Introducing myself

[Map]

Hi all,

I am 33 years old male. I developed mild tinnitus in my right ear in 2003, which I habituated very quickly and literally "forgot" about it. I heard high pitched hiss, only noticeable at night or in really silent room, but not much distressing. This tinnitus developed for unknown reason, one day it just was there.

Unfortunately in December 2012 I visited noisy concert with friends which made my tinnitus much louder. It is high pitched hiss tone at approx 3khz, but I can hear it during most part of the day now. My left ear is normal. So is my hearing. I am treated by ENT, taking betahistine and magnesium supplements but there is no much improvement yet. I cannot concentrate on work, which is becoming big problem, because I work as programmer in quiet office. I do not enjoy to do things I liked before. Tinnitus took over my life completely, I am in high anxiety now, constantly blaming myself for visiting that concert and not having earplugs (it is pointless I know, but I don't know how to forgive myself). I can't sleep at night, probably due to high anxiety, so I am going to visit therapist for consultation.

Now I am looking for any relief and hoping things will be better, either by lowering my tinntius loudness again or by new habituation.

 

[mick]

Map,

I think most of us understand how tinnitus has taken over your life. I too do some programming in a quiet environment. I downloaded a variety of white noise MP3s to my computer and play those all day, and also keep a fan running in my office. These help mask some of the tinnitus. You might give it a try.

I've seen some threads here talking about using hyperbaric oxygen treatments for loud noise induced tinnitus. The idea being that you might be able to restore some of the damaged hair cells. It is something that if you going to try though that your supposed to do within 3 months of the damage occuring. That's about all I know about it. Search the Treatment forum here to learn more.

For the anxiety and losing sleep I can only tell you that antidepressants (Lexapro) have helped me. I am also seeing a therapist and she is treating my inability to habituate with the same methods used with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I don't have OCD, but her point is that thinking about the tinnitus all the time and reliving the events led to it are similar to OCD. Its a tough problem. I wish you the best.

Mick

 

[click]

The number of programmers in this forum is quite frightening - I really am beginning to wonder if programming is part of the reason for our tinnitus.

 

[Louise]

I think its more that we find it harder to cope with once its hit, so we are on here, the people who cope easily wont be on here. Maybe its something to do with programmers being very attentive to detail?Makes it hard to accept an imperfection, like its a 'bug'!

 

[Fish]

You may disagree with me, but I think it has something to do with the amount of time we spend sitting in front of a computer every day

 

[click]

I think you may be right Fish. I'm planning a new business which will start when I get back to Cornwall. It won't involve any computer time at all & this is exactly my reason for doing it. I want to spend half a day, 4 days a week, running the IT business and the rest of the time away from my desk at completely the opposite end of the spectrum.

I just don't think it's healthy to spend so much time infront of a monitor, near a router etc. etc.

 

[Karl]

I'm planning a new business which will start when I get back to Cornwall.

Hmm....Will this business involve pasties, with pudding?

 

[click]

noooo - no pasties! I think there are enough of those down there anyway.

Thank you for making me laugh Karl x

 

[Markku]

You may disagree with me, but I think it has something to do with the amount of time we spend sitting in front of a computer every day

I'm surrounded by computers and routers much of the day, so well...

There was a touching document a while back on the Finnish tv which chronicled the lives of a couple of Finns who suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity. I must emphasize here that I used to think that that sort of "allergy" sounded crazy. It seems the symptoms are real but the cause is up to debate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_hypersensitivity#Scientific_evidence_and_etiology

EHS is characterized by a variety of non-specific symptoms that differ from individual to individual. The symptoms are certainly real and can vary widely in their severity. Whatever its cause, EHS can be a disabling problem for the affected individual. EHS has no clear diagnostic criteria and there is no scientific basis to link EHS symptoms to EMF exposure. Further, EHS is not a medical diagnosis, nor is it clear that it represents a single medical problem.[1]


Anyway. Who really knows what all the radio waves etc. can be blamed for, or what their effects might be long-term.

And even if they didn't cause that much harm, it's good for everybody to sometimes limit their exposure to computers and stuff. Go to the nature or just outside the grid, or at least do something which doesn't entail a computer. Which is quite hard these days, of course.

