Tinnitus

[pelagia]

A little over two weeks ago I was in a meeting at work when the fire alarms went off.  It was ear shattering.  It was so loud that everyone in the room jumped out of their chairs and immediately covered their ears.  I had been sitting fairly close to an alarm box - only about 7 or 8 feet away. I covered my ears, which didn't help much, and worked my way out of the building, but since I started on the 4th floor it took a few minutes.  The alarms were going off the entire time.  I developed tinnitus - ringing in my ears - and it has not gone away.  Turns out the alarm system was set off by mistake when a contractor was working on another system in the building.

It really bothers me when I am trying to think and when I am trying to go to sleep at night.  I am conscious of it throughout my waking hours.  Anyone else ever have a similar experience?  Did the tinnitus ever go away?

[Rerun]

You need to file a workmen's comp report.  Just to have it on file in case you need anything done later.  That is ridiculous to have the alarm that loud. 

I hope it will heal in time.

                                                     

[pelagia]

Actually, I did file a workers comp claim late last week.  First time in my life for that.  I went to their doc and what he basically  said is that it's impossible to prove that the alarm caused the tinnitus and there's nothing they can do for tinnitus anyway.

So now I'm pushing the folks in the safety office at work to actually test the alarms to see how closely they match the specifications.  The guy in our safety office is a good guy, so I think he will try to do the right thing. 

I still hope that maybe it will go away because otherwise it might drive me mad..... 

[Joe Paul]

I have had ringing in my left ear for about the last 20 years, it has never gone away. Mine was caused by a close up gun shot, near my left ear. Thank God the bullet missed.

[peleroja]

My tinnitus started about 10 years ago when I had back to back earaches, one in each ear.  Mine is like a hissing radiator, and occasionally sounds like carillon bells.  I also went to the doctor and was told there is nothing that can be done for it.  I've just learned to live with it, and seldom notice it any more except when falling asleep.  I've occasionally wondered if I were to go deaf, would I still "hear" the hissing?!

[rose1999]

Linda I hope it will go away really soon, I wish the same for all of you with tinnitus as it must be very distressing. 

There is treatment available to some extent, for example, you can get sound masking devices and sound therapy, or even laser therapy  take a look at this link for more information on tinnitus http://www.audiorelief.co.uk/en/tinnitus_treatments.html it also includes breathing techniques etc.  Not all people will be helped by this but it may be worth a look.

[BigSteve]

Well thanks!! My tinnitus doesn't bother me unless somebody mentions the T word. Now the sound level has gone
up by a factor of about 5. I developed tinnitus about 20 years ago. It is normally a minor white noise which I am able to ignore, but
I know that many tinnitus sufferers have much worse symptoms. I have never tried the masking devices.

[pelagia]

SORRY! I know what you mean.  It bothers me most when I am trying to concentrate - like at my job  and when I am trying to go to sleep  .  When I am home around the house doing chores, cooking, etc. or out doing errands, I hardly notice.  I come home and sit down for a quiet moment and there it goes again.  I am hoping that I will begin to notice less as time goes on.  That seems to be the only hope as it is not going away.  BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

[Bill Peckham]

SORRY! I know what you mean.  It bothers me most when I am trying to concentrate - like at my job  and when I am trying to go to sleep  .  When I am home around the house doing chores, cooking, etc. or out doing errands, I hardly notice.  I come home and sit down for a quiet moment and there it goes again.  I am hoping that I will begin to notice less as time goes on.  That seems to be the only hope as it is not going away.  BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

My volume went way up reading this thread. It such an all encompassing sound ... it reminds me of the cicadas in the summer in Chicago. Everywhere at once. I think mine has gotten louder since a fire alarm went off while I was visiting my Mom. It was ridiculously loud.  I've had concert induced ringing that usually goes away or diminishes after a few weeks this seems to be lasting longer.

[consumerx]

i was born with the hearing thing, the loud ringing along the way of growing up got louder and louder when i was a kid, i always thought it was normal, just like everyone else, all the same everyone having it. when i reached my teens i got hearing aids, but screw that i still listen to my ipod..