Resveratrol Reported to Protect From Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

[joejunior]

Tinnitus has a habit of getting in the way of relaxation ! It was a BTA cassette tape, muscle tensing and relaxation, breathing, visualisation. you were supposed to use it I think once or twice a day, but I remember using it over and over again, maybe 10 times per day, I think it must have had some effect, at least it gave me something to do . I did some exercises to try to get rid of the stress as well like walking running and swimming. Did you try introducing more sound while you're watching TV?

 

[Louise]

I've got a muscle-tensing CD. It does work well on the body I must admit. If you do it enough you can remember the feeling of all muscles being relaxed and induce it.

I havent yet introduced more sound when Im watching TV. Its something like I dont want to give in to it, do you know what I mean? I want to be able to cope with the T noise being there. I want to train my brain to focus on the TV noise and not internally to the T noise. Sort of having no luck with that though. Perhaps I should just add the extra noise.

 

[joejunior]

I think I reached that point where I knew the relaxation off by heart practically so was able to do it.
I know what you mean about trying to concentrate on habituation, I have reduced the T level by adding noise to the point where I could watch something and concentrate on it, rather than on the T. It works gradually where you end up focussing on the programme, and not your T which you only notice time to time rather than all the time. There are few nature and street sounds and I cant keep windows open at the moment, that works a bit as well - when its warm enough! I dont think giving yourself a break now and again should slow down habituation. I can understand the feeling of wanting to grind through it. But my feeling now has changed - I feel tinnitus and hyperacusis is a huge shock to the system and I want to lessen that initial shock a bit if I can.

 

[Louise]

I think you're right Joe. And what you're saying is the basis for habituation. The less T bothers you then the less the brain cares about it and the more it will filter it out. I know this, Im just being silly trying to cope with it whilst its still too loud and not masked enough. I've really taken on board the "You can't habituate a sound you can't hear" perhaps too much. You probably cant habituate something that's annoying you to death and spoiling your evening TV viewing either!

Can you tell me (again?) what masking you use for watching TV? And, where do you put it, do you have it close to you or close to the TV? I remember Click saying that she puts rain noise right next to the TV and that works for her.

 

[joejunior]

When it started again I couldnt concentrate on anything on TV. I used a masker close to me at first ie on the sofa, now having the radio in the kitchen with music turned up so I can hear it at a low level while I am watching TV in the living room . I have a fan heater as well in the living room although it doesnt match my tinnitus in terms of frequency just adds another sound which I think helps a bit. Finally I turn up the TV slightly louder - not much just a little and overall I think that helps. I think rain noise would work quite well, I am not sure you would need it by the TV, you could have it on a shelf out of view , there is a cheap masker with rain and other sounds on amazon about a tenner, homedics . Its good to have meaningless noise I think, allows you to watch a bit of TV in relative peace. As time goes on you might find that you can reduce the volume of the noise, I am hoping for that. I might try the masker again but out of the way!

 

[Louise]

Thanks Joe. I'm going to try more sound around the place for TV watching.

I thought of buying some headphones, which actually increase speech volume and lower other sound. I dont know if they are a good idea. I dont like the thought of having noise directly in my ear. I even hold the phone away from me now.

I'll try the extra noise first.

 

[joejunior]

I find music shows on telly can be easy to watch as the sound is quite distracting. I find the mobile phone is the most annoying , the landline is less harsh I put both on speakerphone.

 

[erik]

I bought a new Sony 50" LED TV last month. It was an upgrade from my old 1995 Philips Tube TV that was finally starting to go...and I boosted the sound by adding it to my stereo system for a theater effect. I don't have it up super loud but loud enough to hear everything well. Sometimes it makes my T louder but if I am into watching a good TV show or movie...I now rarely pay attention to my T and enjoy my show....

 

[Louise]

Thats good news Erik. There would still be quiet bits with that though. I played music on my laptop behind me last night and that was better. I'll try white noise on it tonight. I need some wearable maskers when I can afford them.

 

[erik]

Louise have you looked into the Puretone maskers?

 

[Louise]

The wearable ones? I had one recommended but it was have to be the over the ear ones where the noise could be programmed and made better for your own T and they are around £900. Need to get back to work and then I can have some. Wish the noise hadnt got worse this week GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

 

[erik]

They have all kinds over ear, in the ear and I believe they are UK based.

http://www.puretone.net/pt_tinnitus.html

Prices:
http://www.puretoneretail.net/tinnitus.html

 

[Louise]

Yep, thanks. I had a certain one recommended by the Hearing Therapist I was seeing - over the ear and programmable. Something for when I get back into work......