What Does Your Tinnitus Sound Like, What Does It Take to Mask It, and Can Any Drug Lower It?

[JasonP]

I have a tone, an fluctuating whistle, and fluctuating static in my left ear. Only the tone can be masked with my hearing aid masker. It takes a shower to mask everything. Klonopin used to lower my tinnitus. Doesn't seem to help much anymore although sometimes when I combine it with Lamictal it might a little bit or it might not. Lamictal on it's own seems to reduce it about 20% for me now. Last week I did pretty good at dealing with it and it even seemed to mostly blend in with the ambient noise when I had my hearing aid program manipulated. This week not so good at dealing with it. I seem to have made the tone go down, I can deal with the whistle, but the static bothers me because it interrupts the masker to where it isn't smooth sounding. I was extremely pissed yesterday about it. Maybe more so than ever before.

 

[Markku]

Honestly, only the shower provides me complete masking (in usual day-to-day setting, anyway).

Benzos etc. don't do anything for my tinnitus.

Incidentally, however, more than a year ago I was prescribed Prednisone for another ailment, I think it was about a week's course (5 days maybe?), and during that time my tinnitus reduced in loudness significantly. I don't think it was placebo; at the very least I had no expectation of it impacting my tinnitus in any way, as I had had tinnitus for several years before that.

Unfortunately it returned to the baseline after the course of steroids was finished. Remains a mystery to me.

 

[Steve]

I've never taken any meds for my tinnitus so can't give any info there.

My sounds are multiple - 5,550Hz, 6,500Hz, a higher pitch I struggle to match, a broader noise I think (which may be the mixing of tones creating confusion) and also a low rumbling.

In terms of masking, mine is reactive to most music, jumps up in volume. I can have masking in louder environments but sometimes get the higher pitch jumping up. It's probably relative to the type of sound environment though and isn't a constant. Sometimes I am able to not hear it if I'm concentrating on something quite hard. If I mask only the higher pitches the low rumble pops out. I can get relaxation through music I make myself - able to tailor it to my own needs where it tunes the tinnitus out.

 

[linda moore]

Yes my tinnitus is a hissing, I have too had steroids which helped my asthma and tinnitus.
NOW for the great news (it works for me) This past two weeks I have been taking Cinnarzine it's on prescription but can be found 15 mg in Motion sickness pills, it increases blood flow to the ear, it's a anntihistamine and it helps sleep which helps visa versa, I have been taking one in a morning and one at night, doctor says non addictive and safe. My tinnitus has decreased through the day 80 percent s
Sunday and Monday I was four hours tinnitus free ! So happy I could cry ! Try it hope it works for everyone x

 

[Jomo]

This is not my clip but my tinnitus
sounds like this on a very bad day...was like this the first week but now its much lighter..residual inhibition works for me when i play this so it's definitely mine.. I also use the sounds of my sink to mask it..crickets work sometimes as well..i also use this vid to help me..im assuming this is similar to the Acoustic CR Modulation? I listen to it every day. I also was on predisone but had to stop after a day because of side effects..had the jitters and insomnia...the positive is it got rid of hyperacusis in my left ear...my right was always fine. I just had a cup of coffee and feel my tinnitus has been reduced by it but i also drink lots of pineapple juice and take vitamin b and magnesium every day.

 

[linda moore]

Coffee I believe agrivates tinnitus I switched to decaf and have felt great benefit.

 

[Jomo]

@linda moore

See my post earlier today...its been proven it actualy decreases tinnitus...had a cup today..no problems at all