Hi, I'm new to Tinnitus Talk and find the introductions pretty insightful so I thought I might share my experience.
I have had tinnitus since 2018. I don't remember the exact date, but I do remember listening, for many years, to music at a high volume with over ear headphones. My house has always been noisy and I was constantly trying to drown it out. My tinnitus started in my left ear and at its worst in 2018 there were brief periods where I couldn't hear in that ear. I had no idea what to call that experience and I never sought help for it.
In 2019 I discovered stretching my neck sometimes relieved the sound, but thought I was just being optimistic and never revisited this. I spent most of 2018 and 2019 panicked about my tinnitus and health being, for the most part, hopeless.
In 2020 I discovered tinnitus and tinnitus forums. I found tinnitus could be caused by noise exposure and haven't listened to anything with headphones since then. In late 2020 I started thinking of ways to treat it. I knew after these years my tinnitus was chronic, so I couldn't expect it to just disappear or for Prednisone to be prescribed and effective. I've been taking NAC since around October 2020. I thought it helped in the beginning, but recently started feeling fullness in my left ear, and hearing a new pulsatile tinnitus.
I was sick of having panic attacks over tinnitus and went to a healthcare clinic that prescribed me Prednisone for fluid in the middle ear. At the same time, I've been working to improve my posture as I've had forward head posture and upper crossed syndrome since 2018 as well. Now my tinnitus has greatly reduced. There are no major tones, only hissing. I know it's not exactly silence, but it's as close to pre-tinnitus I've been in three years.
Although I am ecstatic about the reduction, I still have no idea what the cause of my tinnitus was/is. I regret so many things about this situation, mostly that I didn't seek help initially. I feel like I'll never know what causes my tinnitus.
I have had tinnitus since 2018. I don't remember the exact date, but I do remember listening, for many years, to music at a high volume with over ear headphones. My house has always been noisy and I was constantly trying to drown it out. My tinnitus started in my left ear and at its worst in 2018 there were brief periods where I couldn't hear in that ear. I had no idea what to call that experience and I never sought help for it.
In 2019 I discovered stretching my neck sometimes relieved the sound, but thought I was just being optimistic and never revisited this. I spent most of 2018 and 2019 panicked about my tinnitus and health being, for the most part, hopeless.
In 2020 I discovered tinnitus and tinnitus forums. I found tinnitus could be caused by noise exposure and haven't listened to anything with headphones since then. In late 2020 I started thinking of ways to treat it. I knew after these years my tinnitus was chronic, so I couldn't expect it to just disappear or for Prednisone to be prescribed and effective. I've been taking NAC since around October 2020. I thought it helped in the beginning, but recently started feeling fullness in my left ear, and hearing a new pulsatile tinnitus.
I was sick of having panic attacks over tinnitus and went to a healthcare clinic that prescribed me Prednisone for fluid in the middle ear. At the same time, I've been working to improve my posture as I've had forward head posture and upper crossed syndrome since 2018 as well. Now my tinnitus has greatly reduced. There are no major tones, only hissing. I know it's not exactly silence, but it's as close to pre-tinnitus I've been in three years.
Although I am ecstatic about the reduction, I still have no idea what the cause of my tinnitus was/is. I regret so many things about this situation, mostly that I didn't seek help initially. I feel like I'll never know what causes my tinnitus.
