Two years living with... tinnitus

Mine came on very suddenly, following a wild night out in Pudsey, during which I probably drank far too much. I still think mine is physiological but the GP and the ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist say not. They say it’s just what happens when you get older. Wear and tear. Plus, there’s no cure. Super! All of which means when you go to the docs with something like that they effectively just nod politely, say ‘hmmm’ a lot, smile and then tell you to try forget about it. There there.

You might say I’ve explored the alternative therapy scene. Boy, have I explored it. I’ve tried not drinking, standing on my head, not sleeping on my front, neti pots (look them up, they’re disgusting), a dental brace (cost £56), physio, a psychic healer (£30 a pop, three goes, no joy), hot water bottles, ice, ginger extract, lots of exercise, I’ve tried ‘resetting’ my hearing using this weird tapping technique, meditation and on and on into the depths of utter boredom.

It’s still there. Tsssssssssssssssss. There when I wake up, there when I go to bed. Apparently, all tinnitus cases are a bit different. Some sound like whales, others jet engines. Mine’s a dentist’s drill.

However, sometimes it goes altogether, just for a day or so, I have no idea why. If you do, I’d love to hear from you (pun most definitely intended).