Tinnitus (Ringing in Ears) - Any advice ?

I'm in my mid 40s and I started noticing high pitched tinnitus creeping up on me in my late 30s. It seems to be very very slowly getting worse and I now have high pitched tinnitus and intermittent low humming tinnutus when I'm in a very silent room. So 2 different types.

I have been assessed by an audiologist and I'm really surprised to hear how common this is and also how little treatment options there appear to be out there.

I used to think this was an artefact from my early career in Merchant Navy engine rooms and Steam Turbines in power stations but my hearing seems pretty good. The audiologist says my hearing is about 95% as good as it should be for my age and cant see or detect any damage in my ears.

The biggest problem for me is the distraction this presents. I'm a keen reader so these days when I'm reading the tinnitus sort of creeps up on me and I become distracted by it.

Can I ask ?

Has anyone been where I am and found some simple ways to reduce this or even cope a bit better with it ?

The audiologist described a thing called 'Linire' where you sort of suck on an electrode but that looks like a distraction to me rather than a management. The audiologist was also not convinced by the thing so I didn't look into it.

Any input welcomed here.

I have similar issues my left ear but still have really good hearing for some reason.
I find white noise helps when I need to concentrate it also helps me get to sleep when it’s really bad.
It doesn’t have to be the standard fuzzy noise there are many different versions now. I prefer the noise of the African bush but that’s just me.

I've had tinnitus since childhood and it's there constantly. I have learned to ignore it, background noise certainly helps. I've also had my hearing tested recently and it's normal but I find conversations in groups really difficult. There is a rarer form of "music" tinnitus. Sounds horrendous, a women has had the same song playing constantly in her head for over 20 years. Anyone guess the song?

How much is that doggy in the window. Couldn't be any worse.

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Slightly off topic, and not related to the two posts above, but apparently one of the issues that some people are having after recovering from COVID is tinnitus.

I've had it for years, annoying in the quiet. GP told me to forget about it as I wasn't suffering enough :ambivalence:. Once, lying in bed, it seemed very loud in in my left ear, my wife could also hear it, coming from my ear. Objective tinnitus, apparently.

Mrs K suffers and was issued with masking device (rather like a hearing aid) by local hospital audiologist. Surprised no-one has mentioned these.

Not sure that it does much TBH, tinnitus not cured but might have become worse without it - impossible to say really.

Edit: - One thing she was told was to avoid certain foods (caffeine and salt for example) and aspirin if I remember correctly.

Annoying isn’t it. Seems to have suddenly got a lot worse in the last week or two, which can be related to an infection and is also now thought to be a long COVID symptom. It’s really bugging me, when usually I’d only notice it last thing at night.

Head massage and acupressure points can help a bit. Overdoing it on headphones doesn’t. There’s an app called Whist that can be tuned to create just the right noise to mask it, at a surprisingly low volume level. Nothing really gets rid of it though, though you can certainly stop noticing it. Hard when it’s suddenly changed or got worse, but it can just be a sign of being run down and pass in time, or at least go back to being a bit quieter.

No advice I'm afraid, just sympathy, I have it 24/7 sometimes it's really loud. I don't think it's audible, I think with me it's related to general middle aged deterioration in the neck vertebrae. How old are you?

I have this ,and it can get to you a bit sometimes,there all the time for me .I have just bought some in ear hearing aids to see if I can mask it out a little

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Originally Posted by Linocut

No advice I'm afraid, just sympathy, I have it 24/7 sometimes it's really loud. I don't think it's audible, I think with me it's related to general middle aged deterioration in the neck vertebrae. How old are you?

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I'm about 45.

Can I ask... how did you find out it was caused by the vertebrae ?

I also suffer 24/7 but can mostly block it out with normal day to day noise. Perversely the specialist did a hearing test and apparently at certain frequencies I have superhuman hearing (I’m yet to find a use for the hearing at those frequencies...).

I was told by the specialist that considering the sheer number of moving parts concerned and the intricacies that it’s amazing more people don’t have it. However, there is no cure per sé, certain therapies can help but not rid you of the problem. What he did say was to protect what you do have and ensure the use of hearing protection in loud environments. I had a pair of custom moulded earplugs from ACS ( https://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/ ) with 18 dB filters in that essentially allow sound through, just at a reduced level. As a frequent gig goer these have helped massively (pre-COVID obviously).

Listen to Motörhead. Loud.

You won’t be able to hear the tinnitus!

HTH.

