Trying Not to Lose Hope...

[Pathfinder]

I don't even know where to begin.

Just found this site out of desperation, as my tinnitus is making my life utterly miserable. What began as misdiagnosed strep throat (over thirty years ago) led to a severe ear infection with eardrum rupture and heavy scarring and blockage of my eustachion tube. Many tubes followed after that until my eardrum became so scarred and infected that it can no longer support another T-tube. Good news is that I have a perforation which is allowing aeration, but the tinnitus is so intense I can't hear at all.

Had normal MRI, and of course my doctor states nothing can be done.... learn to live with it. Easier said than done. I am here to hopefully educate myself and receive some support as I cope with this private hell that I'm sure you all are familiar with.

 

[billie48]

Welcome to the forum. You are a brave warrior of T having lived with T for so long. I don't know if some of us with much less T age can counsel you on how to live with T but I just hope you can find some positivity of life's other beauty besides T to lessen its impact on your life. I have mentioned some guiding lights on my success story post, people who seem to beat the odds and are living normal and/or productive life even with bad or unmaskable T. If you have time, you can give it a read.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/from-darkness-to-light-how-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

There are many causes that can trigger T or aggravate it, like drug reaction or side-effects, ear or Eustachian tube infection, ear drum injury, fluid build-up feeling pressured, TMJ, blood circulation, noise exposure or acoustic trauma, neck problems, hearing loss, Meniere's, barotrauma from flight, stress, anxiety & panic disorder, grief, etc. See if any of above causes happened lately in your life. If not, then perhaps check out the Treatment and Alternative Treatment forums on TT to see if anything can be tried. You may also want to read this thread from IWLM 'Back to Silence' who has gotten better after 40 years with a simple method. Nothing hurt to try it. Take good care. God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/back-to-silence.7172/

 

[Pathfinder]

Thank you so much for your gracious reply! My tinnitus has been pretty much tolerable until the past three months. I am just so frustrated with it, but I feel a comfort just knowing that others share my journey. I will read the articles you linked.... bless you for your reply!