How People Got Better — For Newbies and Veterans

[StayPositive]

First off, my apologies if any of this content has previously been posted. If it has, then hopefully some new users can read it that otherwise wouldn't have.

Browsing the web I came across this post: http://blog.szynalski.com/2010/12/24/tinnitus-tips/
which is valuable enough in itself for its positive message, but I was particularly interested in the link that the author mentioned in the following section.

WHEN WILL MY TINNITUS GO AWAY?

If your tinnitus is of the unexplained kind, the question is difficult to answer. If you were recently exposed to loud noise (for example, you went to a concert), you may just have temporary tinnitus that will go away in a few days. In many other cases, tinnitus goes away on its own within 2-3 months. In still others, it takes 2-3 years. On the other hand, there are people who have had tinnitus for over 20 years. Unfortunately, I am not aware of any reliable statistics that would show what percentage of cases resolve within a few months. The best I could find was this informal survey.

I'm reposting the content here, which I found to be helpful and positive.

How people got better-for newbies and veterans

by ScalyLizard
01/15/08 2:50 PM

I have been speaking to many people and read stories of people who got rid of their ringing in the ears . I wanted to put everything together for you.First, I must mention that I was able to find less stories of recovery from tinnitus on the internet. That's when I thought it may be forever. But then, I came across people in real life. It was astonishing to know that so many people I know had gone through this, I didn't even know. How could this be? Then I thought, if we completely got rid of the noise overnight, a very few number of us would ever come back to the board tomorrow, because you want to forget. That's why, reading the stuff on the internet is going to be always more depressing because people come here when they feel bad and lonely. In real life, stories of recovery are more common and we need to remember that.

1-4 people I spoke to were in their early 50s. All told me that they woke up one day with ringing and it went away in one year.

2-Our neighbor had stress related tinnitus, after she lost her mother. Her doctor put her on prozac and ginko. she was almost back to normal, but 6 months into it she started having panic attacks and went back to square one.It took her over a year and she completely got rid of the noise.

3-A family friend took an overseas flight. When he landed his ears were ringing. He said he got really depressed and used a lot of anti depressants. He doesn't know whether it was the loud engine or the pressure change that caused it. His ears rang for 2 years and he fully recovered.

4-I know 3 people in the army whose ears rang over a year after they left the army.

5-I saw stories of at least 5 people on the internet whose ears rang for at least 6-7 months after a loud concert. In addition to that 2 friends of mine healed in 1- 1.5 years. I came across a story of a fellow forum member who healed in 2 years. In his post he also mentioned another friend of his who also had recovered in 2 years. All of them are noise induced tinnitus.

6-My friend's mom had stress related T after she lost her husband. She said her ears rang for 2 years and then she fully recovered.

7-I am not even writing stories of so many people who recovered in less than 6 months.


So, if you come to this board as a newbie, and if you are feeling depressed, afraid and if you feel you can't go on... Stop for a moment and take a deep breath. It will get better and you will heal. We just need to accept that we are going to go through a difficult time period for a while.
Cheers

I love the message of this post, because in 2014 it seems nothing has changed. Wherever you go on the internet you constantly find the words "permanent" "there is no cure" etc, but don't really see the success stories. My personal thanks go out to ScalyLizard for sharing this on the web.

Just something I thought I'd share. Here's to a better tomorrow.

-SP

 

[Chantal]

Thank you so much for sharing this! Yesterday, I was crying like a baby, overwhelmed, wondering if I would ever "hear silence" again. This morning I woke up in a positive place, and I found this board. There is hope.

 

[BrStan@]

Good article for people with mild Tinnitus. Do you have any for people with uncommon loud Tinnitus?
This is where the true challenge start. Kind of T which is painfully loud not just loud.

 

[John Meyers]

First off, my apologies if any of this content has previously been posted. If it has, then hopefully some new users can read it that otherwise wouldn't have.

Browsing the web I came across this post: http://blog.szynalski.com/2010/12/24/tinnitus-tips/
which is valuable enough in itself for its positive message, but I was particularly interested in the link that the author mentioned in the following section.



I'm reposting the content here, which I found to be helpful and positive.


