Almost 100% Cured of Hyperacusis and Tinnitus

[Charlie398]

Hey guys,

I'm going to post this and then leave this forum for good because there are too many people here with too much negativity, and I don't want to see it. I hope everyone gets well.

On March 31st, I blew too much pressure into my ears during a Valsalva maneuver, setting off my tinnitus. It also caused hyperacusis and slightly dulled and distorted hearing in my left ear. I'm a musician, so the thought of never playing music again scared me. Like most of us, I went online and saw all the same things: no cure, fasting advice, and all that stuff. Although there's no medical intervention that has cured me, I am about 80-85% better in just over two months.

Here's how I did it; this may not work for everyone, but I can only speak about what's worked for me.

First of all, remove anything unhelpful to tinnitus from your awareness. Clear your YouTube history if needed, get off the forum, and stay away from anyone who tells you it is forever. IT IS NOT FOREVER, AND YOU WILL GET BETTER. Not to throw shade, but a couple of people here made comments that made me extremely depressed and anxious when I was going through it at the start.

Secondly, for anyone with hyperacusis, stop wearing earplugs in environments where your ears are safe (doing dishes, watching TV, shopping centers). I hate to think how much time I spent negatively reinforcing my brain that my ears needed to be protected from everyday sounds. THEY DON'T! If you go to a concert, a shooting range, or use power tools, sure, use earplugs. That's sensible. But not around the house. Though I understand it won't be helpful in the long run.

Thirdly, I saw a lot of negative reviews of Julian Cowan Hill on here that kept me away from him for a while until I finally listened to him. I don't know him, I haven't paid for anything, all I've done is download his app, do the meditations, and take his advice. It's been extremely beneficial and probably saved my sanity and kickstarted my recovery. Try Craniosacral Therapy. The way I look at it, you can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars at audiologists, doctors, and ENTs, and they're all going to say the same old thing: "Learn to live with it." Or you could spend equal or less than that, in my situation, and actually get results. Give it a try; I urge you!

Fourthly, see your friends, go for walks, and enjoy nature. Live your life as if you never had tinnitus to begin with! Your brain will forget about it over time. I know it's easier said than done, but you're not going to get anywhere sitting in your house thinking.

Fifth, take Magnesium and hot baths, do neural tapping, and stretch. Make a habit of setting aside time for yourself to relax every day. It takes practice, but it can be done.

Sixth and maybe the most important one: STOP CHECKING ON YOUR EARS. Don't touch them, block them to see if it's gone away, and don't think about them. Tinnitus is not in the ears anyway; it's in the brain. It's like a rash; the more you scratch it, the more it will itch. The best thing I did was stop checking my ears and comparing my left ear to my right. It's not helpful.

Finally, you will get better. I promise. Everything gets better. But at some point, you have to make the choice that you are going to beat it, overcome it, and not let it invade your life anymore. For me, tinnitus put me in the psych ward. I had it badly. I felt like my life had been robbed of me. Not anymore. I'm 22; my life has just begun. You can reset it whenever you want, no matter how long you've had it or what the "professionals" have told you. You can and will get better. It's a matter of mindset. Right now, as I'm writing this, my tinnitus is so low I actually don't care about it at all. As for the distorted hearing, it's getting a bit better and clearer day by day, and the hyperacusis is pretty much gone altogether.

Don't give up hope. Now get out and enjoy your life again.

Lots of love to you all!

This is a chapter of my life I am now closing. Best wishes, you will get better!

 

[RunningMan]

I disagree with much of your post. Tinnitus usually gets worse, and for me, it has for more than twenty years.

You shouldn't play music ever again. Mild sufferers won't think much of it, but it's not worth the risk - you wouldn't want to experience severe tinnitus.

 

[snizzleberry]

I disagree with much of your post. Tinnitus usually gets worse, and for me, it has for more than twenty years.

You shouldn't play music ever again. Mild sufferers won't think much of it, but it's not worth the risk - you wouldn't want to experience severe tinnitus.

To be fair, I believe it all comes down to a person-by-person case. It sucks that your condition worsened, but that's not how it is for everyone. It especially depends on how they got tinnitus or hyperacusis in the first place. Saying something like "You shouldn't ever play music again" is a bit extreme, don't you think? I'm not knocking you; I'm just speaking from my point of view.

