That's the only way I can accurately describe this.
Quite a number of years ago, I was awakened in the night by the sound of a Semi Truck parked out front of my house with its engine idling. I waited for the engine to turn off so I could get back to sleep. It was hugely annoying. After while, I couldn't stand it anymore and decided to go investigate why it was even in our residential neighborhood or how it fit on our tiny street with all the cars parked on both sides.
I got dressed and went out front. There was no truck parked there. I went around to the back. No truck parked there, either. I took a walk around the block. No truck anywhere, but the idling engine was with me the entire way.
When I spoke with a very young Ears, Nose and Throat specialist, he told me I was having audio hallucinations. That was all. When I told my dad what the doctor said, he told me I better not tell anyone about it because they would I was a hallucinating, crazy person. So I didn't talk about this except with one or two people very close to me..until the HLAA meeting Tuesday.
I attended my first meeting with Hearing Loss Association of America. We had a wonderful, informative speaker, Dr. Jason C. Schmitt, Au. D. (Doctor of Audiology www.aeaudiology.org ). He explained in terms I could understand about Tinnitus, also known as audio hallucinations. Just as amputees experience phantom limbs, some people with hearing loss experience phantom sounds. Tinnitus is something even people with good hearing experience. It is described by most as a buzzing, roaring, tones, or in rare cases, musical sounds. Most of the time it is intermittent, and rarely is it constant.
I will be sharing more about what I learned today in the future as a guest blogger over at Liz's Deaf Blog. Tonight, I just wanted to share my own personal experience publicly and ask if you've ever had Tinnitus and what is it like for you? Have you tried any of the therapies that are available?
Raised on the Southern Oregon Coast, now retired on the Southern Oregon Coast. I was a hard of hearing child who grew up to be a deafened adult. I share and write about deafness, hearing loss and other things I find interesting. I am a 50 something year old woman who could be anyone's mother, grandmother or friend. I've traveled the U.S., and I've lived in Europe. I'm currently residing near the beach with Fabulous Husband and 11 year old son. ~ Joyce Edmiston
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I lost my first chunk of hearing from a car accident at age 15 and have had tinnitus ever since. These days I only notice it when my hearing aids are off, and mostly at night. For a while I my right ear was a different pitch from my left ear--that was irritating. I've never tried any treatments myself, but when my daughter complained of it we got her one of those little fountains for her room to make some white noise. I don't think it made much difference for her.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this with us, Debbie. You lost the "first chunk" when you were 15? So you've lost more than one chunk, or have you had gradual loss since? I've had a couple of "chunks" happen, and the rest have been such gradual losses, I've not noticed them. It's funny how that is. I assume your daughter has normal hearing?
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