Any nurses dealing with Tinnitus?

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Hi guys,

Just wondering any nurses dealing with tinnitus or are in nursing school dealing with it too? I have tinnitus just want to know all of your experiences and what do you guys to do to cope with it. Has it made your job being a nurse harder or no? Any challenges? And also how did you guys get tinnitus? I would love to read all of your posts!

OP- I have had nonstop tinnitus since April, 2009. It is aggravated by loud noises, fatigue, and stress. I like to say it started in my "rocker years" but, alas, that would be a lie. I had had it sporadically prior to that time and it would "go away" as the day progressed. On that day, it started and never stopped. Anyway----I also have a hearing loss primarily in that ear and wear hearing aids which actually help. Sometimes if it is too quiet the tinnitus is louder. If i am busy and don't pay a lot of attention to it, it is minimal to non-existent.

As to stethoscope use---unless you have a hearing loss, you probably won't have any difficulty using one. Just train your ear to "hear above the noise" of the tinnitus.

Good luck!

Similar to how mine started. Sporadic until the day I realized it wasn't stopping... and it was probably around 10 years ago as well.

I also have mild hearing loss but so far I can still use a stethoscope, I have to listen extra carefully.

I long for the day when quiet was quiet.

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Hello did u have it in nursing school too? How did u study?

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Also any students in nursing school dealing with tinnitus ? How did you guys develop tinnitus ?Please drop down your comments I would love to know how you guys are studying. I am going into nursing school and I'm really anxious about the studying part with tinnitus.

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Similar to how mine started. Sporadic until the day I realized it wasn't stopping... and it was probably around 10 years ago as well.

I also have mild hearing loss but so far I can still use a stethoscope, I have to listen extra carefully.

I long for the day when quiet was quiet.

How did u get tinnitus? Did you have during nursing school also and how did you study?

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I don't know the cause. Wish I did.

I graduated in 30+ years ago, so the tinnitus came 20 years later.

Even though I'm not in school, at times I study something or other. I've become used to the ringing (which is very loud sometimes). It's like chronic pain I guess, you have to change your expectations and accept it as a new normal.

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Thanks for making me feel that I am not alone. I just hope it wont get in the way of my studies

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I don't know the cause. Wish I did.

I graduated in 30+ years ago, so the tinnitus came 20 years later.

Even though I'm not in school, at times I study something or other. I've become used to the ringing (which is very loud sometimes). It's like chronic pain I guess, you have to change your expectations and accept it as a new normal.

Also how do you sleep?

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I don't know the cause. Wish I did.

I graduated in 30+ years ago, so the tinnitus came 20 years later.

Even though I'm not in school, at times I study something or other. I've become used to the ringing (which is very loud sometimes). It's like chronic pain I guess, you have to change your expectations and accept it as a new normal.

In fact it has been proposed that tinnitus IS chronic pain. the otic nerve does not signal pain, only sound. but this does not apply to the OP here.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
OP- I have had nonstop tinnitus since April, 2009. It is aggravated by loud noises, fatigue, and stress. I like to say it started in my "rocker years" but, alas, that would be a lie. I had had it sporadically prior to that time and it would "go away" as the day progressed. On that day, it started and never stopped. Anyway----I also have a hearing loss primarily in that ear and wear hearing aids which actually help. Sometimes if it is too quiet the tinnitus is louder. If i am busy and don't pay a lot of attention to it, it is minimal to non-existent.

As to stethoscope use---unless you have a hearing loss, you probably won't have any difficulty using one. Just train your ear to "hear above the noise" of the tinnitus.

Good luck!

I can't remember when I didn't have some degree of tinnitus. In nursing school, I asked one of our instructors to stay at the front of the classroom while lecturing, because I sat up front so as to be able to hear better, and she had the habit of walking around the room while lecturing.

I was sent to have a hearing test, which I passed. (I was within the normal range, but it was low normal.) Since I passed the hearing test, they didn't have to accommodate me, and the instructor continued to roam. I did struggle at times to hear. When I knew that I didn't understand, I would ask her to repeat.

But ... I didn't always know that I had not understood. I would think that I heard correctly, and then find that my textbook said something different. Sometimes I asked a classmate to clarify. (We lived together in the dorm.)

It took more energy to listen closely to understand. When something didn't make sense, I would - and still do - run similar sounding words through my brain while the instructor continued to speak. (Heard her sneeze? Synergy? Energy?) By the time I found a word that made sense, I would be a sentence or two behind the instructor.

I, too, have found that the tinnitus is loudest when I'm in a quiet environment, but I can ignore the tinnitus when I'm busy. I have moderate hearing loss now, but my hearing aide helps.

OP, you will learn how to compensate. Don't let it scare you. It might help to get a hearing test; these are often offered free. If you can show a documented hearing loss, you can get more help.

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I can't remember when I didn't have some degree of tinnitus. In nursing school, I asked one of our instructors to stay at the front of the classroom while lecturing, because I sat up front so as to be able to hear better, and she had the habit of walking around the room while lecturing.

I was sent to have a hearing test, which I passed. (I was within the normal range, but it was low normal.) Since I passed the hearing test, they didn't have to accommodate me, and the instructor continued to roam. I did struggle at times to hear. When I knew that I didn't understand, I would ask her to repeat.

But ... I didn't always know that I had not understood. I would think that I heard correctly, and then find that my textbook said something different. Sometimes I asked a classmate to clarify. (We lived together in the dorm.)

It took more energy to listen closely to understand. When something didn't make sense, I would - and still do - run similar sounding words through my brain while the instructor continued to speak. (Heard her sneeze? Synergy? Energy?) By the time I found a word that made sense, I would be a sentence or two behind the instructor.

I, too, have found that the tinnitus is loudest when I'm in a quiet environment, but I can ignore the tinnitus when I'm busy. I have moderate hearing loss now, but my hearing aide helps.

OP, you will learn how to compensate. Don't let it scare you. It might help to get a hearing test; these are often offered free. If you can show a documented hearing loss, you can get more help.

Thank you for your wonderful post, Luckily, I can still hear. This studying part is hard. I put calming music now to focus. How did this affect your workplace? How long have you had tinnitus? do you know how you got it? I am having so much trouble sleeping arghhhhh

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
Thank you for your wonderful post, Luckily, I can still hear. This studying part is hard. I put calming music now to focus. How did this affect your workplace? How long have you had tinnitus? do you know how you got it? I am having so much trouble sleeping arghhhhh

Have you tried calming music to help you fall asleep? For me, silence makes the tinnitus seem louder.

Generally, I ignore it. That is my normal. I always wear glasses, too. That is my normal. It will be easier for you to accept it rather than fight it.

Perhaps you've already learned that. If so, please take what I say that is helpful, and let the rest just slip through your fingers.

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Have you tried calming music to help you fall asleep? For me, silence makes the tinnitus seem louder.

Generally, I ignore it. That is my normal. I always wear glasses, too. That is my normal. It will be easier for you to accept it rather than fight it.

Perhaps you've already learned that. If so, please take what I say that is helpful, and let the rest just slip through your fingers.

I feel better that i wasn't the only one going into nursing school with T. I will be taking anxiety meds for my panic attacks soon. I know many nurses taking anxiety meds. I just hope i can get through nursing school.

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