Best products from r/tinnitus

Hello,

My heart goes out to you! I know what you're going through....

I haven't heard beeping, but when I'm overworked, overstressed and under rested, I hear loud cicadas that cause vertigo. My normal T is high pitch ringing (7484 Hz at 30 dB).

A few solid good nights sleep will do wonders to reduce your stress level! Your body is literally in fight or flight mode. While you find ways to cope, be kind and gentle with yourself 🤗


Hang in there! I won't promise it gets better, because I don't have a crystal ball to predict the future. What I do know though, is that not giving up, trying new things and testing different things it WILL get better.

A few things that help me:

1. Sleeping with Relaxing Melodies app. The app allows me to create combination of rain, crickets and music. I connect my phone via Bluetooth to a pillow speaker so it doesn't disturb my partner. The sweet spot for a good night sleep, or at least able to fall asleep, is masking my T with the Relaxing Melodies app so I don't hear it at all. I set the app timer to turn off after an hour. Until I had this app I never thought about how soothing the summer night sounds of crickets are/were to me. Makes sense in hindsight!
   
   My partner cannot hear it unless the volume is turned WAY up. A win for both of us! 😊
   
   The bluetooth pillow speakers, I purchased from Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B073VV6P7S. Cost less than $30.
   
   The speakers have a built in noise machine, but I use the Bluetooth connection to my phone so I can play my sound mix via Relaxing Melodies app.
   
   
2. Another thing that I started a week ago is taking melatonin (3mg) about an hour before I sleep. For me the results have been great! Helps me to fall asleep and stay asleep, awaken feeling rested. I bought the melatonin from Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B005FKTWCC
   
   
3. Also I bought the book, "Rewiring Tinnitus: How I Finally Found Relief From The Ringing In My Ears". A fabulous book which helped me understand what T is and is not and provided steps to help habituate it so my brain doesn't feel threatened by or stressed from it. www.amazon.com/dp/1540483185
   
   
   Hope this is helpful!
   Keep us posted.
   Don't give up!
   
   Best,
   aquaphoenix
   

K I actually thought your ears had been ringing a few days or a week. 2 hours is not too bad. But I do think you were born with weak ears... no offense. A lot of us on this subreddit were. lol.

But I do think if you go to that concert no earplugs it will almost certainly come back.

Go to a music store and talk to the guy about getting a nice set of musician ear plugs. They will cost anywhere from 15-40 dollars. Don't be cheap, your ears are worth 40 dollars. Tell him you want one that leaves the music clear but also lowers it a good amount. You can even do a bit of research online to figure out which one you want. I have these Vater drummer ones but I was thinking of trying these out https://www.amazon.ca/Etymotic-High-Fidelity-Earplugs-Standard-Polybag/product-reviews/B00RM6Q9XW/ref=dpx_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1 or these ones https://www.amazon.ca/Musicians-Earplugs-JamPlugs-Transparent-Reusable/dp/B01IA3S42Y/ref=pd_sim_121_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VTQ1Y25H0Y6KZG7GQYAK

Musicians ear plugs and foam ear plugs are a world apart. Musicians ear plugs should leave the music pretty crystal clear, it is just like you turned the volume down on your stereo. Foam muffles everything.

Also make sure you take that break for 5 minutes to walk around the concourse a bit. Maybe you can find a song mid-set that you are just so-so on and take at least 5 minutes off.

If anyone asks about your plugs, tell them you survived an explosion and have to protect your ears now ;)

But yeah just doubling on going to see the doctor. He might notice something in your ear that you can't see. And tell him about your plan to get a nice pair of musicians ear plugs and go.

Also don't stand close you a speaker. They can actually rattle your head/jaw bones and irritate your ear. It is called bone conduction. Or it could be so loud beside it, that the earplugs can't reduce the sound enough to protect you.

>Soooo what's the deal? Am I gonna have tinnitus the rest of my life?

"it's about a year later. I'm going back to camp in 19 days. I still have the ringing."

I am no expert but my guess is yes you will have it till they find some sort of cure for it.

>Am I going to experience hearing loss?

Entirely possible, though you should be wearing ear plugs whenever in loud situations. With my personal experience I can still hear just as well but I have to be focusing on it to have that range of hearing. If it is just background noise or something I am not focusing on then I don't hear it quite so well.

