Tinnitus, The Way Some See It

@Mister Muso -- Same can be said for microsuction. It seems no matter how careful a person is about it--like putting oil in the ears for a few days prior--the risk is still there.

@Lane

That is quite true for there is risk in every medical procedure no matter how small. I have had microsuction 3 times ear-irrigation the same without any problems. I applied eardrops 3x a day to each ear 10 days before having the wax removed.

Michael
 
@Mister Muso -- Same can be said for microsuction. It seems no matter how careful a person is about it--like putting oil in the ears for a few days prior--the risk is still there.
Careful about the conflation Lane. Headphones vary vastly. My headphones don't touch any part of the ear.

For those that like a great audiophile headphone...uber comfortable...very accurate sound....won't break the bank:

 
Since we're talking headphones...

I used Sennheiser Momentum headphones, similar to the ones you describe, daily at high volume for 5 months before suffering a major worsening in my tinnitus after a concert which was not a particularly loud one. This new worsened level has continued to this day.

I don't know what part my headphone usage played in this worsening, but I know that just 10 minutes of headphone use now makes my ears irritated, so I choose to avoid using them now.

I'm not necessarily sticking up for Michael as he needs no help from me or anyone else in that regard. But @John Mahan we tinnitus sufferers know that there is not a neat study or proof for everything. Some things you learn from experience, and this has been one of those lessons for me.
 
Since we're talking headphones...

I used Sennheiser Momentum headphones, similar to the ones you describe, daily at high volume for 5 months before suffering a major worsening in my tinnitus after a concert which was not a particularly loud one. This new worsened level has continued to this day.

I don't know what part my headphone usage played in this worsening, but I know that just 10 minutes of headphone use now makes my ears irritated, so I choose to avoid using them now.

I'm not necessarily sticking up for Michael as he needs no help from me or anyone else in that regard. But @John Mahan we tinnitus sufferers know that there is not a neat study or proof for everything. Some things you learn from experience, and this has been one of those lessons for me.
Come on MM really? You don't know what part of your headphone usage played a role? Really? You admitted what the root cause is. It is common knowledge. The very definition of NIT.

Loud listening level, whatever the source...ride a Harley with drag pipes too many miles...doesn't matter, high volume kills hearing. You said so yourself. "high volume listening for 5 months". Remarkable you lasted that long. I have never listened to headphones at high volume for 5 minutes.
Volume, air and eardrum displacement kills hearing, not the source of the sound.
 
And I am saying it isn't completely realistic for the reasons I explained. Fishbone confirmed it. Tinnitus robs people of their objectivity...certainly short term. There are extraordinary people like Glynis who rise above considering she has had major medical challenges associated with their tinnitus. She is an exceptional person perhaps we can all agree.

As Fishbone stated, humility in the face of tinnitus is likely more a destination. Who doesn't pass through anger along the way. Why me? A bad roll of the dice? Worse? People I have met crippled in car crashes. Humility to me...versus arrogance...less ego in other words...comes through acknowledgement there are worse things that can happen to us and we really have very little control over our lives and health all said.

People have all different kinds of personality traits. Some are arrogant. Some are comical. Some believe headphones are bad and unicorns with inherit the earth....sorry to bring up Michael again. ;)

Arrogance is really more to be laughed at than acknowledged as any kind of an affront.

In an ideal world, yes, we should all be objective in spite of bad stuff happening to ourselves and those we care about but that is more a fairy tale. Honestly, I give people and how they come off on a message board such as this...people that have suffered greatly a lot of latitude is the point....except for Michael because he thinks headphones are bad. ;)
@John Mahan,
Thank you for your very kind words.

My life has been totally dominated by severe bilateral tinnitus due to Meniere's along with other medical problems.
I felt useless, worthless and depressed.
Lost both parents two years apart and hubby left last year.
I was forced to find new income as refused benefits....
Life at home was hard and big changes to my life.
I started work caring for people with Alzheimer's, Huntingtons, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, brain damage, some with no speech and some not mobile and missing limbs.
I did lots of training, Mapa training and nearly completed my care certificate.
My life sitting at home with no purpose only family and screaming ears soon changed.
My tinnitus sound gets in the way a lot but my life is filled now with amazing people and being a part of their life in their home (care home) making their days better.

Tinnitus is mental torture and believe me when I say I have wanted end my life so many times but now eow I am going through a divorce, independent, confident, feel good about myself and getting stronger.

