Tinnitus

I know .. my tinnitus is those noisy crickets...I wish for silence but after 30plus years . Never no silence...it is a shame our doctors cannot help us .....

I have had various degrees of tinnitus for 7? maybe years? The ? indicates that it is currently not very intense, and/or I have adjusted to it, or my general hearing is getting so bad that I don’t “hear” it anymore? That’s unlikely. Anyway, yes, I know it originates in the brain, and yes, I know it’s often caused by prolonged noise exposure. Mine (never had earbuds, never had a boom box - yes, that old) most noise causes would be vacuum cleaner or hairdryer, neither of which I use for hours. Especially the vacuum cleaner. Humor aside, I wanted to share my somewhat unusual road to tinnitus. Following timeline accordingly 7+ years.
Came back from 9+ hour overseas flight, had routine Dr.’s appointment about 10 days later. I always get somewhat stuffy ears on long flights due to pressure changes, so doc saw excess ear wax. Nurse proceeded to (quite roughly, I thought) flush both ears. 2 nights later I had the ocean cresting in my bedroom/ears. Really loud. As if you’re on an angry beach. Tried to ignore, tried to read to exhaustion, tried to run fan - no help. Eventually I did get some nights of sleep simply because one has to sleep. And then very gradually the whooshing got softer, until by May (started late January) it had faded away. Yeah!
But no. Next year, same time, overseas flight TO Europe - all good. Nice Hotel. Snowy night. Window open. And crickets. ???? Snowy nights are known for absolute silence. Not crickets. So - tinnitius 2.0 . Still same sort of thing today. In total silence just a really irritating high-pitched hum. Normal every-day life bearable. But I will never, ever, again, experience the dead silence of a snowy winter’s night.
End of essay.

Noise exposure is commonly known as a cause of tinnitus. Both hearing loss and tinnitus are the most common disabilities experienced by military personnel returning from combat zones. Most often they come together, but not always as one or the other can happen alone.

It's important to use protective ear plugs when in extreme noise. That includes when pursuing recreational activities like hunting and attending live sports & musical events. Tinnitus and hearing loss caused by extreme noise are both becoming more common. Important to understand that this causative factor is likely the only one that can be managed easily.

We often attend NFL games. Fortunately, our team plays in an outdoor stadium, so the noise is a bit less than in an indoor stadium. It is sad to attend a game in an indoor stadium where the announcers on the 'big screens' are running decibel meters and encouraging the crowd to make it louder. Anything over 85 dBs is dangerous to hearing. Sometimes the dB meter at those stadiums goes up over 130 dBs. Not good. Wear ear protection to the games!

Yeah I've never been to concert or football game. I have however in my 20's ( 65 now) been to clubs with live music. I'm attributing mine mostly to exposure to blowdryers daily for 30 years as a stylist. I have inner ear problems and wear swimmers earplugs when I wash my hair in the shower, which I usually do in the kitchen sink. I don't swim because I'm afraid of getting water in my ears and I can hear it for days and it doesn't help the vertigo either.

Yes, constant exposure to any sound over 85 dB can affect hearing. Not only is it the intense sound level, but duration of a semi-loud sound can be an issue. One study showed that farmers who use tractors are prone to having hearing loss on one side, the side closest to the motor. Research also shows that dentists exposed to the intense sound of a drill over time also have a higher rate of hearing loss. I worked as a long-distance telephone operator when I was in high school and college (Yes, that's how old I am!) I attribute the use of a single sided headset during those years as a probable cause of my own hearing loss. I also hunted, so was exposed to that noise too. I was susceptible to noise induced hearing loss. (NIHL), but nobody knew that then,

I should have added that NIHL is often accompanied by tinnitus. Lots of research on tinnitus is being done and reported on by the Hearing Health Foundation. Google it.

I believe my years of tinnitus was caused by long-term hypertension and hypertension medications. The tinnitus has progressively worsened, as my hearing has declined. The constant noise has continued, without any pause, for at least 10 years, 24/7. A cure is needed!

Tinnitus is due to hearing loss.