Living with Loud Tinnitus

[dan]

Is there anybody here who estimates their T to be around 50 decibels, and still has a life?

 

[suera]

No.

 

[uae96]

How can you estimate t ? @dan

 

[Sgguy46]

I can hear mine over the TV ... does it mean it is louder than the TV?

 

[Bart]

I can hear mine over the TV ... does it mean it is louder than the TV?

Not necessarily, it also depends on the pitch. High pitched T is harder to mask regardless of volume.

 

[dan]

How can you estimate t ? @dan

Well i would just say any medium pitch tinnitus (not the super high pitch 15Khz+T) that can easily be heard outdoors over traffic, I would say starts at around 25dB. 60dB tinnitus would be an extremely loud tinnitus- like you would have difficulty hearing conversation (not sure if that even exists without having any hearing loss).
A humming fridge is around 40db, that sounds like the top end of most loud T. however a humming fridge is a low frequeny sound whereas tinnitus is usually a very high pitch that does not exist usually in the normal world.

So I should rephrase my question,
Does anybody have tinnitus they can easily hear over traffic or anything else like music at 65-70decibels (normal listening level). I am talking about EASILY hearing it - not trying to tune into your tinnitus.

And if so, do you have a fairly normal life, and I would like to hear your input.

p.s.
putting a dB number on tinnitus is pretty hard, but Im just guesstimating as compared to sounds that we do know their loudness.
For example tinnitus can NOT be 90dB (as I sometimes read on forums people say theirs is) as that would be like a constant baby screaming in your ear - impossible to survive that 24/7.

 

[Sailboardman]

An audiologist can measure your T and get close to the noise level, by creating a tone similar to the db level it takes to mask it. I use a hearing aid masker and the masker is set at 65db's. Most days, I hear my T, way over the masking noise. My hearing loss is measured at 65-70 db's, from 2-8K. Standard test. Another 15 db's of loss and I will be considered profoundly deaf in my right ear.

To answer the first question. Do I have a life? Yes, a wretched one!

 

[dan]

I can hear mine over the TV ... does it mean it is louder than the TV?

I agree, it depends on the frequeny of your tinnitus.
The highest frequeny of an orchestra is the Picollo which tops out at 4000Hz (4khz). So TV is way less than that, but tinnitus usually only STARTS at 4khz (acoustic trauma dip). So anything over 4khz would easily be heard over the TV.
If your tinnitus is a low frequency rumble and u can hear it over the TV, then you have very loud T.

 

[dan]

An audiologist can measure your T and get close to the noise level, by creating a tone similar to the db level it takes to mask it. I use a hearing aid masker and the masker is set at 65db's. Most days, I hear my T, way over the masking noise. My hearing loss is measured at 65-70 db's, from 2-8K. Standard test. Another 15 db's of loss and I will be considered profoundly deaf in my right ear.

To answer the first question. Do I have a life? Yes, a wretched one!

If you have 65dB hearing loss and your T is masked at 65dB, then technically you have 0db tinnitus, or no T

 

[Telis]

It's not the volume that hurts me, I could take a sound like my fringe at 4-5 times the volume and be fine. For me it's the incredibly awful high pitched screeching that kills me. I think this is the case for most of us otherwise we wouldn't be trying to mask with less intrusive sounds.

 

[Telis]

An audiologist can measure your T and get close to the noise level, by creating a tone similar to the db level it takes to mask it. I use a hearing aid masker and the masker is set at 65db's. Most days, I hear my T, way over the masking noise. My hearing loss is measured at 65-70 db's, from 2-8K. Standard test. Another 15 db's of loss and I will be considered profoundly deaf in my right ear.

To answer the first question. Do I have a life? Yes, a wretched one!

Your situation sounds very tough. Does the hearing aid amplification not help your situation? Or do you just use the masking portion?

 

[SoulStation]

Yes. I believe my T to be Loud. I do have a life - it is a bit restricted and I do suffer but it is still a life and I have only one unfortunately. So I have to make the best of the little things that make me happy.
My thoughts as always are with the whole community -
Ben

 

[Cheza]

My T cycles and on the bad days I hear it over everything. It interferes with conversation, as I have to listen very closely to what someone is saying while trying to ignore the swarm of maniacal insects in my head and the tea kettle whistle on top of it. Day before yesterday I was sitting next to the dryer while it was tumbling a load of clothes and the tinnitus was just as loud as the dryer. I hear it over traffic, diesel engines driving by. It isn't maskable because it's in my head, not my ears. Sometimes it wakes me up at night, but not nearly as often as it used to.

