I probably should have some degree of tinnitus, due to all my history of rock-N-fucking-roll, gun play, sea diving, accidents to my head, but I have been lucky. I have lost some of my upper range of hearing, though.
I've known guys with serious tinnitus who were almost deaf when things got really quiet, but could hear OK-ish when in a loud environment like a rock stage.
I don't have a parallel understanding, but I can almost imagine what it would be like. I think of all the distractions I deal with at work as a "rining in my ears" which I have to constantly, physically, purposefully ignore, while I try to concentrate on what my job requires.
*empathy*