TINNITUS

Over the past couple of years, I've noticed it is difficult for me to distinguish individual sources of sound in a crowded and/or noisy environment. I'm not going to hear most of what you say to me in a bar or at a party, unless you are standing close to me and speaking above normal. Recently, I've also noticed that my brain is trying to "fix" what I'm not hearing in quieter situations. 

For example, The Wife and I were watching the evening news and they kept showing pictures of snow in the Rocky Mountains. I asked why they kept mentioning "Miami." The Wife told me they were talking about "Wyoming." (Say them aloud to yourself.)

So it was off for a hearing test. I was told that my hearing was "normal, but that doesn't mean perfect." It also made me aware that I have likely been experiencing tinnitus for some time, at least at a low level. The problem is that testing made me hyperaware of the tinnitus, which brought it to the forefront of my attention and therefore made it problematic.

Currently, I am using three different tools to counter and/or lessen the effect of the tinnitus.

[1] I tried out Loop Quiet 2 earplugs. Online results of earplugs were mixed in alleviating tinnitus, but I found that they did help me. I wore them during most of a worship service, which diminished the higher pitches, which were giving the tinnitus strength. I also wore them when I slept and most of the ambient noises of the room disappeared, allowing me a better night of sleep. 



[2] I have a pair of air conduction "open ear" headphones, so I paired them with a "tinnitus relief" app on my smartphone. Playing with various types of sounds, I discovered that "brown noise" does counter my tinnitus. So I have the app act as a brown noise generator at low volume and can still hear the soundtrack of the real world.

[3] I found a good Buddhist response to tinnitus online, which I've been trying to enact. Accept it for what it is, but don't allow it any power. Don't try to focus on it. Don't try to not focus on it. Just let it be. This is easier said than done, but I think its the same way that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works on tinnitus and I potentially saved myself a bunch of energy, time, and money.

We'll see how it goes!