Originally Posted by Geckotone

Wow! It sounds like you've had one heck of a decade! Thanks for the post, but you need to elaborate more because tinnitus is just one symptom, and nearly everyone suffers from tinnitus.

What do you mean by "brain insults"? Were you injured in an accident or contract some sort of disease? What exactly are you are diagnosed with? What other symptoms are you having?

Tinnitus often fluctuates. It is dependent not only on what is going on inside your body, but also the environment around you. People working in noisy environments rarely notice tinnitus, but when they are in a quiet area their tinnitus might seem disturbingly loud. I have suffered with tinnitus my whole life, and nearly everyone I know has suffered some degree of tinnitus. Tinnitus can result from damage to the inner ear, the nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain, or from the area of the brain those nerves connect to. It seems like there is still a lot we can learn about this condition.

It is probably unhealthy for you to assume that you are getting brain damage whenever your ears are ringing. It's unnecessary stress and anxiety that you are putting yourself through. Hypertension can contribute to tinnitus so whenever you start worrying about it you're probably going to notice it more and aggravate the condition.

I would recommend getting your mind off of it as much as possible. Go for a walk with a friend or listen to some music to help cover it up and try to forget about the drone. If your brain really is being damaged there's no reason to let it ruin your day.

It is possible that you have a Herpes infection. Herpes virus can attach to cranial nerves and to the nerves within the inner ear. Herpes infections can remain latent for long periods of time. When the infection becomes active it irritates the structures surrounding it. You don't need to have sores to have Herpes, so a lot of people suffer from Herpes symptoms never realizing why.

You may want to see an ENT (Otolaryngologist) for your tinnitus and also get tested for Herpes virus. If you do have Herpes, a medicine like Valtrex might help to reduce or eliminate your symptoms. If it's something else maybe a ENT can help address and reduce the tinnitus you are suffering from.

Best of luck,