What's All the Buzz About? (Get It? Get It?)

[ilona]

It's really nice to feel that there are others who share my problem, because sometimes I feel like nobody could possibly understand what it's like to have a constant, high-pitched buzzing in your ear that never, ever goes away.

People take silence for granted.

I've had the buzzing for as long as I can remember, and I've no clue why-- I've been told that, not only do all of my medications cite tinnitus as a possible side effect, but the conditions these medications are treating (depression, anxiety, an episode of psychosis) can bring it on as well.

I saw an ent doctor last year, and I cried when he told me that there was nothing he, or anyone, could do to relieve me of this unwelcome noise. I also have a condition called "broadband visual snow", which makes the world look like a tv channel that won't quite come in, like static or interference.

I used to have problems with street drugs (now clean 1.5 years, thank you very much!) and they didn't leave me unscathed. So, in terms of sight and sound, the world, to me, looks and sounds like bad reception.

I joined this board today because I seem to currently be suffering from some kind of virus, and one of the symptoms is increased tinnitus, and last night, it was pulsing, not in tandem with my pulse, but almost in spasms.

I have no clue what this means. I suspect I have some increased pressure in my head. Anyway, some days, when I'm functioning highly, I barely notice the buzzing, but some other days, especially if I'm at home where it's quiet, it's overwhelming. I can wilfully make it louder and quieter to some extent-- anyone else? I don't spend much time doing research on it...

I've come to accept it as a hopeless problem, something I'll just have to live with forever.

The ent Doctor told me of a treatment that has you wearing something that emits a noise into your ear, but he also told me that this treatment was, by and large, not very effective, and moreover, it would cost thousands out of my pocket, which, as someone living on disability, I don't happen to have.

So there-- that's my little intro, thanks for reading, and thanks again for having me. It's nice not to feel so alone.

 

[glynis]

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk ilona and sharing your story.
Keep posting on the main forums for support..
..lots of love glynis

 

[billie48]

The ent Doctor told me of a treatment that has you wearing something that emits a noise into your ear, but he also told me that this treatment was, by and large, not very effective, and moreover, it would cost thousands out of my pocket, which, as someone living on disability, I don't happen to have.

Welcome to the forum. He may be talking about TRT. Perhaps try masking as follows as they are free:

1) Mask at bed time so you can sleep better. Find whatever sounds/music that are soothing to you. You can use a sound machine or sound pillow for this, or a computer with speakers.

2) If you need masking on the go, try load an ipod with nature sounds or music using itune. If you have a smart phone, you can download free APPs for soothing or T-masking sounds.

3) If you have computer and speakers, you can try these excellent masking sounds too:

TT's audio player: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/audioplayer/

or this online sound library, particularly the self-mix nature sounds: http://mynoise.net/

or download free sound generator 'aire freshener': http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html

or search youtube with words like 'tinnitus masking sounds', 'white noise', 'rain sound' etc.


And if you need DIY notched Acoustic Coordinated Reset Neuromodulation (ACRN):

(please be careful and research the pro and con on ACRN before proceeding with caution)

http://www.tinnitus.org.uk/acoustic-cr-neuromodulation

http://www.generalfuzz.net/acrn/