I have tinnitus (probably by blasting too many 12 bore shotguns without ear protection) since my early forties. You just got to live with it and it does go away. The instant I saw the word "tinnitus" in title of this thread the buzzing in my hears immediately came back and will now be with me for a few hours but it will go down as I adjust to it.

White noise helps mine when I am trying to sleep. There is also some good YouTube channels for tinnitus with the sound of running water which is helpful.


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I have this, and to be honest, had almost forgotten about it until reading this thread! Suppose I've learned to ignore it, but when I think about it (like now) it's still there. I did read about one trick to get rid of it and it does work, albeit for maybe 30 seconds at a time. This will sound odd, but here it is. Place your hands over your ears with your fingers towards the back of your head. Now drum rapidly with your fingers on the area at the base of your skull for 10 seconds or so. Remove hands. Tinitus gone...for a while. When it's bothering you, it's nice to remember what normal is like.

I have it in my right ear as a gift following glandular fever. You have my sympathy.

There have been times I’ve wanted to rip my ear off in frustration. Same as many others, my hearing is ok and it comes and goes having had a brain scan and the rest.

These days it less noticeable and I wonder if your brain over time helps filter it. I put my google alarm on to ocean sounds while I sleep and that helps, and if it’s particularly bad I run a tap.

If I go to gigs or loud places it can be bad for a few days so I wear earplugs which amazingly often make gigs sound much clearer.

I developed tinnitus in Vietnam >50 years ago as a result of proximity to explosions, artillery, grenades, etc. My hearing has also declined as I've gotten older, and I wear in-the-ear hearing aids to partially alleviate the deficit. 99+% of the time I'm not even aware of the tinnitus because I'm so used to it. Mine is a bit like "white noise" in the background. No cure that I'm aware of.

I've seen ads for these filters. A lot of tinnitus sufferers say they've really helped. https://www.flareaudio.com/products/calmer

https://flareaudio.freshdesk.com/sup...with-tinnitus-

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Originally Posted by wotsthecrack

a women has had the same song playing constantly in her head for over 20 years. Anyone guess the song?

How much is that doggy in the window. Couldn't be any worse.

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Oh I don't know......."Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners......😳

Yep I have it too. Too many rock concerts in the 79/80’s.
I can generally ignore it especially if there are other sounds but it’s there constantly when I’m sat in silence. As someone else said I have difficulty listening to people in crowded places although my hearing is OK.

let me join the crowd :) my ears been ringing for decades. The only remedy is some noise or music in background and as I love music I am not complaining.

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Originally Posted by Linocut

No advice I'm afraid, just sympathy, I have it 24/7 sometimes it's really loud. I don't think it's audible, I think with me it's related to general middle aged deterioration in the neck vertebrae. How old are you?

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Originally Posted by TimeThoughts

I'm about 45.

Can I ask... how did you find out it was caused by the vertebrae ?

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Possibly related: there's a form of tinnitus caused by the jaw muscle, which I believe can cause ringing in both ears: https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/tinnitus-and-tmj

I have had tinnitus in both ears for over 20 years 24/7 which for me means I have a permanent dull headache all the while and a ache behind my eyes it has always amazed me that anyone next to me can't hear it as its so loud, my noise is kinda like a steam kettle blowing off in both ears, its noisy all day but at night when I go to bed and with no background noise to hide it it is the worse. Over the years when ever I have mentioned it to the Doctors they just basically say it has to be managed, I must admit now and again I fantasize and try to imagine what it would be like without it, hopefully one day.

Yes another Tinitus sufferer here. Mine came from probably two sources. Industrial noise whilst spending 20 years in the textile manufacturing industry, and riding motorcycles eg wind noise. Probably also age.

I notice it most when its quiet, eg mornings and evenings when browsing the net. Im lucky I can get to sleep ok.

My son , not so much. Now in in his early 30’s he worked in bars and nightclubs for three years in his early 20’s. He sleeps with ear buds in playing quiet music.

Everything I have read says there is no cure, like others have said they main issue for me is discerning a specific conversation in a busy room. With CV19 that opportunity has gone, so I notice it less.

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Originally Posted by TheTigerUK

I have had tinnitus in both ears for over 20 years 24/7 which for me means I have a permanent dull headache all the while and a ache behind my eyes it has always amazed me that anyone next to me can't hear it as its so loud, my noise is kinda like a steam kettle blowing off in both ears, its noisy all day but at night when I go to bed and with no background noise to hide it it is the worse. Over the years when ever I have mentioned it to the Doctors they just basically say it has to be managed, I must admit now and again I fantasize and try to imagine what it would be like without it, hopefully one day.

