Poll: Do You Have Multi Tonal Tinnitus?

[TheDanishGirl]

I do

I have 3-4 different sounds. I really hope some will disappear or calm down in time because it is unbearable.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@TheDanishGirl

When I first got tinnitus many years ago, I had multiple tones as you do but this reduced after a time and eventually changed to a hissing sound (white noise) in both ears and in the middle of my head which is quite common. Although it's difficult, try not to focus on the noise by using sound enrichment and do talk to your Hearing therapist about this if you feel these noises are becoming more intrusive. I read in a previous post, that you use a mobile phone with speakers for sound enrichment. Whilst this is satisfactory, make sure the sounds are close by on your bedside side table so that your brain and auditory system are fed with good quality sounds, throughout the night until morning. It shouldn't be too loud to keep you awake but at a level that you can ignore. Sound enrichment like anything new that we bring into our life, takes time to get used to.

Michael

 

[TheDanishGirl]

@TheDanishGirl

When I first got tinnitus many years ago, I had multiple tones as you do but this reduced after a time and eventually changed to a hissing sound (white noise) in both ears and in the middle of my head which is quite common. Although it's difficult, try not to focus on the noise by using sound enrichment and do talk to your Hearing therapist about this if you feel these noises are becoming more intrusive. I read in a previous post, that you use a mobile phone with speakers for sound enrichment. Whilst this is satisfactory, make sure the sounds are close by on your bedside side table so that your brain and auditory system are fed with good quality sounds, throughout the night until morning. It shouldn't be too loud to keep you awake but at a level that you can ignore. Sound enrichment like anything new that we bring into our life, takes time to get used to.

Michael

This is just what I needed to hear. That it can calm down as it did for you I gives me new strength to keep on going. I am having a meeting with my hearing therapist on monday and I will talk it over with her.

In regards to the sound enrichment I do place the speakers on my bedside table. I do keep the volume quite low and not at a level just below my tinnitus because at that level it bothers me and makes it harder for me to fall asleep, so I just keep the volume at a low level where I can hear it, but only faint.

 

[walkthroughwalls]

I do have multiple frequencies and sometimes even those frequencies change every fraction of a second. Kind of like Morse code on different frequencies. All that doesn't bother me though, because there's one high frequency that is constant and that I hear all the time. If I'm annoyed by my tinnitus, then it's that frequency. The others I can ignore.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I can hear it, but only faint.

Try to increase the volume over time. The brain goes into overdrive if it hears silence during the night and will search for outside sounds from the environment. In doing so it will "turn up" its internal gain- rather like a volume control on a radio. Whilst doing this it will also increase the tinnitus, which will make it louder and more intrusive during waking hours. Good quality sound enrichment, that is delivered at sufficient volume, will allow the brain to "reduce" its alertness and turn down the gain and this will reduce the tinnitus. Sound enrichment will also treat hyperacusis, by desensitising the auditory pathways and the "gateways" that have opened up to cause hypersensitivity.

Michael

 

[VRZ78]

This is just what I needed to hear. That it can calm down as it did for you I gives me new strength to keep on going. I am having a meeting with my hearing therapist on monday and I will talk it over with her.

In regards to the sound enrichment I do place the speakers on my bedside table. I do keep the volume quite low and not at a level just below my tinnitus because at that level it bothers me and makes it harder for me to fall asleep, so I just keep the volume at a low level where I can hear it, but only faint.

Try to use a better speaker as well as it will sound less irritating

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Try to use a better speaker as well as it will sound less irritating

The sound quality has nothing to do with it. The speaker I use is good but if I turn up the sounds to high, then it is just another noise on top of my T which makes it harder to fall asleep as I get overwhelmed with all the noise/sounds

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Im surprised to see so many here have multi tonal T. I didnt expect that.....I had this idea that the vast Marjory of you had only 1 tone (ringing or hissing or....ect.)

