Tinnitus can be truly maddening. I developed it a decade ago, concurrent with some hearing loss of the "upper register" high-pitched sounds. I sail a lot in the Caribbean and think that the loud diesel engines used to recharge batteries and to power generator and air condition the cabin at night, were the cause since, ironically, I also have acute hearing sensitivity. I've learned to ignore the tinnitus by and large but would be first in line for a cure if one is ever found.

The crazy thing about it is that one can be deaf and still have it. Severing the audio nerve won't stop it either, according to my ENT. I think of tinnitus as similar to phantom pain wherein the brain is trying to hear what the ears cannot, similar to the brain sensing pain in a missing limb. The latter can be "cured" with mirror therapy so I keep hoping an analogous brain-retraining is developed for tinnitus.

What helped me come to terms with is to consider that it is, in an odd sense, proof that my brain is trying to do its job and that tinnitus isn't hurting me at least.