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@daybyday, I’m sorry to hear you are having a rough time. There are definitely things you can do for your life to go back to normal. I agree with something you wrote – that is, I don’t think you can keep going like this either. Sometimes it takes feeling the way you do to make the changes we...

@Telis, I’m taking a risk by responding to your heartfelt post and I hope you will respond in kind. You aren’t being well-served by your doctors. Things obviously aren’t fine and the approach your doctors have recommended to you isn’t working. Second, you aren’t overreacting, you haven’t lost...

@LetyO, tinnitus is an infrequent side effect of Seroquel. By infrequent, I mean that only between 1/100 to 1/1000 patients report tinnitus as a side effect of taking the drug. I wouldn’t rule it out as the cause of your tinnitus, but in my opinion it is unlikely. I strongly suggest you never...

I think OSHA standards are woefully inadequate. The EPA's guidelines are much more stringent, something like 10db lower for anything over 60db. So, the EPA 8 hour limit is something like 75db which seems reasonable to me in general, but, all auditory systems are not the same! @linearb, the EPA...

@Bart, the audiologists and ENTs who assured you that the ears of someone with tinnitus or hyperacusis are no more prone to damage than normal ears are 100% correct and there is a great deal of evidence to support these views. (The perspective offered in this thread - that no evidence exists to...

@Asian, traffic horns are not loud enough to cause damage to the auditory system. @Gosia, overprotecting the ears is not a good strategy. Over time, it can lead to increased sensitivity to sound. Covering and uncovering your ears “all the time” is not a good approach. Taking a bus ride will...

@Keiv, @Quentino, @Gosia, @Nucleo, and @Alex Senkowski, there is some evidence that some people may be more genetically predisposed to hearing loss than others when exposed to loud sound. Aging, exposure to certain occupational or recreational noise, and certain illnesses or medication may also...

Paul, in my opinion, you aren’t describing habituation. Here’s what I mean. At this point, and please know that I’m not diminishing it, you are characterizing a very good day as one with almost no tinnitus and contrasting that with bad days when your tinnitus is loud. Someone who has...

@Naddesh, I read through your posts in other threads tonight to learn a little more. In my opinion, while your boyfriend kissing you on your ear and the emergence of your tinnitus occurred at the same time, one did not cause the other. Fluid in the ear or an infection in the middle ear can...

@Naddesh, Habituation of tinnitus isn’t only a state of mind, although it may start there. FWIW, my answers to your very good questions. Yes. Tinnitus has zero impact on my well-being or my capacity for happiness. No, my life isn't limited by tinnitus in any respect. Yes, tinnitus has...

JRS, Here is what Consumer Reports, the Washington Post, and Autoweek say about road noise in your vehicle. The vehicle isn't the problem. "The 2015 redesign addressed a lot of those complaints. Handling is responsive and yet bumps are nicely suppressed. Road noise is down, too." Consumer...

JRS – First, please don’t sell your car. It has 3500 miles on it. Look forward to the day when you can enjoy driving it. The car is not the problem. As you said, exposure to road noise in all cars appears to affect you to one extent or another. This is normal. Tinnitus spikes are normal...

@MattK, I appreciate your post in the other thread but you incorrectly inferred that I believe all tinnitus is the same. I haven’t said all tinnitus is the same. What I said, and will be glad to say again, is that when people with tinnitus rate their tinnitus as severe, the characteristics of...

@RichL, there isn’t a thing you can do about the volume of your tinnitus. It is what it is. You can continue to fetishize it and believe the loudness of your tinnitus makes you untreatable or not. That is up to you. You can continue to think about tinnitus in the language of daydreaming and...

@Kathi, thank you for your lovely post. I am thrilled for you that you have continued to make progress. I think you are right when you say things will get even better. @Rich, thank you for saying more about your situation. I haven’t had the time over the past few months to read other posts...

@Rich, many people can hear their tinnitus in any loud setting, but tinnitus is not an issue for them. If a person's suffering had to do with how loud tinnitus is, or its pitch, then people with very loud tinnitus would necessarily suffer as much as you do. While some do, many do not. Is it...

@Telis, surely you can do better than to characterize the portion of my post you quoted as bizarre and not worth a discussion? The research on tinnitus sometimes belies "common sense". If a person's suffering had to do with how loud tinnitus is, or its pitch, then people with very low...

@Marlene and @Valerie, keep thinking "there is tinnitus and there is TINNITUS" and you will set yourself back by one to two years. You are equating having a hard time with tinnitus with the assumption that your hard time is because there is something special and more extreme about your...

@SoulStation, in the title of your thread you mentioned you felt devastated. That says a lot about the meaning of music in your life and your decision to leave your band. I appreciate your wish to feel validated in your difficult decision, and while you have received nearly unanimous support...

@SoulStation, there was a lot riding on your decision. You chose between something that brings you joy and was a source of income and the fear that your tinnitus would become worse if you continued. You seem unsure about whether you made the “right” decision. Perhaps you can think of it a bit...

