Today Marks 1 Month of Tinnitus for Me

Today marks 1 month since my noise induced tinnitus started. (Hammering sheet metal, and nail gun). 30 dB loss at 6 kHz in left ear.

It's been the most emotionally testing health issue I've encountered. I, like others, felt suicidal after the first couple days, as it was really loud and non stop. Low end warble.

After a couple weeks of Prednisone, lots of praying, Flonase, magnesium, etc etc (trying all possibilities like others do) I have come here to my 1 month mark.

My low end has mostly morphed into a high hiss around 15,000 Hz. I occasionally have a ring around 1050 Hz, and most bothering is the low end which comes and goes. Thank God the low end volume has subsided majorly. Interestingly with that one, it's exacerbated by real sounds in that frequency range. The refrigerator running, the AC running. Those being off helps relieve it some.

What I feel most positive about is that I had about 3 days this week where the volume was low enough that, while working (noisier areas - with earplugs!) My mind was distracted enough to forget my tinnitus, if only for a minute or so.

It's an interesting feeling because your brain is so hardwired now that something is "wrong" with you, that when you experience a moment of relief, or laughter, you immediately go wait a minute, I'm supposed to be suffering because I have this "disease" or condition now, things aren't good, why? Oh yeah I have tinnitus, and sure enough it comes right on.

I don't know if it's a lowering of volume, or habituation. I think its a bit of both. But I have survived this month. Trust me, some days this week I was angry, stressed and e exhausted at work and just needed to be home, but some days were very manageable, and that's new for me.

I've noticed if I stay home and try to keep really quiet, and not busy, my tinnitus spikes after a day of that, as does the hyperacusis.

Staying busy is important I feel.

Anyhow, I'm praying I continue to improve.

 

Do you feel the meds helped you?
Were you wearing hearing protection during the hammering?

 

Yes, I feel the meds made a difference, bc the low end progressed higher and higher every 3 days for the first week or so. Low to 8k tone, 10, 12, 15k. Something like that. After completing it the low end returned (although lower volume) in addition to my constant 15k. Currently the trend is 15/hiss and maybe 1050 hz, and intermittent low.

No I was not wearing hearing protection.