Do Computers Make Tinnitus Worse?

[stophiss]

Hi Stophiss,
Good to hear that your tinnitus is doing well and hope that it continues. I am not having to take clonazepam so often. When my tinnitus is moderate as it is now I'm fine so things are not too bad at the moment touch wood.
All the best
Michael

I haven't had to reach for the benzo bottle in months either Michael. Been gutting out any moderate levels of tinnitus. A pretty low day today. Yipeee!! Tomorrow? I would bet nothing on what it will be....more mercurial than a change in weather.

 

[stophiss]

Stophiss. You have a unique way of saying things that hits straight at the heart with a nice touch of humour...lol. All the person in question keeps repeating in every post is "disregulation" and what people should do to improve their tinnitus, yet hasn't written one post to help anyone other than to use expletives like B-S to try and get a point across when there is no answer. Please keep the humour coming Stophiss

I mean no ill toward the poster in question. I find humor in his posts honestly. I mean it gives trolling even a bad rap.
He actually made some absurd allegations about tinnitus in terms of blood sugar, diet and other things which have no foundation. But generally he trolls away and is disarmingly hapless in his approach. How's that?

 

[Michael Leigh]

I mean no ill toward the poster in question. I find humor in his posts honestly. I mean it gives trolling even a bad rap.
He actually made some absurd allegations about tinnitus in terms of blood sugar, diet and other things which have no foundation. But generally he trolls away and is disarmingly hapless in his approach. How's that?

When the person in question breezed in here the other day and started shouting from the hilltops, that he devised a treatment that was going to help people with their tinnitus, and that he was going to be submitting an article. I thought, WoW. Little did I know it was just hot air..lol Guess it's true what they say Stophiss: empty cans make the most noise...

 

[Samir]

I'm not sure if I should cry or laugh...

A computer is the very cause of my tinnitus!

Does using a computer make my tinnitus worse? I think it may have a negative effect on my tinnitus. It's a psychological thing! It's like sitting at the same table and eating lunch with the guy that tried to kill you one year earlier.

Do I think computers can cause tinnitus? Definitely! I'm like a living proof of that. Using a computer can cause you harm in more than one way.

Do I think computers can have negative effect on tinnitus? Yes, in more than one way. If your tinnitus is caused by a computer you will have a psychological attachment to it. You can't run away from that. You will need some kind of psychotherapy to get over that.

What about physically? Yes, even if you got tinnitus in other ways than by using a computer, if you use a computer it may cause your tinnitus worse. Computers emit all kinds of sounds. It's not just the spinning fans. You also have spinning disks, coil whine, etc. Every electronic circuit naturally emits some kind of noise. It may not always be audible, which is desired and sought after when designing the electronic device. But they all have it, more or less. If these noises match your tinnitus frequency and character I think they can trigger your tinnitus and make it worse.

 

[Samir]

I am just wondering if computer makes tinnitus worse

It doesn't have to, but it can. See my previous post.

Because I see people saying that Tinnitus makes it worse?

Tinnitus makes what worse?... computers? I don't think computers can have tinnitus!

Is it true or does it happen to some people

My tinnitus is caused by a computer. I'm not really afraid of computers since the incident, but I am cautious about playing sounds on computers.

Also, the sound card or a spinning hard drive, or some other component in one of my computers may be emitting this high pitch sound that seems to match with my tinnitus. This seems to make my tinnitus more pronounced. I have checked for this sound and I am confident now that the sound I hear is not my own tinnitus sound in my head. It's an external sound coming from the computer. It's barely audible. I had to put my good ear against the computer to hear it. This sound makes my tinnitus worse and it make me feel worse.

I don't always notice this sound. But I'm pretty sure now that it's not in my head. It's coming from the computer for sure. It doesn't mean I don't have tinnitus. I still have tinnitus. It's just that they are both of same frequency so it's confusing my brain.

Because I game on my computer a lot and I am just worried.

Stop worrying, and for your own well being try to find a new interest. Preferably one that doesn't involve computers and electronics. Try to cut down on gaming.

My PC is almost silent, my fan cause some noise but thats it.

You can fanless computer. But that doesn't mean it won't make other kinds of noise. See my previous post. Try to cut down on the number of hours you spend at the computer.

Also, if I focus or test my T does it make it worse?

Yes, thinking about tinnitus does make it worse. The mind is a weird thing...

 

[VRZ78]

@Michael Leigh Maybe try to use your laptop with earmuffs of foam earplugs: if your T still increases it means that you have EMF but if it doesn't it means that's the very high frequencies emitted by the computer electronics that make your T louder.

