New to Tinnitus and forum

Hi, Donna, and welcome!

I'm sorry you're having a problem with very loud tinnitus right now, and I hope things will improve for you soon. How did the tinnitus start? Do you know what might have caused it?

Since you mentioned that outside noises amplify it, I would say that you probably also have hyperacusis (extreme sensitivity to sound). I haven't had that myself, and am hoping others on this forum will be able to advise you on how to handle it. I do know that, for most people, hyperacusis fades after you've had tinnitus for awhile.

My advice is to get some high-quality ear plugs to shut out the worst of the outside noise. You should not use them all the time -- just in situations where the noise around you bothers you or when you know you'll be exposed to loud noise.

Also --- it's really important to get enough sleep, which is hard when tinnitus first begins. You might want to try a sleep aid (over-the-counter or prescription) to help you during this time. Melatonin is a natural sleep aid which you could also try. It is more subtle than a prescription drug, but it does work.

Another thing to do is find some sort of sound masking. I use a sound machine myself, with water sounds or nature sounds when it is very quiet 0r when trying to sleep. It's best not to be in a totally quiet environment, so the nature sounds (or a fan turned on low) might really help.

Also, a lot of us try different types of supplements to aid us when tinnitus is loud, such as magnesium, gingko biloba, etc.

I hope that some of these suggestions will be helpful to you. Other members on this forum may have additional suggestions.

I wish you a peaceful evening!
Karen