Interesting Conversation with My Mom

[Mpt]

I finally told my mom about my struggle with tinnitus a few days ago, and she told me that she has had it for a number of years—she said she can always hear it if she looks for it—even over a TV—so its not like she has a really mild case. (like the stick fingers in ears, hear sound, freak out crowd)The amazing thing is she has never mentioned it to me at all—another really interesting thing is how she said she first became aware of it- My mom was a school teacher and was talking to another teacher who had missed some days from school because she had tinnitus, my mom said at that point she became conscious that she too had a high pitched cricket like sound. The caveat, is my mom is not a headcase at all, but she said that since that day she has been conscious of the sound and that it seems to have gotten worse since that time, but she goes for long periods of time when she doesn't hear it—she said other than falling asleep she can tune it out most other times—

So it appears that she had T before this conversation with the other teacher but was unaware of it—but now that she's aware of it – it has gotten worse—I wonder if she never had the conversation with the other teacher if she would even be aware of T at all now—my guess is yes—any other opinions out there?— this also makes sense in the context of the individuals I've spoken to who think they were successfully treated with AM-101, but are still able to hear faint T if they look for it since it appears that maybe once you're aware of it your brain never completely unlatches from the sound even if the problem at the cochlear level is largely resolved

 

[DebS]

My brother has had T for 20 years; he doesn't notice it until reminded of it and then says "oh yes, there it is". He has high and low days, but said he doesn't think about it much either way. I hope I can get to that frame of mind soon!!!

 

[citigirl13]

Apparently T can run in families - that is what my doctor told me anyway.

I think once you get used to the sound it doesn't bother you. Some people reach this stage almost instantly - I wish I knew how! A woman who I work with said she had it for months, but she told me that she "went on with life" with it, got used to it and tuned it out, and one night suddenly realised it had gone. She said it sounded like a generator too, which I wouldn't have though was a quiet noise.

I think maybe we all have noises we can hear, but for most people the volume is so low they can't tell, or only hear it when they really focus. I also think that a lot of it depends on what type of person you are. Some people simply don't get bothered by it, even at the beginning.

 

[Saif]

I thought tinnitus was normal.
I searched about hypertension what can cause, then I found tinnitus!