A Hierarchical Chart of Most Common Tinnitus Sounds?

[Rb86]

I don't know if it's possible, but do you guys think we could make a hierarchy of tinnitus sound chart?

I had mentioned in the past my crickets sound changing to now more tv static. Someone said that was a positive sign which made me feel good.

If we had a chart of descriptions of the most common tinnitus sounds, especially from those who improved and heard silence, it would be reassuring to get to certain stages for people. Of course, this is hard because tinnitus varies and is so subjective. But if we could make generalized labels it might be interesting.

For example:

Solid/multi tone
Shhhh
Soda bubbles
Crickets
Tv static
Quiet room stage
Silence

Something like that. And of course, we're all going to bounce around on this list from day to day, but if there was an overall trend and way to label things, it could maybe bring comfort that there's some kind of progression. Just a thought.

 

[boliston]

i sometimes get a sound a bit like a gas hob (on top of cooker) which is not too bad, but any sort of 'chirping' like crickets to me is not so good (i.e. pretty annoying).

 

[Bill Bauer]

Solid/multi tone
Crickets
Shhhh
Soda bubbles
Tv static
Quiet room stage
Silence

I think the above pretty much nails it. One other sound that comes to mind is the sound you hear when you let air out of a tire after you accidentally pump too much air into it - an intense hiss.

 

[all to gain]

I don't know if it's possible, but do you guys think we could make a hierarchy of tinnitus sound chart?

I had mentioned in the past my crickets sound changing to now more tv static. Someone said that was a positive sign which made me feel good.

If we had a chart of descriptions of the most common tinnitus sounds, especially from those who improved and heard silence, it would be reassuring to get to certain stages for people. Of course, this is hard because tinnitus varies and is so subjective. But if we could make generalized labels it might be interesting.

For example:

Solid/multi tone
Shhhh
Soda bubbles
Crickets
Tv static
Quiet room stage
Silence

Something like that. And of course, we're all going to bounce around on this list from day to day, but if there was an overall trend and way to label things, it could maybe bring comfort that there's some kind of progression. Just a thought.

Why did I have to get the worst one? It does sometimes sound like crickets and morse code, too.

 

[Hazel]

I don't know if it's possible, but do you guys think we could make a hierarchy of tinnitus sound chart?

This is from one of our surveys, where we asked people to select what their tinnitus sounds like, answered by over 6,000 people. Does that help?

 

[Harley]

I don't know if it's possible, but do you guys think we could make a hierarchy of tinnitus sound chart?

I had mentioned in the past my crickets sound changing to now more tv static. Someone said that was a positive sign which made me feel good.

If we had a chart of descriptions of the most common tinnitus sounds, especially from those who improved and heard silence, it would be reassuring to get to certain stages for people. Of course, this is hard because tinnitus varies and is so subjective. But if we could make generalized labels it might be interesting.

For example:

Solid/multi tone
Shhhh
Soda bubbles
Crickets
Tv static
Quiet room stage
Silence

Something like that. And of course, we're all going to bounce around on this list from day to day, but if there was an overall trend and way to label things, it could maybe bring comfort that there's some kind of progression. Just a thought.

Where would a high pitch industrial sand-blaster type of sound fit in?
Static hiss maybe?

 

[Rb86]

This is from one of our surveys, where we asked people to select what their tinnitus sounds like, answered by over 6,000 people. Does that help?

View attachment 31812

Thanks Hazel. It's certainly interesting. I do want to find a way to note/label changes over the progression of time.

This is hard to do because of the different cases, and not all find silence.

In the majority of cases I've read for those who achieve true silence, it's unclear when it happens. They just come to this realization that they don't hear it anymore after some time. There's never a magic flick of the "off" switch.

If we could map this progression from those who found relief, we could give honest hope to people who, like me some days, are cast out in a sea of hopelessness.

Any little progress feels like "ok, I can do this"

 

[Rb86]

Where would a high pitch industrial sand-blaster type of sound fit in?
Static hiss maybe?

I think that sound would have a little more body to it, maybe an additional shhh behind it. The tv static, at least in my experience is kind of simplistic, one dimensional - although I do have other tones from time to time.

Again, only you can know, and clearly this list is not official.

 

[all to gain]

This is from one of our surveys, where we asked people to select what their tinnitus sounds like, answered by over 6,000 people. Does that help?

View attachment 31812

Hell I fit into 4 of those groups. there's another sound I sometimes hear, but I find it hard to explain. So actually i fit into 5 groups.

 

[Hazel]

Hell I fit into 4 of those groups. there's another sound I sometimes hear, but I find it hard to explain.

People could select multiple options, and many did, so you're not the only one...

 

[Rb86]

Hell I fit into 4 of those groups. there's another sound I sometimes hear, but I find it hard to explain. So actually i fit into 5 groups.

Technically I fit into 3 groups, but my original point is to detail the character of each group as progression towards silence is made.

 

[all to gain]

Technically I fit into 3 groups, but my original point is to detail the character of each group as progression towards silence is made.

Yeah, I realised that. It sucks being at the top of the ladder though.

 

[Rb86]

Yeah, I realised that. It sucks being at the top of the ladder though.

One of mine is a pure tone, but I only hear it when I go to bed, and if I push my tragus hard enough it goes away...then comes right back. That one's been with me since a few weeks in. Like you I'm about 3 months in.

The other is low, and the constant - over everything - TV, driving down the highway, etc, is "tv static". Right around 15000 hz.

Of course with hearing loss and constant full/plugged feeling.

 

[GoatSheep]

At onset it was a buzz, then crickets, then a wailing tone in both ears with static also in the left. Now it's back to tonal, not as loud. Currently, the left doesn't ring often. Still can't sleep though without clonazepam which quiets it considerably. God why do benzos have to be so dangerous.