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Have you ever mentioned it to your dentist? Have a read of the page I linked above, if you haven't already done so.

In my early fifties now, and have had it for quite a while now. It's slowly getting worse, but still bearable, I tend not to notice it with any kind of background noise going on although as soon as there is a quite patch I can hear it humming away. I blame being a teenager when Walkmans first came to market - too much music and too loud. I then spent my apprenticeship on noisy building sites so it all adds up I guess.

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Originally Posted by wotsthecrack

...but I find conversations in groups really difficult

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Yep, I really struggle with this. I can't seem to filter a particular person speaking, so end up saying "pardon" a lot or just nodding. Work meetings in a room full of people (pre-Covid) were particularly difficult when multiple people were chatting at once.

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Originally Posted by reggie747

Oh I don't know......."Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners......

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I was going to say “it wasn’t me” by shaggy.
You would blow your brains out listening to that over and over again.

Seven or eight years ago I was lying in bed a night & I could hear what sounded like a diesel car ticking over outside, I nudged the Mrs & she said she could hear nothing!
After months of getting this a night ruining my sleep I started to hear similar during the day whenever I was in a quiet surroundings.
Doctors referred me to audiologist & after inspection including a very long probe camera up my nose he recommended I try this stuff.
On my way home I remember thinking why did I bother asking for expert advise as the solution just seemed so crazy.
After trying the solution, ( lie on back with head hanging off bed squeeze solution up nasal cavity, repeat on both sides) involving lots of water spurting out of eyes, nose & almost what seemed like drowning.
I found a way to use that was easy & worked for me.

Within three weeks the ringing, drumming, buzzing had disappeared & even now I am free.

Might not work for everyone but solved it for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-Ori...ag=googhydr-21

Sounds good will try some of that stuff....as i get sinus problems so maybe linked...thanks...

Interestingly i tried a tinnitus self help audiobook......

One thing that was odd but worked was......imagine you have control over the volume by means of a rotary volume switch...now try to dial it up louder....and seemingly you can if you focus on it ....so if you can make it louder you can control it....therefore you can make it quieter.....takes practice and might be smoke and mirrors for many but hey try anything....

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Originally Posted by g40steve

Seven or eight years ago I was lying in bed a night & I could hear what sounded like a diesel car ticking over outside, I nudged the Mrs & she said she could hear nothing!
After months of getting this a night ruining my sleep I started to hear similar during the day whenever I was in a quiet surroundings.
Doctors referred me to audiologist & after inspection including a very long probe camera up my nose he recommended I try this stuff.
On my way home I remember thinking why did I bother asking for expert advise as the solution just seemed so crazy.
After trying the solution, ( lie on back with head hanging off bed squeeze solution up nasal cavity, repeat on both sides) involving lots of water spurting out of eyes, nose & almost what seemed like drowning.
I found a way to use that was easy & worked for me.

Within three weeks the ringing, drumming, buzzing had disappeared & even now I am free.

Might not work for everyone but solved it for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-Ori...ag=googhydr-21

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I was saying in the OP that I have both a high pitched form and a low grumble form.

For years I thought the low grumble form was wind blowing through my attic. Like a dull resonant hum. Sounds silly now as it was there every night irrespective of weather.

I was in a hotel bed one night for business and the penny dropped with me that the hum in my attic was still there (in a central London Hotel). I was flabbergasted when I realised it was in my head and not coming from my attic.

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Originally Posted by g40steve

Seven or eight years ago I was lying in bed a night & I could hear what sounded like a diesel car ticking over outside, I nudged the Mrs & she said she could hear nothing!
After months of getting this a night ruining my sleep I started to hear similar during the day whenever I was in a quiet surroundings.
Doctors referred me to audiologist & after inspection including a very long probe camera up my nose he recommended I try this stuff.
On my way home I remember thinking why did I bother asking for expert advise as the solution just seemed so crazy.
After trying the solution, ( lie on back with head hanging off bed squeeze solution up nasal cavity, repeat on both sides) involving lots of water spurting out of eyes, nose & almost what seemed like drowning.
I found a way to use that was easy & worked for me.

Within three weeks the ringing, drumming, buzzing had disappeared & even now I am free.

Might not work for everyone but solved it for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-Ori...ag=googhydr-21

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+1 on this, it really is worth trying for all things ear and sinus related, though your method sounds suspiciously like water boarding. There are easier ways!

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Originally Posted by g40steve

Seven or eight years ago I was lying in bed a night & I could hear what sounded like a diesel car ticking over outside, I nudged the Mrs & she said she could hear nothing! After months of getting this a night ruining my sleep I started to hear similar during the day whenever I was in a quiet surroundings.

