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How does one determine if the sounds you hear are real or tinnitus?
Hearing Loss | Last Active: Sep 2, 2021 | Replies (26)Comment receiving replies
Hello, @awilst. This is certainly a puzzle and I can only imagine how disruptive this recent change in your tinnitus is affecting your well being. I'm not a sound engineer so I cannot help you there. Like others on this thread I too have tinnitus. My tinnitus in nature is high pitched and more like ringing when it does occur. If I "listen" as I'm doing right now I'm more aware of it. The period when it has bothered me the most was when I was under a great deal of stress at work and I remember being aware of how disruptive the tinnitus was during a particularly difficult meeting. Other times the tinnitus bothers me is at night. My body is at rest but my mind is not (big clue to me right there!) and with the quiet in the house I'm very aware of that irksome ringing. Here are some references that may help you to understand the different types of tinnitus.
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/tinnitus/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/tinnitus-ringing-in-the-ears-and-what-to-do-about-it
I would like to encourage you to follow up with a physician and/or an audiologist who will help you with this. Do you live near an academic medical center? If so, there is likely a medical provider on the faculty who specializes in tinnitus. Are you near Mayo Clinic in Florida, Arizona, or Minnesota? If yes, then you might ask your family care provider for a referral to Mayo Clinic or inquire into an appointment yourself.
http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63
Blessings to you.
Replies to "Hello, @awilst. This is certainly a puzzle and I can only imagine how disruptive this recent..."
Thank you the two links. The second was especially helpful in refreshing what I had been told during my assessment. I complain about the ringing in my ears and wonder why me and why now. After reading others' comments, I can see it could be much worse. Now that I understand some of the variables, I can see why there is no cure yet.
Hi Helen, sorry to here you have it as well. I just woke up and it’s loud. My sleeping habits are poor because of stress so this is unfortunately what will happen. I had major cervical spine surgery last June and now on September 29th I’m having a total colectomy .
Prior to all this I had plans to become a patient at Mass General Boston Tinnitus Clinic. My surgeries are all at Brighams & Womens and they are affiliated. I don’t have a Mayo near me.
I just have not been able to get going again with research and meet with them. I do see an audiologist and since it started 5 years ago my hearing has declined but not for regular hearing aids. I’m a huge believer in acupuncture for the vertigo and ringing. I have a PT therapist who does house calls to come in and perform the eply maneuver which is a true blessing for me when severe. I had an mri and it was normal.
I do need to make another appointment with the audiologist and ENT. I constantly at least 4 days a week have one blocked ear. It’s always my left. I use a netti pot every day. I often think it’s fluid. I don’t know if it’s tinnitus related or another issue.
I used to keep a journal of everything for the first two years because it really wrecked havoc on my life but never being able to figure it out.
Alcohol makes it worst so that was the first thing I stopped. I sometimes think my neck surgery made it worse. I had acdf 3 fusion last June. The neurosurgeon said he was positive prior to surgery it wouldn’t help because other patients he had it did nothing. Then because I’ve had many surgeries I thought does anesthesia do anything. I never have pulsing or hear my heart beat in my ears.
I recently received my last covid vaccine last Sunday. I’m 66 and don’t leave the house much so I waited and it has been worst this past month, so did the vaccine aggravate it? I believe you never know. I’ve done so much research, been on so many blogs and have had many tests. In the end I feel it’s best to try to learn how to live with it. It can be very difficult so I focus on that till I can get an appointment at Mass General. I stay on all the blogs and find many have the same issues like napping making it worst, stress and alcohol. I’m a vegetarian so I eat healthy usually. With this upcoming surgery my diet is not good. Thanks for your info and best of luck. Keep trying new ways to get through it and when I simply can’t I try to accept the day and push through…Joanne
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thanks for reply. did go to ent md. he was of no help. audiologist says she does not think its tinnitus.