Squelching Tinnitus Baseline

Yankee Echo Alpha Hotel!
That's YEAH! in the phonetic alphabet...I passed my marine radio operating course last week! I can learn NEW things!!!!!

When I was at the course and we were learning how to set-up the radio...switch on radio, select channel AND Adjust squelch and volume, I started to think...hey, this would be cool if we could do this with our tinnitus baseline! (I know, it's not a good idea daydreaming in class but I'm creative!)

I didn't know what the word squelch meant, at first. Squelch means suppress in this scenario. In the Maritime Radio Course Student's Notes(Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons), the authors explains...
"Think of the squelch control as a gate. If the squelch control is turned fully clockwise, it closes the gate so much that no signals get through. If the squelch control is turned fully counterclockwise, it opens the gate so wide that everything get through - noise, weak signals and strong signals. To set the "squelch gate" to the desired level, the squelch control is turned counterclockwise until noise (hash) is heard. Then the squelch control is turned back clockwise just until the noise stops. Now the squelch is set properly and only strong signals will get through."

Think about it! If you have tinnitus, how cool to have a squelching gate that you could adjust for hash
(noise and distractions) in your head! So, you could focus on the noise from without...whether it is conversation, lecture or presentation OR listening to your spouse/partner.

If we had a squelching gate we would have to be careful about the hash levels...IF we close the gate so much that NO signals get through...

BUT, how cool to have a vacation from tinnitus!

The rules of the marine radio operators would be perfect for rules of communication with ANY person (especially for spouses/partners)! :)

Because, everyone has distractions, hash, noise in their heads with THEIR thoughts!

Rules for communication:
1. Switch the radio on > Get the attention of the person who you want to listen to you.
2. Select channel > Tune in to the person.
3. Adjust squelch and volume > Turn down distractions (TV, the kids,music and noise in your head) FOCUS!
4. Listen (always listen twice as long as you think is necessary) > Instead of reacting as soon the communication partner says anything...wait until you are finished. Then, speak.

Picturing Aphasia Trailer

This is cool...it is a trailer that uses pictures to describe the 'talk' about aphasia...
Picturing Aphasia Trailer

The Crickets: Battle with the Peeping Frogs

Tinnitus! The noise that sounds like ringing in the head or deafening noise in the head...I think it is in my head...sometimes I can't hear my thoughts. Tinnitus doesn't have a cure, so I decided to make friends with the 'crickets' in my head. Tinnitus made itself known after my left side brain was attacked by a clot that affected my auditory cortex.

When I'm tired...or my brain is tired...usually when I'm using language (talking or listening)...the 'crickets' explode in my auditory cortex! Now, it seems that the crickets might have to battle the 'peeping frogs'. You know how loud the peeping frogs are! Can they neutralize the crickets? Maybe!

There have been studies on rats that show that playing tones could reverse tinnitus. I don't know how researchers know that the rats have tinnitus...because people can't hear what I'm hearing in my head...because there is NOT sound or noise!! :)

What is the problem with the neurons in the auditory cortex that makes them be excitable anyway? It's almost like they are spooked by ghosts...where there is NO sound they perceive sounds! AND, we have NOISE in our heads!

Anyway, this is hope for tinnitus sufferers. Way to go Micheal Kilgard and your colleagues at the University of Texas in Dallas, we're waiting for you to make the crickets go away! I hope they have counselling for the rats thin the control group!

Still, "this is a good stepping stone," Tyler said. "It's an exciting step forward, and it will be interesting to see what happens with the humans." (Fighting noise with noise - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences)

Stay tuned to the battle of the crickets and the peeping frogs!

Read more: Fighting noise with noise - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences