New trauma

Hi all
Thought I would introduce myself. I'm gill and I have been suffering with t in my left ear for years- I think it was caused by nerve damage from dental work.
The reason for me joining is that in the past week or so my right ear has developed a high pitched ringing, different time to my left one. It's my worst nightmare and something I have always dreaded. I've gone into meltdown totally now, feel like I can't cope with it. Two different tones in two ears ...... Driving me crazy. Trying to convince myself I just have a head cold and it will go but terrified it won't. Not feeling great!

 

Hey Piggie,

Don't panic, that's the worst thing you can do, even though I know it's hard to stay calm. I have some kind of chorus of noises in both ears I think - it's turned into more of an electrical sound. When I first got t, it was just in my left ear, but over a few weeks a tone developed in my right ear as well. I'm not sure why this happened, but it did and at the time, of course, I was like, "oh my God, how could this happen?"

It may go away, but remember that if it doesn't, you will habituate, just like you did to the first sound. It will not be torture forever, and it's nothing to fear. I tend to find that what you resist, persists. I know it's hard, but try not to think about it. Go out and do something you enjoy, play some crickets for masking when you sleep or need to work (or whatever sound works for you). Go do some yoga, or go talk to your doctor about maybe getting a prescription to manage the anxiety until you adjust. The more you fret about the noise, the more it tells your brain to pay attention to it, and if your brain is on the red-alert for the sound, then it is impossible to ignore. So just work on feeling calm and know that you're doing all you can. The rest is out of your hands.

We're all here and we know what you're going through. We all know what it feels like to not be able to cope, but then we all somehow manage. It will be okay, hang in there.

 

Fully agree with awbw8 post above and wanted to send you a supporting hug - it's always sad to read when someone who has managed well for a number of years has a blip or a new sound to learn to deal with.

You've conquered this mountain before and you will again keep us posted be strong stay calm love cherx

 

Thanks both. I know it's good advice but sometimes I wonder, why me! I eat right, exercise regularly, don't smoke or drink .... Doesn't feel right does it.

 

Hey Piggie,

I know that feeling re: why me? Of course you can take sort of a spiritual/religious stance on it if that's something you believe/is comforting to you (I've been down that road.) But that aside, I think some people are just prone to this kind of "injury" for lack of better word, the same way some people are more prone to heart disease, cancer and other sensory issues no matter how healthy we are. Just one of those things. We're not in control of everything, which can be scary, but also a little liberating. It's not your fault, it's just something that happened and now we have to learn to deal with it as best we can.

 

I agree with awbw8 and Cher. You have got habituated to T before, so you will be able to do it again, to this new sound.

I have those same feelings every once in a while "Why me?" I have never been a good sleeper and always been quite an anxious person and then I got T, which makes me even more anxious and doesn't improve sleeping at all.

I try to think it might be something given to us (by god or by destiny) to test our personality, to show as that we are actually stronger than we believe we are. That we start with thinking our life is over, we won't be able to sleep or concentrate ever again and a couple of years later we find that we are actually doing fine most of the time.

As awbw8 said, I think it's important to focus on doing things that are fun and relaxing. With T it is even more important to find own ways to relax, it might be meditation, going for a walk. I don't think I would have started meditating without T, so there is something good about it.