I'm trying every day to do something to feel productive, so the days aren't wasted. I try to do something that lets me know that even with tinnitus, there's something worthwhile to accomplish every day.

Do I have a life? Kinda sorta. It's actually more of an existence than a life at this point. It's just such an energy-sucking struggle to deal with this.

 

[suera]

I agree it is the pitch that bothers me much, much more than the volume. The pitch is so ear piercing, I was measured between 12KHZ-14KHZ, awful. I'm sorry, I don't know what human being could learn to live with that in their ear 24/7 and have a normal life. I never thought I was a weak person but maybe I am because I cannot.

 

[Sailboardman]

@Telis,

I use masking and amplification simultaneously. I have 4 programs and can select between them. My good ear helps pick up high frequencies, the bad one can't. However, I live in a very unbalanced world. One side of my head seems empty and hollow, with the exception of all the noise and the other side perfectly clear. It sucks!

 

[Sailboardman]

@dan,

In a perfect world, you would think the masker would cover up the T. It doesn't. They can only program in white or purple noise and try to match the overall T frequencies. However, they can't match it noise for noise. T has to many complex sounds. Plus, how can you describe your T to someone perfectly? It's a lot of different noises combined. If they could hear our T, they could probably match it sound for sound. Then we'd all be T free.

 

[dan]

@dan,

In a perfect world, you would think the masker would cover up the T. It doesn't. They can only program in white or purple noise and try to match the overall T frequencies. However, they can't match it noise for noise. T has to many complex sounds. Plus, how can you describe your T to someone perfectly? It's a lot of different noises combined. If they could hear our T, they could probably match it sound for sound. Then we'd all be T free.

There is also the issue with tinnitus could be reactive, so no matter how much masking you apply, it will still find a way to rear its ugly head thru.

 

[July23]

Hi all,
so it's true, this kind of sound really exist also in your head or ears. Until this august, from 2009, I never can imagine that this kind of high pitch sound even exist. I have tinnitus since October 2009, It was a period about 8 month to learn to live with it, but from 5 years I had forgotten it, or even if I did noticed, was not bother me but was more like an refrigerator, high pitch also but easy to mask. But suddenly, something happened and this came from nowhere. Now, I have days when is absent or bearly noticeable, and days when is present and heare it even if I go out in a noisy place. In this bad days, usually I have suicidal thoughts, or, like today, I'm optimistic that somehow I will manage this difficult time of my life. If I will find a method I will let you know, but I m in the moment that I m looking still the suitable solution for me. Any idea? I can't believe that in 2015, people must go through this, with so much technical development...

 

[Earman00442]

I have been suffering with T for almost five years in my right ear, the left ear comes and goes but is very manageable. I have days like today that I have went to the restroom and cried three different times so my coworkers don't see me breakdown. If I were a weak person I don't believe I would still be here. I can't explain to my family and friends what I feel because if you don't have it its hard to understand. Can anyone feel the sound? I feel like its so loud that I feel it on the entire right side of my face and head. Maybe I've just lost it LOL not lol!! I sleep with the TV on all night and started listening to books on tape to help with distracting myself. What I have found is I can match the sound to around 4K and at 60 to 70 db I can't distinguish the source. I use a sound masking Hearing aid that play's waves crashing on a rocky beach and also amplifies speech to hear over the masking. Any help at all will be appreciated. The Ironic thing to all this is I have been a Hearing aid dispenser for 17 years go figure.

 

[Cheza]

One side of my head seems empty and hollow, with the exception of all the noise and the other side perfectly clear. It sucks!

Me, too. The tea kettle whistle tends to be from temple to temple, but the hissing-squealing-static-buzzing tends to remain confined to the right upper quadrant of my head. I'm basically a right-brained individual. No freakin' wonder my creativity has taken a total nosedive since tinnitus appeared.

 

[Sailboardman]

@Cheza,

Creativity and productivity for me, is in the dumper! I had a doer personality before this wretched noise and could buzz around all day and never, ever run out of things to do.

Now I just don't have the heart to do anything. I try, but tend to give up quickly. I say, what's the point?
I use to be able to think and concentrate when doing these things.

I don't enjoy my life as I use to.
Not having peace and quiet for even a second, is unimaginable to me. I believe, this is the worse condition, a human being could ever get, except for blindness.

 

[Nucleo]

My tinnitus was measured at 25 dB SPL @ 11 khz. I have no hearing loss at 11 khz.

