Will Tinnitus Ever Get Better?

Hi folks,

it's your local helper Fishbone. I have read and see so many posts by newcomers and even some vets that ask the simple question "Will it get better?" This questions is something that we really need an answer to and I will address it in this thread.

When tinnitus first hit me over 30 years ago, I was very scared and my parents were very scared. They feared for my life and I had every imaginable testing done. I wen through all the testing and my doctors told them that I will be ok. Getting tinnitus for the first time was a real shock for me. I use to be in my room and i'd hear that buzzing,hissing and I'd stare at my lamp/light in the room. I'd scream and call my mom in and say "mom did you hear that? Do you hear that?"

She'd come and say "hear what?" I'd say....I hear noises. Is the fridge messed up? I'd ask lots of questions and she'd say no. Tinnitus is something that require time and LOTS OF SUPPORT. Whether it is from your parents, friends, this forum. You need to always gain support and love.

You will need LOTS OF TIME - this is not an overnight deal. It can take anywhere from 6 months to 2+ years to adjust/cope/habituate.....sometimes longer. Time is the healer of them all and let time do it's thing.

Remaining calm - This is something that I suggest members do. Tinnitus can be quite frustrating and very annoying. When our emotions get built up, this only triggers more horrible tinnitus or spikes, it can happen and the spikes can stay for quite a while.

Positivity - I always preach it because it helps me. I juggle so many different issues in my life, but I always look at ways to help myself. There is no cure for tinnitus, we can still use techniques, tools that exist to help us a little with our issues. I have brutal/loud intrusive tinnitus as it is. There are times when it's DEMON level and even I want to lose it at times. I simply resort to pink noise and calming/tranquil sounds. I close my eyes and think that I am on a tropical ocean. Folks my hearing is extremely poor and my tinnitus covers most of it. I still try very hard to hear that ocean wave or the seagull. Let the mind focus on the nature and try to remain calm and positive.

Avoid loud places/people. Avoid negative places/people. I blame myself for my ears. I was not educated on loud noises and what it can do to the ears. I messed up my ears due to consistently being in loud places and listening to loud music (heavy metal) and I blame myself. My ears are like this because of abuse from loud music/places. NOT from everyday noises. Not all everyday noise is harmful.

Don't get obsessed and listen to your tinnitus too much or the sound. This something I highly suggest that you DO NOT DO! This just builds an obsession and this will bother you and not be all that helpful. I did the same thing and it was harming my mental outlook and never helpful to me.

Protect your ears - if you are in known loud spots, then use earplugs and take care of your ears. I was at a facility today and they started singing and I instantly grabbed for my ear plugs and put them in.

Just do know that it will take sometime, but you can improve on your life and live better even with your tinnitus. No matter how loud or quiet it is. It requires for us to simply take baby steps each day. Every day can be a small victory for us.

If we simply follow some of the stuff I listed here, then we have a chance at improving our lives. It will not help you cure tinnitus or hyperacusis, but it can help us live with what we have and face each day.

I write this because I care about the members here and I was in your shoes and still am. If i learn something that has helped me, I will come here and share it and help you. Always know that I support all of you and hope all of you find peace and move forward in your lives

PS- it can get better, but we have to work on being motivated and wanting it to get better and taking those small and gentle baby steps each day. Each day is a small victory. It is not going to happen overnight, but eventually things can slowly become better and life can improve.

 

Not all everyday noise is safe for someone who has tinnitus.

 

Great stuff Fishbone. People like you, Michael and Glynis show me that no matter what life throws at us we can bend but not break.

 

I think the answer to this question really depends on how much damage you do before you stop your reckless behaviour. If I had stopped early last year when my first ear symptoms showed up, I probably would have been fine. Unfortunately, I didn't. I pushed through till December where I finally reacted to a bad case of acoustic shock. Reading through many comments here, It's pretty clear that most people get theirs very early. The ear fullness, pain, hyperacusis, etc. The brain responds best to fear and pain. These will end up being the success stories while the rest of us will still be here. I've been practicing @Bill Bauer levels of protection and I've still lost hearing since December. Following this trend, if it holds, I can safely say it won't get better.

It becomes a question of acceptance after this. @fishbone I'm glad you found some way to live with this new reality. But I'm willing to bet most here would lose their minds if they had serious hearing problems with nothing but severe tinnitus to keep them company. You compromise too much and get a plate of crap in return.