@Rhea, if a doctor addressed what he or she called "distorted thinking" with you, that is not part of TRT. It is likely that if someone is having a tough time with tinnitus, he or she may think and feel differently as a consequence of habituating tinnitus, but it isn't a goal of TRT to work...

@ampumpkin thank you for the correction. Since reading your post, I have brought my Gender-o-meter to the shop for repair. @Mpt you write “in reality tinnitus is a worse affliction than the conception of it that exists in here2help’s head.” I don’t have a “conception” of tinnitus; I have...

While I don’t knock it if someone is helped by making tinnitus his or her friend, the word that best describes how I feel about my own tinnitus is disinterest. I have no desire to track it, monitor it, befriend it, love it, hate it, accept it, fear it, respect it, compare it favorably with...

@cullenbohannon, you do not sound like you are describing hyperacusis. I’m basing that on your ability to be around pretty loud sound without being bothered by it – something which would be impossible for someone with hyperacusis. More likely, you are describing what you suspected – that is...

@Sen, I have been thinking about the symptoms you experience with facial pain and numbness. If I'm following the sequence of events, these symptoms began when you accidentally slammed a door and the sound was very loud. It may be that exposure to the loud sound was one factor among others that...

Karianne, to clarify, oxazepan is a benzodiazepine used to manage anxiety disorders, for the short-term relief of anxiety, and to help manage anxiety related to depression. Tinnitus is not a side effect of this medication. There are several different approaches for managing tinnitus that can...

@RicoS, your English is very good and it is easy to understand your meaning. I agree with Karen: this is a great story. You were able to take extremely loud tinnitus you could hear over everything (as loud as an airplane when it takes off), which you were initially unable to deal with, erased...

@derpytia, getting fitted with custom-made musician's earplugs is an excellent idea. A number of musicians have used musician's earplugs for years in loud settings. Classical musicians use musician's earplugs in practice and during performances to protect their ears. Depending on your...

@jazz, consider buying noise cancellation headphones. Bose makes a very good pair called the QuietComfort 15. I wear them on airplanes and they do a superb job in cancelling out the lower-frequency sounds of the engines that are, by far, the loudest thing on an airplane (unless a deranged...

@Tenna, @Ken219, @alifalijohn, @ampumpkin, and @Grace, all hearing protection devices are required to be tested in a laboratory to determine their noise reduction rating (NRR). @attheedgeofscience writes (quite incorrectly) that the "effective noise reduction [of a hearing protection device] in...

@ampumpkin, your last post is one of my favorite posts I’ve read on Tinnitus Talk. I think it’s fantastic that you decided to go to the concert and that you took your dad’s excellent advice to not let tinnitus control your life. I was also very happy to read the excellent advice @Grace and...

A fluttering sensation in the ear may be a symptom of middle ear myoclonus. The fluttering could be due to the contraction of either the tensor tympani or stapedius muscles. The tensor tympani muscle and stapedius muscle reflexes serve to protect the ear from exposure to sound. The more...

@Grace, @Relic Hunter, @derpytia, @Rhea, @lapidus, @jazz, @Denny, @Marlene, @Alex Senkowski, @GMac14, @jchinnis, and @Mark McDill, I learned a great deal about how to live a full life with tinnitus from my own missteps. For me, the great amount of wasted energy I spent thinking about tinnitus...

@Asian, @Leah, @Relic Hunter, @Street Spirit, @lamasheen, @Mr. Cartman, and @Kathi, what you are describing isn’t due to something that happens during sleep. It is really due to waking up. It even has a name, the awakening response. It is a normal physiological process that occurs when a...

@dan, it varies from person to person how long it takes to reestablish sound tolerance. Some people with minor or somewhat moderate hyperacusis that develops in conjunction with tinnitus are often able to do so over time by themselves. Others need some help with it, particularly those for whom...

@demi, hyperacusis caused by exposure to loud sound gets much better in most cases provided we treat the condition and stick with it. This can be a complex undertaking because decreased sound tolerance rarely exists as hyperacusis alone. Many people with hyperacusis develop a fear of sound or...

Why give up something when what we want is readily available to us? Money? I wouldn't give up Monopoly money. Hey! I wouldn't give up your Monopoly money. The original poster asked what we would give up in exchange for being able to hear clearly without hearing tinnitus and to do so without...

Kathi, I'm sorry you're having a tough day. You are going to be fine. Tinnitus has a mind of its own and knowing that it can be unpredictable can be an important piece of the habituation puzzle. From your other recent posts, it is pretty clear you are starting to habituate and there is no...

What do professionals say about the overuse of hearing protection as a strategy to deal with tinnitus and hyperacusis? Have a look. “People with sound super-sensitivity tend to overprotect their ears, which is understandable since everyday noises seem almost painful. But the result of...

