Hello everyone! I hope you are having a fantastic day!
So about 14 months ago, on April 20, 2017, I had an ear infection in my right ear and got tinnitus. I think I had a little bit before during the night, but this made much more apparent- combinations of hissing and ringing at multiple pitches, and a really annoying intermittent ringing in my right ear.
This really screwed my life up for about 4 months. I'm in school and thankfully summer was right around the corner. Everyday I struggled, listening to it all the time and just waiting for it to stop. I would get maybe 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night, and I was anxious all the time. Any loud noises would make me go into a spiral of anxiety. (Fun fact! My hearing is completely normal!) I really depended on my family that summer to get through. School came around (I'm in college) and fall semester came by. I was still a good bit bothered by the ringing. But, I got more sleep. I was able to get a full 8 hours of sleep, as I got used to it. However, I would still plug my ears every couple of hours to see if had changed or not, and if I heard an unusual tone I would get anxious again. Thankfully, the fall semester went by pretty good actually schoolwork wise. I slowly became more adjusted to it. By the time Christmas break rolled around, I began to get really used to it, and I didn't worry about it too much, even when I could hear it (it's a somewhat mild form so I mostly hear it in settings under 50 decibels or so). Spring semester came, and the ringing in my ears didn't bother me much at all anymore. I could get to sleep just fine, and I wouldn't wake up at all because of it. My life essentially went back to what it was before this all started! I would occasionally get anxious about the ears around loud events (I'm a musician and so I am around loud events- But I use earplugs at most to all musical events), but overall it just became "background noise" both physically and literally. I have gone to plenty of movies since then- I just wear earplugs and headphones and I'm just fine- no louder than talking. I am also using earplugs at any loud events just to protect my ears for the future.
This summer has been great, and the tinnitus is really not much of a concern at all. I rarely even think about it, and sometimes I surprise myself by remembering it is even there. I can even sleep with earplugs at night! (College dorms can get noisy and so I use earplugs- kind of a wierd thing that I am used to tinnitus but not to people talking!!!...)
For those of you wondering about noise levels, loud noises, if it decreases at all, and if drugs do anything, here's the information: it actually hasn't gotten any louder since about last May. No loud noises have ever made it any worse (I always make sure to wear appropriate heating protection when it's loud enough to have to yell to make yourself heard) . No drugs or remedies I have tried for it have worked, but at the same time no drugs have ever made it worse. It may have gotten slightly softer, at least the intermittent noises; but overall it's avout the same, and it's intensity and sounds can change depending on the time and day. Maybe some day it will go away, but honestly and gratefully at this point I actually don't mind too much either way
My life is awesome now! I hope this story really helps bring some positivity into people's lives with tinnitus- I know that it can be very psychologically painful at first dealing with the constant ringing in your ear, and the knowledge that it may never stop or get worse. But for me, it has just become part of my life, one that rarely bothers me at all anymore. Therefore, I think it's a success. If you have any questions at all, feel free to respond to this thread. I'll be on here occasionally to check in.
All of you have a blessed day/night! Keep up being strong and living our your lives to the best you can be!
So about 14 months ago, on April 20, 2017, I had an ear infection in my right ear and got tinnitus. I think I had a little bit before during the night, but this made much more apparent- combinations of hissing and ringing at multiple pitches, and a really annoying intermittent ringing in my right ear.
This really screwed my life up for about 4 months. I'm in school and thankfully summer was right around the corner. Everyday I struggled, listening to it all the time and just waiting for it to stop. I would get maybe 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night, and I was anxious all the time. Any loud noises would make me go into a spiral of anxiety. (Fun fact! My hearing is completely normal!) I really depended on my family that summer to get through. School came around (I'm in college) and fall semester came by. I was still a good bit bothered by the ringing. But, I got more sleep. I was able to get a full 8 hours of sleep, as I got used to it. However, I would still plug my ears every couple of hours to see if had changed or not, and if I heard an unusual tone I would get anxious again. Thankfully, the fall semester went by pretty good actually schoolwork wise. I slowly became more adjusted to it. By the time Christmas break rolled around, I began to get really used to it, and I didn't worry about it too much, even when I could hear it (it's a somewhat mild form so I mostly hear it in settings under 50 decibels or so). Spring semester came, and the ringing in my ears didn't bother me much at all anymore. I could get to sleep just fine, and I wouldn't wake up at all because of it. My life essentially went back to what it was before this all started! I would occasionally get anxious about the ears around loud events (I'm a musician and so I am around loud events- But I use earplugs at most to all musical events), but overall it just became "background noise" both physically and literally. I have gone to plenty of movies since then- I just wear earplugs and headphones and I'm just fine- no louder than talking. I am also using earplugs at any loud events just to protect my ears for the future.
This summer has been great, and the tinnitus is really not much of a concern at all. I rarely even think about it, and sometimes I surprise myself by remembering it is even there. I can even sleep with earplugs at night! (College dorms can get noisy and so I use earplugs- kind of a wierd thing that I am used to tinnitus but not to people talking!!!...)
For those of you wondering about noise levels, loud noises, if it decreases at all, and if drugs do anything, here's the information: it actually hasn't gotten any louder since about last May. No loud noises have ever made it any worse (I always make sure to wear appropriate heating protection when it's loud enough to have to yell to make yourself heard) . No drugs or remedies I have tried for it have worked, but at the same time no drugs have ever made it worse. It may have gotten slightly softer, at least the intermittent noises; but overall it's avout the same, and it's intensity and sounds can change depending on the time and day. Maybe some day it will go away, but honestly and gratefully at this point I actually don't mind too much either way
My life is awesome now! I hope this story really helps bring some positivity into people's lives with tinnitus- I know that it can be very psychologically painful at first dealing with the constant ringing in your ear, and the knowledge that it may never stop or get worse. But for me, it has just become part of my life, one that rarely bothers me at all anymore. Therefore, I think it's a success. If you have any questions at all, feel free to respond to this thread. I'll be on here occasionally to check in.
All of you have a blessed day/night! Keep up being strong and living our your lives to the best you can be!
