# Tinnitus



## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Anyone on here have it, and if so, how bad and have you sought out any kind of help for it?

And no.........it's *NOT* an STD.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

It's _not_? 

I had tinnitus for many years, the cause being shooting without ear protection (before ear protection was widely used).
Most of the tinnitus stopped about 30 years ago, when a final gunshot (stupidly fired without protection) made me almost deaf.
Not all. Just most.

I should say that my hearing aids make the tinnitus much crisper and clearer, but that would merely be a joke.
Truth: My deafness has erased all but a background "rushing" sound that's pretty quiet.

My understanding was that there's nothing to be done about it. It represents permanent damage.
But I'm not a doctor. So what do I know? (Not much.)

At least consult an audiologist. 
But don't go to a hearing-aid store. To them, every problem is solved by hearing aids, at $3,000.00 each. But it isn't true.
I found that my best bet was to go to the audiology clinic attached to a nearby university. The examination will be either cheap or even free, although it'll be done by a supervised student. But nobody will try to sell you hearing aids.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

I've had severe tinnitus since I was around 20. My hearing was bad at birth - around 50%. I have all kinds of tones - a low-pitched generator sound & several pitches of high frequencies. It really bothers me in quiet environments because sound covers it up. That's why I like all types of noise.
When I go to sleep, I set the TV on low volume with a 30-minute shutoff or I can't fall asleep.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

I usually don't listen to the ringing , don't focus on it. Like eye floaters , Oh thanks for killing my focus,,,,rrrrrriiiinnnnggggiing


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I've had mine for at least 30 yrs. or so. It's 24/7/365. Or, in other words, it's non-stop. It's quite loud, but I have learned to ignore it, and I do a pretty good job at it. I really can't recall not having it, but I'm sure that I didn't at some point in my life. I'm thinking serving in the military jump-started it. 

It really doesn't interfere with my life, even though it's constant. I suppose at this point in my life, it's not gonna change, no matter how I approach it. I have spoken to audiologists and have been told it's incurable, but can be somewhat managed at best. 

The fact that as I grow older, and my hearing diminishes, the Tinnitus only adds frustration to the mix. 

Next thing ya know, I'll have to be getting up numerous times during the night to pee. Oh wait, I'm already doing that.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Would someone please answer the ringing in my ears?

Another question from the old-age sweepstakes: At what time does the next nose run?


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Would someone please answer the ringing in my ears?
> 
> Another question from the old-age sweepstakes: At what time does the next nose run?


Funny story! Not that many years ago, while visiting my parents, my dad had an appt. with his doctor.

I told him that I'd take him to his appt. While there and addressing a few health issues with his doc, my dad brought up the issue of his runny nose.

His doctor asked him a few questions and then paused for a moment or so. Knowing my dad like he did, he simply said Bill, I'm going to make this as simple and easy to understand as I can. He told my dad that he had _old man nose_.

He went on to say that nothing was wrong, and it all was just the natural process of getting older. My dad responded okay, and that was that.

Thinking back as a kid, I knew my dad always carried a handkerchief on him all the time. He was always blowing his nose.

And, I do think this was the first time in my entire life I've ever typed out the word, handkerchief. I don't think I've ever wrote it out by hand either.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Old Man Nose... Didn't he used to live a couple of blocks over?
Somewhere next to the ear-hair-comb-over guy...?

Whoops! Excuse me. I gotta go blow my nose again.


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

Mine sounded like Cricket's. The Audiologist at the VA said least of my hearing problems. They set me up for a Hearing Aid Specialist and two weeks later I was fitted with a pair. When I wear them no tinnitus. I also can actually hear people talk and don't have to max out the audio on TV. Now here's the thing, when I take them out, no tinnitus. What happened? I don't know. Neither does the VA.


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> And no.........it's *NOT* an STD.


What? You've never heard of ..... Hearing Aids?


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Tangof said:


> Mine sounded like Cricket's. The Audiologist at the VA said least of my hearing problems. They set me up for a Hearing Aid Specialist and two weeks later I was fitted with a pair. When I wear them no tinnitus. I also can actually hear people talk and don't have to max out the audio on TV. Now here's the thing, when I take them out, no tinnitus. What happened? I don't know. Neither does the VA.


You better get out and buy some lotto tickets. If what happened to you, happened to me, I'd sure feel like I won a lotto jackpot.


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> You better get out and buy some lotto tickets. If what happened to you, happened to me, I'd sure feel like I won a lotto jackpot.


The thing is I don't know exactly when this miracle happened. I had the hearing aids for over a year. I didn't wear them when I went hiking because I usually do some plinking along the way. One evening it just dawned on me, no Cricket's. My hearing is still terrible without the hearing aids, so minor miracle.


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## Clerk (Oct 31, 2016)

I developed mine about 5 years ago and have been taking Ginko to combat it. It's not guaranteed but it's a good try.

Clerk


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

pic said:


> I usually don't listen to the ringing , don't focus on it. Like eye floaters , Oh thanks for killing my focus,,,,rrrrrriiiinnnnggggiing


I just started getting those floaters a few months ago. Before my optometrist told me what they were, I thought there was stuff in my eyes & I flushed my eyes with hot water. I ended up with really clean eyes but they were still floatin' around.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Yeah, I have a few floaters but not too many. My wife has them also. I think they bother her more than they bother me.


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## boatdoc173 (Mar 15, 2014)

mine was orininally due to high blood bressure. these days it is due to high sinus pressure. see your doctor to be sure what the cause uis. good luck and health


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## boatdoc173 (Mar 15, 2014)

will someone please answer that phone


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## boatdoc173 (Mar 15, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> Funny story! Not that many years ago, while visiting my parents, my dad had an appt. with his doctor.
> 
> I told him that I'd take him to his appt. While there and addressing a few health issues with his doc, my dad brought up the issue of his runny nose.
> 
> ...


I thought old man nose would invove nose hair length like old man ear


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

boatdoc173 said:


> I thought old man nose would invove nose hair length like old man ear


His doctor didn't get into specifics. I'd think that old man nose could consist of a few variables.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

I've had tinnitus for 30 years or so - both ringing and the low pitched noise like a humming electric motor - sort of. Mostly I ignore it. It contributes to the hearing loss; wearing the hearing aids it ain't too bad except I have trouble making out what most women are saying. Which is my excuse for not responding properly. I have developed a pretty good blank look, too.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

hillman said:


> I've had tinnitus for 30 years or so - both ringing and the low pitched noise like a humming electric motor - sort of. Mostly I ignore it. It contributes to the hearing loss; wearing the hearing aids it ain't too bad except I have trouble making out what most women are saying. Which is my excuse for not responding properly. I have developed a pretty good blank look, too.


Yup, my blank look is coming along nicely.


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