New Member

[Robtheprint]

Hi I have just found this forum, I have only had tinnitus for a couple of weeks and already finding it very frustrating, irritating and difficult to come to terms with. I also have pain in my ears but Dr found no sign of infection although did prescribe a course of antibiotics. I know that some have been suffering for years with tinnitus and just wondered how they cope as at the moment I can't see how I am going to manage this.

 

[CaRd]

Just don't think of it as a threat. Stop fighting it. It just makes things much worse. There is no other way.

 

[JoyBenz007]

What helps is staying busy and white noise, fan sounds annoy me but cricket sounds sooth, listen to some calming music. And don't listen for it. It'll drive you crazy....keep calm as best you can. Best wishes to you.

 

[Robtheprint]

Thanks to you both for your comments, I am trying to stay calm and have already got in the habit of listening to "nature sounds" CDs. Do you use a Tinnitus relaxer to listen to the calming music? at the moment I just leave the CD player on overnight in a loop but wondered if I would be better with a specific piece of equipment.
Thanks

 

[Bill Bauer]

Check out my posts in
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hello-feel-a-need-to-talk.22412/
The last post answers your question below.

wondered if I would be better with a specific piece of equipment.

 

[CaRd]

I personaly don't use anything. I listen to my T. It's very hard at the beginning, but you get used to it faster. I can't always have a sound machine with me if i have to sleep anywhere else ...

Just know that this sound can do you no harm. Think of it as something normal. There are a lot of worse conditions that people have to live with. So ours is just an annoying distraction.

Here is something interesting that should give you more info on that matter:

 

[Melike]

I personaly don't use anything. I listen to my T. It's very hard at the beginning, but you get used to it faster. I can't always have a sound machine with me if i have to sleep anywhere else ...

Just know that this sound can do you no harm. Think of it as something normal. There are a lot of worse conditions that people have to live with. So ours is just an annoying distraction.

Here is something interesting that should give you more info on that matter:

I try to leave the masking noises and make peace with T while reading and before sleeping. But THATS HARD. It drives me crazy in max 10 minutes. How do you do that? Do you think it made things easier for you?

Because I'm always concerned while I'm visiting my mothers or friends' houses thinking what if I can't mask it and go crazy immediately.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I try to leave the masking noises and make peace with T while reading and before sleeping. But THATS HARD. It drives me crazy in max 10 minutes. How do you do that? Do you think it made things easier for you?

Because I'm always concerned while I'm visiting my mothers or friends' houses thinking what if I can't mask it and go crazy immediately.

At one point, I tried forcing myself to get used to tinnitus by wearing ear plugs 24/7. My logic was that I found T to be the most disturbing when I would be shocked by it when trying to sleep in a quiet room. I thought that if I were to listen to it throughout the day, it would not be so disturbing in the evening. It worked - eventually it became easier to fall asleep. However, I was doing HBOT treatments at the time. They would look into my ears before each session. I was told that I was getting an irritation on my eardrum. I suspect this was happening because earplugs prevented my ears from being aired out, promoting the growth of bacteria in my ears. So perhaps this is not a good approach. On the other hand, one could wear earplugs for one hour, followed by no earplugs for the next hour. This ought to prevent ear problems, while forcing one to confront one's tinnitus, and eventually to get used to it...

 

[Melike]

At one point, I tried forcing myself to get used to tinnitus by wearing ear plugs 24/7. My logic was that I found T to be the most disturbing when I would be shocked by it when trying to sleep in a quiet room. I thought that if I were to listen to it throughout the day, it would not be so disturbing in the evening. It worked - eventually it became easier to fall asleep. However, I was doing HBOT treatments at the time. They would look into my ears before each session. I was told that I was getting an irritation on my eardrum. I suspect this was happening because earplugs prevented my ears from being aired out, promoting the growth of bacteria in my ears. So perhaps this is not a good approach. On the other hand, one could wear earplugs for one hour, followed by no earplugs for the next hour. This ought to prevent ear problems, while forcing one to confront one's tinnitus, and eventually to get used to it...

From what you said, I understand that you can only hear your t when you put your earplugs in? Unfortunately, I don't need earplugs.........

 

[Bill Bauer]

From what you said, I understand that you can only hear your t when you put your earplugs in? Unfortunately, I don't need earplugs.........

To hear it the way (as loud and as clear) I would hear it in a completely quiet room, I would need to wear earplugs during the day. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't hear it without earplugs.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Just know that this sound can do you no harm. Think of it as something normal. There are a lot of worse conditions that people have to live with. So ours is just an annoying distraction.

With all due respect @CaRd . You are new to tinnitus and it's good that it is not too intrusive for you. Please do not underestimate this condition and think that it is just an "annoying distraction" I assure that this is definitely not always the case. It is true that many people habituate to tinnitus with time and are able to carry on with their lives doing everything that they want to. However, there is a dark and foreboding side to tinnitus that I hope you never get to know because this condition can be seriously debilitating, when it is severe and is comparable to any acute medical condition, and takes second place to none.

I wish you well
Michael

 

[Melike]

To hear it the way (as loud and as clear) I would hear it in a completely quiet room, I would need to wear earplugs during the day. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't hear it without earplugs.

oh that would be harsh. Getting used to hearing it in only quiet places seems like a good start for me. And I hate feeling those earplugs inside my ear.

 

[CaRd]

@Michael Leigh, I do not underestimate it. I learned this the hard way and i do know that i might be living with my bad choices for the rest of my life. But i also know that i won't give up on hope. I will not let it control my life. Maybe it is easier when it is not so severe. But i do know poison of mind. Believe me, i have struggled for quite some time with depression and other things. I do have other issues on my mind also. My life is not so easy as i let other people believe. But i do know one thing - if i concentrate on the negative side i am not helping anyone. Especially not me. So i choose to give people some comfort and courage.

@Bill Bauer, i do have musicians earplugs but i rarely use them. It's not that comfortable and i am aware of the problems they might cause.

@Melike it's hard, i know. Especially when teying to read. But i just try not to think about it and concentrate. Nothing is easy. I still can't say it is something i dismiss easily. But there is no other way to go forward. At least not for me. I loved silence before. I even stayed for hours with my headphones without listening to nything. Used them just to isolate other sounds. and tinnitus was one of the worst things that could have happened to me. I could not sleep unless it is absolutely silent and dark around me. But after a couple of months i started to habituate to my new condition. Otherwise my nervous system would have been a total wreck(as it was in the beginning). Just have hope and think positively. That gives you strenght. That gives your whole body strenght and definitely helps it fight.

Best regards to all of you!

 

[Melike]

it's hard, i know. Especially when teying to read. But i just try not to think about it and concentrate. Nothing is easy. I still can't say it is something i dismiss easily. But there is no other way to go forward. At least not for me. I loved silence before. I even stayed for hours with my headphones without listening to nything. Used them just to isolate other sounds. and tinnitus was one of the worst things that could have happened to me. I could not sleep unless it is absolutely silent and dark around me. But after a couple of months i started to habituate to my new condition. Otherwise my nervous system would have been a total wreck(as it was in the beginning). Just have hope and think positively. That gives you strenght. That gives your whole body strenght and definitely helps it fight.

Best regards to all of you!

Oh..but..this is so SAD
I don't know. We will get through this.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I even stayed for hours with my headphones without listening to nything. Used them just to isolate other sounds. and tinnitus was one of the worst things that could have happened to me. I could not sleep unless it is absolutely silent and dark around me.

Same here...