My tinnitus tells me useful things, like... "stand up straight", "eat your vegetables", and "wear clean underwear when you go out in case you get hit by a bus". Wait, that's the other phantom noise in my head...
My tinnitus is constant and usually pretty loud. It's of a higher pitch than I remember the EBS tone as being. I've had tinnitus for a very long time but it did get somewhat louder post AN surgery. I've had it for so long that it's not really very bothersome...the exception to this would be on those rare occasions that I'm having difficulty falling asleep, it is not at all helpful.
It was actually 3 episodes of short duration volume increase in my tinnitus that sent me to the audiologist which lead to the discovery of my AN...so mine actually proved useful.
White noise such as a fan running used to help, but now it's loud enough that in order for the white noise to mask out the tinnitus the white noise itself becomes annoying.
Since I haven't been able to find a medical, environmental, or lifestyle solution I've decided to go with a philosophical solution... can't change, just accept it and move on.
..take care.. tim b