Tinnitus Talk is Like a Different World to Me

I don't really know anyone personally that has tinnitus or other ear problems that cause them problems. I have kind of adapted to being like a ghost with this because nobody seems to get it. People talk loud, my mom constantly invites me to loud restaurants knowing I am going to walk in and walk out. People at work that know I have hearing problems still post prank videos on MS Teams where they edit the jump scare loud noise in videos. My friends still invite me to loud bars.

This community is like the only group on the planet that I have found that seems to understand. Are we really that much of a minority or are people in general just that uncaring, rude, and whimsical?

 

A little bit of column A, a little bit of column B.

 

There are medical problems just as rare that receive more empathy. The real problem is that ENT's simply don't understand the difference between tinnitus and tinnitus. Also, hyperacusis is just people with tinnitus that ruminate about it.

I have two experiences that say it all -- both with big wig ENTs. The first one forcefully told me to take my ear muffs off, while recommending I get an MRI, seeing no reason why there could be an issue. He mentioned that he has tinnitus and gets MRI's.

The second one jumped to psychiatry in 3 minutes. My wife asked him to lower his voice and he completely ignored her.

The world shouldn't revolve around us, as we are rare. But I feel like it's not even recognized as a real disability. Perhaps it shouldn't even be called tinnitus for people with normal-adult versions of it.

 

Why don't you confront her about it and ask her why she won't stop doing that?

 

Confront my mom? Ha ha. That. never works. I just smile and nod.

 

I know what you mean. It's like when a job is not worth it. Wave and smile haha

 

The world of chronic health forums is, universally, a "different world" than waking real-world society, for better and worse. An important thing is to treat all information received with a degree of incredulity, no matter which world that information seemed to originate in.

This will not improve as she ages, get used to nodding for longer and longer.