>How can I make this tinnitus go away without giving up music entirely?

Short answer is that you can't just make it go away, with such a long period of time and no improvement I have doubts it will get better. There are vitamins you can take that might help mitigate the noise at least a little.

I am no doctor, but these have helped me, so they might help you, but it isn't a cure.

B-12 1000mcg

Magnesium 500mg

*Zinc 50mg

I take them every day and it helps keep it a little quieter. In my experience it will take at least a couple weeks for any change to be noticeable.

these have been quite helpful to me when I was working in a warehouse that got rather loud during the day. But like /u/RSDM12 said, your general choices are wear ear plugs or quit.

I've had tinnitus since I believe my late teens to early 20's. I'm 30 now and you can live with it just fine. Depends... everyone's case is different.

Here are some tips to help you out (hopefully others can help as well):

- Like someone else said you should go to a doctor. Perhaps get referred to an Otolaryngologists (ear, nose & throat doctor).

- If you are going to use headphones then don't use earbuds. Use the ones that go around your ears. Like these for example: https://www.amazon.com/SteelSeries-All-Platform-Headset-PlayStation-Nintendo/dp/B07KWHL2QR/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=headphones+steelseries&qid=1563622359&s=gateway&sr=8-7 There are plenty to choose from with varying prices. Try to not keep the volume too loud so you don't further damage the hearing. Keep it loud enough where the tinnitus won't be an issue.

- To sleep easier at night use a white noise machine, fan, tv and/or radio. The noise can help distract and soothe you. If you use a tv then turn the brightness settings down so the light doesn't hinder your sleep. I find that a fan and radio works well.

- When going to a place with loud sounds (i.e. concerts, movies, etc), wear earplugs. It will muffle the sound, but it will still be loud enough where you can hear and enjoy it just fine. You can get earplugs from any store like Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Walmart.

- When you have a cold there is a chance that it might seem louder. That's normal. In my case, it goes back to normal as I recover.

- What's going to actually drive you crazy is stressing over it. The more you focus on the sound the more anxiety you'll have.

The good thing is normally you will not notice the tinnitus unless it's really quiet. You do get used to it with time.

I have this one and I like it. Popular and gets good rating. The second one is also popular and has a good rating,
https://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Dohm-DS-Natural-Sound-Machine/dp/B00HD0ELFK/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1484716947&sr=8-2&keywords=white%2Bnoise%2Bfan&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/LectroFan-White-Noise-Machine-Sounds/dp/B00JU8P8VY?th=1


All the best!

Of course. In terms of tinnitus treatment, without a comprehensive hearing test and counseling, I would not recommend any of the following methods. In most cases, tinnitus is frequently associated with hearing loss. When you treat your hearing loss, the residual benefit is that the tinnitus is mitigated. So, without knowing whether you have a hearing loss or not, I cannot say with a high level of confidence that the following methods will have optimal results.

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Explore tinnitus relief apps for android and apple products. For example, Starkey Relax app (a lot of fine-tuning capabilities), Resound Relief app (a lot of soundscapes to choose from), etc.

Explore The Original White Noise Machine. Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KUHFGM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000KUHFGM&linkCode=as2&tag=ppliedearing-20&linkId=7258be29e86b953f0f5deab741d7c1a5&th=1 .

Explore http://neuromonics.com/ - This is the most patient-centered approach, starting with a hearing test completed by your audiologist. There are a variety of products that are tailored to your level of tinnitus perception.

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You can also visit and watch Dr. Cliff Olson's videos on tinnitus and treatment options. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ3ZZ6OELFE

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You are not alone with tinnitus. No matter how old you are, start with a comprehensive hearing test by your audiologist and go from there.

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Audiologist in Arizona. :]

Distraction is key - if you guys don't have a sound machine, get one immediately. Best 50 dollars I've ever spent - worth every penny.


(If interested, here is link to the one I have and love and it's on sale!)


Listen to lots of "nice" music, quietly. You can take the initiative here. When I say "nice" I mean quiet-ish, acoustic.

And most importantly --- talk about it. Ask him about it. He's going to have to learn to live with this (or it will go away!)

Good luck!

Easy, buy these attenuating earplugs from Amazon.

