I have had it for years I don't think I remember what silence sounds like. To be honest I have found nothing that helps, I do find that having other white noise helps lessen the loudness. I have to keep a fan on to sleep to help drown out the ringing. I get used to it sometime. I have bought drops that swear to help but nothing does. Sometimes it is so loud I can't hear the tv or talking. It is a dreadful condition. I urge you to be patient with him because as much as it might irritate just know that for the person with it, it is forever and always there, and always driving us crazy.
My sister considered the surgery but it is often not helpful and there's a possibility of deafness.
He can try using a good pair of headphones and light music or white noise, about the only thing I found that helps drown it.

Mine is also horrible...I had terrible hearing loss to begin with and now the ringing makes it even worse...I have a horrible time hearing.

I agree with RavenCajun, try to be compassionate...as hard as it is for you..it is equally or more so for those of us that have that ringing in our ears..I've reached a point where it is easier just to pretend to hear someone and make a sound like I have heard thank to say what yet again or ask some one to repeat what they said...people get tired of doing it I know but not nearly as tired as I get at having to do it....

I bought Lipo-Flavonoids on the advice of a friend, but haven't ever tried them. When I asked my internist about them, he only said that *nothing* has been proven to help tinitus. The bottle merely says it is clinically proven to increase circulation in the inner ear...meh.

The noise in my ears resembles the sound of toads and frogs singing at night in the heat of summer. But, unlike them, it never stops.

I too have it. At times it's so loud I can hear it over the noise in a busy restaurant. A good friend of mine is an audiologist and has tested me several times when I complained of it or of additional/sudden hearing loss that I've experienced the last couple years.

I participated in clinical trials last year for a device (can't remember what it was called) that is supposed to train the brain to ignore the tinnitus (in my case, it sounds like high tension wires or cicadas) but after several weeks of wearing the device, I was no better off.

I've read that cutting down on salt intake helps.Haven't noticed any difference when I cut back.

Some say stress plays a part in it. I have noticed since quitting my job last year, the tinnitus has been less but as I type this I am fully aware of the fact that I have what sounds like locust in my head. :-)

And apparently, it happens more often than not as we age. Though I worked with a guy in his late 20s who said he's had it for years.

I've just learned to live with it. Not that anyone wants or needs another malady to deal with as they age, there are far worse things to put up when it comes to growing old.

One thing that I did find a bit surprising last year when one afternoon in the middle of my workday I very suddenly lost about 80% of the hearing in my right ear. Again my friend had me in for testing. I thought it might be caused by the stenosis (pressure on the spinal cord in my neck) but my spine dr. said no, and ordered me to see a Neurologist who ordered an MRI. The MRI showed a normal brain (much to my surprise LOL). The final diagnosis by both the Neurologist and Audiologist after taking into account the tinnitus and type of hearing loss, was Meniere's disease, better know for causing vertigo/dizziness. It does not cause this in me but after having two doctor's diagnose me independent of each other, I will accept their diagnosis and move on. I think with Meniere's, the dizziness can often be treated but you will still be left with hearing loss and tinnitus so I would not be any further ahead if I choose treatment. So frustrating, but like I said, in the big picture, there are far worse things to have to deal with.

Jodi-

I, too, am a victim of this annoying problem and have been for most of my adult life. I've discovered that the use of such simple medications as aspirin, Tylenol, Benadryl and other OTC pain meds will increase the volume of the ringing so I use them as sparingly as possible. However, during allergy season, I just have to grin and bear it. Beyond this contribution...I agree with all the info that Jodi has provided. I'm sad to say that testing on my end has had identical results.

Anne

I have it too. I live in the country and usually hear sounds like crickets or cicadas or something and for years, I thought that I was hearing crickets. Once I found out I wasn't, it has nearly driven me crazy. Mine also sounds like cicadas...just not as loud. I was told that my anti inflammatory caused it. I don't know. I wish I had known because I stopped taking it anyway, and it sure wasn't worth this constant noise. To compensate, I keep a radio going all the time, and also a fan. That helps. My hearing is still pretty good, but I don't like talking on the phone because I have a hard time understanding what people say.

Would this ringing be considered tinnitus? I heard a product marketed on the radio a couple years back called Quietus which was supposed to get rid of the ringing in the ears. Figured I'd throw it into the conversation hoping it helps someone.

I too have it since having chemo two years ago. I call it crickets in my ears. I saw the ear doctor and he says that I have a 30% hearing loss in my right ear. I see him again in August. He says that they won't go away and there is nothing on the market that he has heard about that will stop it. You just learn to live with it. White noise does help some.

