsend to many of us who suffer with tinnitus, understanding that many if not most of us will never rid ourselves of this debilitating problem.

Perhaps I can offer sufferers a modicum of hope...

I am 66 years old and have been suffering with tinnitus for more than 7 years now. My cycle runs a fairly consistent pattern, 3 days of head-banging tinnitus and 2 days reprieve. Without fail. Both ears (so to speak). Tried darn near everything including all sorts of concoctions you read hear and in social media ads, etc., etc.

For me, the only relief has been masking the brain generated, loud-as-hell hissing with sound; and white noise works best. On my PC, AudioNotch works well and with earbuds I have about 6 or 7 apps that I jump between. Sometimes an hour or so of sound masking would have a lasting effect, other times it wouldn't, meaning seconds after removing the masking noise generator, the tinnitus would rear its ugly head. And the worst thing was that during those "tinnitus-off" days, sometimes I would make the mistake of taking a nap or falling asleep and would wake up with the tinnitus screaming. Seems tinnitus hates me taking naps, although I should mention I have no trouble falling asleep at night even when the tinnitus is loud. Lucky me.

OK. Here's the encouraging part. Very recently, I have noticed that both the frequency and severity of my tinnitus have lessened substantially. I still get it in regular cycles, but the cycles have extended and the noise in my head is less severe. And even when I do get it, all it takes is maybe 1/2 hour of white noise to not only reduce it, but often eliminate it for the most part. Now, I have no idea as to whether this reprieve will be a lasting thing, or just an anomaly. But let me say that I am enjoying it, and my fingers crossed.

So - Never Give Up Hope & Never Give In! My heart and sympathy goes out to all tinnitus sufferers, and my fingers are crossed for you!

 

This is the best post I've ever read in Success Stories.

There are probably a few others like it, but I won't have seen them, as I avoid this section like the plague, for the purpose of keeping my stress levels from being raised by moronic statements like "tinnitus is beatable" (because that's how it works...), written by people who were distressed by mild tinnitus they believed to be severe tinnitus.

But this post has achieved the perfect balance of providing hope, without playing down, our condition, or misplacing due reverence for an illness that, like a wild animal, should absolutely not be f*cked about with.

Thank you for setting the standard, @MikeV.

Also, profile picture is cute as f*ck. ♥

 

Hey @MikeV, first of all congratulations on your recent reprieve, and thanks for describing it for us.

I had a question about your cycles. When you said that they have extended, does that mean your 3 days of head-banging and 2 days reprieve have lengthened to something better, like 2 days of (less severe) head-banging and, say, 4 days reprieve? Or did you mean something else? Could you describe the cycle you're now experiencing?

 

Joe Cuber,

Yeah, I can see the confusion I left you with. Yes, the off-cycle duration where my tinnitus is either undetectable or very slight has extended. I am now going about 2 tough days plus one milder day with tinnitus, followed by a solid 2 to 3 days without plus another 1 to 2 days with very mild symptoms. Not earth shattering improvement, but definitely a welcome improvement.

I'd like to say that I've done something different to earn this, but I can't think of anything I have been doing differently. Same diet, same daily routine... there's just been a shift toward the positive. I'll probably never be free from this damn thing, but I'll take what I can get.

I wish you, Damocles, and every sufferer with tinnitus some reprieve.

 

Hey thanks @MikeV - I'd say that's a pretty solid improvement, I hope it keeps going in the right direction for you. Perhaps the difference is time. Everyone says that healing takes a long time when ear issues are involved.

 

I wanted to give an update to my June 26 post.

While the intensity of my tinnitus is still less than it had been for years, it now seems that the numbers of days in the cycle are now 4 days on, and 3 days reprieve from the annoyance. Of those 4 days "on", I would say that 2 of those days are very mild and the other 2 more severe.

Back to sound therapy. I had my hope up, but not giving up! Maybe this is a lonnnnng wind-down and those days with tinnitus "on" will continue to get milder. We can only hope!

 

3 days reprieve, that's good progress. Are they all in a row? Has your tinnitus always fluctuated on and off? Mine has always been on and off--it switches while I sleep.

 

How long have you been using the sound masking apps and have you started using any new ones or new frequencies?

 

Lucky you. It doesn’t seem that your tinnitus gets worse with sounds. I wish I could say the same. Mine gets louder and competes with my environment, and the busier I am, the louder it is. Very high and loud sound. No hope. But it’s good to know that some people get some success.

 

My tinnitus is very much like yours. Generally starts or ends in my sleep. Not always.

I have been using sound therapy for probably 5 years. Sometimes it works well, other times not so well... meaning that the masking of the tinnitus lasts after I kill the sound generator. What I find that works best for me is white noise. If I am using just a tone, then between 8,000 and 10,000 Hz works best. But I'm using white noise now exclusively.

Loud noise can irritate mine, but usually if I am working or busy I don't notice it as much. Mine usually starts during sleep, so I wake up with it. I notice it getting louder as the day progresses, and by Day 2 it's the worst. Typically, Day 3 it starts to soften or wind down. I generally find the noise level to be worst when I am quiet, working on a PC, etc.