Thinking About Tinnitus Constantly, Obsessively Protecting My Hearing

[Ranuro47]

Guys, I am so fixated on my tinnitus. I think about it almost all of my waking moments. It will be 3 months next week that I've had this. It's nonstop in both ears. Today I cried tears because of this. I am already prone to anxiety. I take Clonazepam.

This week it changed suddenly from a low pitch to a high pitched whistling sound. I'm getting scared.

I don't know what caused this but my fear is will it get louder and stay louder for no apparent reason?

I obsessively protect my ears, even when I'm vacuuming. Please. I need encouragement because nobody else in my life understands.

 

[Jack Straw]

They say it takes 6-9 months before people start seeing emotional improvement to their tinnitus. Over time you will continue to get better coping with it.

Can you describe how loud it is? Can you hear it when you watch TV? Drive? Shower?

 

[Rb86]

Mine graduated from a loud low pitch to a high end until it kept climbing until it's a hiss, which is more manageable.

I believe you're on your way to healing some. I know it sucks but hang in there. 3 months is still kind of early. Most people's whose tinnitus goes away gets higher until a hiss.

Also if there's anything I know, nothing with tinnitus is permanent... tones tend to change as does volume. Mask with the radio, or YouTube masking clips. Take something to sleep with. Sleep is SUPER important. As is eating well.

 

[New Guy]

Tinnitus is very trying, especially when new. You're doing the right thing protecting your ears while vacuuming. I do the same.

I can tell you that whether the t fades or not it gets easier to deal with time. It takes a while to get there, I haven't made it yet but I'm better now than last year at the same time.

It's ok to cry, it's ok to get angry. Focus on getting through one day at a time and slowly your outlook, and hopefully, the t, will improve.

 

[Daniel S.]

If it helps to put your mind at east, Ranuro, I have both medium and high-pitched tones in both ears, and I find the high-pitched tones (which were the first tones I had) to be much, much easier to deal with. They were much easier to habituate to, though it did take a good five or six months for me to get there. You're in the third month, so you may still have some time to go. But if it is permanent--and we still can't be sure that it is--I'm confident you'll habituate yourself to it eventually. Once that happens, you'll be back to doing plenty of normal activities that you probably don't think you could concentrate on right now. For instance, I'm a bookworm who reads 2-3 books a month, sometimes even without any white noise to mask my ringing! But for the first year I had tinnitus, I don't think I managed to finish a single book because the ringing was too distracting.

Also keep in mind that even if we assume the worst case scenario--that your tinnitus is permanent--you've acquired it at a time when there are lots of therapies and drugs in the pipeline. We are very, very close to getting some substantial relief. It could be one of the drugs in development, or maybe the Neuromod device from Lenire that's coming out very soon in Europe (read about that in the treatment forum if you haven't already, might boost your spirits a bit). Point is, if you had gotten this 30 or 40 years ago, you'd be looking at a lifetime of ringing. But that's not the case today! Keep that in mind as you fight this battle. I know it's really, really hard, but there are plenty of good reasons to be optimistic for the future!

 

[Bill Bauer]

It will be 3 months next week that I've had this.

This is the most difficult time. Many people (even the ones whose tinnitus doesn't fade) eventually end up feeling better.

Today I cried tears because of this.

Been there, done that...
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...-make-you-wail-and-weep-uncontrollably.21797/
[By the way, I made that post when I was three months in. Like I said, three months after the onset is the worst...]

I obsessively protect my ears, even when I'm vacuuming

One possibility is that it got worse because your protection is providing a false sense of security, and is not enough. For the next 6-24 months, consider getting someone else to vacuum.

 

[Michael B]

The previous responders are spot on. It does take time to adjust & accept one's tinnitus and eventually it does get easier to deal with. You are not alone.

 

[eagerUser]

Are you still on Nexium? As you said in the other topic that you think Nexium is the reason.

There is a method called neurofeedback which may or may not help your tinnitus but it will definitely help you emotionally.
I have heard of different cases having positive outcome with Neurofeedback.

If you say it appeared out of nowhere and you are sure it's not noise induced try to find out the root cause and once getting that fixed your T may leave you alone.

 

[coffee_girl]

Hang in there, if your T is mild/moderate most people will be able to find that habituation helps them. It just takes time, it took me around 8 months until my brain got fed up with it and just resolved to ignore it .

 

[Agrajag364]

Guys, I am so fixated on my tinnitus. I think about it almost all of my waking moments. It will be 3 months next week that I've had this. It's nonstop in both ears. Today I cried tears because of this. I am already prone to anxiety. I take Clonazepam.

This week it changed suddenly from a low pitch to a high pitched whistling sound. I'm getting scared.

I don't know what caused this but my fear is will it get louder and stay louder for no apparent reason?

I obsessively protect my ears, even when I'm vacuuming. Please. I need encouragement because nobody else in my life understands.

Almost everybody here felt like there is it three months. It is totally normal to feel like that at three months. It will either start to get a lot quieter over time or you will get much more used to it.

 

[fishbone]

Guys, I am so fixated on my tinnitus. I think about it almost all of my waking moments. It will be 3 months next week that I've had this. It's nonstop in both ears. Today I cried tears because of this. I am already prone to anxiety. I take Clonazepam.

This week it changed suddenly from a low pitch to a high pitched whistling sound. I'm getting scared.

I don't know what caused this but my fear is will it get louder and stay louder for no apparent reason?

I obsessively protect my ears, even when I'm vacuuming. Please. I need encouragement because nobody else in my life understands.

You are not alone! All of us have been in your shoes and still are at times. Tinnitus is a horrible ordeal and it can change the dynamics of our lives. Obsession and constantly listening and scanning for the ringing is normal for those that have recently just got tinnitus. It can take some time to adjust to it. You need support and you need to distract the mind from scanning and listening to the ringing. @Michael Leigh has written some fine articles that can be very helpful.

I highly suggest that you talk it out and express how you feel, to someone that you trust and care about. Make use of some sound enrichment and low volumes. Especially at nights when it quiet, that's when fixation with tinnitus can be at it's highest for most.

My formula is this:

T+S+R/D

Time - it will take time to adjust to the tinnitus.

Support - you should get as much support as possible. Talk it out and gain support.

Relaxation/Distraction - there are many techniques that one can use to achieve this. Maybe do an exercise that is safe for your tinnitus. Maybe do yoga/meditate.

Your tinnitus is very new, so do give it time. Avoid negativity, avoid loud places.....

 

[PeteJ]

Mine got worse since mid April.

The pitch and volume is so high, I think it's a matter of time until I give up.

I don't know what happened regarding why it got worse and I think no one knows why theirs changes. It just does.

I consider mine to be severe.

 

[Digital Doc]

Three months was a low point for me as well, but I also had an alarm clock go off right next to my ear, and had a setback at the same time.

Definitely protect your ears while vacuuming. While it seemed silly to me at first, as I have been vacuuming since I was a child without needing anything, it is quite important to protect fully when exposed to louder sounds. I use double protection for this activity, and think this approach is helpful. Vacuums are quite loud, especially those cheap, electric brooms.