Tinnitus can be hard and emotional and torture but push and push and push to make your life better in small steps, before you know it those steps become a big jump...

We are stronger than what we think, don't feel you have explain how you suffer with tinnitus because we know.

We have our own limits and we are all different. If you struggle then we believe you no matter the severity.

love glynis
 
You must admit you do dismiss people for not agreeing with you or asking for evidence of your claims, then you go into your Mary Whitehouse routine.

On the contrary, it doesn't matter whether a person agrees with me or not. The advice the I give in this forum and others that I visit is just that "advice". It is up to those that choose to read my posts whether they wish to follow it or not.

I do not have to provide any evidence regarding the "advice" that I give which is based on personal experience that I have acquired over 23 years having noise induced tinnitus, corresponding and counselled people with this condition. I am claiming nothing as such. I am not forcing or asking any fees for the information that I am submitting.

Those that put trust in reading reams of data about tinnitus on websites from "Health professionals" that I doubt have ever experienced tinnitus, I wish them well. Same goes for those that only believe in tinnitus which is backed up with scientific evidence. I say good luck with that too as you'll learn absolutely nothing. Tinnitus veterans such as myself and others in this forum, know the only way to learn about tinnitus and hyperacusis is through personal experience and corresponding with people with these conditions.

Michael
 
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@John Mahan,
Thank you for your very kind words.

My life has been totally dominated by severe bilateral tinnitus due to Meniere's along with other medical problems.
I felt useless, worthless and depressed.
Lost both parents two years apart and hubby left last year.
I was forced to find new income as refused benefits....
Life at home was hard and big changes to my life.
I started work caring for people with Alzheimer's, Huntingtons, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, brain damage, some with no speech and some not mobile and missing limbs.
I did lots of training, Mapa training and nearly completed my care certificate.
My life sitting at home with no purpose only family and screaming ears soon changed.
My tinnitus sound gets in the way a lot but my life is filled now with amazing people and being a part of their life in their home (care home) making their days better.

Tinnitus is mental torture and believe me when I say I have wanted end my life so many times but now eow I am going through a divorce, independent, confident, feel good about myself and getting stronger.

Tinnitus can be hard and emotional and torture but push and push and push to make your life better in small steps, before you know it those steps become a big jump...

We are stronger than what we think, don't feel you have explain how you suffer with tinnitus because we know.

We have our own limits and we are all different. If you struggle then we believe you no matter the severity.

love glynis
You are just an incredible lady Glynis. You have my profound respect.
I am sure it is pretty unanimous on the forum.

Not to make you blush, but truthfully, you are my inspiration to beating back tinnitus. You have had it tougher than me and yet you rise above. You are my inspiration.

I believe you are from the UK or live in Europe someplace and I am from the US. One of our president's FDR...around the time of the great depression....he contracted polio which would have killed a common man....he was so badly debilitated. All he did was rise above and try to help common people with this disease which was ultimately defeated after he passed away. He never gave up hope. He went on to be our only 4 term president. He lived in unfathomable pain. He gave 'the illusion' of walking....he couldn't walk a step...wearing 14 lb rigid leg irons where he was propped up to give his inspirational speeches.

We are stronger than we think as you say. Few of us would ever choose such a stringent test of will.

But you Glynis are a very special lady and all owe you a debt of gratitude for how you help the community here.
 
Michael come on.

Show me one post where I have instigated an argument with someone. There are people in this forum who are not interested in helping anyone just here to cause mischief. I understand this and will endure it for a while and then I will cease correspondence with them.

Michael
 
It was about not agreeing with you, anyway most of the threads where you get in full swing get closed or wiped, you know that.

I say again. It doesn't matter to me whether a person agrees with me or not. I appreciate that person is entitled to their opinion, what I dislike and abhor is when people are being disrespectful and using bad language towards me which you have done on numerous occasions. I was brought up not dragged up.
 
My parents are dead and gone and I have never used bad language to either of them. That is what is wrong in todays society. No discipline, manners or respect.

I shall end this conversation.
All the best

Michael
And in spite of your shortcomings you list about yourself, and cleansing is good for the soul....we give you a pass in spite of your bad advice you sometimes provide and false accusations about people....because you have suffered. Now I am not sure if you would have been any different without tinnitus but will give you the benefit of the doubt. :p

OK, now its formal. I shall end the conversation....that is unless you other guys want to chime in and discuss why Michael gets on his high horse when spouting his weird equivocations.

Like linearb said, its good entertainment.
 
