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Nature of tinnitus

Like many of you, I too suffer from tinnitus. I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to.

Once you have tinnitus, can it get worse?
 
Yes,

Mine comes and goes in the loudness department, sometimes I can NOT hear the TV because of it. So far my DR has not found the solution, if there is one. i am about 75/80 deaf in both ears, per the tests.

Tia,
Don
 
Otter said:
Like many of you, I too suffer from tinnitus. I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to.

Once you have tinnitus, can it get worse?

Yes. Tinnitus can be mild, or it can be severe enough to drive you bat-sh*t crazy. Consult with an ENT or audiologist. Don't take chances with your hearing. Preserve what you have left.
 
What is strange is my hearing is still pretty good. In a silent situation, the ringing is obvious, but only if I think about it. I don't want it to get to the point where I can't hear the TV.

I wear plugs and muff while at the range and avoid other loud situations. If I can't, then I wear hearing protection, such as when mowing the lawn or running a weed eater.

If it is true it gets worse, I will be tempted to give up recreational shooting.
 
Otter said:
If it is true it gets worse, I will be tempted to give up recreational shooting.

It CAN get worse. But it's up to you to ensure it doesn't. Which means you need to be careful about exposure to loud noises, whether rock concerts, aircraft, your wife screaming, gunfire, construction sites (piledrivers!), and so on. I always have ear plugs in my pocket. I don't go to movies anymore, because they're so damned loud. And I never get out of the car at the shooting range until I already have my ear protection in place. And I bring extra, and keep an eye out for spectators and bystanders who don't have ear protection. It's our responsibility to help them preserve their hearing, and to help them enjoy being at the range instead of thinking how painfully loud it was, never to return. 8)
 
I have it pretty bad myself and I will never give up shooting,racecars,hydroplanes,motorcycles and machining. I try to wear hearing protection when it is possible.Thankfully when driving a raceboat ,you have a decent helmet which blocks out the ringing of an engine turning 7500 rpms 6 feet from your head.
 
Jon, when you say you have it bad...have you noticed it getting worse over the years? I have a mild case right now, or so I think, and I don't want it to get any worse. I enjoy shooting, but enjoy lots of other things, and giving up shooting on a regular basis would be no big deal for me.
 
I am kind of screwed. I am 51, starting out on a very loud tractor for many hours a day, easing into very loud music, when ever I could listen, to a bo0uncer at a large bar that had bands when the DJ, was not blaring music. From there to a Diesel Mechanic, to drag racing for a few years and now I am shooting again. It does not seem to be getting worse, but it will never get better. Honestly, before I read this I honestly did not notice. It actually seems worse with ear plugs in, but I know It is not. If your really worried about it, get a can, shoot a 22 Hornet, fyi, I love it, and shoot your .22lr with std velocity ammo. You can still have tons of fun shooting without the thunder.
 
Although it has never been diagnosed, I have had tinnitus for I don't know how many years. It became very obvious to me one winter day; temps below zero; sitting in the woods during our late flintlock season. I was gearing crickets !! NO, that's tinnitus !! I shot small bore gallery competition for years when I was young; before ear protection was fashionable, and trap and skeet. Then someone thought of hearing protection !! I'm about deaf in my left ear and challenged in my right. Two years ago I got hearing aides, They are wonderful and I don't notice the tinnitus when wearing them.

Chuck - Rupe/PA
 
Tinnitus can be affected by what you eat too. Apple skins make mine worse for a time. Really low frequency sounds, such as from moving air from ceiling vents in the office, give me stapedial myoclonus, which is a twitching of the ear drum. It can drive you crazy, like a bug dancing on your ear drum. Quick application of an ear plug will stop it, but there is no cure. Even with good hearing protection, sometimes the riding mower will cause tinnitus that "pings" at intervals of several per second. There are hearing aids that can mask it somewhat, but as the Germans say, vere shcruden!
 
Have had it for more than 20yrs in my right ear due to an incident at an indoor range involving a 44mag. Caffeine - once it gets to a certain level can really set mine off and make it much harder to ignore. One cup of coffee is not enough, but after 2, its going to be a problem.

Personally, I had rather not have a drug for treatment - too much risk for side effects, especially something new with no long term track record. I'd rather some kind of noise cancellation tech to help out, but as long as I stay somewhere where it's not absolutely quiet, its not intolerable.
 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3063436/

http://news.yahoo.com/researchers-tinnitus-cause-treatment-171200838.html
 
I had it off and on for about 25 years then on my last trip to Iraq it got worse and now it never goes away--always screaming. I also have hearing loss and wear hearing aids. When I wear the hearing aids it helps stimulate the bones in my ears which reduces the volume of the ringing. It is always there but with the hearing aids in it is tolerable.

