@drivera2592
I have read all your previous posts to try and come to a decision that I think will help you. The initial onset of your tinnitus was caused by attending a loud concert that lasted six hours and afterwards noticed ringing in your ears.
You have also mentioned the overuse of headphones could have contributed to the tinnitus. I agree with this if you had been using headphones a lot prior to going to the concert. Like so many people do without realizing it, the sound was probably set too high on many occasions for your ears but you didn't notice any problems. Therefore, you have probably had tinnitus for quite some time but it remained at a low level and masked, by everyday sounds so you didn't notice it. However, at night when it is quiet, if you had listened I'm fairly certain you would have heard the tinnitus ringing.
The concert was the final straw and your ears and auditory system had had enough of being exposed to loud sounds. This resulted with the onset of full blown tinnitus that you are now aware of. You are probably wondering why I am mentioning all this? Please be patient for I assure you there is a reason. Like many people that are new to "noise induced" tinnitus or noise trauma to the auditory system, you noticed the tinnitus fluctuating in intensity over the following weeks. From mild, moderate and sometimes reaching severe levels. A lot of people habituate to tinnitus within the first 6 to 12 months without having any treatment at all. It is for this reason many ENT doctors prefer to leave the ears alone as they are quite delicate, and will often right themselves if left alone. After 6 months if a person is having a lot of difficulty coping with tinnitus then a referral to a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that specialises in tinnitus and hyperacusis management is advised. A variety of treatments can help, and depends what is available to you.
You have had tinnitus for 7 months. Usually, but not in all cases people with noise induced tinnitus will make some improvement within this time. However, if you have been using headphones throughout this period and I suspect you have, then I believe this is the main reason you have not been making progress and having difficulty with tinnitus management. If you have been going to places where loud music is played: clubs, concerts etc. These are also factors that would contribute to your tinnitus not improving. Loud noise/sounds and tinnitus do not go well together especially when the tinnitus is "noise induced". I suspect you probably have some hyperacusis too: sensitivity to sound?
White noise generators are specialist devices. When they are used for the treatment of tinnitus and hyperacusis, a person should also be having treatment with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that practices tinnitus and hyperacusis management, otherwise the white noise generators are likely to be ineffective. The way that tinnitus affects a person emotionally, needs to be addressed in the form of counselling.
White noise generators should be used when a person is having TRT. It for this reason I do not advise you to buy them as you may not gain any benefit using them alone. In addition to this, if they are not used correctly they can make tinnitus and hyperacusis worse. My advice is to stop using headphones regardless of type and keep away from venues where loud music is played. If you can get a referral to a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that specialises in tinnitus management then I advise you to do so. Please also follow the advice in my posts:
New to tinnitus what to do, and
Hypercusis, as I see it. Tinnitus, A Personal View in the links is below.
White noise generators are expensive. The information below explains how they are used to help with tinnitus and hyperacusis. I am not telling you to try TRT, I am just informing you how white noise generators are used to gain maximum benefit from them.
All the best
Michael
There are two parts to TRT treatment. Counselling and sound therapy. Sound therapy is supplied by wearing two white noise generators and then using a "sound machine " at night by the bedside for sound enrichment. If hyperacusis is present the sound therapy will also treat it, by desensitising the auditory system. Over time sound therapy will help to push the tinnitus into the background making it less noticeable enabling the brain to habituate to the tinnitus. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy is not a cure, it is what it implies: Through regular counselling sessions there is a gradual retraining of the way a person thinks about tinnitus and to treat it as non life threatening.
At first the therapist discusses with the patient how the tinnitus makes them feel and how it has impacted on their life. Often people say they have lost interest in the things they once liked doing, which is perfectly understandable. The main goal here is to gradually help them look at life differently and with a more positive outlook. Over time the negative thinking that is often associated with tinnitus and hyperacusis is gradually dispelled and demystified.
The Hearing Therapist does this in a controlled and precise manner so that the patient feels relaxed and not pressured. In many instances the tinnitus is gradually pushed further into the background making it less prominent. Therefore, it must be stressed and understood, this treatment takes time. To complete a course of TRT takes approximately twelve to twenty four months and in some cases longer. The duration of each counselling session is left to the discretion of the Hearing Therapist. Typically, these can last up to one hour or more. The amount of appointments required will be different for each patient, but it is quality rather than the quantity of the counselling that really matters.
There are a few misconceptions about this treatment and the way it is administered that some people misunderstand which I want to address. If a patient is given one white noise generator to wear this is not TRT. When two wngs are issued and no tinnitus counselling is offered on a regular basis, it is not TRT. I am not saying that a patient will not gain any benefit from the above treatments; I only want to state they do not follow the proper Tinnitus retraining therapy protocol.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
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