Almost constant ring
I am 66 and have had tinnitus for years. It has gotten worse as I age. I was bartender for many years and worked in loud bars/nightclubs, worked construction jobs off and on, did a lot of hunting/shooting and listened to my own loud music a lot. I did not start wearing ear protection until the mid nineties when my ears had already started to hurt from loud noise. Most of the time the tinnitus does not bother me much. However, there are occasions when it really bugs me, like now typing this response, at night when trying to fall back to sleep. I also have chronic back and shoulder pain that increases the tinnitus when the pain really flares up, like this morning cleaning house. I think some of that just comes from the mind having more focus on the pain. When I can keep my head occupied both the pain and the tinnitus are less severe. I am getting ready to go for a bike ride and that usually helps. Indoor riding does not help, I think I actually just notice the noise more from lack of distraction. Bicycling has been been, and continues to be, a large part of both my mental and physical well being. I certainly agree that all aspects of ones health are tied together. Chronic pain can, and does, have a huge effect on my well being, and being mentally/emotionally down definitely increase my awareness of physical pain. I don't much complain to others about my issues, but I have a lot of times when I am discontent in my own thoughts.