Your Samsung tablet, although it emits way less EMF than your laptop, doesn't make any very high pitch noise either.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Michael Leigh Maybe try to use your laptop with earmuffs of foam earplugs: if your T still increases it means that you have EMF but if it doesn't it means that's the very high frequencies emitted by the computer electronics that make your T louder.
Your Samsung tablet, although it emits way less EMF than your laptop, doesn't make any very high pitch noise either.

Thanks for your suggestion @VRZ78 Tried using foam earplugs years ago made no difference. Tinnitus increased to very high levels after 2008 when it got worse due to noise exposure.
Thanks again
Michael

 

[Sam Bridge]

@Samir

I game alot and it doesn't affect my t , its a very good distraction!

 

[erik]

I personally do not believe computers cause tinnitus. I have been around computers for all my life, my entire career and I have T. My brothers have also been around them almost as long for their careers. They do not have T. My dad can barely use a computer and has severe T as I do.

Computers are low level non-ionizing and put out extremely low amounts of radiation unless you are still using a CRT monitor. If we are measuring radiation EMFs, then the ultraviolet light from the sun is exponentially more damaging than any computer. X-rays are also in the ionizing (bad) category and put out far far more radiation then a computer ever could.

I am not saying that it is not possible that computers and EMF's cause T but "credible" evidence is lacking at least with the use of small electronic devices. Most of the EMF studies are from the 90's on power stations and microwaves and outdated.

I would say not to live your life in fear of these types of things (woulda, shoulda, coulda, instead to just live your life.

 

[linearb]

if you're suffering from energy disregulation, I've got some reiki crystals I can sell you for $3000.

 

[linearb]

that said, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that getting away from EMFs is one of the many reasons I moved out of the city. It's a pretty small one, but it's there...

 

[Starthrower]

I was wondering after reading through this topic if those who grew up without computers verses those who have always had computers have any difference regarding tinnitus and tinnitus severity.

I have severe intrusive tinnitus. Sometimes at night it can knock me out of bed. After so many years though I have learned to deal with this.

The only concern for me is turning off all devices by 8 pm to sort of calm my mind. No I Phone. No computer. We will watch television and I should mention we had to disconnect our surround sound (drove my tinnitus nuts).

 

[Mike TerMaaten]

My tinnitus sounds exactly like the high pitched whine that old CRT monitors used to emit. It took me a long time to realize I had tinnitus

That's exactly what my tinnitus sounded like also. I still have it just a little bit.

 

[Mike TerMaaten]

I got mine from the modern electric fans ( completely new technology ) in the Delphi satellite radio in my 2013 GMC Sierra truck.

GM Bulletin #PIT5166C High Pitch sound from Dash


I suspect 1,000s and 1,000s of people got their Tinnitus from that.

It was in several 2012 and 2013 GM vehicles. Including their half ton truck ! ( Silverado and Sierra best selling truck only next to the Ford F-150

 

[Shiwa]

All electrical devices and electric wiring generates sub-infrared light, this is what affects one not necessarily the electromagnetic field. This light is measurable, and the effects of it on life are measurable.

Also, infrasound is generated—one needs special equipment to measure it.

 

[Gman]

Thanks for that @MichaelLeigh. I had wondered about this as it seems to get louder when I sit to work. Unfortunately work involves Eight hours a day almost everyday of computer work. My computer is an iMac and so all in one computer and screen. Would be interesting to try a monitor and remote base station to see if it helps at all.

iMacs don't put out much noise, at least in the audible frequencies. EMF emissions I am not sure about, but you could look these on the internet I'm sure. PCs with the old 1990s style tower combo seem to put out a lot more noise due to their fans. I've never had any issues and I also am on a Mac all day. But sedentary sitting hour after hour and poor posture seem to be more likely culprits to me. Also staring at a bright screen containing a lot of blue light is going to have effects too, at least on quality of sleep.

 

[Kelvin]

iMacs don't put out much noise, at least in the audible frequencies. EMF emissions I am not sure about, but you could look these on the internet I'm sure. PCs with the old 1990s style tower combo seem to put out a lot more noise due to their fans. I've never had any issues and I also am on a Mac all day. But sedentary sitting hour after hour and poor posture seem to be more likely culprits to me. Also staring at a bright screen containing a lot of blue light is going to have effects too, at least on quality of sleep.

I think you are spot on. For me it has to be neck / jaw neck related. A lifetime of neck problems ( drafting as an Architect ) resulted in T and H after a dental visit. I hate them both
and nothing helps - which is frustrating