I love the message of this post, because in 2014 it seems nothing has changed. Wherever you go on the internet you constantly find the words "permanent" "there is no cure" etc, but don't really see the success stories. My personal thanks go out to ScalyLizard for sharing this on the web.

Just something I thought I'd share. Here's to a better tomorrow.

-SP

Thanks! I love this post! -- After 7 months, my T from a concert is the same, however, I have heard 1 to 2 year recovery stories like this before.

I'm going to wait until I am a year into "Mr T" to re-evaluate. -- In the meantime, I will go on with my life and lead a healthier lifestyle..

 

[Zora]

@John Meyers how loud would you rate your T? I have also hopes as my T is noise induced and I am 4 months in. But I think it might be negative for the habituation process to keep that hope?
what do you think? are you habituated?

 

[glynis]

Thank you for the post detailed @StayPositive.....lots of love glynis

 

[Path Maker]

@Zora

HOPE is never negative! Please keep hope alive, even WHILE habituating and continuing to live all the important areas of your life. Just allow hope a room of its own, inside the house of your existence, with the door open.

 

[Zora]

@Path Maker . I didnt mean hope itself but the hope for my Timnitus to go away.
I am 4 months in with mild T and still havent accepted it

 

[John Meyers]

@John Meyers how loud would you rate your T? I have also hopes as my T is noise induced and I am 4 months in. But I think it might be negative for the habituation process to keep that hope?
what do you think? are you habituated?

My T loudness is at about a 6 out of 10 and only in my right ear (which I was cupping at a loud concert like a fool).

I don't think that my T noise level has ever really gone up or down. -- Just more or less noticeable depending on if I am exercising and eating healthier.

I've habilitated to the point that I can take a nap or sleep at night with no masking since it doesn't freak me out like it used to.

If I have my dehumidifier on as I am working and then go upstairs, I don't really hear it for a while. -- Or if I am driving around with the radio on, I don't notice it at all.

Reading the success stories once a week really help too. -- Even Dr Nagler on this site mentioned that most folks like us with noise induced T will barely notice it after a year maybe 2 at the most.

It is best to go on with your life like you don't have T and refrain from researching and trying supplements (trust me, they don't work). Of course, plug your ears up in loud environments like a night club or event with live entertainment.

Good luck Zora!

 

[John Meyers]

@Path Maker . I didnt mean hope itself but the hope for my Timnitus to go away.
I am 4 months in with mild T and still havent accepted it

Yes, I went back and forth with accepting it every other month since month 3. -- What also brings me back is volunteering to help the less fortunate and seeing people who lose limbs, become paralyzed, etc and they are usually able to bounce back.

T is a bear and can be really annoying but stay busy and remember all the good in your life.

 

[Path Maker]

I'm five months in and I'm not accepting it either! Still, my aim is to continue to live my best life, and also keep doing anything I can to "assist" this tinnitus out the door ...

 

[John Meyers]

I'm five months in and I'm not accepting it either! Still, my aim is to continue to live my best life, and also keep doing anything I can to "assist" this tinnitus out the door ...

If you work at a desk, try a dehumidifier. -- It cleans the air and when you walk away from it, your T volumne will not bother you as much.

There are also some great phone apps for masking such as the Phonak "cicadas" masking app. That one is my favorite, especially for sleeping.

 

[NineNails]

What if your T is unmaskable?

 

[jeanoroid]

 

[NineNails]

@jeanoroid ,

So you can't mask either, aye?

 

[jeanoroid]

@jeanoroid ,

So you can't mask either, aye?

Just makes mine worse..

 

[Julien87]

This is a great post. I think reading this kind of stuff instead of what I read when I has my tinnitus would have helped me to get rid of it. Sometimes I really think this noise is stuck in my head just because I was obsessed with it when it appeared, and because I was convinced it would last forever..

 

[Scarlet]

This is a great post. I think reading this kind of stuff instead of what I read when I has my tinnitus would have helped me to get rid of it. Sometimes I really think this noise is stuck in my head just because I was obsessed with it when it appeared, and because I was convinced it would last forever..

Julien, I wonder the same thing myself.