Acoustic Trauma (Someone Wolf-Whistling Near Me) Induced Tinnitus: Is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy Worth It?

[Louise 17]

Hi all,

I've had tinnitus for four weeks following a one-off trauma incident (someone wolf-whistling near me). Initially, I brushed it off during the Christmas period, self-medicating with alcohol and sleep meds. However, in the new year, I began to despair as it started affecting my sleep and showed no signs of going away.

I went to an ENT doctor and had an ear and pressure test. My hearing is still above average, so there's no damage there. Unfortunately, they couldn't do much else for me since I have no other medical issues. They recommended therapy, which I have to fund myself because it's not covered by insurance.

I'm planning to do just one session because I can't afford long-term therapy. I hope to talk through what's happened and how it's affecting me. I assume they'll explain what's happening with my ears and suggest coping strategies—most of which I'm probably already doing, like practicing good sleep hygiene and listening to soothing sounds.

For those who've been to tinnitus therapy, is it worth it?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[Mark F.]

My "therapy" was a complete joke. It cost $175 for a 50-minute session, and all she basically said was, "Think positive thoughts." She was supposed to be a CBT therapist, but it was a total waste of my time and money. It's shameful that they charge so much for such worthless drivel.

 

[Louise 17]

Thank you for your response. I feel the same way—it doesn't seem worth my time to hear advice about things I'm already doing. The only potential benefit I can see is venting to someone, but I worry that might just make me ruminate even more.

 

[Mark F.]

Alcoholics have Alcoholics Anonymous meetings they can attend, for fellowship and support. People like us with ear issues need something similar. A place we can meet up, face to face, and help one another get thru this ordeal.

 

[jjflyman]

Hi all,

I've had tinnitus for four weeks following a one-off trauma incident (someone wolf-whistling near me). Initially, I brushed it off during the Christmas period, self-medicating with alcohol and sleep meds. However, in the new year, I began to despair as it started affecting my sleep and showed no signs of going away.

I went to an ENT doctor and had an ear and pressure test. My hearing is still above average, so there's no damage there. Unfortunately, they couldn't do much else for me since I have no other medical issues. They recommended therapy, which I have to fund myself because it's not covered by insurance.

I'm planning to do just one session because I can't afford long-term therapy. I hope to talk through what's happened and how it's affecting me. I assume they'll explain what's happening with my ears and suggest coping strategies—most of which I'm probably already doing, like practicing good sleep hygiene and listening to soothing sounds.

For those who've been to tinnitus therapy, is it worth it?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I would just sit tight and give it time. In 6 months, this will probably fade away.

 

[Louise 17]

Thank you for the responses. I've been working on trying to sleep naturally and stay calm. I was using Night Nurse to knock myself out but no longer need it. I've been using Lavender Kalms for those moments when anxiety gets to me.

I read about Magnesium Glycinate and have started taking it. I also stopped vaping, which I was doing because of stress, but it probably wasn't helping. I'm generally trying to lower my blood pressure due to all of this.

I'm usually a very fit person, and I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect or actual healing, but the severity of it has decreased. It's not noticeable during the day or during quieter periods with the TV on. Here's to waiting and hoping for continued improvement.

Alcoholics have Alcoholics Anonymous meetings they can attend, for fellowship and support. People like us with ear issues need something similar. A place we can meet up, face to face, and help one another get thru this ordeal.

I agree. I've found a group near where I live that meets quarterly, which I hope will be beneficial if my symptoms linger.

 

[Louise 17]

Hi all,

I'm approaching the three-month mark and thought I'd give an update on how I'm managing my tinnitus.

Like most people at this stage, I'm past the initial shock and despair. The reduced anxiety seems to have taken the edge off the sound. I believe my nervous system needs calming, as I have no hearing loss and was already stressed before the triggering incident.

I started doing yoga, which has helped me relax, and I've had a couple of craniosacral therapy sessions, both aimed at calming my nervous system. Overall, the sound is much more manageable—around a 2 or 3. I don't hear it when I'm out and about, and I don't notice it over the TV unless I focus on it. Previously, I could hear it over the TV, and it was nearly impossible to ignore.

I went on a trip with an eight-hour time difference, which was brutal. The jet lag and lack of sleep added to my anxiety about tinnitus. Another horrible symptom was that, because I was so stressed and stuck in fight-or-flight mode, every time I started nodding off, my body would jolt or twitch, as if it thought I was in too much danger to sleep. I had to take far more sleeping pills than advised just to get through it. Then, when I returned home, I had to deal with the same adjustment again. The lack of sleep and stress made the ringing worse.

A week after returning, I was still relying on sleeping pills but have since weaned myself off them. Now I can get to sleep with just a magnesium supplement before bed.

Right now, it's all trial and error to see what helps. Some mornings, I wake up and it just feels like normal background noise—hurrah! But then I crash back to reality when the whine returns, and I start overanalyzing what I did the day before that might have triggered it. It's mental gymnastics.

If I had to describe my progress visually, I'd imagine a graph slowly trending downward, but with a lot of peaks along the way. The sound itself varies—it shifts from a low tone in one ear to an electric current. One night, I even had a strange moment where it sounded like very faint cicadas.

Overall, I'm getting on with life. If I get enough sleep, I can function and feel on top of things. Maybe none of these strategies are actually making a difference, and it will fade on its own. Maybe not. But all I can do is hope.

 

[mzrach03]

Hi all,

I'm approaching the three-month mark and thought I'd give an update on how I'm managing my tinnitus.

Like most people at this stage, I'm past the initial shock and despair. The reduced anxiety seems to have taken the edge off the sound. I believe my nervous system needs calming, as I have no hearing loss and was already stressed before the triggering incident.

I started doing yoga, which has helped me relax, and I've had a couple of craniosacral therapy sessions, both aimed at calming my nervous system. Overall, the sound is much more manageable—around a 2 or 3. I don't hear it when I'm out and about, and I don't notice it over the TV unless I focus on it. Previously, I could hear it over the TV, and it was nearly impossible to ignore.

I went on a trip with an eight-hour time difference, which was brutal. The jet lag and lack of sleep added to my anxiety about tinnitus. Another horrible symptom was that, because I was so stressed and stuck in fight-or-flight mode, every time I started nodding off, my body would jolt or twitch, as if it thought I was in too much danger to sleep. I had to take far more sleeping pills than advised just to get through it. Then, when I returned home, I had to deal with the same adjustment again. The lack of sleep and stress made the ringing worse.

A week after returning, I was still relying on sleeping pills but have since weaned myself off them. Now I can get to sleep with just a magnesium supplement before bed.

Right now, it's all trial and error to see what helps. Some mornings, I wake up and it just feels like normal background noise—hurrah! But then I crash back to reality when the whine returns, and I start overanalyzing what I did the day before that might have triggered it. It's mental gymnastics.

If I had to describe my progress visually, I'd imagine a graph slowly trending downward, but with a lot of peaks along the way. The sound itself varies—it shifts from a low tone in one ear to an electric current. One night, I even had a strange moment where it sounded like very faint cicadas.

Overall, I'm getting on with life. If I get enough sleep, I can function and feel on top of things. Maybe none of these strategies are actually making a difference, and it will fade on its own. Maybe not. But all I can do is

I'm going through the same emotions right now—two months in.

We got this! Sending prayers.