I was born with altresia/microtia (a deformed ear) so I live with reduced hearing every day. The military would not take me because I am deaf in one ear. I could have surgery to restore my hearing but it is risky and could make things worse. I have had 5 ear operations when I was 10-12 years old to make it look more normal. I wish I never did it though. At night when it is silent I get a sound that I hear in my left ear that sounds very similar to bacon frying in a pan. I have learned to live with it but it is annoying and has caused me frustration and even anxiety in the past. I turn on a noisy fan at night on high to kill the sounds in my head when it is too silent.
TheArizona
Interesting to know, thanks for the details. I’m glad you’ve found a way to cope with your situation.
As for the fan that you use, you might be doing something that this article discusses:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus_masker