Tinnitus and reading books

guguy · 09-20-2007, 02:16 AM

Hello

I wonder if some people here are suffering from tinnitus, and if it
the case does it perturb you for reading books ?

Personally I've got tinnitus for three years and even if most of the time
it doesn't interfere with my reading, sometimes they become very
strong and I can't even read a magazine...

HarryT · 09-20-2007, 03:31 AM

I suffer from tinnitus too. It can be distracting, yes, but it certainly doesn't stop me from reading.

guguy · 09-20-2007, 03:37 AM

That's great harry

How long have you been suffering from tinnitus ?

HarryT · 09-20-2007, 03:50 AM

About 5 years. I get a high-pitched "whine" in my ears; like the sound from electrical equipment. It comes and goes.

guguy · 09-20-2007, 04:47 AM

Ok, did it come without reason or because you exposed yourself to
high volume sound?

Personnaly it happend just like that and my hearing is perfect...

HarryT · 09-20-2007, 05:41 AM

Mine just started for no reason at all. Just one of those things.

NatCh · 09-20-2007, 10:23 AM

I've had tinnitus as long as I can remember -- my mother has too so I probably 'inherited' it from her.

Most of the time it doesn't bother me, and it's never prevented me from reading.

I have had some success in making it back off, when it gets particularly bad, by concentrating on it, and ... I guess willing it to lessen. I can't really explain it satisfactorily, but it works.

Patricia · 09-20-2007, 10:28 AM

A colleague has it. When it is bad, he reads while listening to music on headphones. He says this helps to distract attention from the sound.

Bob Russell · 09-20-2007, 11:20 AM

I've had it as long as I can remember. But since it's constant, and not extremely bad, I guess I've learned to not even notice it much. I agree that putting on headphones helps a lot because if there's other sound it distracts and covers the sound.

BossHogg · 09-24-2007, 04:58 PM

I've had it for years. Doesn't stop me from reading, though. It's constant and the only mask for it is a shower. Can't hear it when the water's running.

shousa · 08-05-2008, 08:20 PM

http://peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html

I recommend using the above program - Aire Freshener.

I use it while using my computer.

I think using headphones with music will make, in the long term, tinnitus worse.

You need bird sounds and sounds of running water.

I have tried other programs with similar sounds but they did not work - perhaps too much sound in the lower registers.

I am not a doctor but from what I have read the key is not to listen to it at anything more than a low level of volume and to continue using even if you have no tinnitus symptoms for at least a month.

I am not a doctor - just my thoughts.

montsnmags · 08-05-2008, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

...
I have had some success in making it back off, when it gets particularly bad, by concentrating on it, and ... I guess willing it to lessen. I can't really explain it satisfactorily, but it works.

Perhaps there is something akin to an innate bio/neurofeedback mechanism at play? It sounds interesting. I have no familiarity with tinnitus, but biofeedback has been reported to have some significant efficacy for migraine sufferers.

I've always imagined that migraine and tinnitus share something in common, in the form of it being "in your head". Migraine feels like it effects and pervades your entire brain/mind/self, even though there are no nerves through the brain to "feel" that pain, and I have imagined that tinnitus feels similar - the sound is something that occupies and pervades your entire brain/mind/self (that is, it's not, to the sufferer, just a "ringing in the ears", any more than a migraine is a "pain in the head".).

'Course, I could be right off. I guess I just always suspected that tinnitus sufferers are most likely to empathise with migraine sufferers, and vice versa. Naturally, curiosity is aroused.

Cheers,
Marc

shousa · 08-05-2008, 10:38 PM

I have read many hours on the topic because when I got it I was determined to find out all about it.

I sincerely hope this helps.

Put the nature sounds in your ebook reader.

Here is a whole bunch of points I found
- it is related to and should be worse when panicking or even concentrating on it (flight or flight) so if you take a deep breath and smile and try to relax and be happy with it the volume of it will immediately decrease.
- concentrating on it will make it come back more.
- at night is the main problem, when sleeping your brain is searching for those upper register sounds. So at night listen to the nature sounds i gave the link for above all night. As the sounds are natural you will find they will not affect your ability to fall asleep, may even relax you and make you fall asleep faster.
- music however requires brain attention as not natural and will make the situation worse over time.
- usually caused by being annoyed by a loud sound/music and/or severe loss of those little hairs in your ear.
- believed to be related to the way the brain preserves newly made neural pathways. When you have a thought the most likely pathway (biggest) is strengthened first and the most, then the second loop then a 3rd loop. Your brain is constantly having a loop strengthened especially at night.
- when having tinnitus bad as the brain is searching for upper register sounds there is a pressure change due to it adjusting inside in your ear to hear those sounds so normal sounds will be louder to you and you will be more sensitive to sound.
- a group in Australia are leading the world in solving this. Basically their solution is to work out what the sound of your tinnitus is and then you walk around with their mp3 player in which has similar nature sounds (to my link above) and relaxing music. Music is normally the worst thing for tinnitus but it has a relaxing effect, new age music. They take out the bad effects of the music using their own software (using graphic equaliser - each slide for each frequency different for each person) after doing a hearing test with you and also determining the exact pitch of your tinnitus sound(s) (noise cancellation by exact opposite frequency wave). The end result is amazing (having tried it), total relaxation and no tinnitus. But it cost, then, $5,000. At this point my free solution lets me handle it fine.
- note need both ears to hear the nature sounds. Only one will make it worse. If too loud (because has not been adjusted to your hearing) will make it worse.

HappyMartin · 08-06-2008, 04:01 AM

I have it quite severely. It was caused by a loud bang (hand grenade) when I was 19. It has some advantages. When people complain about high pitched whining sounds generated by various electronic devices I am always pleased that I am exempt from that. On the other hand I suppose that I hear that all the time.

It is a lot worse when I am tired or stressed. Sometimes it warns me that I am tired or stressed so when it gets bad I will either go to bed or try a relaxation technique. Physical exercise helps a great deal. A long bicycle ride always sorts it out. I suppose it is a relaxation thing. It is not a problem when reading. I think because tinnitus gets worse when you focus on it and reading distracts you.

GeoffC · 08-06-2008, 09:21 AM

I've lived with tinninus for most of my life, and it is now very intrusive, it is primarily head-centric, rarely the ears....

It's a cacophony of sounds;

Take a active rhythmic heart-beat, stir in a variable volume/pitch/note tuning fork and then fold in a whine...
Then just for fun and variation spin in a memory-sound from hearing tests.

Any movement reverberates through my head; so, for instance, travel in a car, and every small bump and bounce is very noticeable...
Walking is like hearing a police/fire-engine siren going off, as each foot-fall sets up a nee-nawing rhythm (toe-ball-heel; toe-ball-heel...........).

It doesn't, generally, stop me doing anything, but running/jogging is a no-no. I started meditating (TM) in my early twenties. Quietening to relax the mind is supposed to help, but I found the tinnitus became more noticable.

I am in the category of a very severe/profound hearing loss, so the 'soothing sound' technique previously mentioned is not really an option.
I can, though, use a headphone that passes sound through the skull, rather than the ears - but it can have the tendency to exascerbate the tinnitus when I stop the music...

But Hey - I'm alive, happy, married and full of life and joy

....if the tinnitus stopped, I'd probably be dead.....

09-20-2007, 02:16 AM	#1
guguy Groupie Posts: 191 Karma: 15 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Clermont-Ferrand/Paris, France Device: PRS-505	Tinnitus and reading books Hello I wonder if some people here are suffering from tinnitus, and if it the case does it perturb you for reading books ? Personally I've got tinnitus for three years and even if most of the time it doesn't interfere with my reading, sometimes they become very strong and I can't even read a magazine...

08-05-2008, 10:38 PM	#13
shousa Groupie Posts: 181 Karma: 232 Join Date: May 2006	I have read many hours on the topic because when I got it I was determined to find out all about it. I sincerely hope this helps. Put the nature sounds in your ebook reader. Here is a whole bunch of points I found - it is related to and should be worse when panicking or even concentrating on it (flight or flight) so if you take a deep breath and smile and try to relax and be happy with it the volume of it will immediately decrease. - concentrating on it will make it come back more. - at night is the main problem, when sleeping your brain is searching for those upper register sounds. So at night listen to the nature sounds i gave the link for above all night. As the sounds are natural you will find they will not affect your ability to fall asleep, may even relax you and make you fall asleep faster. - music however requires brain attention as not natural and will make the situation worse over time. - usually caused by being annoyed by a loud sound/music and/or severe loss of those little hairs in your ear. - believed to be related to the way the brain preserves newly made neural pathways. When you have a thought the most likely pathway (biggest) is strengthened first and the most, then the second loop then a 3rd loop. Your brain is constantly having a loop strengthened especially at night. - when having tinnitus bad as the brain is searching for upper register sounds there is a pressure change due to it adjusting inside in your ear to hear those sounds so normal sounds will be louder to you and you will be more sensitive to sound. - a group in Australia are leading the world in solving this. Basically their solution is to work out what the sound of your tinnitus is and then you walk around with their mp3 player in which has similar nature sounds (to my link above) and relaxing music. Music is normally the worst thing for tinnitus but it has a relaxing effect, new age music. They take out the bad effects of the music using their own software (using graphic equaliser - each slide for each frequency different for each person) after doing a hearing test with you and also determining the exact pitch of your tinnitus sound(s) (noise cancellation by exact opposite frequency wave). The end result is amazing (having tried it), total relaxation and no tinnitus. But it cost, then, $5,000. At this point my free solution lets me handle it fine. - note need both ears to hear the nature sounds. Only one will make it worse. If too loud (because has not been adjusted to your hearing) will make it worse. Last edited by shousa; 08-05-2008 at 10:52 PM.