 

Does tinnitus get better?

I remember getting habituated to my tinnitus for 1 year. I would sleep without any sound enrichment. I completely forgot I had tinnitus. Then I went to a loud concert and now I’m back to scare one. It feels louder and ears are full. It’s been 3 weeks already. We all heard that story already either from a Tinnitus Talk member or because you lived through it. I have made progress with sleeping thanks to my workouts, but does the actual tinnitus loudness ever get better ? And if yes how long does it take to get better?

Thank you for sharing

 

I'd love to give you an answer on it getting better or it getting lower. Tinnitus is an odd thing, either an impact (sound/physical/med) can possibly make it louder or our own perceptions and fears can possibly make them louder. what is done is done, now our own perceptions play a key role in how we deal with it. I remember being at a friends house and telling him that my dog had poor hearing. He slapped his hands together really hard(probably 90+ dbs)(no ear-plugs) and the noise jolted me. I must have been 2-3 feet from where he was. I did not rush to take pills or anything. I basically told myself, "WHAT IS DONE-IS DONE", move on and don't dwell on it.

Some will instantly rush to take a pill for these events, that is their choice and more power to them. I, on the other hand just accept it and move on. Now, did my ears have a worst spike? Kinda. Did my ears feel fuller, Yes. I did get better in time, but did not re-live the situation over and over again.

My tinnitus feels like a spike 24-7, so I cannot comment on it ever getting lower...... I still do my best no matter WHATEVER cards I am DEALT......

 

@fishbone

Wow, really Wow. Hats off to you. You are such a strong person.

Wish you all the best. May you find peace and have luck in your life.

 

Thanks for your experience and tips @fishbone

I have had, in retrospect, several tinnitus spikes during my life, the first memorable one was back in 1985, with several in between. The last one was the worst.

I can say in my experience that each improved, but it takes a lot of time.

I have learned that avoidance is key, and protection from the rest of the noise is crucially important.

 

why don't you help the grassroots effort to find a natural way to regenerate hair cells. I was very involved in this and landed on curcumin, which strangely seems to help in different ways. You're involved, you've got skin in the game. Join MPP. Why couldn't we find a cure ourselves?

 

Part of it is the brain though.

Why can't the brain function normally despite hearing loss or issues with the ear?!?

My tinnitus is so loud right now!

My dog got upset or anxious and barked as I was getting ready to take her out. My left ear gas some pain and I don't know if it is from that or coincidence since I have ear pain quite often.

I wish I knew how suicidal people off themselves so I could too.

 

Avoiding loud sounds/spots is a must. I hope newcomers, especially young people protect their ears, so they don't have the ears I have. I'm ok with my situation, because I was never educated on ear damage and tinnitus. I had no role models or mentors guide me 31 years ago. My words and my posts hope to educate people, so they can avoid my situation. I just try to set a positive example for those that recently got tinnitus. I get no compensation for helping people here, I do it because I want them to not further damage their ears

If my posts help people i get a warm feeling and full gratification.

As I say in my posts, our perceptions are crucial for how we live. We live, what we believe. The mind is such a force that we only use 5 to possibly 10% of it. Tweaking our thoughts can be quite helpful with tinnitus or no tinnitus.

Our thoughts, become our actions and our actions become our results.

Cheers

 

"OUR MINDS?" If you put your hand on a hot stove, how long do you think you can leave it there by playing mind tricks?

 

super must.

 

I am sorry. I want to know the answer to the OP question and I also have ear pain that makes everything worse.

I am not working because of this and this suffering is why I feel suicidal every day.

 

No education either, and really had no idea what most of these symptoms were such as ear fullness after noise exposure for way too long. Hope others can learn a lot earlier, and avoid going through T spikes as they totally suck.

 

@fishbone

Wise words of wisdom. I do admire your resilience and you amongst others have managed to come out of other side with head above water after an almighty struggle. I have read your posts with interest especially how exercise has helped you. I would encourage all Tinnitus sufferers to exercise daily as it just helps the mind forget about Tinnitus.

My tinnitus is loud and getting louder though I have curbed 90% of noise related activities. Main concern is the Tinnitus but the onset of Hyperacusis which is just starting. I have one finale left this week (which is doubtful) then maybe hung up my dancing shoes for good. Life will then just become so boring and will not know what to do with myself as dancing is one of the few activities left I really enjoy

Problem nowadays everything is so much louder hence why more young people are developing Tinnitus. Some music festivals/Nightclubs are just unbelievable loud and there has to be decibel limits in place like they have in Netherlands otherwise its just going to get worse. At least we are in a position we can educate younger people on earplugs etc.

