And the truth about your chronic tinnitus is? Since every individual is unique, every case of tinnitus is unique. Meaning that each person afflicted with the ringing, whooshing, whistling and whining noises of tinnitus experiences that ailment of the ear in a slightly different way than the next person. So, the truth will vary, according to the individual.
Some tinnitus sufferers absolutely cannot function due to the disturbing amount of noise being generated in their ears. Some are hating life living with tinnitus, looking for tinnitus relief around every corner.
Others are not so bothered by the extra noise, having long ago learned to live with the chronic noises only they can hear. This group would be the majority of tinnitus sufferers, although because they have gotten used to the disability, don't automatically assume that they wouldn't appreciate some form of relief.
Most tinnitus sufferers have at least one thing in common. Barring a treatable medical condition (such as infection, tumor, etc.) the causes of their tinnitus can often be traced back to a single event: the application of a loud noise or noises that have damaged sensitive parts of the inner ear.
While it is true that there is no cure for tinnitus, relief may be had if one would take into consideration these simple thoughts;
Protect your ears from any more loud noises. Tinnitus relief may come when damage to the ear is halted. Granted, the ear may never fully recover from previous damage, but worsening of the condition may be avoided by protecting the ears from future damage. How can this be done? The soft, disposable foam earplugs available in most department stores are remarkably effective. Don't forget to put a couple of packages of earplugs in your pocket as you head out to see a hockey match or a rock concert. Notice that most members of loud rock bands wear ear plugs to prevent further damage. Also, use ear protection when mowing the lawn, or doing other work that creates loud noises.
You say, "But I can't avoid loud noise on the job." You have some leverage here - it's the law. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration) has long ago instituted standards for noise in the workplace, designed specifically to protect worker's ears from excessive noise, and noises that, while not appearing excessively loud up front, are constant at a level loud enough to cause damage over time.
Do you use high doses of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for some chronic pain? Aspirin, ibuprofen and Naproxen are all members of this group which are known to cause tinnitus, and can make an existing condition worse. Would it be possible to substitute a non-NSAID drug such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)? Anything that could be done to reduce or eliminate a NSAID could give the sufferer some actual tinnitus relief.
While only a beginning, maybe these few thought-provoking ideas can help some tinnitus sufferers gain relief from the bizarre symphony produced by their own ears.
