Can Everyone Hear Tinnitus When Listening for It?

[Tinizzy]

Hello hello,
Of course also today Tinnitus is the main subject of my thought processes (I'm allowed because I'm still a Newbie =D).

And I was wondering since I myself only noticed I had T when actively searching for it (and afterwards freaking out) if not everyone is able to hear tinnitus.

Cause that would seem completely logical to me.

Because everyone gets hearing damage whilst living life, everybody has got active nerves working in their brains and therefore should be able to find T when searching for it.

What are your thoughts on this?

BTW, is it normal to feel a little derealized in the new stages?

Cause I sometimes feel like I'm kind of light headed/not as grounded to the earth with my feet as before.

 

[Ambassador]

I don't think anyone can say what another hears but I know before my tinnitus and hearing loss going into the sound proof booth with the headphones on for hearing tests I was always able to hear a faint off in the distance hiss and I have read this is true for everyone. Before I had full blown tinnitus I would hear it late at night in a quiet house and used to think some electronic device, my WiFi or air conditioner or something was causing it. I know now that was the beginning of tinnitus. The noise of daily living is usually enough to mask it. It's funny today, well not really funny, but it's up this morning and there's no reason but since I have habituated, it really doesn't annoy me or cause anxiety like it did in the beginning. It's become the soundtrack of my life and I have better things to do than fret over a little head noise. Would I rather not have it, of course but I would also rather be 21 years old again and that's not happening either.

 

[Melike]

I don't know but my boyfriend says he can hear a mild high frequency whistling when I ask him to listen carefully everytime. This is weird.

I wouldn't be surprised if he had T tho, he is a musician and sings in very loud gigs. But it is just so strange he never thought that it is a problem. He always sleeps with some background noise - generally movies but he says it is just because he likes to fall asleep like that. He still doesn't consider himself as a person with T.

 

[Tinizzy]

@Ambassador So great you are habituated. I want to be like that too! Can't wait (although I know it takes quite a while..)

@Melike Same story with my boyfriend! If he listens for it he hears a ringing too but he's not stressed by it at all. Cause the moment when he thinks about something else it is gone. So lucky. I know a lot of people like that. Think they are naturally habituated (maybe thats what I was aswell). Hope to get it back someday!

 

[Melike]

@Melike Same story with my boyfriend! If he listens for it he hears a ringing too but he's not stressed by it at all. Cause the moment when he thinks about something else it is gone. So lucky. I know a lot of people like that. Think they are naturally habituated (maybe thats what I was aswell). Hope to get it back someday!

I think people that generally likes to spend leisure time / fall asleep with some background noise like TV,radio etc may have a mild T that they are habituated to without even knowing a thing about it. They just think that this is silence and they don't like it too much. That's my guess.

 

[Flamingo1]

Before I had tinnitus, I remember several times lying in bed in a quiet room and actively trying to hear something...anything! And heard absolutely nothing. Complete silence. How I miss those days.

 

[Kingdawson]

My othet half who doesn't suffer from T can hear a slight high pitched ring when looking for it.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Before I had tinnitus, I remember several times lying in bed in a quiet room and actively trying to hear something...anything! And heard absolutely nothing. Complete silence. How I miss those days.

Same here

 

[Shera]

No, I heard total silence before T. My house is dead silent. Not to mention that I went into sound booths before and heard absolutely nothing. Even straining for it after the hearing test guy said everyone "hears something".

 

[Bill Bauer]

What are your thoughts on this?

I have my T in only one ear. I can't hear it in the healthy ear.

A significant fraction of people who had attended concerts and spent long hours listening to loud music using headphones probably have mild T. But people who have been careful are probably T-free and can hear complete silence...

 

[Luman]

I'm new to T also. I think that I heard mild noises for many years before the onset of my recent troubles. Many of the symptoms that I've been having seem like things that I vaguely remember, which were registered very deep in my brain, but now they are amplified. I used fans, and eventually sound machines, while sleeping for decades and still do. Good luck with your habituation, many millions of people have done it and so can we.