And in spite of your shortcomings you list about yourself, and cleansing is good for the soul....we give you a pass in spite of your bad advice you sometimes provide and false accusations about people....because you have suffered. Now I am not sure if you would have been any different without tinnitus but will give you the benefit of the doubt. :p

OK, now its formal. I shall end the conversation....that is unless you other guys want to chime in and discuss why Michael gets on his high horse when spouting his weird equivocations.

Like linearb said, its good entertainment.
You are heading to the undesirable club. Do not worry there are 28.834 members.
 
There are many different aspects to noise induced tinnitus that differ from physical tinnitus. However, with physical tinnitus there's also the need to be aware that the ears can become part of the equation. This would include the use of certain medications. Teeth/oral cavity, sinus, and ETD can cause hearing loss, but with successful treatment tinnitus may be temporary. Damaged veins, arteries, nerves, c spine and muscles, can cause the same auditory problems as loud noise.

I had recently posted the mechanical ways that I think causes TMJ/D. Without repeating definitions, TMJ/D can be caused from clenching or from having the lower jaw extended outward with mouth open for a long period during a dental procedure. When this happens, arteries and nerves of the neck and face become compressed especially when there's pressure being applied to the jaw. All this, everything mentioned can lead to all sorts of other physical problems such as the c spine being damaged from neck muscle tension. Tinnitus may show immediately or years later as same being to a neck injury or history of posture forward head bending.

We are all different, so what I wrote does not include all the ways that physical tinnitus has association with an individual. Flow charting can only be done on an individual basis with exam and a complete history possible cause list. There are an estimated 360,000 causes of physical tinnitus.

No one knows all, so why argue.
 
There are many different aspects to noise induced tinnitus that differ from physical tinnitus

As I see it, true Noise induced tinnitus, is caused by exposure to loud noise where the inner ear, particularly the cochlea has been affected by loud noise. This usually but not always results in a person developing hyperacusis. In addition to this, Noise induced tinnitus and to some degree other types of tinnitus, is about how a person copes with it "Mentally and emotionally". Many people that have tinnitus and haven't habituated also (but not always) have additional problems in their life. Either physical or mental; by mental I mean some sort of psychological or anxiety issues. If these health problems are not addressed tinnitus will often remain a long term problem.

Michael
 
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@Michael Leigh I think so - as with your criteria of thoughts with noise induced tinnitus. Warning messages about headphone use and such is needed. I don't have an auditory background, but I do have a physical biology background. With first onset, I didn't know that a fairly loud syringing process would cause immediate tinnitus.

With second onset being severe somatic with PT, I should have known better while in the dental chair not to have my lower jaw extended forward with mouth open. I shouldn't had a lower front dental implant placed at my age. This caused TMJ/D as well as neck muscle spasms that damaged my c spine, neck arteries and a whole lot more.

I was always well adjusted, but with severe mouth pain from cut nerves, and a long list of other oral trauma that has developed from that is stressful. My mouth always burns like I just ate a very hot red pepper.

Unlike some others with physical tinnitus there's no cures for me with my problems and I'm unable to take any medications. Medications within any class causes my tinnitus to sharply whistle.

I hope you are doing well. You appear to live near the ocean. The upstate California coast is beautiful, but I loved growing up in historical New England that included the islands of Massachusetts and the coast of Maine.
 
Some things you learn from experience, and this has been one of those lessons for me.

@Mister Muso

You are on the right track. Carry on as you are and your knowledge of "Noise induced tinnitus" will undoubtedly increase. Books and website information about this condition will help give you broader and well rounded information about the anatomy of the ear and auditory system. However, they are no substitute for personal experience and corresponding with people that have NIT tinnitus.

Michael
 
@Michael Leigh I think so - as with your criteria of thoughts with noise induced tinnitus. Warning messages about headphone use and such is needed. I don't have an auditory background, but I do have a physical biology background. With first onset, I didn't know that a fairly loud syringing process would cause immediate tinnitus.

With second onset being severe somatic with PT, I should have known better while in the dental chair not to have my lower jaw extended forward with mouth open. I shouldn't had a lower front dental implant placed at my age. This caused TMJ/D as well as neck muscle spasms that damaged my c spine, neck arteries and a whole lot more.

I was always well adjusted, but with severe mouth pain from cut nerves, and a long list of other oral trauma that has developed from that is stressful. My mouth always burns like I just ate a very hot red pepper.

Unlike some others with physical tinnitus there's no cures for me with my problems and I'm unable to take any medications. Medications within any class causes my tinnitus to sharply whistle.

