Great googly-moogly, this is what pisses me off the most. Thousands of people have this, and every damn one of us is told "eh, just get used to it". There's GOT to be a solution to this! Its maddening.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE (tinnitus)
- Thread starter JasterMereel
- Start date
Having lost a friend to tinnitus-induced suicide, this.
I have over a decade with my personal sound track so far and it has got slightly louder over time. I have to wear earplugs when I'm in a loud environment and I avoid concerts because they are painful to experience. Fortunately it's not got overwhelming yet, but it is true that other people do not not take this seriously.
I've had tinnitus as long as I can remember, with specific memories of it going back to at least sometime around six or seven years old.
I pretty much have to sleep with white noise (now a white noise machine, but I usually had a noisy fan in my room growing up). Not having it means I'll take longer to fall asleep because of the tinnitus, and any noises inside or outside the house will wake me once I am asleep. And earplugs (for sleeping) are a solid "nope", because silence is loud.
All that to say... if the tinnitus has started affecting your sleep, have you considered switching over to white noise instead of earplugs? (If not disturbing whoever you're sleeping with is a factor, maybe try one of the sleep headphone products instead, playing white noise from a white noise app?)
I pretty much have to sleep with white noise (now a white noise machine, but I usually had a noisy fan in my room growing up). Not having it means I'll take longer to fall asleep because of the tinnitus, and any noises inside or outside the house will wake me once I am asleep. And earplugs (for sleeping) are a solid "nope", because silence is loud.
All that to say... if the tinnitus has started affecting your sleep, have you considered switching over to white noise instead of earplugs? (If not disturbing whoever you're sleeping with is a factor, maybe try one of the sleep headphone products instead, playing white noise from a white noise app?)
After a few days, it seems to have stabilized a bit. It is louder than baseline tinnitus that i've had my entire life, and it is louder in my left ear. Also, the tone of it changes constantly which is actually more distracting than a constant tone that you can eventually tune out. This is so damn frustrating.
So... Last Wednesday I had my test for VA. It went pretty much as expected with the standard questions, i.e., how long have I had it, when did I first notice the sumptuous, what do you think may have caused the tinnitus, etc. Those answers are along the lines of since I was discharged from the Navy, that I worked in machinery rooms at a time when hearing protection was not required (if it even is now). The interviewer asked me if these were engine rooms, which I verified. She then asked if there was anything else in the Navy that may have contributed, and I responded that I was on an aircraft carrier. Lots of daily takeoffs and traps while underway for 6 - 9 months non-stop.
She asked specifically, what my symptoms are. I then explained that I did some "internet diagnoses", and self- determined a constancy 8000 - 8500 Hz tone at approximately 20-30 dB. And that vacuum cleaners in use actually can hurt, but not always (interfering/ out of synch soundwaves?).
Also, that I say "what?" alot. Not that I didn't hear what was said, but mis- heard. Usually, from the context of the conversation my mind will rapidly figure out what SHOULD have been said, but, sometimes, it's anything goes (as in the mis-heard sing lyric "Dirty Deeds Done To Sheep").
So, she gives me the tests and the second part is to repeat the words I hear. The recording says, literally, " Say again, ... ....." so I respond, "say again, ... ....." Keep in mind, it's just two words. So I'm not getting any type of context. The first one that I mis- heard was duck pond, and I heard "Dog Pound". Not to much of a stretch, but acceptable. However. Here comes the embarrassment, and I'm not sure which of us was more. I heard a pair of words, no context and froze. The female tester asked if there was a problem, and I asked " Are you SURE you want me to tell you what I heard?" She said yes. I
I heard "p#$$y nest". The word was "business" and the recording pronounced it as "BUZZ-e-ness", not "BIZZ- ness".
I didn't know a girl's face could get that red.....
Right before we finished, she asked if there was anything else that may have contributed to the tinnitus. Realizing that I'm trying to increase my Disability Payments, and that this group of people WANT to give me money, I may or may not have intentionally forgot to tell her I frequent concerts. LOUD concerts. and well over 400 in the last 40 years.
She said that the VA should majestic a decision in the next 3 months or so, and yes, it would be retroactive to October, 2025, when I started this claim.
Friday, I received the decision.
Approved, 10% disability. $190.00 per month, retroactive.
First thing I'm doing? Seeing the Pretty Reckless.
She asked specifically, what my symptoms are. I then explained that I did some "internet diagnoses", and self- determined a constancy 8000 - 8500 Hz tone at approximately 20-30 dB. And that vacuum cleaners in use actually can hurt, but not always (interfering/ out of synch soundwaves?).
Also, that I say "what?" alot. Not that I didn't hear what was said, but mis- heard. Usually, from the context of the conversation my mind will rapidly figure out what SHOULD have been said, but, sometimes, it's anything goes (as in the mis-heard sing lyric "Dirty Deeds Done To Sheep").
So, she gives me the tests and the second part is to repeat the words I hear. The recording says, literally, " Say again, ... ....." so I respond, "say again, ... ....." Keep in mind, it's just two words. So I'm not getting any type of context. The first one that I mis- heard was duck pond, and I heard "Dog Pound". Not to much of a stretch, but acceptable. However. Here comes the embarrassment, and I'm not sure which of us was more. I heard a pair of words, no context and froze. The female tester asked if there was a problem, and I asked " Are you SURE you want me to tell you what I heard?" She said yes. I
I heard "p#$$y nest". The word was "business" and the recording pronounced it as "BUZZ-e-ness", not "BIZZ- ness".
I didn't know a girl's face could get that red.....
Right before we finished, she asked if there was anything else that may have contributed to the tinnitus. Realizing that I'm trying to increase my Disability Payments, and that this group of people WANT to give me money, I may or may not have intentionally forgot to tell her I frequent concerts. LOUD concerts. and well over 400 in the last 40 years.
She said that the VA should majestic a decision in the next 3 months or so, and yes, it would be retroactive to October, 2025, when I started this claim.
Friday, I received the decision.
Approved, 10% disability. $190.00 per month, retroactive.
First thing I'm doing? Seeing the Pretty Reckless.
My Brother in EEEEEEEEEEEEE, this is something I deal with all the time. It seems like the simple act of saying something like "what?" causes my brain to re-process what I just mis-heard, and then it's clear right before the other person repeats what they said. Weirdest thing.