You can hear BETTER than without them IMO. I believe that wearing these allows me to understand people in a loud situation much better than without.

You can barely see them in. I take them to restaurants, clubs, or anywhere you want to hear more clearly when the music is loud.

Unlike regular earplugs, they don't try to block all noise, they try to attenuate (lower) the noise while maintaining the quality.

(Funny side story about Chinese restaurants and noise. I am a white guy from California. I started dating my Chinese girlfriend when we were 15 years old. The first month we started dating her family took me to a Cantonese restaurant. I had never been to one before. All of a sudden the waiter comes over and starts SCREAMING at her dad! He's YELLING! So her dad hold up the menu and starts YELLING back! They are yelling back and forth. I ask "What's going on!? Why are they arguing?" and my girlfriend casually says "They aren't arguing. He's just placing the lunch order.")

These earbuds are filtered, but only offer a 20 dB cut.http://www.fullcompass.com/product/463286.html?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=googleps&gclid=CL2rzfOeqsICFZPm7AodkU8AVQ
There are a lot better ones like these, but are a little more expensive. I haven't used them, but have heard great things about them. http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-ETY-Plugs-Protection-Earplugs/dp/B0044DEESS/ref=zg_bs_3779871_5

I'm 22 man and I believe I have it also now, I think it started a little over a year ago. Consistent ring in the back of your head like after going to a concert but now it doesn't go away. So far It's been bothering me for about a month now or 2. What really kills me is that I'm a Musician DJ/EDM producer and this can be a very challenging road for me now. I probably should go to a doctor soon to get it checked to see where i am at. But hey man your not alone.

If you really like to go to concerts these air plugs are really awesome, they reduce the sound to a spot where they don't hurt your ears but you can still hear the lows, mids and highs pretty clearly! try em out http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-ETY-Plugs-Protection-Earplugs/dp/B0044DEESS/ref=zg_bs_3779871_5

Have you looked into these? I only wear them when I’m in loud places, but they are a godsend when I need them. It’s awesome they are on a keychain.

I like this one because you twist the top and the sides to adjust the frequency. It also has a louder vs quieter option. It fills the room really nicely, whereas an app is very concentrated noise. I'm with you on the nature sounds. This one is just straight noise, no options for nature or rain or anything. Idk about dryer noises, but I wonder if there is a way you can record that and play it as an ambient noise. Sometimes I just turn on my window unit air conditioning for the noise. I wonder if there is something that naturally makes a noise that would help you.

I know the one I linked is a lil expensive, but imho worth it. You could always try it out and return it if you don't like it. Best of luck!

I unfortunately have no advice for the drinking. But if you're gonna go to loud environments like concerts and such you can buy high-fidelity earplugs that allow you to hear everything clearly but protect your ears. I have them for concerts and they are amazing.

https://www.amazon.com/Eargasm-Musicians-Motorcycles-Sensitivity-Conditions/dp/B019M576XW/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1550079963&sr=8-3&keywords=high%2Bfidelity%2Bear%2Bplugs&th=1

Completely agree! Hands down the best I’ve ever used. I’ve tried a lot. I’ve used these things at 3 Coachella’s, 5 EDC’s, and many other festivals and concerts.

EarPeace HD Ear Plugs - High Fidelity Hearing Protection for Concerts & Music Professionals (Clear Ear Plugs, Black Case) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076VVP6CX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WpWSBb82HNH74

>stugeron - just looked this up. Do you have Meniere's disease? Get you some Peltor's and put in foam plugs highest NRR rating you can find if your gonna bang on de drum all day :)
>
>I use to be a lead singer and jammed out for as long as i could. I miss it but its not the end all not being able to anymore. My time has just passed. God, family, Fishing, and outdoors take up my time now. When I'm stuck inside i play video games with no head phones of course. You are gonna be just fine. You are young and time is on your side friend.
>
>Here are the muffs i have for myself.
>
>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CPCHBCQ/?coliid=IB01YFT2QEZY9&colid=1GH8325XQXZIO&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
>
>Ps. link that youtube channel bro!

Ear Peace earplugs. They're small, clear, and significantly reduce the decibels of sound without muffling it, and have replaceable filters to adjust the sound dampening. Plus they come with a carrying case you can clip onto a keychain.

