# Suggest a white noise masking device or source for Tinnitus **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286 "2010-03-30T01:34:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/1 "2010-03-30T01:34:11Z")
Please suggest a white noise masking device or source for Tinnitus caused by natural hearing impairment (as in aging) or a side-effect of genetic (congenital) hearing loss. Medical doctors have suggested this based upon their reading of the literature but have no suggestions as to how to effect the white noise masking. My tinnitus is the sort that resembles insects chirping. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/2 "2010-03-30T02:27:46Z")
Mine started at least five years ago - asked my Doctor about it. His advice was to just ignore it, and pretty soon the brain would start filtering out the tinnitus and it wouldn’t be noticeable. He was right, and now I rarely am bothered by it. Unless something brings it up, like this stupid thread, and now I’m hearing it again. And will until I’m distracted with something else, at which time it will cease. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/3 "2010-03-30T03:22:37Z")
Check this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=557081) out. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/4 "2010-03-30T03:58:37Z")
> [@Daylate](#): > > Mine started at least five years ago - asked my Doctor about it. His advice was to just ignore it, and pretty soon the brain would start filtering out the tinnitus and it wouldn’t be noticeable. I only wish. I have had tinnitus as a result of loud noise damage since 1988, and it has only gotten worse. Sounds like a goddamn smoke alarm all day long. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/5 "2010-03-30T10:23:00Z")
IMO masking is a waste of time and not really possible, as it comes from outside your head and ear but the tinnitus is internal. [This device](http://www.neuromonics.com/) claims to actually work towards a cure. I may end up on it in the fairly near future myself, as I seem to have run out of other options. I have heard it costs up to $5,000 AUD though, despite being essentially an iPod. Mind you if I was sure it would work I’d pay that in a trice. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/6 "2010-03-31T00:25:46Z")
There are several sorts of tinnitus. Here in a rambling article on [Tinnitus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus), Wikipedia breaks them down into two major categories. Some can just disappear as someone noted above other sorts will not. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/7 "2010-03-31T05:16:25Z")
> [@Daylate](#): > > Mine started at least five years ago - asked my Doctor about it. His advice was to just ignore it, and pretty soon the brain would start filtering out the tinnitus and it wouldn’t be noticeable. He’s wrong. I read recently that tinnitus gets worse with age, and I can attest to that. There are times that it drives me to distraction. I sleep with the radio on, but if a white noise generator or whatever helps to drown it out, I’m all ears. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/8 "2010-04-01T23:08:20Z")
A very disappointing thread. Some project their own experiences with Tinnitus onto everyone and dogmatically assert that there are not different kinds of tinnitus, some of which may be treated and some which are even quite temporary. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-noise-masking-device-or-source-for-tinnitus/534286/9 "2010-04-02T00:24:24Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > A very disappointing thread. Some project their own experiences with Tinnitus onto everyone and dogmatically assert that there are not different kinds of tinnitus, some of which may be treated and some which are even quite temporary. It is true there are different kinds of tinnitus, with varying levels of alleviation. it is not true that the frequency of each is equivalent. Most tinnitus is permanent and incurable.