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Mine's gone the same way. I've had conventional tinnitus for years (mostly motorcycles, but the Brixton Academy played its part) and quite recently I lay there at night wondering what an idling delivery van was doing outside for so long, before realising what it was.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyE

I've seen ads for these filters. A lot of tinnitus sufferers say they've really helped. https://www.flareaudio.com/products/calmer

https://flareaudio.freshdesk.com/sup...with-tinnitus-

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Plus one for these. I have been using these for six months now, they don't get rid of it totally but really help.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyE

I've seen ads for these filters. A lot of tinnitus sufferers say they've really helped. https://www.flareaudio.com/products/calmer

https://flareaudio.freshdesk.com/sup...with-tinnitus-

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tried those and they didnt work for me ,if anything it increased the sound of it

60+ year old and 30 years doon the pit knackered my hearing, I too have the high pitched whine version, I use a pair of hearing aids that I only wear mostly in the evening during these evenings in these stuck inside Covid times, these help with the whine, I'm told mine is due to blood pressure and something to do with my jaw joints. A friend has the ringing and uses one or two of the inhibitor aids when it's really bad. Seems it's down to how keen your audiologist is to help?

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Originally Posted by peter2704

tried those and they didnt work for me ,if anything it increased the sound of it

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Same here but was noticeably worse with them for me.

Like others I noticed my tinnitus lying in bed, I thought a neighbour had their washing machine on each night till I mentioned it to the Mrs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by g40steve

Seven or eight years ago I was lying in bed a night & I could hear what sounded like a diesel car ticking over outside, I nudged the Mrs & she said she could hear nothing!
After months of getting this a night ruining my sleep I started to hear similar during the day whenever I was in a quiet surroundings.
Doctors referred me to audiologist & after inspection including a very long probe camera up my nose he recommended I try this stuff.
On my way home I remember thinking why did I bother asking for expert advise as the solution just seemed so crazy.
After trying the solution, ( lie on back with head hanging off bed squeeze solution up nasal cavity, repeat on both sides) involving lots of water spurting out of eyes, nose & almost what seemed like drowning.
I found a way to use that was easy & worked for me.

Within three weeks the ringing, drumming, buzzing had disappeared & even now I am free.

Might not work for everyone but solved it for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-Ori...ag=googhydr-21

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From last August I experienced pressure in my ears which got worse with resultant headaches ... always worse in mornings after laying in bed all night. I have a history of sinus problems so in December tried to make a GP appointment but the practice was closed due to Covid and GPs self-isolating. Decided to try 'sinus wash' remedy (available in Boots) but did not buy it as was expensive for what is essentially a saline solution ... for which there are DIY instructions available online ... Thus made my own and used it via a small bottle and silicon tube ... cost less than 20p to make a jugful as already had the tube. Made my eyes water and I kidded myself the saline solution (sea salt .. not table salt) was doing me some good .. it did not ... made things worse. Checked online and came to the conclusion I had a reoccurrence of blocked sinuses for which I'd previously (years ago) had out-patient treatment i.e. sinuses pumped out after drilling through the bone. Sounds awful but all done via local anaesthetic. Checking online again, advice was to use a cortisone nasal spray. I bought a Beconase cortisone spray ... available over the counter without a prescription. Beconase nasal spray gave almost instant relief ... no more ear discomfort or headaches . Used it twice daily and reduced to once daily ... still taking once per day but sometimes forget so miss a day . After months of ear pressure and headaches I'm now symptom free.

dunk

I've had "noise" in my left ear for the last 20 years or so. I find that if I jut my jaw forward it stops (until I release the jaw again). Obviously not something I can do for long, but just an observation

My tinnitus is not too bad. I've had it years & thankfully it doesn't appear to be getting worse - fingers crossed.

I suspect I got it from years of loud rock concerts.

I tried the Flare Calmer's but they did nothing for me.

I don't really have any advice beyond looking after your ears from now onwards. I always use ear plugs when riding my motorbike & going to concerts now & have always been careful not to listen to music too loudly through ear / head phones.

As I type I have my most annoying version going on, a thrumming kind of whistle in my left ear in time with my pulse. I assume I am listening to blood pumping through a vein close to the drum and/or stereocilia. The other one I get is that low drumming like an engine running. Also I occasionally get a high pitched whine that lasts for about 20 seconds in my left ear and I tell Mrs Smith that aliens are trying to contact me, again.