 

[RunningMan]

To be fair, I believe it all comes down to a person-by-person case. It sucks that your condition worsened, but that's not how it is for everyone.

If you reread my post, you will notice I said "usually" and never said "everyone" or "always." Just for most people over the long term.

Saying something like "You shouldn't ever play music again" is a bit extreme, don't you think?

No, once you dodge a bullet and your tinnitus actually gets better, which for many people it doesn't, you should protect your ears against loud noises, avoid concerts and playing in a band, and so on. This is not extreme at all. Once your ears have been compromised, you need to be extra careful. This has come up on Tinnitus Talk many times before.

 

[cjbhab]

Congrats on healing from tinnitus.

However, it is highly likely your tinnitus was going to go away anyway as you had had it for only a short time. Anything you did is very likely a coincidence.

Good luck in the future. Protect your ears wherever and whenever possible.

 

[Stuart-T]

There are many reports of people who get tinnitus for a short time only, and it clears up without them following any particular program.

It also seems that when someone can pinpoint how they got it - a cause - there appears to be a better chance of it clearing. I have no idea what caused mine, and it has been the same since it started.

I'm glad yours cleared - that is the important thing out of all this.

 

[gameover]

This is another nonsensical post from someone who got lucky and thinks they figured it out.

 

[HighleyTall]

Make a habit of setting aside time for yourself to relax every day. It takes practice, but it can be done.

If you have severe tinnitus, it is impossible to relax. You have to keep yourself busy from the minute you wake up, and go to sleep once exhausted.

 

[Michael Leigh]

If you have severe tinnitus, it is impossible to relax. You have to keep yourself busy from the minute you wake up, and go to sleep once exhausted.

If tinnitus is affecting a person so much that they are unable to relax, then they need medication to help make their life easier. They should talk to their ENT and audiologist.

Michael

 

[HighleyTall]

I drink a glass of wine in the evening; that's my medication.

If you have severe hyperacusis, don't visit an audiologist. I've given up on ENTs, especially those who experience tinnitus themselves. They always seem to think there is no worse tinnitus than they experience. Most of them have no clue what it is to survive with severe tinnitus and hyperacusis.

 

[MindOverMatter]

I drink a glass of wine in the evening; that's my medication.

If you have severe hyperacusis, don't visit an audiologist. I've given up on ENTs, especially those who experience tinnitus themselves. They always seem to think there is no worse tinnitus than they experience. Most of them have no clue what it is to survive with severe tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Most ENTs don't have in-depth knowledge about tinnitus + hyperacusis, but there are audiologists trained in tinnitus and hyperacusis. Some of them are very knowledgeable. But you need to find the right person and preferably have a good connection with the person.

I've been with the same audiologist for counseling for several years (less the last 1.5 years), and it's been crucial on my journey with this.

 

[UKBloke]

They always seem to think there is no worse tinnitus than they experience.

This is why we as a community need to continue pushing as hard as we can for objective tinnitus measurement at the point of care.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I have nothing but high regard and praise for my audiologist and ENT doctor/Audiovestibular physician. From 2008 to 2012, when I was going through an extremely difficult time with my tinnitus, they did everything possible to help me. They would often see me at a moment's notice.

My ENT doctor said I was the second worst tinnitus patient she had met in all her years practicing as an Audiovestibular physician. She then said she would never give up on treating me. I was prescribed Clonazepam, and it helped me immensely when nothing else would. I was advised only to take it when the tinnitus was severe.

I found my audiologist, who was born with tinnitus, to be a very good therapist and counselor for TRT and CBT.

Michael

 

[Michael Leigh]

I've been with the same audiologist for counseling for several years (less the last 1.5 years), and it's been crucial on my journey with this

Ideally, the audiologist should have tinnitus. Many do that work with tinnitus patients. This way, they will have a better understanding of the condition and how it can affect a person's daily life and mental and emotional well-being. The counseling will usually be of high quality because of this, as tinnitus cannot be learned from a book or at medical school to any great depth.

Michael

 

[MindOverMatter]

I get where you are coming from @Michael Leigh, but I will also add that my audiologist, to my knowledge, does not have tinnitus or hyperacusis. So, I think you should nuance it a bit.

