Seeking Support and Advice

Dear All,
I am a 39 year old female and am living in India. Diagnosed with otosclerosis when I was 27. A procedure called stapedotomy was done in 2004 and 2009 in my left and right ears to correct the conductive hearing loss. I was back to my normal life until recently when I started hearing a pulsating noice in my left ear accompanied by hearing loss. The doctors dignosed and announced that it is not conductive hearing loss anymore but a sensori neural hearing loss (moderately severe). The otosclerosis progressed all these years and had done all the damages to the hair cells in my left ear. I can even manage my hearing loss but can't stand this Tinnitus. It drives me crazy. I was told by the doctors that this won't go. Can anybody help me out if it could be minimised if not stopped?

 

You can eventually habituate to the sound of tinnitus in your ears. If it is very loud and intrusive their are some treatments out there to help with this process. Whilst the ringing may never go away your habituation to tinnitus will mean you just don't notice it and when you do it doesn't bother you. I know this isn't what you want to hear, like all other people with tinnitus you just want it all to stop. Given enough time, things will improve and it will no longer have an effect on your life.

Have a look through these boards. You will find many tips and coping strategies as well as information concerning treatments like TRT and habituation.

Also, it's worth noting that there are people on these boards with very serious intrusive and life altering problems with there ears. They have had little to no improvement. This is really upsetting and you mustn't place yourself into this category out of fear. The most important thing you can do is remain positive, stop reacting negatively to the ringing and do your best to go on with your life. This is HARD and it won't happen overnight, but it is possible!

 

Mark's advice is excellent. To further solidify his advice, please go to the success stories forum where you will find many, many people getting better. Either their T is gone, fade, or they just habituate to it which means they are not aware of it most of the time. Yes, even for high pitch T and even if these people suffered as much or more than you right now at the initial stage. T suffering is worst at the initial stage when your brain is hammered by the T trauma and the nerve function under the limbic system on a 'fight or flight' mode. Under this mode of function, everything, including the perception of T loudness and/or the intrusiveness of T is worse than it really is. Give yourself some time, calm down and relax, learn some insights from the people who have recovered, using strategies such as CBT, TRT, mindfulness meditation or diet/supplement, be more positive and accepting, etc. etc. These will help you to get you better in time. So remember to give Time enough time. Be patient. The body needs time to absorb in the T sensation, and if you don't resist the reality of T and stay calm, the body will find its way to slowly harden to the sound. How do I know that? Well, I have ultra high pitch T and severe hyperacusis a few years back and I lived through hell with them. But now I live a normal and enjoyable life. I don't give a dime to T high or low. The same sound used to overwhelm me. No Longer!!! The body has hardened to the T ringing and I have written my success story. It is too wordy and lengthy to repeat how I did it. So please read it in the success stories forum where you will find a lot more success stories. People do get better. Just believe it and give yourself a bright hope for the future. Take care.