One random night, I lay on my bed in my silent bedroom, and I felt that the silence is uncomfortable. Why, I asked myself, that the silence felt sharp, like I prefer the noise of my annoyingly loud dehumidifier, or the muffled sound of traffic in my old apartment?
I realized that the silence was ringing, in a high pitched noise that we all associate with being hit near the ears. My inner voice told myself: "man, you have tinnitus."
Thinking back, that wasn't the first time I thought that I have tinnitus, but I was probably in denial for years, or it just got louder. The sad part is that I'm only 26, and somehow, I feared getting tinnitus ever since my childhood.
Even worse, I just ordered a pair of headphones with ANC, and when I don't play anything through it, the ringing gets very clear.
Was depressed for a few days, thinking that it's not fair that I got it even though I don't expose myself to loud noises often, I listen to music at a couple levels lower than my preference, and I don't turn up my music to drown out noises.
But nothing in life is fair, and to compared to the suffering of others, this is only a mild discomfort. So I'll try to keep positive about it, and be grateful that I still enjoy a comparatively luxurious life.
I'll visit a doctor soon though!
Any of you have a similar experience? I'll be happy to read your stories!
This was 10 or so years ago but I had it for about 3 weeks in my left ear IIRC. When it started I thought it is just some temporary ear ringing and would go away after a few seconds. It didn't. During the day it wasn't so bad, when you have some other noise coming through the headphones it is distracting enough that you kinda forget about it, but when it is time for bed it turns to absolute hell. I already have various sleep issues and having a constant loud tone blasting inside of your ear is absolutely maddening when you try to fall asleep. At some point I was just sobbing until I would fall asleep from exhaustion. Luckily I think after a week or so it started to slowly and gradually fade out. I did not notice it until a few days later when the change became more obvious though. By week 3 I did not hear it anymore. Not sure what the cause was, but I'd be very glad if it never happens again. If it was permanent I'd honestly just kill myself.
Sadly, tinnitus is actually a very common reason for suicide - especially in older men that worked in trades with heavy machinery.
I have been living with tinnitus non-stop for the past few years. I can understand how some might find it unlivable.