It’s always there for me but I usually forget about it and only notice it when something draws my attention to it.
According to an app I’ve used on my phone (Mimi Hearing Test), I have about 14db HL in each ear.
Somewhat related, but I just cannot follow conversations in a noisy environment, like a pub. All the background noise and chatter just washes out the voices of people I’m around.
Anyway, I now bring earplugs every time I go to a show.
The invulnerability of youth.
I used to do sound / PA stuff for live bands for some local events for older teens. One time we realised the kick drum was moving towards the edge of the platform it was on, with every kick. Dumbass that I was, a ran on stage with my trusty roll of duck tape, but without ear protection, and proceeded to duck tape the kick drum legs to the stage to provide extra resistance to movement. While the band was playing. I'd had a little bit of tinnitus before then, but that particular incident made it much worse, unsurprisingly enough.
As for the loud show thing I was already wearing ear plugs back in 1980, never got into the blasting the speakers/headphones, and now I have both significant high frequency hearing attenuation and a 25 year old case of nicely balanced tinnitus. Oh well.
As a small silver lining, my tinnitus now serves as an audible “alarm system”: too much stress in my life? Drank too much coffee? Overdoing it at the gym? All of these will raise the ringing volume and signal me to make changes.
I think this is a good approach to many mental & physical ailments, however it is easier said than done.
The very first time I noticed it at all was during a bout of the flu.
> So e.g right now because I saw this HN post, it's feeling especially loud.
Exactly..
Honestly I didn't think I actually had tinnitus because I don't notice it for weeks or maybe even months at a time, at least not for more than a short moment, although I've have it as long as I can remember. It's not all that loud, but after concentrating on it for a while it's been there constantly and consciously for a good 10min already and it's not going away!
This is essentially what I do. I've had it tinnitus for some 20 years now. Both ears, a constant high pitched ringing.
Most of the time I honestly don't notice it, even in quiet rooms. As soon as something reminds me about it, or I'm trying to listen for something quiet, or certain high pitch sounds go off (my least favourite is flashbang like effects on TV or in games), it'll come back with a vengeance. So e.g right now because I saw this HN post, it's feeling especially loud.
It'll probably be about an hour before I'll forget to think about it (for want of a better description), and I go back to not noticing it.