Thank you all for your help/answers. I know this is much harder on him than it is to me.

Thanks again,
Ellen

You can try some of the natural remedies listed by patients that have that problem at Earth Clinic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Earthclinic cures for Tinnitus

I have it too. Mine sounds like tape hiss. I could be wrong, but I blame it on an Elton John concert from years ago. We sat right under one of the massive speakers, and the sound was painful. I felt sorry for a little boy sitting in front of us.

I'll be surprised if anything really helps, but I'll check out that link, Lydia, thanks.

DH has had tinnitus for years - and it bugs the hell out of him. He consulted with our family doctor about lipoflavinoid.

The doctor was helpful in reassuring him that the lipoflavinoid would not interfere with any of his other medications. The doctor also said it does help some people, but not all.

So DH gave it a try. Does it help him? Yes, a bit, but it's no cure. It's also expensive, especially at the beginning. 2 pills 3 times a day, and eventually a maintenance dose of 3 pills a day. The 120 pills/bottle is about $25, so at 6 pills/day it really adds up.

yes tinnitus is the name of it, I too have Meniere's disease, so do both sisters and my father had it also, my mom developed tinnitus in her 40's,she used to grab her head and just pray for the noises to stop. I know exactly what she was going through. I have the dizziness at times, my sisters get it very bad. I get relief from the Epley maneuver for the dizziness usually.
My hearing loss is significant, it continues to deteriorate which is normal. My mom now has major hearing loss.

I've had three spells of dizziness over the last two years, each lasting a week or two. I know it's my ears because I'm not bothered unless I move my head.

There's a TV commercial for some pill or nostrum that 'keeps you balanced'. It shows a woman walking down a grocery store aisle at an acute angle. That's what I feel like -- listing to my left, bashing into the walls and doorframes!

He should talk with the doctor: His regular doctor and the oncologist

Check with a doctor. I don't mess around with "homemade" or OTC cures.

One of the tips at that link was several drops of breast milk in each ear. I'm just passing this along in case any of you are lactating. ;-)

Please don't waste your money and make these quacks rich. None of the over the counter medications sold will cure tinnitus (ringing in the ears). I lived with someone who suffered from it.

There are internet forums where experts and tinnitus sufferers discuss this:

Here is a link that might be useful: Tinnitus support forum

I have it too. I use to have a clicking in my left ear, and In desperation I got into the habit of using my thumb to push in behind the left earlobe, until I found a spot that would stop the clicking. That was painful at times. Now I have some hearing loss, and the clicking hardly ever happens any more. (I don't know if the pushing caused the loss or not.) If it does I do the thumb push and the clicking stops, but the hearing loss continues. I do hate having to ask people to repeat so I can hear them, and yes, on the phone is the worst. I have seen one audiologist years ago. She said I only don't hear the low tones. Hearing aides are terribly expensive, and a lot of people say they don't use them after they get them.

I have the dizziness once in a while, and have been given the exercises, but I don't do them. I keep Meclizine (Rx) on hand and that takes care of it.

Do you find that most people now, especially young people, talk too fast? That includes the TV folks especially. I have to tell my grandkids to slow done all the time.

Sue

I find that the young talk in a version of short hand these days...similar to their texting vocabulary. Not only that, but they slur their words together which is an auditory disaster to us...whether we have hearing problems or not. The fine art of enunciation seems to have gone the way of many 20th century talents. And...yes...I agree., Sue. It's extremely prevalent on TV. That, plus background music that competes with the dialogue, have greatly reduced my enjoyment of many TV shows over the last several years.

I have accumulated a long list of audio annoyances that I spout from the top of my soap box these days...including...but not limited to...this new usage of the word over.
Every time I hear a TV weather person use the expression "overspread"...I want to jump through the screen and shake him/her. But that's another story. :-)

Anne

Alisande, interesting that you blame yours on Elton John. I blame mine on The Sun Ra Arkestra. I went to a performance and they started with an unbelievable and unexpected, deafening blast of music. I bet everyone in the audience that night still has ringing in the ears. It actually hurt.

Mine is a very high pitched constant ring. If I don't think about it I don't notice it. I know that taking aspirin can cause it. I think mine gets worse when I take aspirin.

So sorry for your husband, Ellen. Sometimes it is hard to put up with another person's hearing loss. I sometimes get tired of having to repeat things and yell things at my mom, who refuses to get hearing aids. She has the tv so loud, you can[t have a normal conversation in the room. I never act cranky with her about it. I know she can;t help it. Sometimes it is convenient for saying things we don't want her to hear! I also know that will probably be me someday, so I hope people will be patient with me.