Question about tinnitus

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Over my lifetime I have had episodes of ringing in my ears hi pitched- you know tinnitus.

Recently several times a week it has turned to hearing a distant radio baseball announcer, or like a cb radio far away. And no the "voices don't tell me to put foil over my head..........:

My cousin has temporal seizures and hears full opera type music, she is totally deaf in that ear.

My internist says this is also tinnitus and I have a neuro appt in MARCH. shoot! The baseball game will be over by then.

My son's friend developed this but because his wife is a MD she caught it in time to get steroids etc and he got his hearing back. He had faced losing his job as a cop because of this.

I'm not asking advice obviously, but it seems odd to me that in the last 3 months I have come across 3 people who have this. Anybody else have it?

[mamamerlee, LPN]

It's more common than you may realize. I personally believe that it is a side effect of many drugs, and may be overlooked as such.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Reminds me of that episode of Gilligan's Island where Gilligan is picking up radio signals through his fillings.

But seriously, a lot of my musician friends have tinnitus.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

I have had tinnitus in my right ear ever since a seabee blew an air horn less than 4 feet away from my right ear. Its a son of a gun to live with as it interferes with hewaring to the right side....

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

I have tinnitus bilaterally and have had for over 30 years. I have learned to live with it. Mine was exposure during military service to loud noise over a period of time. I've been told there is nothing that can be done and it can be irritating at times. Also many medications will cause this if taken over a prolonged period of time. Tylenol being one of them. Mine is like a constant "high pitched buzz" that never goes away lol.

[AlabamaBelle]

I can't remember a time when I didn't have the buzzing in my ears. Sometimes, it's louder than other times. I thought this was the norm for everybody. My hearing aids help out some, but it's there.

As a child, I had the measles and had tubes placed in my ears in the first grade (mind you, this was back when tubes were cutting edge!). Had tubes put in every year for several years.

I personally believe there are a lot more people out there who suffer with this. I expected a true ringing sensation, but I've always had the steady high pitched buzz, not "ringing" like a doorbell or any kind of bell.

[southernbeegirl, BSN, RN]

i took an overdose of aspirin and then went swimming when i was 13. i've had ringing in my ears every moment of every day since. somedays it's especially loud and actually hurts, other days i can ignore it. and to be honest, i too have heard things that sound like a radio announcer but i never told anyone. so if yall tell it, i'll come hunt you down :)

[GoalsInTransition]

Yep, I've had it for about three years now. After an extensive search for causative conditions (including Meniere's), my doc decided it was likely from the high doses of IV abx. I received for a postpartum infection.

Have you possibly been exposed to a medication that could have caused this?

Sorry you're haivng a rough time. Be your own advocate, though, and don't give up looking for help if it is something you really cannot learn to deal with.

Good luck!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I started working at a noisy factory in June 2001, and have suffered from bilateral tinnitus continuously since August 2001. The constant ringing and humming in my ears would really disturb me during that first year, but 8 years later it has faded into an afterthought. I suppose I have simply learned to adapt to the continuous noise that nobody else can hear but me.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Wow I'm not alone in the tinny world.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

I'm almost completely deaf in my right ear (this is hereditary and have a new family member dx as completely deaf in the right ear; so sad and breaks my heart).

Tinnitus is a great part of my life and has been for as long as I can remember. I've learned to tolerate it. I read lips fairly well and am proficient in American Sign Language having had quite a large population of patients who are deaf.

At night, however, is when I can no longer tolerate it. I use a very loud fan (and, carry one with me when I travel) that drowns out the "noise". If not for that, I'd never sleep well.

[Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN]

I know what you mean about the radio announcer thing..... when I lie in bed, especially when it is really really quiet in the rest of the house, I hear the static-y voices, like I am listening to an AM radio talk show. Whew. Glad to know I am not alone!