 

[Hazel]

Thanks Hazel. It's certainly interesting. I do want to find a way to note/label changes over the progression of time.

This is hard to do because of the different cases, and not all find silence.

In the majority of cases I've read for those who achieve true silence, it's unclear when it happens. They just come to this realization that they don't hear it anymore after some time. There's never a magic flick of the "off" switch.

If we could map this progression from those who found relief, we could give honest hope to people who, like me some days, are cast out in a sea of hopelessness.

That would be a very worthwhile exercise indeed. The obstacle is that this requires tracking a large group of tinnitus patients over a long period of time (years), and to my knowledge no one has done this, for obvious reasons (lack of funding, difficulty in recruiting participants). Hopefully someone can start a large database of tinnitus patients soon to collect such data. I'd love for us to do it, but we'd need funding to build some kind of portal and database, because SurveyMonkey would not suffice.

 

[Rb86]

That would be a very worthwhile exercise indeed. The obstacle is that this requires tracking a large group of tinnitus patients over a long period of time (years), and to my knowledge no one has done this, for obvious reasons (lack of funding, difficulty in recruiting participants). Hopefully someone can start a large database of tinnitus patients soon to collect such data. I'd love for us to do it, but we'd need funding to build some kind of portal and database, because SurveyMonkey would not suffice.

Perhaps it could be a requirement of every forum member to characterize their tinnitus every 6 weeks, or whatever interval of time. We could also subgroup it into causation (noise induced, ototoxic, etc).

 

[PeteJ]

I don't know if it's possible, but do you guys think we could make a hierarchy of tinnitus sound chart?

I had mentioned in the past my crickets sound changing to now more tv static. Someone said that was a positive sign which made me feel good.

If we had a chart of descriptions of the most common tinnitus sounds, especially from those who improved and heard silence, it would be reassuring to get to certain stages for people. Of course, this is hard because tinnitus varies and is so subjective. But if we could make generalized labels it might be interesting.

For example:

Solid/multi tone
Shhhh
Soda bubbles
Crickets
Tv static
Quiet room stage
Silence

Something like that. And of course, we're all going to bounce around on this list from day to day, but if there was an overall trend and way to label things, it could maybe bring comfort that there's some kind of progression. Just a thought.

You forgot cicadas? Mine is probably even higher pitched now than the cicadas sounds but it generally sounds the same.

 

[all to gain]

One of mine is a pure tone, but I only hear it when I go to bed, and if I push my tragus hard enough it goes away...then comes right back. That one's been with me since a few weeks in. Like you I'm about 3 months in.

I presume this is something else than tinnitus, but I sometimes hear the vacuum cleaner when the vacuum cleaner isn't actually going. This is usually when i'm sleeping.

Also, twice i heard far off distant music, but i haven't heard that again.

Also, sometimes I think somebody is shouting for me, but they aren't. Not sure about this last one.

 

[Extreme]

Also, sometimes I think somebody is shouting for me, but they aren't. Not sure about this last one.

There are times I think someone is talking but they aren't. Always unintelligible. This mainly happens in a certain room of the house. I could just be hearing my dad's TV since it's directly below. I also think sometimes certain sounds like my soundscreen can mimic this.
Do you have very good hearing? Meaning much better than others around you?

 

[all to gain]

There are times I think someone is talking but they aren't. Always unintelligible. This mainly happens in a certain room of the house. I could just be hearing my dad's TV since it's directly below. I also think sometimes certain sounds like my soundscreen can mimic this.
Do you have very good hearing? Meaning much better than others around you?

No, I think my hearing is probably pretty poor, but I've not had it checked.

 

[Extreme]

No, I think my hearing is probably pretty poor, but I've not had it checked.

Hmmm ok. How are you around loud noises like fireworks or thunder?

 

[all to gain]

Hmmm ok. How are you around loud noises like fireworks or thunder?

No idea at the moment, haven't been around them.

I definitely had a bit hyperacusis (spelling?), if that makes any difference.

 

[Extreme]

Ah that's ok. Was just hoping to connect some dots.
You're lucky. I really hate fireworks and thunder. Here in NJ we often get storms. And there's a local school that loves to do a fireworks show every year.
My ears are very sensitive. But I believe that's just because my hearing is really good.
It's surprisingly hard to tell if I've become more sensitive to sounds. I think it may be due to seasonal changes.

 

[Lulu187]

I get the t.v static noise paired with tuning fork being waved around and around, it's not a solid noise.

 

[astaff14]

What about alarms or screeching sounds? I get those fairly often. Today it's sounded like a faint alarm clock with screeching in the background all day.

 

[RishRamsey]

I think the above pretty much nails it. One other sound that comes to mind is the sound you hear when you let air out of a tire after you accidentally pump too much air into it - an intense hiss.

Where would you put that in the list OP mentioned? For progression? Is it bad or good?

 

[Bill Bauer]

Is it bad or good?

When a tone is replaced by that sound, it is a good news.

 

[RishRamsey]

When a tone is replaced by that sound, it is a good news.

Interesting. And where would you place the electricity sounding noise?

 

[all to gain]

Perhaps it could be a requirement of every forum member to characterize their tinnitus every 6 weeks, or whatever interval of time. We could also subgroup it into causation (noise induced, ototoxic, etc).

Since your post mine has gone from being 4-5 different sounds to pretty much one solid high-pitched piercing tone. I do sometimes get another variation of the same tone though. I presume this isn't good.

I've never heard tv static or shhh noises. The lowest down the ranking I got to was crickets, but they are well gone now. The electrical current feeling I had going through my head has gone though which is good.