4 ms·

I've never heard anyone else say this but : I have had significant tinnitus for my entire life. As early as I can remember, I always had ringing in my ears. I t

I've never heard anyone else say this but : I have had significant tinnitus for my entire life. As early as I can remember, I always had ringing in my ears. I think I was born with it. Anyone else? I've only ever heard of people acquiring it over the course of their lives, but I know I was born with it. It doesn't really bother me, since its been normal for me since before I was even forming memories.

cableshaft 3y ago
I think it's probably more common than people think, it's just quiet enough for a long time that most people don't notice it unless they're trying hard enough to notice it. I suspect that's what happened to me at least. I think I actually did have it earlier in retrospect, it was just so quiet it was easy to ignore. For the past four years though? Not so much. I can train my brain to ignore it still, but I need to be pretty focused on other things and/or cover it up a bit with ocean noises or be in a room with ambient noises or something. In a quiet room and I'm not really focused on something else, though, it's quite obvious and can get kind of loud at times.
chrislund 3y ago
Same. Bums me out as I've always protected my hearing, too. I can't say I was born with it, but I certainly remember having it as early as maybe elementary school. I sometimes wonder—admittedly as a medical layperson—if an ototoxic medicine is to blame.
brandonmenc 3y ago
Yep. Since I was a child, as long as I can remember. I just thought everyone heard that high pitch TV tube sound all the time. When cartoons would show "ringing in the ears" with a bell, I thought that's what they meant - that you heard an actual bell sound. I never knew that I was hearing "ringing" all the time. I used to play in bands and listen to live music a lot, so I got my hearing tested a few years ago. I have no damage at all. Surprisingly, I have better hearing for my age in some frequencies. The theory I subscribe to is that it's structural - like, a blood vessel that's just really close to I dunno, something in my ear that is constantly stimulating some sound sensing nerve or whatever. It's been constant, kind of annoying, but not worsening. I'd go nuts if put into a silent room. Fortunately, the world is not completely silent. But I prefer to sleep with white noise or a fan. Sometimes it just fades into the background, but if I think about it (like I am right now) it's really noticeable. I don't consider it a problem, but it would be nice to get rid of it.

cableshaft 3y ago

I think it's probably more common than people think, it's just quiet enough for a long time that most people don't notice it unless they're trying hard enough to notice it. I suspect that's what happened to me at least. I think I actually did have it earlier in retrospect, it was just so quiet it was easy to ignore. For the past four years though? Not so much. I can train my brain to ignore it still, but I need to be pretty focused on other things and/or cover it up a bit with ocean noises or be in a room with ambient noises or something. In a quiet room and I'm not really focused on something else, though, it's quite obvious and can get kind of loud at times.

chrislund 3y ago

Same. Bums me out as I've always protected my hearing, too. I can't say I was born with it, but I certainly remember having it as early as maybe elementary school. I sometimes wonder—admittedly as a medical layperson—if an ototoxic medicine is to blame.

brandonmenc 3y ago

Yep. Since I was a child, as long as I can remember. I just thought everyone heard that high pitch TV tube sound all the time. When cartoons would show "ringing in the ears" with a bell, I thought that's what they meant - that you heard an actual bell sound. I never knew that I was hearing "ringing" all the time. I used to play in bands and listen to live music a lot, so I got my hearing tested a few years ago. I have no damage at all. Surprisingly, I have better hearing for my age in some frequencies. The theory I subscribe to is that it's structural - like, a blood vessel that's just really close to I dunno, something in my ear that is constantly stimulating some sound sensing nerve or whatever. It's been constant, kind of annoying, but not worsening. I'd go nuts if put into a silent room. Fortunately, the world is not completely silent. But I prefer to sleep with white noise or a fan. Sometimes it just fades into the background, but if I think about it (like I am right now) it's really noticeable. I don't consider it a problem, but it would be nice to get rid of it.