Hello all,
I hope some of you find comfort in this, or will maybe have the good fortune of getting it resolved by following my lead.
A few months back, while sitting quietly at home with no external noise, I noticed what I can only describe as a 'white noise / hiss' sound emanating from my left ear. I thought to myself, "Is this something I've had for awhile, but only noticed now? Or did this just materialize overnight?" I quickly drew the conclusion that it must be very new, otherwise it would not have gone unnoticed. As I focused on it (As many of us Tinnitus suffers tend to do whether we want to or not), the volume increased slightly. I stood up, found the quietest place in my house, and focused on this new sound further. An underlying ringing sound accompanied this white noise. I tried blocking my ear with my finger in the hopes of quenching the sound, though as you all know, without effect. It raised anxiety within me, and as time passed and nothing changed, it began disrupting sleep, my daily focus, and I found it difficult to smile from day to day. I researched Tinnitus exhaustively, looking for the cause. I was convinced I found it: I had been a Fire alarm Inspector for many years, rarely using hearing protection while I tested the horns in the buildings we tested from day to day. Despite safety meetings from month to month, I don't recall anyone mentioning this thing called Tinnitus. I must have damaged my hearing as a result of one too many fire alarm tests. I regretted my actions, and wished more than anything I could turn back the clock. I wondered why I was the unlucky one - After all, the other Inspectors I worked with, (some of whom had been exposing themselves to sound a lot longer than I have, also without hearing protection) seem to have been spared the same fate. (As far as I know, that is)
Anyway, my overall hearing still seemed good though, even the Tinnitus-stricken ear. I did tell myself that a visit to an ENT was in order, though I was fairly confident that my condition was likely to stick with me for the long-term. After all, if it was just ear wax, I'd surely have muffled hearing, which I didn't. I tried ear drops anyway, without effect. I also noticed that the air movement from an air conditioner, or the voice of a person on a cell phone near my ear would aggravate the Tinnitus for awhile. So I stuck with it, learning to adapt for awhile. Some nights I slept well, others I did not. I slowly habituated, at times forgetting about the Tinnitus altogether, but then a stressful day or external noise would dial up the noise, quickly reminding me of what I have. I finally made an appointment with an ENT...
Upon examination, I had a good bit of ear wax in my left ear. This immediately lifted my spirits.. He quickly removed it using a couple of tools, including microsuction. When he was done, I didn't notice any tinnitus initially, but the noise of the microsuction may have just delayed the response a bit. I was then given a hearing test, which came back with excellent results. I sat in the office, waiting for the Doctor a last time for review. I focused on my ear for a bit while I waited. The white noise / hissing I mentioned was gone!! The underlying ringing was still there though, but reduced in volume. After being assured by the doctor that my hearing was normal, he was confident that the wax was the culprit.
Today I can tell you that the hissing is gone. The wax did cause it, so for those of you who are relying on your own research to determine the cause may be mistaken. The underlying ringing I described is still present if I focus on it in a quiet environment, though as I said, at a reduced volume that is mainly unnoticeable for all intents and purposes. Perhaps the cause of this IS the cumulative sound exposure from my past, but maybe not. Tinnitus is still a mystery in many ways as you know. Anyway, I'm mainly free of it now, and it's becoming a memory. While I was dealing with it, I told myself that I would reach out to you guys if my Tinnitus faded or disappeared, to encourage those who are battling with it and adapting. Keep your head up and carry on. Time usually does diminish this condition, and don't forget that many people who improve or are cured don't return to this site to write about it. Also, don't get distraught over the fact that there are no cures yet. Technology is advancing so rapidly, in so many domains, that a cure is very possible. The most likely scenario is that more effective treatments will emerge as time passes, becoming more refined, with improvements leading to more improvements until the condition becomes a non-issue. There is more focus on Tinnitus than ever before, which will speed things up.
Anyway, I'll conclude by saying that many of you were a comfort to me, since I know of no one in my daily life who has Tinnitus. Thank you for this. And if I helped anyone out there with my story, it was worth it.
