@covidstinks2023 @windyshores
I've had tinnitus for 53 years since I shattered my eardrum into 100 pieces at 11. Instant tinnitus. It's a hissing noise with occasional high pitched squealing. Never stopped even after eardrum repair and healing. Spent two days in the hospital falling and vomiting due to loss of equilibrium. Still don't have good balance in the dark or with eyes closed. Hearing loss, garbled sound in that ear. It took me about a year to get used to it. Hard to sleep at first. Then I only noticed it when the room was silent.

Suddenly about 10 years ago, the volume doubled. Then 5 years later it doubled again. It's been increasing ever since. I can hear it over everything, but even so you get used to it. It would take an airplane engine to mask it. I'm not sure why it increased although my neurologist told me it can increase with age. I have noticed sugar seems to make it even louder. Sometimes I think it may be in both ears now, but can't tell if it's that or just because the one ear is soooo loud, it fills my entire head. Makes it hard to keep the TV low at night and not wake up others. I turn on closed caption at night.

I am really baffled when you say ear plugs help since the sound is coming from the inside. Hmmm. Hearing aids are also curious.

@weekendrider -- If tinnitus is a new condition for you, you'll get used to it over time. It just becomes white noise.