Searching again, ending up here. :)

Hello!

My name is Sven and I am 39 years old and from Sweden. I had slight tinnitus since about 1994, but it seriously worsened after a Bruce Springsteen concert in June, 1999. Since then it has gotten worse (I think) twice.

In 1999, after it worsened I felt OK for about two weeks until I realised that the ringing was never going away and googled and tried things such as Ginkgo Biloba (like I suppose all of you did... ).

I usually live with my tt pretty well nowadays, and though it is ever present I usually only "hate it" when I'm very tired, can't return to sleep or when I've drunk a little too much alcohol. I also I hate it on days such as this, when I've been to something were volume was loud and I didn't wear my earplugs. (Soccer game, WC Qualifier, yesterday... quite noisy, mostly from loudspeakers). My problem at times like this is that I can't say it's actually gotten worse or if it's my mind playing tricks on me since I'm worrying about it. I suppose most of you know that feeling.

Anyway, every time something like that happens, I return to googling for a cure and end up at different forum. That's why I'm here today. It seems like a very good place to be for anyone with tinnitus.

 

Yes, tinnitus is so subjective that it's hard to rate its volume level. Your reaction seems to have an effect on the volume knob for sure. Your attitude toward life in general (confident or downtrodden) is worth another few clicks on the volume knob in either direction!

 

Thanks for your reply, you're probably (and I hope you are) right.

 

Welcome Sven!
I love reading from people, who continue to follow their impulses and don't cut back on things they love due to tinnitus. Highly encouraging!

 

Thank you, but I can't exactly call it "encouraging" when it makes me feel bad. However, proper use of earplugs shouldn't prevent anyone with tinnitus from doing things they enjoy, I think.

 

A couple of weeks ago, my ears got screwed up after a flight to Spain and I posted on here after a night of having screaming tinnitus in my left ear. I was worried it would be like that forever. Perhaps tellingly, after getting reassurance both on here and on Twitter, it improved (or my perception of it levelled out, whichever you prefer.) So take heart Sven - I'm sure this spike won't last.

Interestingly, my tinnitus feels like it's moved to my left ear since those flights. Because my left ear remains a *little* louder than it was, it feels like the right ear is silent. The mysteries of T continue...

 

Yes, it truly is a mystery. Sometimes I think I can move my tinnitus briefly from one ear to the other...

Thanks for your encouraging words, btw!

 

July was better, mentally, but now it's back in full strength... I have a hard time believing that this is just a spike. I hope I'm wrong, but I think this is a permanent worsening.