[swaffleman]

I have a mild case of it. Sometimes it's worse...I don't know why. But sometimes it's almost unnoticeable. I am a violinist and play in several orchestras, so I am sure a lot of the damage is from playing loud music. 

 

[Schizoid1]

I think I had tinnitus for a few years before I clicked that I had it. Moved to a very quiet area where it's dead silent at night... All of a sudden I noticed the high pitched hum in my head.. Too many gigs without ear protection - and playing my headphones wayyy too loud when I was a younger man.. Sigh... Thank heavens for white noise apps.

 

[fiascogarcia]

  I think I had tinnitus for a few years before I clicked that I had it. Moved to a very quiet area where it's dead silent at night... All of a sudden I noticed the high pitched hum in my head.. Too many gigs without ear protection - and playing my headphones wayyy too loud when I was a younger man.. Sigh... Thank heavens for white noise apps.

Same as mine, I only really notice it in a fairly silent environment.  There's enough white noise in day to day life to mask it for the most part, and I can still enjoy music even at relatively low volume levels.  I'll have to check out white noise apps!

 

[pigmode]

  I think I had tinnitus for a few years before I clicked that I had it. Moved to a very quiet area where it's dead silent at night... All of a sudden I noticed the high pitched hum in my head.. Too many gigs without ear protection - and playing my headphones wayyy too loud when I was a younger man.. Sigh... Thank heavens for white noise apps.

 
Mine started like that 25 years ago.

 

[tlu55]

I worked as a carpenter for 30+ yr, over 20 of those years without hearing protection. Up to a few years ago Ive had "common" levels of tinnitus for the longest time. At that point the tinnitus turned to *raging* levels, its almost unbelievable. It never goes away. Seriously. Sometimes I wonder I don't go mad.
 

 
My tinnitus (moderately "bad") evolved over a two year span back in '97'.  When the tinnitus "dam burst" open I experienced an inflamation of my nasal and auditory tracts.  The docs never found a cause.  It went from an occasional whishing to a full on whispy ringing.  I didn't handle it very well.  It took 3 years for me to calm down about it.   Recently I've been taking Lipo-Flavonoid Plus for it.   The Lipo-Flavonoid has provided me with noticeable lessening of the raspy ringing to a swishing.  After  17 years of tinnitus I find the swishing oddly pleasing.  The tinnitus however has varying degrees of effect/loudness in my case.  For instance it is now distracting to me if I focus on it.  I just keep on, trucking on.

 

[eldus]

This page and finger/exercise video may help some of you.
 
http://www.naturalnews.com/039625_home_remedies_holistic_treatments_tinnitus.html
 
http://health.learninginfo.org/images/tinnitus.mpg            .....make sure that your hands are over your ears during this "exercise"

 

[Beats-hiss]

It's not really common knowledge (yet), but if you want to protect your ears from further damage it's wise to take Magnesium and NAC supplements now and then (don't overdo it of course).
 
The US army has been providing this for years to their armed forces, both before and after loud noise exposure (think gunfire, explosions, blasts etcetera).
 
This + wearing the earplugs during concerts and gigs and you will at least not worsen your hearing system (or make it more sensitive, which essentially is what tinnitus is: the ears picking up inner noise from the hearing system and auditory nerve).

 

[ivan0kurnia]

I have a mild tinnitus. A very small amount, for now.. I hope it's getting better, I notice my tinnitus getting quieter since I went to the chiropractor. well, I tell you that NECK INJURY CAN CAUSE TINNITUS. Those nerves that responsible for audio signal are located in you neck.
 
by the way, any recommendation for good a earplug? budget around $20

 

[Beats-hiss]

I can affect my sound by massaging my neck and jaw, so definitely a somatic component to it.

The Alpine SleepSoft earplugs have a 25 DB attenuation and are therefor preferable over their Party Plug line of ear plugs (which only protect you with an SNR of 19).

Both are in your price range though.

I have a mild tinnitus. A very small amount, for now.. I hope it's getting better, I notice my tinnitus getting quieter since I went to the chiropractor. well, I tell you that NECK INJURY CAN CAUSE TINNITUS. Those nerves that responsible for audio signal are located in you neck.

by the way, any recommendation for good a earplug? budget around $20

 

[Blze001]

I have some minor tinnitus. I'm pretty sure those years spent on the flight line in the Air Force are the cause... P&W F119s aren't known for being kind to ears.

