My tinnitus started about 6 months ago. I suspect being on cipro twice this year for prostatitis could have caused this.
Currently have appointments set up with ENT and audiologist but looking hard at the alternative therapies of sound masking and supplements.
If anyone has a recommended protocol for sound masking I would appreciate hearing about it.
The advice given above is very good and what is typically advised.
When I first got tinnitus, to find relief, I went on YouTube and searched through quite a few tinnitus sound videos. My T is very hard to mask because it is extremely high pitch and sound sensitive (reactive). I went through about 20 or 30 sound videos before I found a couple that work me.
As it relates to otoxic medications, not many causes permanent tinnitus even though they may have T as a side effect. Usually when you discontinue the medication the tinnitus goes away within a few days, if the medication caused it in the first place.
FYI you'll probably have better luck at the audiologist as opposed to the ENT, like many of us on this forum. Typically the ENT will just tell you to get used to it.
There is a treatment out of Dublin that is the only one of its kind right now available to the public. The wait is pretty long but just something to keep in mind if tour T feels like it may be out of hand. I think the success rate is and the 70 to 80% range.
Hope this helps, I'm by no means a specialist, just someone that got very intrusive tinnitus almost a year ago and had to navigate the rough waters so to speak.