Advice for (Reactive) Tinnitus and Hyperacusis? Struggling with Sleep, and Unable to Work

[mfoster]

Hello, I am new to Tinnitus Talk. I am currently suffering from tinnitus, hyperacusis, and reactive tinnitus.

Can anyone offer advice? I am finding it difficult to sleep and am unable to work at my job at the moment.

Many thanks for any help or advice.

 

[Eleanor89]

Hello @mfoster,

I'm so sorry to hear that you're struggling, and I apologize that no one has replied to you sooner.

I started experiencing tinnitus thirty years ago, and I was doing fine until 2021 when I had surgery that unfortunately made it worse.

I highly recommend reaching out to @Michael Leigh and @MindOverMatter, among many others, who can offer you valuable advice. They have helped me immensely. I suggest reading their posts, as they contain a wealth of information.

Additionally, @Michael Leigh has written many informative posts on Tinnitus Talk, which might be helpful to you.

Take care,
Eleanor x

 

[mfoster]

I'm so sorry to hear that you're struggling, and I apologize that no one has replied to you sooner.

I highly recommend reaching out to @Michael Leigh and @MindOverMatter, among many others, who can offer you valuable advice. They have helped me immensely. I suggest reading their posts, as they contain a wealth of information.

Thanks, Eleanor, for your reply. I have been reading a lot of posts on this forum and have found them helpful. I will look up posts by the members you mentioned.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Michael Leigh]

Hello, I am new to Tinnitus Talk. I am currently suffering from tinnitus, hyperacusis, and reactive tinnitus.

Hi Matt,

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a difficult time with tinnitus right now. Your username is familiar to me. You've had tinnitus since 2016 and managed to habituate for quite some time. I remember you mentioning that you listened to audio through headphones without any adverse effects, but somewhere along the line, things changed.

The symptoms you describe make me think you have what I call "variable tinnitus." This often affects people who have habituated to noise-induced tinnitus but then suffer one or more noise traumas to their auditory system, including the use of headphones, even at low volumes. Some people with noise-induced tinnitus aren't affected by headphone use, as you once weren't, but things can change suddenly.

Please check my started threads and read: Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus? There are other tinnitus articles in the list that you might also find helpful.

I hope you start to feel better soon, Matt.

Take care,
Michael

 

[mfoster]

Please check my started threads and read: Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus? There are other tinnitus articles in the list that you might also find helpful.

I hope you start to feel better soon, Matt.

Thank you for your posts and great advice, Michael.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thank you for your posts and great advice, Michael.

You are welcome Matt.

Take care,
Michael

 

[danahall5885]

There's a relatively new drug called Dayvigo, designed to aid sleep. It is supposed to avoid aggravating tinnitus, unlike many other medications.

However, it is extremely expensive and classified as a Schedule 4 narcotic. The good news is that you can obtain it from a primary care doctor.

With an internet discount card, the cost drops to just $10 per month.

 

[Nick47]

Hi @mfoster, I truly felt your pain and distress while reading your post.

I'm sorry to hear about your story. Current knowledge indicates that most tinnitus is caused by damage to the inner ear, regardless of whether an audiogram appears normal. What's done is done, but there are steps you can take moving forward.

What not to do:

1. Avoid wasting money on supplements. They do not repair inner ear damage. If you must try one, magnesium may offer slight benefit, but it's unlikely. Be cautious with supplements, especially fat-soluble ones, as they can cause harm in excess.

2. Do not seek treatment from masseurs, chiropractors, or dentists. These approaches can lead to additional problems, waste your money, and worsen despair. You may come across claims on Facebook or Reddit from random individuals reporting benefits, but these are often placebo effects or marketing tactics.

What to do:

1. Counseling for distress. Tinnitus can take a toll on your mental health, and counseling can help you manage the emotional burden.

2. Hearing aids. If hearing loss is detected, hearing aids can sometimes provide relief.

3. Consider medications. If you want to explore this option, look into:
- Dirk De Ridder's protocol
- Dr. Hamid Djalilian's protocol (discussed in the Treatments section, under the NeuroMed Tinnitus Program thread). This protocol has been studied in both tinnitus and hyperacusis, showing small benefits for some patients.

These researchers rarely recommend a single medication or SSRIs as standalone solutions.

4. Clinical trials. Explore clinical trials in your area to see if you qualify for enrollment.

5. Research involvement. Check out Tinnitus Quest under the "Research News" section. If you have relevant skills, you may want to contribute or simply feel inspired to make a small donation.

I hope this advice has been helpful in some way. Let me know if you have further questions or need more guidance.