An Encouragement and Taking My Shower with Me

[Plainsman]

1.) This is still so fresh to me. Just over 2 weeks in. Still not able to sleep, even with a sound machine, nothing seems to cut through the high pitched tone. Nothing except one thing. The shower. I've used up insane amounts of water just standing there. In the shower, things sound normal. It seems to be the only thing to mask my tinnitus. (Rain, storm, wave simulators don't do it).

This morning I brought my phone into the shower, opened White Noise Lite, and recorded a clip of the shower. I tried it out and the clip had a similar cancelling effect as the real shower. It also worked in the car. I'll try it tonight before bed. Hoping this grants some temporary relief.

2) My question - What is the longest anyone had had noise induced tinnitus and had it go away completely? 2 weeks? 3 weeks, more? I'm 2 weeks and a day now. Praying daily in Jesus' name for it to go away, but if that is not the plan that I can accept it, adapt, and move on.

 

[linearb]

Longest I remember reading was like 3-4 years, though I think in that case it came back after another trauma, so if it does go away, be careful.

Even if it doesn't go away, seems like it gets notably better over the first 2-6 months for a lot of people.

If you have the capacity to accept it for the moment it is probably best to do that and let the future take care of itself.

 

[Plainsman]

Thank you linearb, I really appreciate the feedback. I actually appreciate any feedback. It seems like folks who have never dealt with it just don't understand how jarring it can be (three weeks ago I was one of those people). I'm guessing like any trauma there are stages. I'm currently dealing with anger and guilt (my situation was easily preventable) both directed back at myself. I can logically understand why neither is productive or helpful, but emotions can be a hard thing to tame - those along with anxiety may be as large a struggle as the Tinnitus itself.

 

[Mitchel]

Hi, I'm JUST like you. Mine started about 2 weeks ago and the shower is total relief. Sleeping is tough, especially when I get up in the middle of the night for a bathroom break. Thank you for the tip on White Noise Lite, I'm looking for a way to loop the shower noise. Take care.

 

[Plainsman]

Mitchel, I hope it helps you too! White Noise Lite is on the App Store. The app is super simple and will build the loop for you, just takes a handful of seconds. None of the standard white noises worked for me, but my own shower is the best. I play it a little louder than I would the other white noises (no earbuds though!). Right now it is giving me some comfort. And I will pray for yours as well Mitchel.

 

[Meirion]

I have found the same thing that the sound of the shower masks my tinnitus better than anything else. So used the following youtube video and extracted the audio from it, so now have 10 hrs of shower time to help me sleep every night.

It's worked for me far better than rain sounds and now I'm getting 7 hrs + sleep most nights which is helping me cope with a a recent bad spike due to noise exposure. Was getting next no sleep before this. I play it on a volume just lower than my tinnitus so as not hamper my chances of habituation.

When I first got tinnitus about 8 years ago, it took about 3-6 months for it to lower in volume and not bothered me anymore. It never went away fully, but a year or two afterwards I barely noticed it at all and would struggle to hear it even in a fairly quiet office when working i.e. it became mild and definitely not bothersome. At the same time though, it has got worse recently because I exposed myself to loud noise on a night out where a live band was playing in a bar. So, it's definitely possible for noise induced tinnitus to improve but you still have to be careful around loud noise and follow the advice given by others here about protecting yourself.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I actually appreciate any feedback.

It can still go away even after 2 years. Normally, it doesn't just turn off. It fades gradually, and the more it fades, the slower it fades.
To answer your question, see the first tip in the post below. I think you might find many of the tips there to be useful to you.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822
I am sure that many here will find your tip about the shower to be helpful.

 

[Plainsman]

Thank you for the tips Bill, they are helpful!