I hope you are doing well. You appear to live near the ocean. The upstate California coast is beautiful, but I loved growing up in historical New England that included the islands of Massachusetts and the coast of Maine.

@Greg Sacramento

It is a pleasure reading your posts as they are well written and you obviously take care compiling them. Another person I like to read is @emmalee as her words flow effortlessly.

I am sorry to know that you're having such a difficult time with tinnitus and do hope that there is some improvement for you soon. This condition is so vast and diverse it can be difficult to treat, especially when more than one health issue is involved. The place you live sounds picturesque and wonderful and hope that helps to give you some peace of mind.

I am doing well and thank you for asking. I live in Brighton, by the sea. The picture on my Avatar I took in 2010 when visiting Brighton for a day (one of many) looking for a place to live. I finally moved here in 2014 and simply love it. I have always wanted to live by the sea but never thought it would come to fruition. I have tinnitus and a famous Author to thank for that. I was unable to read for two years as you probably know after my second noise trauma in 2008.

In 2010 I tried getting back into reading but failed dismally. Within a few pages or couple chapters I would give up. The tinnitus was terribly loud and intrusive and just couldn't cope. I came across an Author on Amazon, called Peter James, a crime writer who I'd never heard of. I read a synopsis of one of this books and liked it so ordered a copy of "Dead Simple". It took me five weeks to read due to my fluctuating tinnitus which I have mentioned before in this forum.

I was very taken with Peter James' writing style and enjoyed Dead Simple, so much I read the 2nd and 3rd book in the series, which is about a Brighton based detective called Roy Grace. After reading the 5th book in the series I wrote to PJ, just to say how much I enjoyed his books and thanked him as I was unable to read for two years due to tinnitus. He wrote me back. The way he described Brighton I could picture myself living there and in 2010 I wrote to PJ and asked if he could please recommend some nice locations where I could live in Brighton. He wrote back with plenty of information and said he'd never been asked such a question before. The rest his history. I have attended many of his book signings and he is a true gentleman.

All the best
Michael
 
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@Michael Leigh I think so - as with your criteria of thoughts with noise induced tinnitus. Warning messages about headphone use and such is needed. I don't have an auditory background, but I do have a physical biology background. With first onset, I didn't know that a fairly loud syringing process would cause immediate tinnitus.

With second onset being severe somatic with PT, I should have known better while in the dental chair not to have my lower jaw extended forward with mouth open. I shouldn't had a lower front dental implant placed at my age. This caused TMJ/D as well as neck muscle spasms that damaged my c spine, neck arteries and a whole lot more.

I was always well adjusted, but with severe mouth pain from cut nerves, and a long list of other oral trauma that has developed from that is stressful. My mouth always burns like I just ate a very hot red pepper.

Unlike some others with physical tinnitus there's no cures for me with my problems and I'm unable to take any medications. Medications within any class causes my tinnitus to sharply whistle.

I hope you are doing well. You appear to live near the ocean. The upstate California coast is beautiful, but I loved growing up in historical New England that included the islands of Massachusetts and the coast of Maine.
And just to add because you didn't go into detail about warning about headphone usage but mentioned it.

And people like Michael and others fall into the pit of not understanding cause and effect and read Michael's anecdotal ramblings about headphone usage and they shy away. A disservice and bad advice.

There is whole generation of young people connected to their phones, iPads and iPods... though most young people now stream music through earbuds and their phones... or larger headphones with their cell phones for better fidelity. There is nothing intrinsically dangerous about headphone usage. Btw, if this were the case with all the scientific data available, they would be banned by the US Surgeon General in the US at least as a public health threat. This has been studied in depth. They are not banned and correctly so. Cars aren't banned either, but if you drive one twice the speed limit you are at much greater risk of an accident.

Headphones are legally sold and for good reason. They offer no health threat if properly used.

Headphones however for those uneducated are many times misused. If listening to high sound aka sound level, this can induce NIT and irreparable hearing loss. This is no different than being in a room with powerful sound system and listening to music at 90 dB. Or working in a factory at equivalent damaging sound level without ear protection. None.

Here is such an article. There are countless just like it. This dynamic is well known by the scientific community:

https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/headphones-hearing-loss/

Headphones... in particular open back headphones that let in ambient sound with no contact with the ear, are perfectly safe when listened to at normal sound levels... the equivalent of sound levels out in nature. The ear, or brain can't differentiate.
 

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