 

[Paul D]

You may disagree with me, but I think it has something to do with the amount of time we spend sitting in front of a computer every day

Never thought about that, Fish. My last fifteen years were spent in IT sales, service, and support - countless hours both at home and at work in front of the computer (ex-Nevada cowboy). That's why I've never interrested in computer games and was a very late adoptee of facebook, chat, etc. It's always been a tool, a career-change necessity. I was even hesitant way back when to get a cell phone, which of course now can't live without.

 

[click]

Never thought about that, Fish. My last fifteen years were spent in IT sales, service, and support - countless hours both at home and at work in front of the computer (ex-Nevada cowboy). That's why I've never interrested in computer games and was a very late adoptee of facebook, chat, etc. It's always been a tool, a career-change necessity. I was even hesitant way back when to get a cell phone, which of course now can't live without.

Speaking of cell phones...

now, after 10 months (will be 10 months tomorrow at 4am!) of tinnitus, I've been thinking back and remembering incidents connected with my ears from long ago.

I too resisted getting a mobile phone but eventually I had to. The first time I put my blackberry next to right ear I had a really nasty pain - like sharp pins poking deep inside the ear. I remember telling someone and asking if they 'felt anything' when they used their phone. They didn't and I didn't think much more about it. I didn't use the mobile very much but if I did then my ear actually felt warm after the call. Eventually I changed to only ever using the speaker phone on it. I still get something similar to pins and needles in my hand when I hold it for longer than a few seconds.

I wonder whether a super sensitivity to mobiles is something many people with tinnitus have?

Then again.. it could just be me

I also remember a walk on a beach - fairly windy - years ago. I had to scream out through the wind to my friend that I was going back to the car because my right ear hurt so much - he carried on totally oblivious to the wind (obviously had healthy ears).

 

[Map]

You may disagree with me, but I think it has something to do with the amount of time we spend sitting in front of a computer every day

I was fascinated in computers since childhood. Actually I was heavy computer user when younger, sitting next to it for whole days and nights, playing games and programming. When my mild T developed in 2003 it had no reason. Maybe it is connected, maybe not, who knows.

 

[erik]

Been using computers since I was about 8. As I type this now I am surrounded by 3 computers and 7 monitors...The fan noise helps and I keep Pandora going all the time

 

[U001]

When we don't know the cause, we start blaming what's around us. Pick something you don't like and blame it.

I've been using computers on a regular basis since 1986, programming, video games, name it. I do it for a living and some leisure time. Now, why would I get tinnitus 2 years ago? Why not the year before that, or the years I was studying IT where I spent about 80 hours per week on a computer? Well, that's easy, because the computer or EMF / whatever isn't the cause.

It could make thing worse however, if you hate the damn thing and you are forced to use it for work. All this hatred leading to exhaustion leading to increase in severity of tinnitus, maybe. But that's like coffee, it makes things worse but that's not the cause.

 

[Deep]

I think you may be right Fish. I'm planning a new business which will start when I get back to Cornwall. It won't involve any computer time at all & this is exactly my reason for doing it. I want to spend half a day, 4 days a week, running the IT business and the rest of the time away from my desk at completely the opposite end of the spectrum.

I just don't think it's healthy to spend so much time infront of a monitor, near a router etc. etc.

Ohhh please let us know how you get on. I also spend a lot of time working on computers, I definitely have reasons to think that I can blame it on my computer, electro-magnetic rays etc etc. It would be interesting to try and quit computer use for a week, anyone tried this, or thinking of doing so?

 

[Danny]

The number of programmers in this forum is quite frightening - I really am beginning to wonder if programming is part of the reason for our tinnitus.

And quite a few musicians and wanna be's like myself wierd or what

 

[U001]

Techies look for help in the tech world. You probably won't see many plumbers and occupational therapists here.

 

[elbarto]

I am a programmer, too. And I also noticed my tinnitus 4 months ago. At 4 am, after working on a Android-App hours for hours. I just had listening to music with headphones, not really loud. So it is.
4 Months now. Some days are good, other just like hell. Then I sitting in my office and have to fight against my wish to cry. I am just 25 years old. What a mess!