@Mommaof2, you may be describing Phonophobia, a condition that sometimes accompanies tinnitus and that can be thought of as anxiety about, or fear of, sound. It isn’t uncommon for someone with tinnitus to be concerned that exposure to some sounds may worsen the tinnitus. It is understandable...

@demi, you asked if anyone knows how to deal with hyperacusis. There are many ways to not deal with hyperacusis, but just one effective way to deal with it. The good news is that dealing with it pays off for most people who have hyperacusis. The bad news is that in some ways it is easier to...

@demi, it is good when a doctor can put a name to our health challenges. When we try to name these challenges ourselves, we may be right or wrong – or some of both. In your first post, you asked if there is no hope for you. I think there is a ton of hope for you, but you badly need to be...

@earsnothappy, the best thing you can do is to continue to let time pass, listen to your doctors, and not expose your auditory system to loud sound for several weeks. You don’t need a course of steroids. Steroids are sometimes prescribed for individuals with sudden hearing loss, which you do...

shan, it isn’t unusual for tinnitus to consist of two or more sounds and for a person to acquire a new sound or lose an old one. When we acquire a new sound, it doesn’t mean tinnitus is getting worse. It is a very good sign that you aren’t freaking out. It really shows you have learned a lot...

martin69, Sigmund Freud once wrote that the “cornerstones” of a person’s life are to love and to work. It sounds like you have a lot of great stuff going on in your life: a job you like, a wife you love, and a wonderful family. Every so often during this difficult time, please remind yourself...

I can see how reducing the volume of one’s tinnitus would be a goal. Another goal would be to spend no time figuring out how to reduce the volume, but to use that time to reduce its importance so that no matter how loud it is tinnitus has no or very little impact on us. That is a very...

My tinnitus is growing a beard. The other day, I received a note on a very small piece of blue paper (signed by a notary public, no less) on which my tinnitus indicated it is taking this dubious, if incredible step to protest the fact that I ignore it. Included was a rudimentary sketch of a...

Kevin, I’m glad you had your hearing tested and it is normal. The sound you are describing, a very fast Morse code beeping sound that is exacerbated when the auditory system is exposed to continuous external sound (e.g., music, shower, fan, driving, TV) is very familiar to me. Mine was very...

Carlos, I no longer have a difficult time with tinnitus. I used to. I was able to turn things around because I had help from an expert. Like me, you also have access to an expert. You are the expert. When I was having a terrible time with tinnitus, I realized that it was my own thinking...

Like @jchinnis, I feel a bit conflicted about the subject of this thread. On one hand, I’m aware of the impact an article like this may have on someone who is struggling with tinnitus and how it could feed into that person’s fear and fragile state of mind. On the other hand, I’m thinking that...

@dan, I'm thinking you posted the article to say something about yourself, and that you relate to the woman. If that is true, I'm sorry you are in a tough spot, but glad you have chosen life over the alternative. I hope you keep making that choice. @pef, I don’t think it is possible to gauge...

Kathi, in the title of your post you asked if habituation is a myth. Not only isn’t habituation a myth, but you are already on the way to habituating. In December, you wrote that you didn’t want to go on. Now, even when tinnitus is buzzing along it doesn’t upset you so much. After five...

@demi, I agree with other posters that exposure to the sounds you heard caused no damage to your ears. But it is very important for you to be evaluated by an experienced professional who has treated patients with tinnitus, anxiety about sound, and hyperacusis. It would be a good idea to talk...

attheedgeofscience, you wrote that "ear protection devices do not protect equally across all frequencies." It is true that over the counter ear plugs do not evenly attenuate sound across all frequencies. But a good pair of custom-made musician's ear plugs do an excellent job providing fairly...

@MattK, you are using the word “coping” just fine. I pulled out my copy of Webster’s Third International Dictionary tonight to look up the word. To cope is to “maintain a contest, or combat, usually on even terms or with success.” To cope is also to “face or encounter and to find necessary...

MattK, there are other things we can do about tinnitus rather than cope with it. But coping with tinnitus may be one step along the way for a number of us. Habituation is often described as an end state, but it is more of a process, like points on a compass. Part of the process for a tinnitus...

jchinnis, you wrote that this board is off to a good start on civility, but whether it can also help sufferers distinguish between nonsense and science remains to be seen. Boards don’t help sufferers distinguish between nonsense and science. Knowledgeable people do that, one post at a time...

dboy7921, Feeling anxiety about tinnitus can be like taking a mental magnifying glass to the condition. The more anxious we feel about tinnitus, the more we monitor it. Many people with tinnitus and hyperacusis feel anxious about sound. Anxiety about sound can play a huge role in the...

Tamar, you have a very good chance of habituating both tinnitus tones. It has been just a short time since you developed the high-pitched tone in November and already you have nearly habituated it. The same thing should happen with the new lower tone if you give yourself some time. No one can...

Good evening, Beth. There are some good books written about the application of cognitive behavioral therapy to tinnitus management, but I am unaware of any books so far on the application of mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to tinnitus or the application of mindfulness based stress...