It absolutely can get worse so follow BOhio's recommendation and always be ready to protect against damaging noise.

Rich
 

It CAN get worse. But it's up to you to ensure it doesn't. Which means you need to be careful about exposure to loud noises, whether rock concerts, aircraft, your wife screaming, gunfire, construction sites (piledrivers!), and so on. I always have ear plugs in my pocket. I don't go to movies anymore, because they're so damned loud. And I never get out of the car at the shooting range until I already have my ear protection in place. And I bring extra, and keep an eye out for spectators and bystanders who don't have ear protection. It's our responsibility to help them preserve their hearing, and to help them enjoy being at the range instead of thinking how painfully loud it was, never to return. 8)
[/quote] There is a lot of wisdom in the above post. I have been doing this for years and mine has been holding steady. It does go up and down a little. Double up on the protection and shoot all you want. Later! Frank
 
dickn52 said:
Simple answer. Of course it can get worse. And it can never get better.

True statement. I am 49 and been dealing with hearing loss & ringing for 30+ yrs (industrial noise).... Wasn't till the last 5-10 yrs technology brought us selectable frequency hearing aids. I am not so much deaf, as I have serious frequency loss.. I got hearing aids 3 yrs ago..... Awesome and quality of hearing/life change big time..

My point, the audiologist advised me hearing loss & tinnitus can only get worse, even when removed from the "noise"... But since I got my hearing aids, I don't notice my tinnitus with them in/on, I really got to listen for it to pick it up. With them off or out, its a constant ringing......

Get some to try out and you'll be amazed what you have been missing.... (quite an embarrassing shock when you realize how loud you have been talking due to your hearing loss..... ;D )

Rod
 
Otter said:
Like many of you, I too suffer from tinnitus. I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to.

Once you have tinnitus, can it get worse?

I was in the artillery when under the indentured servitude of the U.S. Government. We all have it, and usually have it within four to six months of the first round out. They gave us ear plugs but you can't wear them and listen to the incoming data for the next round. My pitch loss (or gain) is almost exactly 4,000 Hz. It will sometimes get a little low in volume, and other times get so loud that I can't listen to other folks talking around me. It will even change up and down in a few seconds. Then as we get older the issue is compounded. There is no fix for it, and the VA doesn't want to admit you have it! So welcome to my world
gary
 
Nodak7mm said:
dickn52 said:
Simple answer. Of course it can get worse. And it can never get better.

True statement. I am 49 and been dealing with hearing loss & ringing for 30+ yrs (industrial noise).... Wasn't till the last 5-10 yrs technology brought us selectable frequency hearing aids. I am not so much deaf, as I have serious frequency loss.. I got hearing aids 3 yrs ago..... Awesome and quality of hearing/life change big time..

My point, the audiologist advised me hearing loss & tinnitus can only get worse, even when removed from the "noise"... But since I got my hearing aids, I don't notice my tinnitus with them in/on, I really got to listen for it to pick it up. With them off or out, its a constant ringing......

Get some to try out and you'll be amazed what you have been missing.... (quite an embarrassing shock when you realize how loud you have been talking due to your hearing loss..... ;D )

Rod

I've not known a single person that has tried hearing aids of one form or another (some were very expensive) that gained a fix for tinnitus. Yes you can cut one band width out of your hearing and get rid of it, but then it creates further issues.
gary
 
Yes, hearing aids can sometimes help. It helps when tinnitus only is apparent when it is quiet and the hearing aids then raise the background noise level to minimize tinnitus.
With many years in the hearing health industry, and training in audiology, I have found NO cure for tinnitus at this time.
Who ever finds a cure for tinnitus will be a very wealthy man!

Many of us suffer from tinnitus, as do I. I got mine from playing with noisy airplanes in the Navy!

Some of us are lucky in that the constant tinnitus doesn't bother us but some, like my sister-in-law, are very aware of it and it nearly drives them crazy!

Some folks are helped, especially at bed time, by inexpensive noise generators that produce different sounds like the surf, rain, steam trains etc. Radio Shack used to sell one and maybe still does.

Beware! There are a lot of folks out there claiming solutions to your problems. Just buy their book, machine or their herbal compounds. It is mostly B.S! The sound generators and some self help books are the best possible solutions. Do check with your audiologist as they usually are up to date on the state of the art. And, many competent folks are doing research on cures.
 

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