 

Exercise has so so many benefits, it is like a magic pill. I was hitting the gym while I had the low/beginner's level of tinnitus years ago and now while it's very intrusive and chaotic. I understand that dancing is your passion and it's hard to let go of things we love to do. I approach life with the objective of solving issues and improving things. The last 2 weeks my tinnitus had gotten even louder and it was pure chaos. I use sound enrichment at low volumes quite a bit to reduce some stress and to have my brain hear another noise, besides the venom that screams out my head. The last two weeks I was using it daily and it was helping quite a bit.

I went back to the drawing board and re-configured my diet and my approach and now I'm back to the intrusive tinnitus again. The last two weeks it was so loud, that my hearing had suffered and I could not hear much out of my ears. It was that loud, but some how it reduced just a little and I am thankful for it.

I hope you become creative and find ways to make your life enjoyable, even if you stop dancing. Never give up my friend, the rainbow on the other side of the tunnel does exist.....

 

Great thread. I’m at month 9. Things got better when I took care of greater health. Exercise, and eating healthy. As a diabetic, I’ve found I get spikes with any bad food. Carbs, fried food etc.

I’m not sure what caused my tinnitus, it started with some meds. But I’ve actively shot guns the last few years and have all but quit. Things were getting better, and you get sloppy so I shot last week, first time in months. Skeet. Double ear protection and all, and not surprising it’s been a bad week.

Crazy.
But anyone who reads this should heed the OP’s advice.

 

Your messages do help. I just like this forum how people genuinely care and support each other

I think everyone on this forum Have made significant sacrifices. I have tried and been successful to a degree but there is always temptation. I am getting to a point now my ears cannot cope any more - it’s had enough. They feel tired and seem to be working extra time to cope with sound that used to be so easy to deal with.

Already given up a lot now dancing too which is going to be difficult to cope with as it’s the only activity I really enjoyed. There is only one thing that can replace dancing but have been waiting for such a long time that I have given up all hope now...........

 

My friend, do not give up! My tinnitus is, at it's loudest that it has ever been. Just keep pushing forward, things can change eventually. It's a slow process. It's a process and takes LOTS of work, I do believe that there is a rainbow at the end of the tunnel...I really do.

 

How long have you had tinnitus for doc?

 

I think one of the greatest effects, that regular exercise can help with is depression. Tinnitus can cause depression for some folks, I have felt it before. Constantly being in the gym, can lift the spirits and bring on some motivation. I posted in another thread how sodium and a bad diet had taken my ringing (which is already intrusive) to a new level and it was beyond crazy. Congrats to you, for doing so well at 9 months out, be proud and keep it up!

 

Since 1985.

 

I didn't realize! Thought you were more of a newer sufferer than that. I'll remember your degree of experience with this next time I have questions.

 

I don't think I realized it at first either. A little over a year ago a new weed wacker sent things into the untolerable zone. However, this started back in early 1985 when I fell asleep as a teenager with a walkman device on. First and last time that ever happened, but in retrospect it started it off.

 

Diet has helped me a little bit. Exercise does nothing for me. Actually stresses me out trying to fit it in my busy life.
Enjoy what you like to do, even if it’s just sitting listening to soft music.
Think about the small nice things in your life.

 

Doing something that can take stress off your plate, is a good idea. The simple joys and pleasures of life can have a great impact on our lives. I am someone, that really likes to give back and contribute, it's a simple joy that makes a difference in someone's life. Whether I am in the gym, teaching an elder how to properly lift weights or in the martial arts studio teaching, a new student the proper way to do a move. Coming here and supporting people, that deal with tinnitus. Teaching, helping, supporting, making contributions can have a great impact, in other people's lives and in our own as well

 

Just want to say long time no see Fishbone. Peace & Love to you man, you are an absolute legend. I think of you sometimes when I meditate and wish you peace, health, and freedom from all suffering.

Peace & Love.

Chimp.

 

Thanks for the kind words. Wish you lots of healing and success...

 

I find that potatoes sets my ear to ringing it only takes one medium sized to set it off. Diabetes and diet is tuff to deal with. One day this works next day well that didn't help at all. My t is more likely to come on during the night, just about the time I'm headed for the toilet.