I made tinnitus my friend, then it disappeared [video]

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Chronic tinnitus – constant ringing or noise in the ears – draws a wide range of reactions, from people who can mostly ignore it to those for whom it is debilitating or even suicidal. Commenters debate the value of “befriending” or accepting the sound (often via therapies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or sound masking) versus the frustration of being told to simply change one’s attitude in the absence of a real cure. Alongside mentions of experimental devices, notched-sound therapy, posture and blood-pressure links, many note how little effective medical treatment exists, how easily the condition is worsened by noise exposure, and how coping strategies and prevention often matter more than promises of a fix.

Attitudes toward “befriending” tinnitus

  • Many react negatively to advice to “just change your attitude,” comparing it to telling depressed people to “just be happy.”
  • Others report that acceptance-based approaches (e.g., treating tinnitus as a “companion” and dropping avoidance) significantly reduced distress.
  • Several describe a middle ground: not “friends” with it, but no longer fighting it; they notice it less when they stop ruminating.

Severity and variability

  • Experiences range from barely noticeable tones to “jumbo jet”–level noise and suicidal despair.
  • Some report improvement over years (e.g., from constantly intrusive to only audible in quiet rooms); others have stable or worsening symptoms for decades.
  • There’s a call to think of tinnitus as a multidimensional spectrum rather than a single condition.

Suspected causes and risk factors

  • Common triggers mentioned: loud concerts, headphones, firearms, industrial noise, infections, ear surgeries (e.g., grommets, glue ear), prematurity, connective-tissue disorders, cervical/postural issues, vascular causes.
  • Some cases appear idiopathic or start in childhood with no clear event.
  • Several note correlation with high‑frequency hearing loss; others say clinics told them there may be no obvious peripheral damage.

Coping and treatment approaches

  • Masking: myNoise.net is heavily praised; also white noise, “rain on tent” sounds, fans, Twitch streams, hearing aids, bone-conduction headphones.
  • Psychological: acceptance/ACT, exposure therapy, “zenning it out,” meditation with a neutral or humorous attitude, deliberately focusing on other sounds.
  • Sound therapies: notched sound therapy (with cited paper and commercial tools), customized notched audio made via sox scripts, specific myNoise generators like “White Burst Noise.”
  • Physical/other: posture/neck work (some report major improvement or temporary resolution), general exercise, blood pressure control, temporary “drumming on skull” trick, vitamins (B12, magnesium, D—effects unclear), benzos (effective for anxiety but leading to dependence).
  • For some, just reading or thinking about tinnitus makes it louder; avoiding online tinnitus communities helps them habituate.

Medical system, research, and interventions

  • Frustration that there’s no reliable drug; lidocaine can help briefly.
  • Early interventions (e.g., intratympanic steroids after acute damage) are mentioned but said to be underused.
  • Discussion of bimodal neuromodulation devices: Shore’s (stuck in US regulatory process) vs Lenire (approved but perceived as less effective).
  • Surgery: only for rare variants; severing the auditory nerve can fail to stop tinnitus and causes deafness.
  • Pulsatile tinnitus is highlighted as a special case that may have treatable or dangerous vascular causes, warranting imaging and specialist care.
  • Multiple people report ENT/GP visits ending in shrugs and “no cure, just coping strategies.”

Related visual phenomena

  • Many draw parallels between tinnitus and eye floaters or visual snow: persistent but often ignorable sensory “noise.”
  • Coping overlaps: acceptance, distraction, dark mode, sunglasses; a few mention experimental remedies (e.g., bromelain/papain, pineapple) but note weak or flawed evidence and lack of consensus.

Lifestyle, prevention, and misc.

  • Strong emphasis on hearing protection (concerts, clubs, shooting, lawnmowers, vacuums); some say consistent protection reduced episodic post‑noise ringing.
  • In‑ear devices can cause infections; advice includes limiting use and drying/cleaning the ear.
  • Noise‑cancelling headphones may reveal pre‑existing tinnitus by making the environment quiet.
  • Several note the irony that a tinnitus thread can “trigger” awareness and temporarily worsen their own symptoms.