Learn to Live with Tinnitus
1.Intorduction
Thank you, Tanaka-san, for that gracious introduction and good evening, everyone. In a few seconds I'm going to talk to you about my experiences with tinnitus. I have three points to cover.
1) How I have gotten tinnitus?
2) Its treatment
3) How it changed my life
But first let me read out the definition of tinnitus.
"Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing noise in your ears and head when there are no sounds present in the environment. The sounds you hear may be loud or soft and can be steadily or intermittent. The noise is often described as a ringing, tinkling, roaring, whistling, hissing or buzzing."
Well, in my case I always have sounds "Bang", "Bang" in my head.
2. Body
(Onset)
About three years ago I left a pharmceutical company out of my own volition and moved to a high-rise-condo in Osaka where I live with my wife and daughter. My colleagues were still working. So I was an early pensioner. But I had plans. I flew to Chicago to talk with the president of a search consultant company.
After the job interview I paid the president $30,000 right on the spot to get the right of a representative in Michigan.The only problem was that I had no experiences placing executive candidates with the Japanese-American compnies throughout the USA. In less than 6 months' time frame I visited America three times, First Chicago, Second Pennsylvania, Third Atlanta, Georgia.
After I came back to Japan, I was worried about obtaining an H1-B visa. How could I get along with argumentative American colleagues? Oh, no. Chicago is a windy city. Can I brave the cold winter there? A lot of things were on my mind.
(Diagnosis)
One day I couldn't sleep a whole night, because I heard those strange hissing sounds in my ears.
The sounds were so persistent and annoying. Next day I went to a doctor. He diagnosed me as tinnitus. He said coldly, "There's no cure. You've got to learn to live with it!"
(Conventional Treatment)
As a treatment I frantically tried everything, such as sedatives, anti-depressants, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, yoga, but all in vain. I began to feel worthless and asked myself,, "Why me?". "How did I get this?" "Why should I suffer this way?"
Eventually I gave on the idea of working in America. I was driven to despair. Because persistent noises made me crazy. From time to time I thought of jumping out of the balcony.
My wife said, "Don't you ever do that in this condo, because I won't be able to live with my daughter.
Maybe you should do that high up in the Mt. Fuji."
(Cognitive Therapy)
In the course of time I attended an intensive weekend workshop on Japanese Psycosomatic Therapy. What I learned from the seminar is in a nutshell, "ACCEPT TINNITUS AS IT IS", as long as you're physically in good shape.
(How I learned to live with tinnitus?)
This meeting was so enlightening that I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
1. I took up the German language and went to school. I made a lot of friends there. Gradually I began to socialize with the outside world.
2. I started writing a blog about my struggles with tinnitus. I subscribed to American Tinnitus Association's magazine. Then I introduced an American cutting -edge therapy to the Japanese patients.I shared my struggles with my blog readers. We all said each other, "Hang in there!"
3. Through the association I got to kow a self help leader located in Minnesota, named Harry Larson.
He happened to be a member of an English speaking club, ie Toastmasters in Minneapolis.
He encouraged me to join Toastmaster Club in Osaka. And I took the initiative to jump into the club. When I made an introduction speech for the first time in front of the 30 audience, a sense of heal occcurred to me and the sounds "Bang" "Bang" seemed to have subsided.
3. Conclusion
In summary I'd like to leave you with this last thought.
Tinnitus is said to be an incurable disease. But even if you suffer from it, don't dwell on it.
Pay attention to something more productive, positive and proactive in your life.
Thank you.
Thank you, Tanaka-san, for that gracious introduction and good evening, everyone. In a few seconds I'm going to talk to you about my experiences with tinnitus. I have three points to cover.
1) How I have gotten tinnitus?
2) Its treatment
3) How it changed my life
But first let me read out the definition of tinnitus.
"Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing noise in your ears and head when there are no sounds present in the environment. The sounds you hear may be loud or soft and can be steadily or intermittent. The noise is often described as a ringing, tinkling, roaring, whistling, hissing or buzzing."
Well, in my case I always have sounds "Bang", "Bang" in my head.
2. Body
(Onset)
About three years ago I left a pharmceutical company out of my own volition and moved to a high-rise-condo in Osaka where I live with my wife and daughter. My colleagues were still working. So I was an early pensioner. But I had plans. I flew to Chicago to talk with the president of a search consultant company.
After the job interview I paid the president $30,000 right on the spot to get the right of a representative in Michigan.The only problem was that I had no experiences placing executive candidates with the Japanese-American compnies throughout the USA. In less than 6 months' time frame I visited America three times, First Chicago, Second Pennsylvania, Third Atlanta, Georgia.
After I came back to Japan, I was worried about obtaining an H1-B visa. How could I get along with argumentative American colleagues? Oh, no. Chicago is a windy city. Can I brave the cold winter there? A lot of things were on my mind.
(Diagnosis)
One day I couldn't sleep a whole night, because I heard those strange hissing sounds in my ears.
The sounds were so persistent and annoying. Next day I went to a doctor. He diagnosed me as tinnitus. He said coldly, "There's no cure. You've got to learn to live with it!"
(Conventional Treatment)
As a treatment I frantically tried everything, such as sedatives, anti-depressants, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, yoga, but all in vain. I began to feel worthless and asked myself,, "Why me?". "How did I get this?" "Why should I suffer this way?"
Eventually I gave on the idea of working in America. I was driven to despair. Because persistent noises made me crazy. From time to time I thought of jumping out of the balcony.
My wife said, "Don't you ever do that in this condo, because I won't be able to live with my daughter.
Maybe you should do that high up in the Mt. Fuji."
(Cognitive Therapy)
In the course of time I attended an intensive weekend workshop on Japanese Psycosomatic Therapy. What I learned from the seminar is in a nutshell, "ACCEPT TINNITUS AS IT IS", as long as you're physically in good shape.
(How I learned to live with tinnitus?)
This meeting was so enlightening that I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
1. I took up the German language and went to school. I made a lot of friends there. Gradually I began to socialize with the outside world.
2. I started writing a blog about my struggles with tinnitus. I subscribed to American Tinnitus Association's magazine. Then I introduced an American cutting -edge therapy to the Japanese patients.I shared my struggles with my blog readers. We all said each other, "Hang in there!"
3. Through the association I got to kow a self help leader located in Minnesota, named Harry Larson.
He happened to be a member of an English speaking club, ie Toastmasters in Minneapolis.
He encouraged me to join Toastmaster Club in Osaka. And I took the initiative to jump into the club. When I made an introduction speech for the first time in front of the 30 audience, a sense of heal occcurred to me and the sounds "Bang" "Bang" seemed to have subsided.
3. Conclusion
In summary I'd like to leave you with this last thought.
Tinnitus is said to be an incurable disease. But even if you suffer from it, don't dwell on it.
Pay attention to something more productive, positive and proactive in your life.
Thank you.
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