I've been using them for a couple years now and am very satisfied.

https://www.amazon.com/EarPeace-Concert-Ear-Plugs-Protection/dp/B076VVP6CX/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ear%2Bpeace&qid=1554614529&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1

I have a pair just like those from a different vendor and they're great but for a less visible alternative try Earasers out. I think they may be a bit less protection but they're good for going to a loud restaurant/movie/social situation where you want your hearing protection less visible:

http://www.amazon.com/Earasers-M1-S-Musicians-Plugs-Small/dp/B00E2D9FHA

Also just saw these and picked them up as they offer a lot more protection than the other two while preserving fidelity and I've been looking for a 30dB non-custom music ear plug:

http://www.amazon.com/LiveMus-HearSafe-Ear-Plugs-Hypoallergenic/dp/B00H2F87I8/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A15HHLUB6HIZHP

I feel your pain it is ruff. You may want to look at what has changed in your life to cause the sound to get louder.

Eating less sodium and working out help a lot. For me making sure I get at least 30 mins a day exercise has always made a noticeable difference.

If your work environment is rather loud I highly recommend these ear plugs. They take sound in so you can still hear everything but it reduces how harsh heavy bass or high pitched sounds are.

With sleep I keep my right ear (the problem one) facing my fan. I focus on the fan sound instead of the ringing.

I hope things get better for you.

Foam ear plugs like this;

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WWMJTG/ref=emc_b_5_i

Are the same as the industrial foam plugs and do a great job of noise reduction.

I don't like the other shaped softer foam plugs with the smooth surface finish, usually colored, as they don't seal in your ear as well.

That's true, but honestly, wearing something like this ought to be enough and really shouldn't decrease your enjoyment of an event.

i use the 3M earplugs occasionally at home either when something loud is going on outside or to bed, pretty sure my tinnitus has lessened since using them


i also use these earmuffs

I use these and they work quite well. You can still hear all of the music but its just not as loud. You can understand people easier too when trying to talk during music.

Amazon Link

I have these and they work great.

I have a set of custom ones with -15 and -25 db filters that I use depending on the situation. If you can afford them (~$150-200) I really recommend getting a set made.

For non-custom earplugs I am a big fan of these: https://www.amazon.com/EarPeace-Ear-Plugs-Protection-Professionals/dp/B076VVP6CX/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1525410256&sr=8-3&keywords=earpeace

This. Etymotic makes good, unobtrusive plugs that attenuate sound with even frequency response. Highly recommended.

Etymotic makes some really good earplugs, I've been using them for years. They attenuate the sound, not block it out. They're great for concerts, but I also wear them to clubs and riding my motorcycle. I always keep them with me just in case.

http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-ETY-Plugs-Protection-Earplugs/dp/B0044DEESS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412625171&sr=8-1&keywords=etymotic

I think i found the ones you're talking about for $13. Not sure what the difference between that and the $20 one you linked was. But besides the difference in ear tips and the different design I'm pretty sure that both of ours do similar reduction in dB. Both around 20dB reduction. Yours do seem to be more hidden though, because the exposed part is a lot smaller.

I use this system that has two speakers under your pillow and like it well enough. $26.99
Pyle PPSP18 Bluetooth Pillow Speaker
I prefer not to have things in my ear when I sleep. It comes with several different short nature sound clips. I am currently trying to find a more permanent sound I can habituate too.

I would highly recommend custom plugs. Until then look at these:

https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-ER20XS-SMF-P-High-Fidelity-Earplugs/dp/B00RM6Q9XW/ref=zg_bs_3779871_19?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZK8JAYQ8HP449JAB6FFX

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H2F87I8?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I5DUD8W?th=1

Mack's are my favorite. 32db reduction. Try and reduce your concert attendance though.

https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Ear-Care-Ultra-Earplugs/dp/B0051U7W32/ref=lp_3779871_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1485578711&sr=1-4&th=1

Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs for Concerts Musicians Motorcycles Noise Sensitivity Conditions and More (Ear Plugs Come in Premium Gift Box Packaging) - Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019M576XW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XAI9AbFD8PVP8

For me, they wouldn't feel secure and would fall out on occasion. I have tried the largest size of a bunch of popular brands (etymotic, eargasm, etc.) My customs are so secure than I can twist them out a quarter turn if I want to hear something quiet, and they won't fall out.

