Tinnitus?

www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/tinnitus-ringing-in-the-ears-and-what-to-do-about-it

I think your first port of call would be to see GP to check ear wax.

Tinnitus can be really hard to cope with. As I sit here I am very aware of it and can’t understand why no one else can hear it, it is that intrusive.
At night I have a radio on very quietly which stops me focusing so in the annoying whooshing noises. See your gp or go into boots for a hearing check up.
The link above explains it all.

I'm sitting here in my quiet sitting room, and have a constant shh noise in my head. Sometimes it is louder than other times, but it's there all the time. Luckily it isn't so noticeable when I go to bed, so I manage to go to sleep okay. I've been known to say to DH, "listen to my ears", which is silly, because he can't hear inside my head. ?? I expect I'm heading for deafness in later years, as both my parents needed hearing aids as they got older.

I have a high pitch noise in each ear constantly. It is definitely two different sounds, just a slight difference in pitch. I know what caused it, I worked for BT and our outbound calls to lines with fax machines resulted in a high pitch noise blasting our eardrums. I would go home from work with my ears ringing then one day the ringing didn't go away - so here I am 15 years or so later still connected to a fax machine!
I try to ignore it as much as possible but it is extremely tiresome.

My tinnitus switched on louder just in one ear a couple of years back (I’ve always had it) so I visited the doctor who arranged for an MRI scan. It seems if it does this it may possibly be a sign of a tumour. Nothing in my case, just louder tinnitus. So it was off for hearing tests and I now have aids in both ears as it seems the upper range has gone. My hearing is much better now and DH has no excuse when I tell him he’s mumbling!

I get it too - mine often sounds like water running through a pipe. I often am able to ignore it but if anything reminds of tinnitus - like reading this post - it starts again. My mother had it too. If it gets bad I think it makes me weary.

I had brain scans a few years ago for another reason and they showed nothing untoward.

I suffer with pulsating tinnitus....all I can hear and feel is my heart beating,particularly troubles me at night. Had scans, tests etc all clear so just have to learn to live with it!! Gets me down sometimes.

NannyG4 I too have pulsating tinnitus. They sound like silver bells following my heart beat. After about 15 years I have become acclimatised. I do fall asleep each night with the radio on quietly and I wear one ear phone for that.

It is worrying that so many people have tinnitus these days. Has it always been as common?

My dad had it and there wasn’t the help around for him that I got.

It certainly seems more common now....I seem to know quite a few people who suffer from it. I also suffer with palpitations...wonder if it's a vicious circle caused by my anxiety?

I know anxiety can affect the level of the tinnitus. But staying really calm doesn’t get rid of it worse luck!

We seem to have a little club (not one you want to join!) of tinnitus sufferers. I used to get it once in a while, usually with a cold, and it would eventually go away after a few weeks; but I've had it constantly in one ear for over a year (high-pitched squeal). I notice it most when it's very quiet (when I just settle down in bed is the worst) or, as now, when I have a cold. I had an MRI scan last year but all was ok; my hearing isn't bad. It seems to often be one of those annoying things you just have to put up with (it's hard to explain it to anyone who's not had it).

I'm in your club too. Luckily I can sometimes forget it but as you say if someone mentions tinnitus then I hear it straight away. I have it in both ears but worse in my left ear. Sometimes it's so loud it drives me mad and I can't sleep. Tension or stress does seem to make mine worse. No problems with hearing though just the noise.

This is a timely thread for me this week. I’ve been suffering with this for many years but it has got worse over the last couple of years so I recently decided to find out more about the condition and to explore any options to help myself.
Last week I had my ears de-waxed at a dedicated centre by micro suction (to avoid any damage to my eardrums from the syringing method) but that hasn’t brought any improvement to the tinnitus, although my hearing in one ear has improved!
www.tinnitus.org.uk/ has lots of info. on its website and organises occasional public information days, luckily the next one is next Saturday in Cheltenham which is quite local to me, so I’ve booked a place.
My tinnitus makes me feel quite desperate at times and I know there is no solution or cure, but I want to find out how best to alleviate some of the symptoms.
I’ll watch this thread with great interest.

Hi, I gave tinnitus too with hearing loss.I have hearing aids, but couldn't get on with them at all, they just made me feel so ill , I should go back to see if anything else can be done as I feel I am losing interest in the TV and conversation.Has anyone tried serc tablets for their tinnitus ?

H and myself have tinnitus..I've been given serc tablets BUT the weird thing is we both only suffer from tinnitus when in our house,(also aches&pains) away from the house..no tinnitus,no aches and pains! Think the doctor thought I was nuts when I told her..but it's true!!

I started with Tinnitus after a car crash 16 years ago. I have a continual hissing in both ears, and occasional whistling and whooshing sound too.

I only notice the noise when everything else is quiet. Nighttime is the worse, so I often take something to help me to sleep - an antihistamine or a Co-Codamol.

Seaside i take serc aka betahistine for menieres, i think it has helped me avoid nasty vertigo attacks when i am very dizzy and always sick. Taken 3 times a day now reduced to twice.
Apart from one short attack this january i have been fine for nearly 5 years, however the right sided tinnitus and poor hearing remains. Definitely worth a try but they have to be taken continuously as a preventative. Works for me.
Ps i cant get on with my hearing aids either. Hope you find something which helps. There is a tinnitus organisation. Might be worth contacting them.

Farview do you live near an electricity pylon which could be causing the problem when you are at home?

I have tinnitus and have had it for over 20 years. They say you get used to it and this is true. With time the brain cuts it out and so you often only notice it when the house is quiet or people mention it like on this forum.

I'm afraid you only get really used to it when you have given up hoping that it will go away. I have hearing aids made up as Tinnitus maskers. They make a sound similar to tinnitus but quieter and more bearable and mine do not aid hearing because I don't need that.
I used them years ago but it is more psychological- knowing I have something to shut it out stops me worrying about it and so I never notice it.
I've not used them for years

I’ve had it all my life. I thought it was what silence sounded like! The MRI scan I had showed that some of my inner ear canals are rather too narrow so that may be the cause.

It has got worse with age though and I now have aids for minor hearing loss. I had heard of tinnitus blockers/maskers and wondered how they work. The lady who fitted my aids didn’t think much of them.

Thank you silverlining, think I'll go to the Dr's and ask about the serc tablets. Farview my tinnitus is definitely worse at home, but I just thought outside influences made it less noticeable, I will be listening tomorrow whilst out and abou, I'll let you know.

I too have awful tinnitus, my family keep saying are you deaf as i do have the TV quite loud
I had to viosit my Dr for another reason and mentioned the said deafness, never thought to mention the tinnitus, but my Dr looked and said my ears especially the right one is blocked with wax,
I have been using Otex, and my left ear has cleared, but my right is driving me mad with hissing ,also if i cover my left ear i cant hear a thing through my right one
Going to ring for syringing tomorrow