This is my first time posting. I've had T for about 6+ years now, and I wish I could say it's gotten any better but I feel like it's just as bad as ever.
I'm 28, I've played drums growing up and in a rock band, only for a few years. I also listened to loud music, both through speakers and headphones, and I smoked a ton ( and I mean a ton) of pot for about 8 years, like every day multiples a day. Way more than normal. I probably have had depression and anxiety for various reasons before dealing with T, but obviously dealing with T makes that much worse. I'm also a highly sensitive person to any stimuli in general and very very sensitive to stress, which has only increased in my life due to financial difficulties, anxiety, lack of trust in others, etc. etc. Probably should be seeing a therapist (if I had health insurance) instead of posting here... but I've found some relief just seeing how many people actually deal with T on these boards, so I figured my story and my causes would be helpful to somebody.
I can remember the MOMENT it started. I was sitting in my car smoking pot listening to music in a cold winter, getting ready to move across the country, and it was almost like a loud WOOSH. from that moment every time i would swallow, my ears would pop, but i wasn't like a pop, more like a couple crumble pop-corn noises, if that makes sense. I don't remember when the actually T noises started happening, but definitely stemmed from that incident. I went to multiple ENTs (back when I had health insurance) and had hearing tests, and they all said my hearing was normal, prescribed nasal spray, etc. but none of that helped. It was definitely really shitty that the Drs did not seem to take my suffering seriously in any way, "just deal with it" attitude is not cool, at all, and I don't know where that attitude is taught in med school!
The popping continues and the sounds are like a high pitch, sometimes a low pitch, with nonstop hissing at the same time. When I plug my ears it's literally ALL i can hear. masking with a fan at night as been the best way for me to relax and get good sleep. When I focus on something, especially a different sound, i forget I have the T. But i probably think about it (at best), a few times a day, and at worst, many, many times a day, like right now, where it almost debilitates me (but that can also be from depression about my life and being broke and all that shit). T just seems to amplify everything else perhaps?
I believe noise damage, and SMOKE DAMAGE (from pot), and non-stop stress is what caused mine. I also sleep on my stomach with my jaw pressed into my pillow, so I'm sure that doesn't help with TMJ/whatever related to T. masking has been the best thing for me, but honestly, that's not working anymore. I get seriously depressed when I think shit it's been 6 years and it's just as bad as ever. I take comfort that knowing time helps most, but it hasn't for me, since it's already been 6 years. when i get health insurance again, I am going to force the doctors to try everything in the book, MRI, whatever.
this was probably super negative and lacks hope for newcomers to read, but at least take comfort that you're not alone. i think trying any and all coping mechanisms suggested on this site are worth trying, because T is different for EVERYone and CAUSES are different and "treatments" work different for everyone too, we are all individuals where things effect our bodies differently.
I'm 28, I've played drums growing up and in a rock band, only for a few years. I also listened to loud music, both through speakers and headphones, and I smoked a ton ( and I mean a ton) of pot for about 8 years, like every day multiples a day. Way more than normal. I probably have had depression and anxiety for various reasons before dealing with T, but obviously dealing with T makes that much worse. I'm also a highly sensitive person to any stimuli in general and very very sensitive to stress, which has only increased in my life due to financial difficulties, anxiety, lack of trust in others, etc. etc. Probably should be seeing a therapist (if I had health insurance) instead of posting here... but I've found some relief just seeing how many people actually deal with T on these boards, so I figured my story and my causes would be helpful to somebody.
I can remember the MOMENT it started. I was sitting in my car smoking pot listening to music in a cold winter, getting ready to move across the country, and it was almost like a loud WOOSH. from that moment every time i would swallow, my ears would pop, but i wasn't like a pop, more like a couple crumble pop-corn noises, if that makes sense. I don't remember when the actually T noises started happening, but definitely stemmed from that incident. I went to multiple ENTs (back when I had health insurance) and had hearing tests, and they all said my hearing was normal, prescribed nasal spray, etc. but none of that helped. It was definitely really shitty that the Drs did not seem to take my suffering seriously in any way, "just deal with it" attitude is not cool, at all, and I don't know where that attitude is taught in med school!
The popping continues and the sounds are like a high pitch, sometimes a low pitch, with nonstop hissing at the same time. When I plug my ears it's literally ALL i can hear. masking with a fan at night as been the best way for me to relax and get good sleep. When I focus on something, especially a different sound, i forget I have the T. But i probably think about it (at best), a few times a day, and at worst, many, many times a day, like right now, where it almost debilitates me (but that can also be from depression about my life and being broke and all that shit). T just seems to amplify everything else perhaps?
I believe noise damage, and SMOKE DAMAGE (from pot), and non-stop stress is what caused mine. I also sleep on my stomach with my jaw pressed into my pillow, so I'm sure that doesn't help with TMJ/whatever related to T. masking has been the best thing for me, but honestly, that's not working anymore. I get seriously depressed when I think shit it's been 6 years and it's just as bad as ever. I take comfort that knowing time helps most, but it hasn't for me, since it's already been 6 years. when i get health insurance again, I am going to force the doctors to try everything in the book, MRI, whatever.
this was probably super negative and lacks hope for newcomers to read, but at least take comfort that you're not alone. i think trying any and all coping mechanisms suggested on this site are worth trying, because T is different for EVERYone and CAUSES are different and "treatments" work different for everyone too, we are all individuals where things effect our bodies differently.
