[salty dog]

I've had tinnitus for approximately 10 years now. It may have gotten worse but so slowly it's hard to tell. I liken it to the sound of a fluorescent light ballast; high pitched buzzing. I can definitely understand how it can drive someone to distraction. During my annual hearing test this year, in the sound booth, with headphones on, I had a digital controller to allow me to change high-pitched signals to find a frequency that almost totally canceled the noise. It was quite amazing. Bose, of course, has used this tech for years, and Cadilac also. The hearing aids required are costly but if I reach a point of complete distraction I think that may be the way to go.