Tinnitus is frustrating, exhausting and impacts your mood – Anne

“I rarely tell people that I’m dealing with this”.

Anne was holidaying 20 years ago and travelling up a high mountain when she felt her ears pop.  Soon after, she noticed unfamiliar sounds which were eventually diagnosed as tinnitus. Over the years Anne has learned to try and ignore it, however some days she can’t and feels she has to manage her mood without telling people around her.  She rarely talks about her tinnitus with others, only when it’s at its worst will she tell her husband who is a great support.

Anne’s tinnitus is like the sound of her blood rushing through her neck and ears and she can hear her pulse.  When it is bad, Anne finds it incredibly difficult to hear, it takes all her energy and leaves her easily frustrated and less tolerant.  Some strategies Anne has found that can help:

• Sleep – if she is able to “bank” sleep, it helps a lot.
• Rest and a quiet environment.
• Pressing on her main artery in her neck can quieten the noise.

Big thanks to Anne for sharing her story with us. If you would like to share your story, please email us at tinnitus@soundfair.org.au

This type of tinnitus is called Pulsatile Tinnitus, best described by our friends at Tinnitus UK – “Pulsatile tinnitus is a rhythmical noise which is heard in the head and/or ears which pulses usually at the same rate as the heartbeat. If you are experiencing symptoms like these, please speak to your GP who will suggest a number of different tests.”