For just blocking the most noise possible, I'd get some foam plugs like these. https://www.amazon.com/3M-1100-Foam-Plugs-200-Pair/dp/B008MVYL7C/ edit:go with the hearos someone else posted

Foam earplugs.

https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Ultra-Soft-Foam-Earplugs/dp/B0051U7W32

like these

No prob! My favorite are these two:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019M576XW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/ZWolf-Comfortable-Reusable-Cancelling-Sleeping/dp/B07DCF9L36/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1541173932&sr=8-4&keywords=zwolf+ear+plugs

Does Amazon ship there? These are the ones I use: link

I have custom ear plugs, as well as these: https://www.amazon.com/Eargasm-Musicians-Motorcycles-Sensitivity-Conditions/dp/B019M576XW/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1522759286&sr=8-1&keywords=eargasm+ear+plugs

The name is very dumb, but they come with a key chain holder, so I always have them for those surprise live music at a restaurant or bar that I did not know about or other spontaneously loud events.

I've worn Eargasm plugs to several weddings (with live bands, indoors, may as well have been a concert) and each time the event has had no impact on my tinnitus. 10/10 I recommend.

https://www.amazon.com/Eargasm-Musicians-Motorcycles-Sensitivity-Conditions/dp/B019M576XW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1N6pis-O5gIVRCCtBh3MgwbyEAAYAiAAEgJDNvD_BwE&hvadid=318447792189&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9031044&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=15055772257892368760&hvtargid=kwd-589893867737&hydadcr=26656_10229822&keywords=eargasm+high-fidelity+earplugs&qid=1575002918&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTFNNSVdOUzk0QUxQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzU4MzMwMVdMMU1JNzlHVkg5WSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzc0MjU3MUExVjkwS1U0T0w2WSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I use this machine to go to bed. I stopped using the fan because my nose always stuffed up and my eyes ended up really dry in the morning.

Look into a white noise generator of some kind. They work wonders on masking out the sound especially at night when trying to sleep which is when I find it is the worst. Something like this which uses actual moving air to make the noise is often better than something electronic in my opinion.

Here: https://www.amazon.ca/Etymotic-High-Fidelity-Earplugs-Standard-Polybag/dp/B00RM6Q9XW/


Also this one: https://www.amazon.ca/Etymotic-High-Def-Motorsport-Earplugs-Universal/dp/B010C8HZSY

I use this. $40 but small and portable -

https://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Dohm-DS-All-Natural-White-Machine/dp/B000KUHFGM

how about these? 29 db. How much noise reduction are we talking about? Would these do in front of speakers? I read somewhere that 6 db = 50% reduction in sound. These are 29 db.

https://www.amazon.ca/LiveMus-HearSafe-Ear-Plugs-Comfortable/dp/B00H2F87I8?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top

Mine gets worse from alcohol too. Just as well because I'll usually end up at a loud bar so it's doubly worse. I avoid the first to avoid the second.

See an ENT or Audiologist just to nail down what type of T it is for sure.

Plus there's stuff like music therapy that can make it bearable when you have flare ups.

And you're super young so you have a looong time for it to get worse. Get some good ear plugs like these guys and put them on your keychain.

Wear them anytime you feel uncomfortable or download a Decibel meter app on your phone and go off that.

I have two forms of tinnitus from Meniere’s Disease (MD), a moderate high pitched constant T and a lower pitched roaring T that is reactive to sound. I’ve had this going on two years now. My hearing test results have come back perfect each time. I have no trouble with my hearing, but sometimes the T is distracting during conversation.

At onset, I had anxiety too. I worried that my MD condition would worsen and T would become unbearable. And over the past couple years it did worsen in stages, each time I’d have to adjust to it. Each time it worsened, my brain just sort of adjusted to it after some time passed. I think it helps to mask it with some ambient sound at night while I’m going to sleep. My MD condition has stabilized the past several months now and so has the T, so I’m grateful for that.

My point is, I think you just need to give it some time to adjust to it. It may go away on its own, or not. Just protect your ears from now on. Keep some good ear plugs on your keychain so you’ll always have them, like these, for example.