is tinnitus just a symptom of growing old ?

[steeljack]

ok, I'm approaching the big 60 later this summer, and I'm begining to wonder if the sporadic 'whistling' noise I sometimes get in my left ear is Tinnitus or just a sympton of getting older or could it be a reaction to blood pressure/cholesterol meds I take . Any other "coffin dodgers" have this problem ?.
Should mention I have spent all of my working life in Boiler/steel fabrication shops where the noise levels are pretty high, the scary thing about it is the TV level ....when I turn the TV on in a morning it blasts out , set from the previous nights level when the set was turned off .
Any other walking wrecks have this problem ? or anyone have a solution ?
MargaretR .........a special herbal remedy ?

thanks ....

[K.S.H]

You know I was only reading about this is some scientific mag the other day when I was waiting for my car being serviced, said something like 25% of people diagnosed with tinnitus haven't actually got it, there actually hearing noises that they couldn't hear before, bit like the new sound devices they use now to deter teenagers, only a certain age group can hear it, this works the same, your earing deters to a certain level and you pick up on a new sound level, It went on to say what tests they did etc and had sound tests done in the homes and surrounding area and in many cases it turned out to be fans or air conditioning units in factories some of which were nearly 5 mile away.

[MargaretR]

Presbycusis

There is no herbal remedy for the ageing process (or I would patent it )

I got a digital hearing aid free on NHS a few months ago.

Ask doc for a hearing test

[harwood red]

for me it's not a sign of growing old, I've had it for as long as I can remember and was diagnosed with it as a teenager...although I am lucky in one respect that mine is intermittant... hospital said it was due to a tonal deficiency I have with my hearing.

[Mick]

I thought that was called selective deafness...........................mines a pint .....I SAID MINES A PINT...............oh i will get my own again

[Eric]

Originally Posted by steeljack

ok, I'm approaching the big 60 later this summer, and I'm begining to wonder if the sporadic 'whistling' noise I sometimes get in my left ear is Tinnitus or just a sympton of getting older or could it be a reaction to blood pressure/cholesterol meds I take . Any other "coffin dodgers" have this problem ?.
Should mention I have spent all of my working life in Boiler/steel fabrication shops where the noise levels are pretty high, the scary thing about it is the TV level ....when I turn the TV on in a morning it blasts out , set from the previous nights level when the set was turned off .
Any other walking wrecks have this problem ? or anyone have a solution ?
MargaretR .........a special herbal remedy ?

thanks ....

"Walking wreck" ... I like that. I have had that noise in my ears for the last 20 years. ... so I dont think it is an "old" thing ... or to use modern jargon: "issue". I read that William Shatner has it real bad .... just punishment for his overacting style.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by steeljack

ok, I'm approaching the big 60 later this summer, and I'm begining to wonder if the sporadic 'whistling' noise I sometimes get in my left ear is Tinnitus or just a sympton of getting older or could it be a reaction to blood pressure/cholesterol meds I take . Any other "coffin dodgers" have this problem ?.
Should mention I have spent all of my working life in Boiler/steel fabrication shops where the noise levels are pretty high, the scary thing about it is the TV level ....when I turn the TV on in a morning it blasts out , set from the previous nights level when the set was turned off .
Any other walking wrecks have this problem ? or anyone have a solution ?
MargaretR .........a special herbal remedy ?

thanks ....

Having already galloped past sixty and seventy I can identify with your ‘problem’ even to the extent that I too imbibe a selection of blood pressure/cholesterol pills and worked for much of my life in an above average noisy arena. Identifying with you even closer I suffer from tinnitus in my left ear as well. But late in the day I get tinnitus in my right ear too but that is in a slightly lower pitch.

Plus that during the evening I also have to turn the TV sound up past what would be considered as normal to hear what is being spoken. Strangely when I listen to the radio I can have the sound turned right down and still hear the music quite well. But with the radio I have greater control over the quality of the sound in that I can reduce the bass content thus allowing higher frequencies greater prominence.

Until recently I had an old portable TV which when I watched and listened to it I didn’t need to turn the volume up.

In a quiet room I can actually hear a pin strike the carpet after it has been dropped. Yet if the radio or TV is on at a normal level or I am amongst ambient noise like traffic noise, I have great difficulty in hearing someone speak to me.

I’ve learned to live with it after waiting for more than ten years for my tinnitus to be ‘investigated’ by the audiology department at my hospital.

[Margaret Pilkington]

go and get you ears looked at it might be something very simple like a build up of wax.
It is no use consulting the doctors on here...we can't do house calls.

[shillelagh]

[quote=steeljack;553416]if the sporadic 'whistling' noise I sometimes get in my left ear is Tinnitus or just a sympton of getting older or could it be a reaction to blood pressure/cholesterol meds I take . Any other "coffin dodgers" have this problem ?.
/quote]

Change the battery in your hearing aid steeljack

[panther]

I have some ringing in my ears, but thankfully can only hear it when its really quiet and it does not disturb my sleep.

Its not for the elderly either you can get it any age......im only 35


some more info here if ya want to take a look
What is tinnitus | British Tinnitus Association

[Retlaw]

Hi Steeljack.
I'm an old cofin dodger closing in on the eighty mark. Had the tinnitus for a good number of years, mine was caused by continual gunfire, ear defenders were practically unknown. I've had hearing tests and it turns out that my lug holes don't respond to certain frequencys, got a hearing aid near twenty years ago but hardly use it, the sounds are too tinney.
I now accept the noises, only when some one mentions it that I become aware of it. Best thing is that a lot of the unescessary noise generated these days that other people have to put up with is unheard thats why I don't use the hearing aid so often, and when I watch the tele I use earphones.

Retlaw

Originally Posted by steeljack

ok, I'm approaching the big 60 later this summer, and I'm begining to wonder if the sporadic 'whistling' noise I sometimes get in my left ear is Tinnitus or just a sympton of getting older or could it be a reaction to blood pressure/cholesterol meds I take . Any other "coffin dodgers" have this problem ?.
Should mention I have spent all of my working life in Boiler/steel fabrication shops where the noise levels are pretty high, the scary thing about it is the TV level ....when I turn the TV on in a morning it blasts out , set from the previous nights level when the set was turned off .
Any other walking wrecks have this problem ? or anyone have a solution ?
MargaretR .........a special herbal remedy ?

thanks ....

[emamum]

mines called tyler............
constant noise!

[garinda]

Cashy gets Tinnitus, but is away on holiday, but might have some useful tips for you when he gets back.

After the hilarious pm you sent me last night, I doubt you'll ever be old.

[polly]

Originally Posted by harwood red

for me it's not a sign of growing old, I've had it for as long as I can remember and was diagnosed with it as a teenager...although I am lucky in one respect that mine is intermittent... hospital said it was due to a tonal deficiency I have with my hearing.

I too have had tinitus since I was a child. I don't remember a time without it. I thought it was normal and everyone had ringing in their ears at sometime, then my husband was diagnosed with the condition and I realised I had it as well !!!!!
For me a hearing aid does not help at all it merely makes the ringing/whistling louder.

[polly]

Forgot to say, both my h/b and myself have been told that listening to classical music can help, particularly at night.