I hope some of you find comfort in this, or will maybe have the good fortune of getting it resolved by following my lead.
A few months back, while sitting quietly at home with no external noise, I noticed what I can only describe as a 'white noise / hiss' sound emanating from my left ear. I thought to myself, "Is this something I've had for awhile, but only noticed now? Or did this just materialize overnight?" I quickly drew the conclusion that it must be very new, otherwise it would not have gone unnoticed. As I focused on it (As many of us Tinnitus suffers tend to do whether we want to or not), the volume increased slightly. I stood up, found the quietest place in my house, and focused on this new sound further. An underlying ringing sound accompanied this white noise. I tried blocking my ear with my finger in the hopes of quenching the sound, though as you all know, without effect. It raised anxiety within me, and as time passed and nothing changed, it began disrupting sleep, my daily focus, and I found it difficult to smile from day to day. I researched Tinnitus exhaustively, looking for the cause. I was convinced I found it: I had been a Fire alarm Inspector for many years, rarely using hearing protection while I tested the horns in the buildings we tested from day to day. Despite safety meetings from month to month, I don't recall anyone mentioning this thing called Tinnitus. I must have damaged my hearing as a result of one too many fire alarm tests. I regretted my actions, and wished more than anything I could turn back the clock. I wondered why I was the unlucky one - After all, the other Inspectors I worked with, (some of whom had been exposing themselves to sound a lot longer than I have, also without hearing protection) seem to have been spared the same fate. (As far as I know, that is)
Anyway, my overall hearing still seemed good though, even the Tinnitus-stricken ear. I did tell myself that a visit to an ENT was in order, though I was fairly confident that my condition was likely to stick with me for the long-term. After all, if it was just ear wax, I'd surely have muffled hearing, which I didn't. I tried ear drops anyway, without effect. I also noticed that the air movement from an air conditioner, or the voice of a person on a cell phone near my ear would aggravate the Tinnitus for awhile. So I stuck with it, learning to adapt for awhile. Some nights I slept well, others I did not. I slowly habituated, at times forgetting about the Tinnitus altogether, but then a stressful day or external noise would dial up the noise, quickly reminding me of what I have. I finally made an appointment with an ENT...
Upon examination, I had a good bit of ear wax in my left ear. This immediately lifted my spirits.. He quickly removed it using a couple of tools, including microsuction. When he was done, I didn't notice any tinnitus initially, but the noise of the microsuction may have just delayed the response a bit. I was then given a hearing test, which came back with excellent results. I sat in the office, waiting for the Doctor a last time for review. I focused on my ear for a bit while I waited. The white noise / hissing I mentioned was gone!! The underlying ringing was still there though, but reduced in volume. After being assured by the doctor that my hearing was normal, he was confident that the wax was the culprit.
Today I can tell you that the hissing is gone. The wax did cause it, so for those of you who are relying on your own research to determine the cause may be mistaken. The underlying ringing I described is still present if I focus on it in a quiet environment, though as I said, at a reduced volume that is mainly unnoticeable for all intents and purposes. Perhaps the cause of this IS the cumulative sound exposure from my past, but maybe not. Tinnitus is still a mystery in many ways as you know. Anyway, I'm mainly free of it now, and it's becoming a memory. While I was dealing with it, I told myself that I would reach out to you guys if my Tinnitus faded or disappeared, to encourage those who are battling with it and adapting. Keep your head up and carry on. Time usually does diminish this condition, and don't forget that many people who improve or are cured don't return to this site to write about it. Also, don't get distraught over the fact that there are no cures yet. Technology is advancing so rapidly, in so many domains, that a cure is very possible. The most likely scenario is that more effective treatments will emerge as time passes, becoming more refined, with improvements leading to more improvements until the condition becomes a non-issue. There is more focus on Tinnitus than ever before, which will speed things up.
Anyway, I'll conclude by saying that many of you were a comfort to me, since I know of no one in my daily life who has Tinnitus. Thank you for this. And if I helped anyone out there with my story, it was worth it.
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