I really really HATE having more then 1 tone. It is just overwhelming to hear so many different sounds at the same time

 

[Michael Leigh]

The sound quality has nothing to do with it. The speaker I use is good but if I turn up the sounds to high, then it is just another noise on top of my T which makes it harder to fall asleep as I get overwhelmed with all the noise/sounds

@TheDanishGirl

Both you and @VRZ78 make valid points. Improving the sound quality of the sound enrichment will be beneficial but it's also true it musn't be set too high as it will become an irritant. If at some time in the future you think of purchasing a dedicated sound machine. The Oasis S-650 is very good and can be connected to a pillow speaker. Oasis sound machines are specifically made for people with tinnitus. You will then realise how good they are. However, what you are using at the moment will suffice. Keep using it as sound enrichment takes time to get used to and will help your tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Michael

 

[TheDanishGirl]

@TheDanishGirl

Both you and @VRZ78 make valid points. Improving the sound quality of the sound enrichment will be beneficial but it's also true it musn't be set too high as it will become an irritant. If at some time in the future you think of purchasing a dedicated sound machine. The Oasis S-650 is very good and can be connected to a pillow speaker. Oasis sound machines are specifically made for people with tinnitus. You will then realise how good they are. However, what you are using at the moment will suffice. Keep using it as sound enrichment takes time to get used to and will help your tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Michael

Maybe I will look into buying that in time but I can also ask my hearing therapist if I can get a pillow speaker funded by our national health care system. I know of some who have gotten them free of charge.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Maybe I will look into buying that in time but I can also ask my hearing therapist if I can get a pillow speaker funded by our national health care system. I know of some who have gotten them free of charge.

Most pillow speakers have a 3.5mm audio jack with a cable attached. Providing your mobile phone or similar device that you are using to generate the "nature sounds" has a 3.5mm socket it will work, as pillow speakers cannot be operated on their own. Just thought I'd mention that as you are new to tinnitus and may not know.

Michael

 

[Anima]

I have a philharmonic of noises 24/7, changing all of the time from mild to very severe. It's unbearable and so difficult to habituate that I hardly can cope with my horrendous tinnitus. Not to mention when it spikes, then I feel suicidal.

 

[Alue]

Yes, but to be honest, only one of them really bothers me. This extremely high pitched head hissing/buzzing.

 

[Shera]

@Michael Leigh That's good to hear that it faded over time. I hope this happens more for me. I know my beeps and chop vacuum noises have receded so it gives me hope for the plethora of other noises to fade away.

@TheDanishGirl When my T first started it was fairly quiet and one tone. It was so easy to ignore. Now that the volume is up and there are so many tones I find that it's harder to deal with. Those I've talked to about it in real life that have it say it's mild one tone, and it never changes volume. They don't get how it bothers me so much. For me that was so easy to ignore.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Michael Leigh That's good to hear that it faded over time. I hope this happens more for me. I know my beeps and chop vacuum noises have receded so it gives me hope for the plethora of other noises to fade away.

@Shera

The process of habituating to tinnitus is usually a gradual one and will be different for each person. One of the most important things is to have a positive attitude and open mind towards the condition and treatment that one uses and there are various kinds. With noise trauma it is advisable to use sound enrichment during day and night. Reading some of my positivity posts in my started threads "regularly" is also advisable as well as the "success stories" from members on the positivity threads. This helps to reinforce positive thinking as without this negativity can take hold.

Reinforcing positivity is particularly important for anyone new to tinnitus, as it helps dispel and demystify the negative thinking that a person cannot recover from tinnitus. It is a form of therapy and similar to a person seeing a Hearing Therapist for tinnitus counselling. Regular talk sessions are required to instil positive thinking. I am not saying to never think negative about tinnitus as that's not always possible, but one must try not to become overwhelmed by it.

Michael

 

[MBH]

Mine is also mult tonal I'm glad with this forum Im not alone ive have been and Morse code the hissing I got used it but not the Beebs Morse code what ever tone there in it's hard to ignore. I use two fans to sleep with should I switch to sound music instead. I'm also going to get white noise hearing aids my hearing aid person said I was not loud enough for them and basically said deal with it so I'm getting them on my own.

 

[Shera]

@Michael Leigh As always great advice! Thanks.

 

[Kolisar]

I have multiple sounds. The following two websites have allowed me to produce a reasonable representation if what I hear.


From https://www.soundrelief.com/tinnitus/sounds-tinnitus/

#3, Tea Kettle

From http://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/

~ 3,951.066 Hz B7
~ 7,458.620 Hz A#8
~ 7,902.133 Hz B8

 

[victoria9273]

If I have from time to time temporary tinnitus, it's usually in my right ear with 2 alternating pitches. The interval is narrow. The tinnitus sounds so mechanical and digital for our organic body. People from many a centuries ago must have thought it to be from devil or something.

 

[Applejuice]

Yes I too have multiple tones, I can hear 7 of them clearly. They range from 6-8khz while one is a really low drone sound of 50hz. Luckily I'm Tinnitus stress free now but I still hope for some improvements because I've had none to this day. The low drone sound had some improvements last week but it's back in full force now.