Tinnitus
I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that I have a persistent case of tinnitus. Mine is a constant high-pitched ring in both ears that comes and goes in severity. Recently, it has been more noticable and I feel like it is starting to affect the way I perceive my surroundings.
In my younger days, I was often at loud basement concerts or similar shows. Loud music was also in my headphones and later car. This habit continues through college and into my younger married years. I didn't really become serious about protecting my ears until 2020 when we started building the house. Since then, I've tried to keep a pair of ear plugs on hand for every farm job or construction project.
I can't deny that it has gotten progressively more invasive. I particularly notice the ringing early in the morning and in the evening when I'm trying to settle into bed. If I'm busy or otherwise occupied, I don't notice the ring as much. My early reading on brain training can reduce the impact of tinnitus on day to day life and if I'm persistent in protecting myself, i can prevent further damage.
This is a lot of self-diagnosis, but much of the tinnitus diagnosis is based on self reporting. I need to schedule a time with my doctor for an actual audiology exam to see what frequencies I'm missing (if any). I'm also planning on writing about my experience more here.
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