Having a Relapse and Could Use Straight Talk

[Stew]

Anyone and all:

I originally got tinnitus in 1999 from a concert. I resolve quite a bit back the as I was 40 and it was manageable. Roughly 4.5 months ago I attended a cocktail party and didn't wear my earplugs. I will admit it was a nit loud, but i figured it was outside and I would be OK. Well suffice it to say that 1 week after the party my tinnitus erupted louder.

I have seen it resolve a little over the last 4 months and in the last month it was a bit better, but not even close to before the party. No I am experiencing it a bit louder and in fact I can almost feel it. I have done the steroids and had my hearing tested.

My question is there still hope here that I may resolve to a lower level like it did before? I am older now and I am concerned I am stuck here.

Thanks

Stew

 

[glynis]

Hi stew,
Time is a great healer and I don't think the cold weather helps.
Stay positive it will settle and if not already have your ears checked for was build up....lots of love glynis

 

[Stew]

I have had my ears checked. This is definitely noise induced. I am also stressed out about my job and just tired of everything. I keep hoping time will heal it a bit, but at the moment I am feeling helpless and really down. I am trying to find some level of peace, but its seems much worse today.

 

[glynis]

I know it's hard and can be real mental torture at first and stress and anxiety added to it and lack of sleep.
Work can be hard and concentration poor at times.
What kind of job do you do ?....lots of love glynis

 

[Samzen]

Stew it could be that your tinnitus is louder now but stress and anxiety just makes it worse. I know how you feel because I'm going through this myself. My tinnitus was manageable but now after a party it's much worse. It's really hard I know but we have to push through and hope that we'll adjust to the new volume in the future. It seems impossible I know but we have to give things time. Believe me I know it's not easy.

 

[Stew]

I am trying to cope. It's not stable and acts differently than it had before. To answer Glunis's question I am lucky that i can work from home. i am in risk management so its kind of a joke that i let this happen. I feel so freaking helpless right now and i was doing so well after 15 years of improvement. I can only wish for the best. The stress part is looking for a new job at the same time I wonder if I can be my best.

 

[glynis]

Hope in time your ears calm down for you.
Sound therapy can help a bit for some people played throughout the night set bellow their tinnitus sound as helps your brain adjust to the sound filtering it out picking up the new sound you have played through the night....lots of love glynis

 

[Samzen]

Take the time you need to adjust don't try to rush things. I had to take 3 wks off of work because I was a mess. One thing I've learned is to try to minimize the reaction you have to your tinnitus. If you let your feelings dominate the situation they'll bring you down. The tendency is to have a really negative reaction to the tinnitus which just snow balls into anxiety and depression. Just accept that it's louder and that it's just some noise of course it's distracting and annoying but try to make it less of a monster and more of just a nussance. You're not alone there are millions of people living with this condition. I'm one of them and my tinnitus I'd say is pretty loud. Again minimize your reaction and move forward.

 

[I who love music]

Back To Silence method if you get tired of waiting for habituation.

 

[Zorro!]

Hang in there Stew. We are similar in many ways when it comes to tinnitus. The hardest part is being patient for months on end until it calms down and/or our attitude about it changes. It's been almost 4 months for me and while my tinnitus is still screaming at ungodly levels I'm feeling a little better about life. Things are still rough, but at least I'm coping better.

 

[Stew]

Thanks everyone... I was at the doc yesterday and he removed dried wax on my eardrum. I am hoping that was part of the problem, although I am aware it is not the whole issue. I slept 10 hours for the first time in weeks. Sleep helps. I'd like to keep tabs here and Zorra let's compare progress.