Tinnitus

[Soep]

I have tinnitus for a month now due to stress and i have a anxiety disorder. I can block the noise when i press my finger on or in my ear, sometimes not but most of the time. I also experience that the sound changes when i listen an hour or so to it, and it starts deep in my ear. Sometimes its very louder. I am very anxious about it because this is different then my other noises i sometimes have. Do more people have this kind of tinnitus and can it disappear again? In 2005 i have had also a bout of tinnitus due to loud noises, but then it went away because i had an anxietyissue with something else and didn't paying attention anymore. But that was a different kind of noise wich i could not block with my finger. I have seen a specialist a couple of days ago and there is nothing wrong with my ears. The whole situation is overwhelming now and i am very anxious the whole time, because i cant cope with this. I will start therapy soon. I hope somebody recognize the situation.

[Lifelonganxiety!]

Unfortunately, the worst thing you can do with tinnitus is focus on it. You need to learn how to ignore it, and sooner or later it becomes part of the background noise.

I read that everyone gets tinnitus to some degree, but most of the population tunes it out so they don't hear it at all.

[Pigeon]

Hi Soep

I have tinnitus constantly. It is a high pitched whistling noise in my left ear which I have had for many years. I can't block it at all but I have noticed it gets much louder if I am stressed or tensed up. It never goes away completely and sometimes there even two distinct seperate whistles in the same ear.

My GP hasn't given me an explaination for what causes it and I haven't asked to be referred to an ENT specialist, but I am conviced that it is due to muscle tension in my neck and jaw which has affected the nerves to my ear. To be honest, it doesn't bother me that much, even though it sometimes affects my abilty to hear what people are saying to me. I can cope with the inconvenience/discomfort and the main reassurance for me is that it isn't due to sinister causes.

I think it can take many forms (different types of noise) and can come and go to some degree but my experience is that it doesn't go away.

Sorry to hear that it's distressing you so much though. If it's any consolation , I think you can get used to it to a point that you don't notice. But it seems you are quite pre-occupied by it and I'm sure that doesn't help. I think the therapy will help you and perhaps you could talk about how to use distraction techniques. I'm sure if you research it you will find other advice.

Good luck and try not to get yourself too worked up - it won't help with the tinitus, I'm sure of it. :)

[dmc1892]

i now am able to live with the fact i'll have tinnitus all the time, but the only thing that tinnitus can do is when i have an infection or virus in the body it seems to get worse and my balance gets very bad, but day to day you will get used to it and you will be able to eventually deal with it.

[Soep]

Thanx for the answers. I am familiair with other noises in my ear (hissing and other beeps) but this one is new and makes me anxious, because i can make the noise disappear with a finger in my ear and the noise is very different and ongoing.

[Dan Wales]

I have had tinnitus on and off since I had an operation on my ears, I have mainly hisses and popping and some time bells. It can disappear but can come back.

[Soep]

Are the bells away when you press your finger in your ear?