Living with tinnitus: My journey and techniques for relief

Strangely, I can’t pinpoint exactly when I first noticed my tinnitus — it’s been part of my life for as long as I can remember. For the uninitiated, tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ears when there’s no external source. It can manifest as ringing, buzzing, or even roaring. It can be high or low-pitched. Some people experience it constantly, while for others, it comes and goes.

I may have manufactured this memory, but I vaguely recall asking my parents about the ringing in my ears as a child. They suggested I turn down my rock music. Naturally, I denied (to them and myself) that loud music could be the culprit—I wasn’t about to give it up! As someone who is very attuned to sound, I feel music deeply, so the idea of limiting it wasn’t an option for me.

Years later, I learned I had been born partially deaf in my left ear. Specifically, I struggle to hear lower, bassy tones in that ear, although my right ear works fine. Tinnitus can stem from many factors, including hearing loss, exposure to loud noise, ear infections, or even head injuries. It’s possible my hearing loss contributed to my tinnitus, though I’ll likely never know for sure.

After disappearing for years, my tinnitus resurfaced in 2022. While it was never loud or persistent enough to cause significant distress, it did pique my curiosity. As a cognitive hypnotherapist, I decided to delve deeper and get "double curious" about what my tinnitus might be signalling.

Understanding my tinnitus: A personal experiment

I started a tinnitus diary, documenting when it flared up and what was happening in my life at the time. After a couple of months, I noticed a pattern: my tinnitus appeared when I was stressed — or intriguingly — just before I felt stressed consciously. It became a subtle alarm system of sorts.

Now when I notice that telltale high-pitched whine, I pause and ask myself what might be causing me stress. If I can identify the source, I write down steps to resolve what’s within my control. More often than not, the act of planning ways to address it eases my tinnitus.

But what about those times when I can’t pinpoint the cause or the sound persists? That’s when I turn to some of the techniques I’ve learned and adapted.

My techniques for managing tinnitus 

1. Playing with sound location:

As someone attuned to sound subtleties, I experiment with shifting the perceived source of the ringing. If the sound seems to originate just beyond my left ear, I imagine moving it to my right ear or inside my head. This manipulation of auditory submodalities (like pitch, location, and intensity) often reduces the volume of the tinnitus.

2. The control panel technique:

When sound manipulation doesn’t work, I visualize a control panel in my mind. I "locate" the dial for tinnitus and mentally turn it down. This self-hypnosis technique took practice, but now it’s often effective when other approaches fall short.

3. Spinning

If the previous two methods have not provided any respite from the noise, I perform a technique called ‘Spinning’ on the noise. I imagine the noise in my head is generated by a rotating wheel, which is rotating at a speed appropriate to the ‘noise level of whine’ I experience. Once I’ve firmly associated the speed of the wheel with the noise level,  I imagine slowing the wheel down, thereby reducing the volume of the noise. I can usually slow the wheel down to a suitable volume whereby the tinnitus is no longer distracting for me. Sometimes I can stop the wheel completely and the sound completely goes.

A note to fellow sufferers

While these techniques work for me, tinnitus is highly individual. If you’re struggling, you might consider some of the more established treatments:

• Sound therapy: White noise machines can mask the sound.
• Therapeutic interventions: A licensed therapist can help manage emotional responses to tinnitus.
• Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT): This combines sound therapy with counselling.
• Relaxation techniques: Reducing stress can alleviate symptoms for many.
• Addressing underlying causes: Consult a doctor to rule out or treat conditions that might contribute to tinnitus.

If you’re open to experimenting, a hypnotherapist can help you try techniques or explore new ones together. Tinnitus doesn’t have to feel like a permanent burden — it can become a signal, a teacher, or even just background noise you can learn to turn down with time and practice.

Even if your tinnitus feels unmanageable now, don’t lose hope. Many people adapt through a process called habituation, where the brain learns to tune it out. You’re not alone in this journey, and help is out there.