tinnitus - how mild or severe is this? (avoiding google)

As the title states, I'm avoiding Dr. Google for obvious reasons. I know some people have suffered / resolved tinnitus, and I was wondering if any were out there that could answer just a basic question - how mild or severe my case is.

Edit: reading this through after posting, I realize that I'm probably super early "in" on this symptom and this may resolve in the next few days... or not (it may be infection/wax, it may be combo with tms).

First, I just had massive ear wax compaction removed from both ears (7+ years, from what I learned), and have eustacian tube dysfunction, apparently. Tinnitus started occurring six days ago after a long cold (not completely resolved). I've had TMS symptoms since 2014. I have not seen an ENT yet (it will take 2 months probably) but using online tests (however accurate) shows my hearing is good in both ears. From reading other posts (particularly the excellent ones by Viridian), I reason my mind picked up on this and is amplifying my normal noise; I can recognize that I've heard this sound before--many times--just usually ignored it & it went away. Which is what I need to get back to. But again, I want to avoid Dr. Google, so I'm asking those in this forum who may have experienced this before, how this correlates:

*Mostly in left ear. Does not seem nearly as severe now that ear wax has been removed. Doc said Eustacian tubes have fluid/bubbles on right ear, however.

*Seems triggered by certain ambient conditions - driving in the car, restaurants, swimming pool environments -- but not always. I drove an hour and a half yesterday to the next town over with my family and hearing was normal (this was after ear wax removal). Tinnitus kicked in at a restaurant around noon and 'percolated' for a while, kicking in again on the drive back, but I was pretty tired by that point. I meditated and breathed for 15 minutes or so while my mom drove and it mostly went away. Windows were down throughout on both drives (loud ambient noise).

*Occurs sporadically. Sometimes isn't there at all for hours. But I am also doing TMS techniques to keep myself from stressing about it. Yesterday evening after the drive I did these techniques on and off and had almost nothing for 6 or more hours.

* It is not 'loud' - now it is a mild / distant tone (which I assume is normal from before), but it will assert itself above the ambient noise in certain environments, which is distracting/annoying. But not others - I went to the local river last night and had nothing, the car ride mentioned above earlier, etc. When it does occur I start focusing on breath and habituation techniques.

*I've waken up 3 times now in the early morning to the tone, but taking a couple of deep breaths and mentally telling it to go away, it goes away completely. This does not occur other times in the day, and I don't really try.

 

I think you are overthinking this.
It doesn't really matter. Tinnitus can't kill you.
I have it but only "hear it" when I read something about tinnitus! (Or when lying in bed if the room is very silent.)
Or sometimes I think some loud ongoing noise is coming from outside and when I close my ears -- surprise -- it's from inside my head!

But -- Really--- when you think about it, why does it matter if it's mild, moderate or severe?
Just forget it about. It doesn't matter.

Darnit, now I can hear mine. LOL

 

You're 100% right. It's my old scrambling-for-answers. And it's mild today, mostly because I've been refocusing the mind elsewhere continually, whether it comes up or not.

 

Yes, believe me I did that "scrambling-for-answers" thing for a long time too.
But honestly it doesn't really matter. So it rings. Whatev!

Pro tip:
I keep the ceiling fan on at night so I have another noise. If you live in a very quiet area, complete silence externally can make the noises in the ears and head feel creepy.