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I've had tinnitus for a few years now and I've noticed I go through episodes of the ringing getting worse. When I first got tinnitus it was so loud I couldn't focus, sleep, or hear anything else.

Currently when my episodes hit I go through the same thing; loud as fuck and unrelenting. For me it was anxiety that made my suffering unbearable and once I worked on that, with that understanding, I could deal with the episodes much easier.

These days I always come out of the episodes fine and life goes back to normal. 98% of the year I'm completely unaware I have tinnitus because I don't notice it anymore.

I have tips on dealing with tinnitus if interested. Learning to cope was the best I could do and it worked fabulously.

Can't offer much help, but I'm right there with you.

For me it was an hour in a loud bar last month. With earplugs and headphones. Didn't help much. The inability to think clearly is making it especially hard to find some kind of distraction.

There are some experimental procedures being tested, but to be honest I was always too scared to actually research any of them.

Lots of great advice in the thread, the head finger thumping thing the other user suggested has worked for me when my very mild tinnitus flares up. If it's bothering you as much as you described, you should see a specialist.

To add one more piece of anecdotal advice: in a quiet space, try listening to music or soundscapes with headphones on the lowest possible volume setting, that isn't muted and that you can only hear when really listening in, and try to pay attention to the distinct sound elements like a particular instrument, singer, birds, wind, running water, background conversations. I imagine it's partially training your brain to focus away from the ringing, and partially putting your mental energy into waking up the follicles that are hurt.

I spent several days near constantly with earplugs in for mine. The earplugs heightened the tinnitus at first and it was hell but after the first day or two it calmed down and after I stopped using the earplugs my tinnitus had eased.

Whether it was the rest on my ears physically improving it or desensitisation of the ringing it certainly helped. I suspect it was just desensitisation.

I'm in my 50's and have had severe tinnitus in my left ear since I was 18 due to a military accident. It can be upsetting, for sure.

The best advice I can give is to try to find low background noise and to try finding ways to occupy your mind. If you can, go see a hearing specialist. While there really is no cure, there are ways to somewhat "treat" it and find ways to live with it and enjoy life.

Cup your hands over your ears with your fingers on the back of your head so you can't really hear anything.

Tap your fingers for 30 seconds

You might get a minute of silence to enjoy

Not much but remember life is all about the little things

You may want to look into specialist counseling. Tinnitus can’t be cured but there are definitely techniques to help you ignore the symptoms and focus elsewhere so they fall into the background.

From personal experience, I suggest you see an ear-nose and throat specialist. Tinnitus is often times a symptom of hearing loss.