Had it since early 1990`s. Caused by loud headphones ( dont say i didnt warn you )

F~~~g ruined my quality of life and it never goes away.

Best thing i found is dont listen to hifi`s, headphones or other loud noises, get very fit, slim and healthy.

i never went to see about treatments because i knew there was next to nothing they could do for me.

such an annoying sound, its like the noise some power supplies make.

Did any of you guys get contacted to make a claim for your Tinnitus ?

Some years ago I was always being contacted and being told to make a claim but once I told the callers I had mentioned the problem to my Doctor they would tell me that because the Doctor knew I couldent make a claim.

I have had it for 30 years or so- constant high pitched tone. First statred when i was in the Army, I guess due to working with tracked vehicles. I have probably made it worse by ridung motorbikes even though I always use earplugs. Most of the time it doesnt bother me, but seems worse at night. I use amitriptyline 10mg or 20mg at night to help me sleep.

Another point to mention is regular cleaning out of ear wax using sterile drops of olive oil.
The wax can cause pressure on veins in the ears giving symptoms.

I have it, not too bad, but it’s constant. Most of the time my brain is clearly filtering it out as I’m not focusing on it, but I find a fan in the bedroom on low overnight helps a lot as it masks the tinnitus enough to help me get off to sleep.

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Originally Posted by TheFlyingBanana

I have it, not too bad, but it’s constant. Most of the time my brain is clearly filtering it out as I’m not focusing on it, but I find a fan in the bedroom on low overnight helps a lot as it masks the tinnitus enough to help me get off to sleep.

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Exactly the above!

I was diagnosed a couple of years ago (41) and bought a Dyson Pure Cool air purifier for the bedroom, I have it set at no3 when I go to bed and it makes the world of difference, and we get clean air as a nice addition.

I have experienced ringing of varying intensity for years. Most of the time it's just in the background and doesn't bother me too much, sometimes it's in one ear only but usually in both.

I don't recall when I first noticed it although I suspect it wasn't until I stopped working and my life got a lot quieter.

What caused it? I don't know but it's probably been the cumulative effect of a number of contributors such as loud music concerts, industrial noise, firearms and motorbikes.

Solutions - I haven't consulted with a professional so I'm only assuming it is actually tinnitus and that the best I can do is manage it, but as it isn't too intrusive or painful I don't really have a problem with it...at the moment.
I do, however, find that a low background white noise like a fan will make it less noticeable and the white noise has an added benefit as it also helps reduce the likelihood of a disturbed sleep caused by external noises like planes, sirens or foxes.
If I need to get a good night sleep because I've got an early start I sometimes use soft foam earplugs and, counterintuitively, they also seem to reduce the ringing as well as the external noise.

edit - thinking about it I recall that some of my journeys into and from work involved some particularly noisy tube stations and tube train journeys.

Had it for decades after an ear disease when I was a teenager, just naturally filtered it out until someone mentioned tinitus then I’d notice it again! I recently had a big volume increase after covid, saw an NHS audiologist but they couldn’t do much other than give advice on how to ignore it and refer to ENT but they’re all swamped so might be ages.

Am trying a few things to help with potential sinus issues to see if that helps, nasal douching, avoiding dairy, beconaise inhaler at times and some eustacian massages from YouTube.

There are apps that include a filter which you set at freq of the tinitus then it’ll play noise or music with that filtered out. Didn’t make any difference for me but some swear by them, tinnitus aid was one I tried.

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Originally Posted by TheTigerUK

Did any of you guys get contacted to make a claim for your Tinnitus ?

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I filed a claim and was approved to receive disability income from the (U.S.) Veterans Affairs. I think it amounts to about $200 per month.

I have tinnitus in my right ear which resulted from a head injury (I was kicked unconscious in a rugby game); I've had it for 25 years, near enough. No hearing degeneration, if anything I'd like to lose a bit of high-frequency sensitivity because our neighbour has those "ultrasonic" cat repeller things in his garden and they do my head in - and over the years I've more or less learned to tune the noise out. It's high pitched, occasionally pulsatile, like a very distant car alarm or something, and occasionally more like static than a tone. As someone up there said, I've found it most effective to play with the noise and try to control it: with a bit of focus I can perceive it as louder or quieter, and I can shift the tone I appear to hear. All in all, there are worse things to live with, and I don't really find it affects my quality of life: I am very lucky in that!

One odd thing I have noticed over the years is that background noise has no effect on it at all - I have tried to "drown it out" and I can't - I perceive the sound as inside my skull, not in my ear, if that makes sense, so it's always there irrespective of how loud things are "outside".