 

[Asteradragon]

I have mild to very mild tinnitus - Occasionally I'll get a very unsettling high pitched whine, even when I'm sitting in a moderately loud environment, and there's a low-volume hum that's pretty much constant, though I've adapted to it and filter it out most of the time...

 

[Topspin70]

I'm blown away to find out so many people here on head fi experience tinnitus. So many long time head fiers too. I started noticing mine a couple of weeks ago and it's bugging the hell outta me. I'm at the peak of my audio experience and am really enjoying my gear. I'm even planning to upgrade my stuff. But now I keep listening out for that ringing sound when I'm listening to music. It's frustrating. I can't tell if it has always been there and I just didn't noticed it before, or it has gotten worse and more audible. Anyone experienced tinnitus that worsens over time? Mine is bearable but will it get to a point when I have to give up this hobby?

 

[vapman]

  I have a mild tinnitus. A very small amount, for now.. I hope it's getting better, I notice my tinnitus getting quieter since I went to the chiropractor. well, I tell you that NECK INJURY CAN CAUSE TINNITUS. Those nerves that responsible for audio signal are located in you neck.
 
by the way, any recommendation for good a earplug? budget around $20

the etymotics are best.... really honestly just lower the volume of evrything, no lost or muffled frequencies, it's wonderful
 
i got tinnitus when i was 6 years old, dont even notice it sometimes now, usually have some sort of sound like a fan going or else it kicks in

 

[fiascogarcia]

I'm blown away to find out so many people here on head fi experience tinnitus. So many long time head fiers too. I started noticing mine a couple of weeks ago and it's bugging the hell outta me. I'm at the peak of my audio experience and am really enjoying my gear. I'm even planning to upgrade my stuff. But now I keep listening out for that ringing sound when I'm listening to music. It's frustrating. I can't tell if it has always been there and I just didn't noticed it before, or it has gotten worse and more audible. Anyone experienced tinnitus that worsens over time? Mine is bearable but will it get to a point when I have to give up this hobby?

I may be mistaken, but to my knowledge it won't get worse unless you further expose your ears to continued high decibel noise.  If yours seems to have just started, and I know it depends on the level you are experiencing now, it does get psychologically better. I think I started hearing the buzzing as a small child and used to cry to my mother that I couldn't sleep because of the noise.  I have simply gotten so accustomed to mine that I only notice it in a dead quiet environment or if I consciously focus on it (like I'm doing as I write this!).  This is my experience, though mine is probably a lower level case (don't know since I don't have a point of reference).  Just try not to increasingly turn up your audio equipment in an attempt to drown it out.  Focus on the music and you'll stop focusing on the buzz. IMO

 

[Topspin70]

I'm blown away to find out so many people here on head fi experience tinnitus. So many long time head fiers too. I started noticing mine a couple of weeks ago and it's bugging the hell outta me. I'm at the peak of my audio experience and am really enjoying my gear. I'm even planning to upgrade my stuff. But now I keep listening out for that ringing sound when I'm listening to music. It's frustrating. I can't tell if it has always been there and I just didn't noticed it before, or it has gotten worse and more audible. Anyone experienced tinnitus that worsens over time? Mine is bearable but will it get to a point when I have to give up this hobby?

I may be mistaken, but to my knowledge it won't get worse unless you further expose your ears to continued high decibel noise.  If yours seems to have just started, and I know it depends on the level you are experiencing now, it does get psychologically better. I think I started hearing the buzzing as a small child and used to cry to my mother that I couldn't sleep because of the noise.  I have simply gotten so accustomed to mine that I only notice it in a dead quiet environment or if I consciously focus on it (like I'm doing as I write this!).  This is my experience, though mine is probably a lower level case (don't know since I don't have a point of reference).  Just try not to increasingly turn up your audio equipment in an attempt to drown it out.  Focus on the music and you'll stop focusing on the buzz. IMO

You're right. I need to focus on something else. I do notice it's hardly there when I'm listening to music that gives a 'wall of sound' but it's those silent spaces between acoustic pieces and jazz where it gets apparent. Maybe I have to switch music genres.

Well at least I won't be spending any money on power conditioning gear to lower noise floors buzz and what not. Doubt I can tell the difference with this condition.