Habituated Once Before, but Trouble Coping with Worsening Symptoms

[GuitarDean]

Hello. I'm George, I'm a 29 year old engineer in the Canadian Navy. I developed tinnitus for no good reason when I was 18, and the ENT specialist I saw diagnosed it as benign tinnitus that should resolve itself in time. Well 11 years later, it hasn't.

It was originally fairly mild, and although I was initially quite distressed, it wasn't hard to habituate to as everyday sounds would mask it almost completely, and I just needed to get used to sleeping with it. I actually was a long-time lurker on the previous version of this message board (or perhaps it was a different message board with the same name?) and that helped me a lot. And once I got used to having mild T, it was out of mind for many years - basically like it doesn't even exist - until about 6 months ago when over the course of a few weeks the T just started screaming louder and louder, and once again T occupied my mind daily. In fact, the T had another significant increase in volume 2 weeks ago. I can still mask it with music or other deliberate sounds, but the T rings above most everyday situations. Furthermore, the T is accompanied by persistent pressure in the ears that is almost as uncomfortable as the T itself. Used to have this very occasionally, but now it is fairly constant.

I had another hearing test done a few weeks ago, and once again no detectable hearing damage. I have a referral to a military ENT specialist, but honestly I don't expect much. On some level, I feel reassured that because I've been through this process before, I can do it again. But on another level, I'm extra fearful because I'm now scared that my T will continually get worse over the many more decades I will be alive, and I am going to have to go through this distress over and over again. And will there be a point when I just can't handle it anymore and can't habituate? I mean, as much as I read that the emotional reaction to T is unrelated to volume, it is definitely much easier to get used to a moderate hum compared to a 24/7 vacuum cleaner!

My mood has been very low lately, both because of the T and because of a physical injury I sustained last summer that I'm also struggling with. Heck, perhaps the 2 are connected - perhaps the anxiety and depression over my injury is fueling the T?

Still not in a good state of mind though. I'm hoping this board can help me get through this period. I'm determined to not have my life plummet downhill starting from my late 20's, but even though I rationally know this isn't the end, I'm having trouble believing it emotionally.

 

[billie48]

Furthermore, the T is accompanied by persistent pressure in the ears that is almost as uncomfortable as the T itself. Used to have this very occasionally, but now it is fairly constant.

Welcome to the forum from another Canadian here. The above quoted seems to suggest something more than T itself. Perhaps some infection or liquid in the inner ears which caused the spike. Hopefully your ENT will help take care of the cause of these symptoms.

As for T ever increasing, it may never come to that. If the cause of the spike is found and fixed, there will be a high chance things will get better. But it is quite a common fear when T is new or when a new spike hit and doesn't subside for a while. Try to avoid getting too anxious over the spike as too much anxiety and stress are bad for T.

Things that we feared about the future may never materialize. I have learned that lesson when my ultra high pitch T hit me and then severe hyperacusis followed. I had the same fear about the uncertain future and I paid the price by immense mental suffering. Now I live a normal, happy and absolutely enjoyable life. T still rings, perhaps louder, but somehow the brain is hardened to the spikes and mad screaming. Don't give a dime. I used some helpful strategies to get better. Check it out in my success story below. I also include the link to a talk show of David Letterman and William Shatner (Star Trek Capt. Kirk) in 1996 in which they both said their T was getting worse. But Letterman just retired a few years back and Shatner still doing fine. So don't worry much about the future. Take care. God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

 

[Bill Bauer]

Hopefully you will find some of the tips listed in the thread below to be helpful to you. In that thread, I summarized everything (27 tips) I learned about managing tinnitus after reading the posts on this forum for the past year.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

 

[Danny Boy]

Hello. I'm George, I'm a 29 year old engineer in the Canadian Navy. I developed tinnitus for no good reason when I was 18, and the ENT specialist I saw diagnosed it as benign tinnitus that should resolve itself in time. Well 11 years later, it hasn't.

It was originally fairly mild, and although I was initially quite distressed, it wasn't hard to habituate to as everyday sounds would mask it almost completely, and I just needed to get used to sleeping with it. I actually was a long-time lurker on the previous version of this message board (or perhaps it was a different message board with the same name?) and that helped me a lot. And once I got used to having mild T, it was out of mind for many years - basically like it doesn't even exist - until about 6 months ago when over the course of a few weeks the T just started screaming louder and louder, and once again T occupied my mind daily. In fact, the T had another significant increase in volume 2 weeks ago. I can still mask it with music or other deliberate sounds, but the T rings above most everyday situations. Furthermore, the T is accompanied by persistent pressure in the ears that is almost as uncomfortable as the T itself. Used to have this very occasionally, but now it is fairly constant.

I had another hearing test done a few weeks ago, and once again no detectable hearing damage. I have a referral to a military ENT specialist, but honestly I don't expect much. On some level, I feel reassured that because I've been through this process before, I can do it again. But on another level, I'm extra fearful because I'm now scared that my T will continually get worse over the many more decades I will be alive, and I am going to have to go through this distress over and over again. And will there be a point when I just can't handle it anymore and can't habituate? I mean, as much as I read that the emotional reaction to T is unrelated to volume, it is definitely much easier to get used to a moderate hum compared to a 24/7 vacuum cleaner!

My mood has been very low lately, both because of the T and because of a physical injury I sustained last summer that I'm also struggling with. Heck, perhaps the 2 are connected - perhaps the anxiety and depression over my injury is fueling the T?

Still not in a good state of mind though. I'm hoping this board can help me get through this period. I'm determined to not have my life plummet downhill starting from my late 20's, but even though I rationally know this isn't the end, I'm having trouble believing it emotionally.

First of all, thank you for your service. Right, I see people doing mindfulness as a method of treating of habituation to tinnitus and gaining accepting, I have never tried it myself so cannot comment. There's also the white noise generator route, I know Canada has a universal health service like the NHS, so I would get a referral to an audiologist and try and see if that works for you. It worked for William Shatner. Also, this may be a spike, so see for a few days and I found that this youtube video can mask your tinnitus. Godspeed I salute you.