Does This Sound Like Tinnitus?

[Pabl692]

Basically, I think I got a form of tinnitus from playing with my band on Saturday night.

During the day, when I'm at work, with colleagues, driving the car etc, I can't hear it. If I put my fingers in my ears (which I've been doing a lot, I can). I do hear it if I go into the bathroom at work where it is quiet or when I first get in the car to drive home.

The sound is the high pitched tone that you get when you've been to a concert.

I have found something strange though.

I came home from work today and went to my bedroom which was silent. I laid on the bed and put my fingers in my ears, after a couple of minutes the ringing pretty much disappeared.

I took my fingers out of my ears and laid there, in the quiet, and it didn't come back. I even managed to have a short nap.

Anyway, afterwards I went downstairs into my living room and watched some TV. I noticed that it came back pretty much straight away after being stimulated by that noise.

Now, I have some ear plugs at hand so I put them in. And again, after a few minutes, the ringing disappeared.

Sometimes it sort of comes back very slightly in my right ear, but it is barely audible... perhaps a 1/2 out of 10.

Surely, it wouldn't disappear with silence? Like this morning, it came back after I had gotten out of bed, had a shower and turned on the TV. Basically, a bit of noise starts the ringing.

I realise that to many of you this might not sound very debilitating at all. And I appreciate many of you have it much much worse than me. But I am a worrier and this whole onset has me worried sick.
Will I get to a point where I stop listening and checking for it? At the moment I just can't stop..

What does this all sound like to you? Forgive me, I really don't know much about ears or hearing... just could do with a bit of help here.

Thanks

 

[eagerUser]

To me doesn't sound sound like the real one ! Get some rest and hopefully you will be fine. Don't forget to be more kind to your ears. Also take your mind off T ( I know it's kind of impossible but still doable ) and you will be Ok.
Don't forget to update once it's gone

Good Luck

 

[Ryzen]

I think it is reactive tinnitus due to hearing loss of certain frequencies. That would explain why only certain acoustic events trigger it, and why the tinnitus appears to subside when auditory input is minimized.

 

[Pabl692]

Thanks for your replies, appreciated.

I've looked into reactive tinnitus just now and it seems to be similar to what I think I have.

It definitely gets worse with different things. I've noticed actually if I put the TV on, it gets louder, and the general hissing/white noise gets louder, to the point where I can hear it with the TV. If I turn the TV down a little it gets a bit better.

I do find that, when I am in a quiet room, or when I put ear plugs in, after a few minutes it really does die down. What worries me though is that this will stop and that it might get louder and louder and I'll go mad.

To be honest, I have big anxiety issues. I've had ups and downs with depression over the past few years and this is another thing for me to fixate and worry about. I'm just worried that I won't be able to enjoy life as much as I could. Currently, I have a constant nervousness in my stomach, I have no appetite and all I want to do is sleep... I just hope this will pass at some point...

I've noticed today though, that it seems to have disappeared from my left ear. I thought I had it in both ears, but I'm pretty certain it's now just my right.

Just when I thought I was relatively happy...

 

[Michael B]

@Pabl692 You started your post saying that you noticed it after playing with your band. If that's the case, you might want to consider protecting your ears while playing by using earplugs.
Mike

 

[Pabl692]

@Pabl692 You started your post saying that you noticed it after playing with your band. If that's the case, you might want to consider protecting your ears while playing by using earplugs.
Mike

I've already ordered several pairs of ear plugs. I will never play again without them.

I'm an absolute wreck at the moment. I'm pretty sure it isn't normal to react like this. I feel nervous and unsettled, no appetite, just want to sleep (which is difficult because of the noise and I can't help focus on it). I'm currently laid on my sofa and I have a drink on the floor, I don't even have the drive to pick it up. I have this real urge to be around my parents and for the first time since I moved out, I feel very alone and I miss them. I just feel really really sick.

And the best part is, mine isn't that bad! Compared to a lot of you guys, it's nothing. I don't hear it while I'm out and about at work or anything. It's quiet easily masked by a few things, too. But the thought of coming home alone fills me with absolute dread. I think watching the TV messes with my hearing too, I sort of can hear it watching tv and I'm constantly checking for it.

But still, I'm in meltdown. Constantly checking if I can hear, if it is still there. Will I ever get past it? Is it normal to be like this?

 

[Michael B]

Will I ever get past it? Is it normal to be like this?

The short answers are yes & yes
I've had severe tinnitus since day one. I've accepted having it as most people do. I've reclaimed my life and I'm back to being me. What works for me is distraction. Being out, being active. I know what you're going through and I can assure you with much confidence that you'll barely be thinking about it in the near future. Things will get better as the days go on. If not with your tinnitus, with your acceptance.

 

[Don Tinny]

If you do not want to hear it over all the sounds of life, I recommend you change your hobbies and stop playing instruments. It is something extreme but it will surely work.

 

[Pabl692]

The short answers are yes & yes
I've had severe tinnitus since day one. I've accepted having it as most people do. I've reclaimed my life and I'm back to being me. What works for me is distraction. Being out, being active. I know what you're going through and I can assure you with much confidence that you'll barely be thinking about it in the near future. Things will get better as the days go on. If not with your tinnitus, with your acceptance.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, again. What you say does help, honestly.

I think my OCD definitely doesn't help here. I have had breakdowns over things before, and I think my reaction is a part of that. I've been absolutely stricken with anxiety, can't eat or sleep... just feel helpless and want to curl up in a ball. The OCD flares up around things that aren't 'quite right' and I fixate and have to solve things. But obviously, tinnitus can't be solved/cured, so I feel utterly trapped and hopeless. Hence, why I think I'm in the middle of a breakdown. Living alone doesn't help...

As I've said, mine isn't so severe... I don't hear it when I'm out or working, only mainly when I'm at home. It seems to flare up when I put my TV on, and I can hear more of a white noise in my ears rather than the ringing tone. As for the high pitched ringing tone, that can be really loud when I enter a silent room, I'd give it a 7 out of 10. But weirdly, when I lay in bed, after 5 minutes it can go!

Sorry for going on and on... this is all very new, and I'm trying to get a handle on what is going on. I'm so sorry for everyone on here who has it much much harder than me.

I just hope I can get some sort of feeling back and get my life back... Christmas is coming and I'd love to be able to sit down on Christmas day and just enjoy the moment...