Tinnitus Update 2025
Today is a good day. If I listen for it, I can hear it. But it’s ignorable. Tolerable. Peripheral. It’s at a level 2.
I’m talking about Tinnitus. I wrote about it how horrified I was when it first arrived almost 2 years ago. I wrote about it a few months later. It’s this phantom squealy-hissy thing in my left ear that has become a permanent (so far) fixture in my life. It’s Terrifying.
It’s not the more common everyday ringing-after-a-loud-night at a club. It’s incessant and intrusive. And it can’t be silenced. Ear plugs make it worse. Martinis help (I’m serious) but how many can you drink?
My body has always been cooperative. Although I’ve had a few mysterious maladies they always retreated as mysteriously as they arrived. Not this one.
When I first got it I couldn’t even deal with level 2. I prayed for it to disappear completely. I made deals with God that if it were banished I’d quit another bad habit. God did not comply. Now, I would gladly settle for a level 2; 24/7.
I’ve been facing the reality that it’s here to stay and rather than fight it (my therapist suggests I spend too much energy doing this) I’m finding ways to cope and co-exist with it.
I used to keep track of the good days (usually a couple every week) and the bad days. I’d look for patterns. What did I eat? How did I sleep? What vitamins did I take? Medication? But there was no pattern. I used the good days to get my wits about me and prepare for the re-ramping up.
I spent hundreds of dollars on supplements to no avail.
This is for the 100 people who wrote me back sharing their own experience with Tinnitus. Consider it a support blog. Maybe you’ll see yourself here. Maybe you’ll have something helpful to add.
Here’s where I’m at: When I’m home I surround myself with external sounds. White noise machines, music, TV, fountains all help to mask and absorb the squeal. Total silence is the worst. When I go to sleep the ‘light rain’ sound on this App is akin to a Xanax. 😳
The $5000 Lenire Device didn’t help me but it’s sure been good for the few ENTs that Rep it. A lot of desperate people who have the cash gave it a go. (If anyone wants to try it — and to be fair it’s been reported to be helpful for some — I have one I can sell you!)
I tried a hearing aid. They can be programmed to amplify sounds in the same frequency as the ‘ring’ in ones ear so that it ‘cancels the ring out.’ $4000. Luckily I didn’t need them for both ears. If I wasn’t happy I’d have 6 weeks to return it. Ok!
I can’t say it didn’t help BUT…. in the course of those 6 weeks I came across an Ad for the new AirPods Pro with a hearing assistance function. And they were $299. WHAT? Hmmm. (I am not pimping the AirPods Pro.)
I bought a pair. It performed a hearing test (same as in the ENT’s office!) and programed my pods to suit my hearing. There are all kinds of features that you can tweak to your personal needs. They didn’t completely cancel out the squealing at level 8 but they were just as effective as that hearing aid!
I returned the hearing aid.
The only downside is — hearing aids can be concealed. There’s no way to hide the pods in your ears. Ppl must wonder why I’m wearing them at a church wedding. How rude. I can’t explain to everyone what’s going on but I do tell people I spend a lot of time with.
The device lowers any masking sound when you speak or are spoken to. It’s pretty impressive. I have to hand it to Apple. I wish I knew about it before I spent the 5K on Lenire.
Tinnitus can make me super anxious, irritable, freaked out. So being able to tune it out … knowing I have a band aid, a fix … until another good day comes around has been an incredible relief.
That’s my update. Of course my health issues could be substantially worse. But that doesn’t mean Tinnitus isn’t a distressing, life-disrupting, unnerving affliction. If you have it you know what I mean.
I hope this sheds some light for anyone who’s suffering. Let’s hope for a year of level 2.