08-06-2008, 04:01 AM	#14
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	I have it quite severely. It was caused by a loud bang (hand grenade) when I was 19. It has some advantages. When people complain about high pitched whining sounds generated by various electronic devices I am always pleased that I am exempt from that. On the other hand I suppose that I hear that all the time. It is a lot worse when I am tired or stressed. Sometimes it warns me that I am tired or stressed so when it gets bad I will either go to bed or try a relaxation technique. Physical exercise helps a great deal. A long bicycle ride always sorts it out. I suppose it is a relaxation thing. It is not a problem when reading. I think because tinnitus gets worse when you focus on it and reading distracts you. Last edited by HappyMartin; 08-06-2008 at 04:02 AM. Reason: Wrong hear

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09-20-2007, 03:31 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I suffer from tinnitus too. It can be distracting, yes, but it certainly doesn't stop me from reading.

09-20-2007, 03:37 AM	#3
guguy Groupie Posts: 191 Karma: 15 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Clermont-Ferrand/Paris, France Device: PRS-505	That's great harry How long have you been suffering from tinnitus ?

09-20-2007, 03:50 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	About 5 years. I get a high-pitched "whine" in my ears; like the sound from electrical equipment. It comes and goes.

09-20-2007, 04:47 AM	#5
guguy Groupie Posts: 191 Karma: 15 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Clermont-Ferrand/Paris, France Device: PRS-505	Ok, did it come without reason or because you exposed yourself to high volume sound? Personnaly it happend just like that and my hearing is perfect...

09-20-2007, 05:41 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Mine just started for no reason at all. Just one of those things.

09-20-2007, 10:23 AM	#7
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I've had tinnitus as long as I can remember -- my mother has too so I probably 'inherited' it from her. Most of the time it doesn't bother me, and it's never prevented me from reading. I have had some success in making it back off, when it gets particularly bad, by concentrating on it, and ... I guess willing it to lessen. I can't really explain it satisfactorily, but it works.

09-20-2007, 10:28 AM	#8
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	A colleague has it. When it is bad, he reads while listening to music on headphones. He says this helps to distract attention from the sound.

09-20-2007, 11:20 AM	#9
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I've had it as long as I can remember. But since it's constant, and not extremely bad, I guess I've learned to not even notice it much. I agree that putting on headphones helps a lot because if there's other sound it distracts and covers the sound.

09-24-2007, 04:58 PM	#10
BossHogg Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 14 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chino Hills, CA Device: Sony E-Reader PRS-500	I've had it for years. Doesn't stop me from reading, though. It's constant and the only mask for it is a shower. Can't hear it when the water's running.

08-05-2008, 08:20 PM	#11
shousa Groupie Posts: 181 Karma: 232 Join Date: May 2006	http://peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html I recommend using the above program - Aire Freshener. I use it while using my computer. I think using headphones with music will make, in the long term, tinnitus worse. You need bird sounds and sounds of running water. I have tried other programs with similar sounds but they did not work - perhaps too much sound in the lower registers. I am not a doctor but from what I have read the key is not to listen to it at anything more than a low level of volume and to continue using even if you have no tinnitus symptoms for at least a month. I am not a doctor - just my thoughts.

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08-06-2008, 09:21 AM	#15
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	I've lived with tinninus for most of my life, and it is now very intrusive, it is primarily head-centric, rarely the ears.... It's a cacophony of sounds; Take a active rhythmic heart-beat, stir in a variable volume/pitch/note tuning fork and then fold in a whine... Then just for fun and variation spin in a memory-sound from hearing tests. Any movement reverberates through my head; so, for instance, travel in a car, and every small bump and bounce is very noticeable... Walking is like hearing a police/fire-engine siren going off, as each foot-fall sets up a nee-nawing rhythm (toe-ball-heel; toe-ball-heel...........). It doesn't, generally, stop me doing anything, but running/jogging is a no-no. I started meditating (TM) in my early twenties. Quietening to relax the mind is supposed to help, but I found the tinnitus became more noticable. I am in the category of a very severe/profound hearing loss, so the 'soothing sound' technique previously mentioned is not really an option. I can, though, use a headphone that passes sound through the skull, rather than the ears - but it can have the tendency to exascerbate the tinnitus when I stop the music... But Hey - I'm alive, happy, married and full of life and joy ....if the tinnitus stopped, I'd probably be dead.....