The tinnitus I can live with but the constant ear pain (not hyperacusis, pain is there even without sounds and loud sounds don't really make it worse) and distorted hearing are far worse.

 

[Dr. Ancill]

Actual volume is quite difficult to estimate as tinnitus is not an actual sound. It is generated by damage in the auditory system. Its 'loudness' depends on how intrusive it is, what frequencies it is made up of, how distracted you are and your emotional state. Our brains are designed to focus on a particular signal (eg. listening to a particular conversation at a noisy party) so if we focus on the tinnitus, it will appear to overwhelm all other auditory input and seem 'louder'. The way to make it seem 'quieter' is the usual bag of tricks and tips that you can read in many of the excellent postings in this forum and I will not repeat them here.

 

[Earman00442]

I apologize for not introducing myself yesterday. Hello, My name is Jim I am 55 and I have very loud Tinnitus!
It started suddenly five years ago in my right ear only now its in the left side also but not very loud, It has changed my life. Yesterday was the first time I ever posted on a Forum.
My writing/communication skills are not the best, so please be patient.
I will try to be positive. I am looking for help. the last few months the noise has gotten much louder.
My sound generator helps but I get tired of listening to those sounds also.
Sometimes I will go sit in the Bathroom and listen to the shower it seems to help short term.
I have tried to ignore the sound and concentrate on other things but the volume is much louder then the environments
noises around me, even in a very noisy rooms.
I don't take any medications legal or off the street. I do not like the after effects of the anti depressants, sleeping pills and anxiety meds so I stopped taking them 4 years ago . Is there anything that anyone is doing that may help ?
I would appreciate any help.

Thanks Jim

 

[dan]

I apologize for not introducing myself yesterday. Hello, My name is Jim I am 55 and I have very loud Tinnitus!
It started suddenly five years ago in my right ear only now its in the left side also but not very loud, It has changed my life. Yesterday was the first time I ever posted on a Forum.
My writing/communication skills are not the best, so please be patient.
I will try to be positive. I am looking for help. the last few months the noise has gotten much louder.
My sound generator helps but I get tired of listening to those sounds also.
Sometimes I will go sit in the Bathroom and listen to the shower it seems to help short term.
I have tried to ignore the sound and concentrate on other things but the volume is much louder then the environments
noises around me, even in a very noisy rooms.
I don't take any medications legal or off the street. I do not like the after effects of the anti depressants, sleeping pills and anxiety meds so I stopped taking them 4 years ago . Is there anything that anyone is doing that may help ?
I would appreciate any help.

Thanks Jim

Many people here have tried or are trying Trobalt with success- see Retigabine thread for more details and welcome to the forum!

 

[Danny Boy]

Many people here have tried or are trying Trobalt with success- see Retigabine thread for more details and welcome to the forum!

God knows how loud mine was last year...Let's just say enough to mentally torture me to consider the big 'D'.

 

[Martin69]

It's not the volume that hurts me, I could take a sound like my fringe at 4-5 times the volume and be fine. For me it's the incredibly awful high pitched screeching that kills me. I think this is the case for most of us otherwise we wouldn't be trying to mask with less intrusive sounds.

Exactly. Ultra-high like a dog whistle. I would rate mine around 15+ kHz. Not much covers this, only loud crickets and my lawn trimmer.

 

[Richard zurowski]

Hi Martin 69. Is it consistent or does it go lower. And if so for how long?

 

[Earman00442]

Exactly. Ultra-high like a dog whistle. I would rate mine around 15+ kHz. Not much covers this, only loud crickets and my lawn trimmer.

My noise has stopped three separate times for less then a minute, every time it has stopped it came back louder!
One of the times I was sleeping it woke me up because of the quietness. I woke my wife up to tell her it stopped and it came back on louder then before it stopped. Sometimes I think I am going crazy.

 

[Dubbyaman]

Mine is very loud as well. Some days it goes down to where I can barely hear it. I have dog whistles, crickets and siren like sounds in my left ear. It cycles alot. It sucks. I hate it. I want my life back to the way it was before this crap and i'm sure all of you do as well. I never really totally understood how hearing worked before this all started but now I do. Bummer. All this education came too late. I really hope for a cure but my faith in the lame ass medical field is zero. They all suck. They're too profit oriented and too slow. This world is all about money and greed but I think if all them doctors got some kind of life threatening illness, it wouldn't be about all their stupid egos, nice cars, big houses,status, self importance, power, fame etc. It would be about humanity finally. All the money and power in the world dont mean dick if you have poor health.