Tinnitus for Twenty Years, Caused by Listening to Music on Sony Walkman

Hi everyone, I started having tinnitus when I was 18-19 twenty years ago. I got a Sony Walkman when I was 15 and that's what caused me to damage my hearing IMO. The first 5 years had some struggles but nothing existential luckily. I've been able to live with my tinnitus very well since then.

I don't have much advice but for you to avoid excessive exposure to loud sounds/music. Some of you might end up here with temporary tinnitus and that initial experience should serve as a cautionary lesson. Your auditory system can't take that punishment that's why it happened (you got tinnitus). I always carry a foam earplug and I have noise cancelling headphones.

If it's permanent like mine, you should watch a talk by a man named Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. He's a monk and meditation master. Befriend your panic or tinnitus.

Meditation and Going Beyond Mindfulness - A...

 

How intrusive is your tinnitus? Do you hear it over the shower? While driving on the highway? Outside? Over the tv? Or only in a quiet room?

Is your tinnitus bilateral or unilateral?

What does it sound like? Do you have multiple tones or just one?

How do you live your everyday life with tinnitus? Do you avoid certain places/situations? When/where do you wear your earplugs? etc etc.

 

It's a constant presence in my life (non-stop). Sometimes I'm unaware of it. Sometimes I'm very aware of it. Exposure to a certain level of noise/music will trigger it to increase and the tones might change to a lower one or higher one. It's been awhile since I pinned down the frequency. I honestly can't remember what it is.

I haven't been bothered in a very long time. If I had to take a guess, it's around the 6 kHz - 8 kHz. Left ear is higher in frequency and presence. The right ear not so much. I treat it as it is, a warning system from further hearing damage.

I used to work a lot around industrial machinery such as pumps, ac motors, generators, server fans so I'm always wearing hearing PPE. A lot of people I work with don't seem to take it that seriously but I think I'm the only one I know that has tinnitus. I found I'm a bit more sensitive and aware of noises/sounds/vibrations given my current noisy neighbor predicament.

I haven't watched a movie in a long time but I bring ear plugs after watching a super cringey loud movie. Can't remember the movie now. There's no place that I avoid right now. I used to hate riding in cars with tricked out audio systems.

Strenuous physical exercise and stress in general seems to amp it up. Plane rides sometimes make it act up.