Went to the ENT today... second appointment.  Went back in April for the
first appointment, and the first hearing test (which was excellent, btw,
always part of my perfectionistic streak I suppose *grin*).  So I tell
him about the increased noise, same frequency/pitch, never-ending
companion.  Sometimes pain, sometimes feeling "fullness," and today a
few moments of complete deafness because the ringing was completely
overwhelming.  Also told him that past few days (maybe even two weeks...
who knows) that high pitched sounds especially seem to be exceptionally
loud, even when they aren't.  MP3 player used to need a volume of 10 for
me, sometimes 8... now level 1 is too loud...  He literally tells me he
has no clue, and that I need more testing with the audiologist.  Thank
you for the honesty.

I asked him about my meds, some of which I've seen listed as "oxotoxic" (
sp?) and he said  it's not a problem at the dose I was taking.  I asked
him about the headaches, and he doesn't think they are linked.  I asked
him about the whole "tight muscle causing bones in the inner ear to
vibrate" theory and he said that the newest research said that theory
belonged in the dustbin.  He said at this point it was either something
with the nerve itself, or something with the brain (the noise processing
center going kafutz all on it's own, instead of getting kafutzed
messages).

So I go back in two weeks for in depth testing, and a repeat of the
hearing test to see if anything has changed.  I forget what he called
the tests... but anyway, to test how the inner ear is working, and to
test how the nerves are responding to input.  Then we'll know if it's in
my brain (thank god he didn't say in my head... like i'm some psychotic
freak wasting his time).

He said after the testing I could meet with another specialist to talk
about things like maskers, biofeedback, and other tools for coping with
tinnitus if there isn't anything treatable.  

Overall, I feel relieved to have been just listened to and treated with
respect.

Thanks for listening,
Selah