Oldie but again a newbie

Hi,
New poster. My tinnitus started in early 2006, no specific trauma or event that I recall triggered it. I just remember thinking one day, what the heck is that noise! I'm not exposed to loud noises generally (on purpose), then or now. Mostly atonal to both ears, cicadas/crickets and for the most part I was able to adjust and move along normally for almost 8 years.

Last month, I thought maybe it was time to try hearing aids, not for the T specifically, but to be able to hear more clearly. Moderate hearing loss, I've been told upon testing. Little did I know that a new T experience was waiting for me at about the same time as I began testing behind-the-ear hearing aids in December.

Two new tones, one high tone in one ear and one low tone in the other, have camped out now with the crickets. At first I thought, did these new devices just cause the new T?! I don't believe they did but man what a coincidence. I've been to the audiologist and ENT (neither with much insight), waiting to get into my GP next week to see if something physical (other than middle-age) might be creeping up on me. I've returned the hearing aids to focus on my new "friends" in my head, maybe I'll try them again in a few months as they certainly did help with hearing but didn't necessarily lessen the new T. Right now I have a new battle.

As I've read from so many member posts, sleep (quality of sleep) is important, unfortunately my sleep has become affected by the new T; really ironic, because with the old T I generally slept fine, 7+ plus years of dealing with the old T had worked for the most part. Between melatonin and a sound machine I'm hoping to adjust to more sleep!

Look forward to traveling the T road together with you!

Duane

 

Welcome Duane!!! Glad you joined us here at TT!! What a trippy journey you have been on with your T!! Sorry about the "new battle" That sucks! SLEEP is the key!! I pray you find what works and get some zzz's. Take heart, it will get better!! Spend some time poking around on TT, lots of good info and great encouragement!!

 

Hello Duane
I have had significant T for about 7 months. Couple of years before it started to really started to bother me. I am an oldie also. I think Jeff is right, this forum is the best thing that has happened to me. Lots of information to absorb. I have spent the last few months reading the posts and learning about T. It does seem to get better. I have just started to feel like I can actually live a life as before T. I have decided that this dam noise isn't going to rule my life. Don't know what caused it, A life full of loud noises I guess. Lawn mowers, chain saws weed eaters, military, you name it. I hope they find a treatment and/ a cure soon, especially for the younger people on here. Hell, I'll be dead in a few years lol. Well anyway, I wish you the best.

 

Curious if anyone who started out with atonal type T, cicadas, hissing, humming, etc. (and remained that way for a long period of time) has suddenly or gradually moved to more of a pure tonal T with the atonal giving up or being the lesser of the T. Seems that with my latest experience the T that I've had for 8 years is being shoved out of the way by new, steady higher and lower tones. The lower tone is somewhat more disturbing at this point because it wavers. What strange c**p this is! But I'm preaching to the choir.