Flyback

I have had tinnitus for as about as long I can remember. Firing a gun in my late teens w/o ear protection was the first time I heard the constant ringing. Loud concerts that followed in my 20's certainly didn't help. During this time I worked in a large foundry and was exposed to loud industrial noise. I wish I knew then what I know now. I would have been more careful and not exposed my ears to these loud noises w/o and with better ear protection.

My tinnitus is the ringing in the ears. Much like the little ring sounds you hear when having your hearing tested but constant and much more loud. For about 3 years I was hearing the clicking sounds as well but that has stopped.

For the past several years, the ringing will change tones or pitch. When this happens the volume of the ringing gets quite loud before and during the change and there is almost a pain associated with this. Very uncomfortable feeling. This process takes maybe 5 seconds, then the ringing volume will drop back down to the "normal" volume.

I also have a problem that's been bothering me for many years. This one made me think I was losing my mind for awhile or maybe I am. For years I would wake up during the night and still do, hearing the roar of airplane engines. The sound would get lower as the plane would fly off in the distant. I live in the flight path of departing and approaching air traffic. It got so bad I called and complained to the airport and was told to log the times that the planes would wake me up. I did this for a week and when I called in my results the gentleman said that there weren't any incoming or out going flights during these times. I thought the guy was lying to me until I found a feature at there website that will show in and outbound planes and there locations in real time. I would leave my computer on at night and when a plane would wake me up I would go to the PC and there wouldn't be any planes over my house.

Ok...I must be freekin' crazy then. I still hear these "planes" every time I wake during the night but 'they' don't bother me as much and doesn't seem as loud knowing that it isn't real.

Have any of you guys experience the pitch and tone changes as well as hearing the roar of airplane engines?