She is very knowledgeable about tinnitus/hyperacusis (and its possible impact on many), emphatic, and understanding. She works with many patients who have bothersome tinnitus/hyperacusis. Her work colleague has many hearing issues herself.

But by all means, if people can find a qualified audiologist specializing in tinnitus/hyperacusis and have bothersome tinnitus and/or hyperacusis themselves, it's a great option. Unfortunately, not many of them are around, and many people worldwide do not get the help they need.

 

[grate_biff]

I was advised only to take it when the tinnitus was severe.

Yes. And that's twice a month, like clockwork! I have heard it a thousand times by now.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I get where you are coming from @Michael Leigh, but I will also add that my audiologist, to my knowledge, does not have tinnitus or hyperacusis. So, I think you should nuance it a bit.

She is very knowledgeable about tinnitus/hyperacusis (and its possible impact on many), emphatic, and understanding. She works with many patients who have bothersome tinnitus/hyperacusis. Her work colleague has many hearing issues herself.

But by all means, if people can find a qualified audiologist specializing in tinnitus/hyperacusis and have bothersome tinnitus and/or hyperacusis themselves, it's a great option. Unfortunately, not many of them are around, and many people worldwide do not get the help they need.

I hear you @MindOverMatter and agree; if people can find a qualified audiologist who specializes in tinnitus and hyperacusis management, it would be very helpful. I believe your audiologist is very understanding and empathetic towards her tinnitus patients. She is obviously a deeply compassionate person and wants to help people in distress with this condition through counseling. These are unique and special qualities that a person is born with and cannot be taught. They are further enhanced and strengthened through life experiences and talking to people, in this case, who are affected with tinnitus and hyperacusis and, thus, have gained an immense amount of knowledge of these conditions.

However, it is my belief that they can never fully understand what a person with tinnitus, especially when it is debilitating, is going through. I hasten to add that the lack of this knowledge doesn't mean she cannot show empathy and understanding towards someone in distress with tinnitus, hyperacusis, or another medical condition.

This is why I have said, "Ideally," the audiologists who work with tinnitus patients should have tinnitus themselves, and many do. I believe the personal experience of living with tinnitus is required, especially when administering TRT, CBT, and long-term counseling for tinnitus.

When I was last in audiology and was fitted with two new Oticon white noise generators, I was seen by two audiologists. One was born with tinnitus. She counsels tinnitus patients and administers TRT and CBT therapy to them. The other specializes in hearing implants and hearing aids for patients with hearing loss and those with tinnitus. Both also perform audiograms. The audiologist who doesn't have tinnitus told me she knows very little about the condition and doesn't counsel tinnitus or hyperacusis patients.

I have often said tinnitus and, to some extent, hyperacusis, are an integral part of a person's mental and emotional wellbeing and cannot be separated from it. I will go further and say tinnitus is all mental. By this, I do not mean its severity can be controlled by mere thought. Anyone who has experienced severe and unrelenting tinnitus will understand what I mean. It can wear a person down and seriously impact their mental health. This is the reason some people unfortunately have caused their demise due to the distress they are in.

When people with tinnitus and hyperacusis have asked for my help, I usually direct them to my started threads. I advise them to print and read specific articles that I have written about these conditions. Printing them and referring to them often helps to reinforce positive thinking. This knowledge is absorbed and retained over time and is not so easily forgotten as if it were read just once on a phone or computer screen. They are a form of counseling similar to what one would experience during talk therapy with a tinnitus therapist. As I have said, tinnitus is primarily mental.

TRT and CBT help a person retrain their thoughts about tinnitus and life—in short, to bring positivity into their lives. Take up a new hobby or interest—anything to help direct the mind away from thinking about tinnitus. This takes time and is not a quick fix. It depends on the severity of the tinnitus and hyperacusis. Additional treatments such as sound therapy, white noise generators, and medications are sometimes required.

Michael

 

[Charlie398]

This is another nonsensical post from someone who got lucky and thinks they figured it out.

I'm not saying I figured it out for the whole tinnitus population. This is called "Success Stories," here, I share what worked for me.

I disagree with much of your post. Tinnitus usually gets worse, and for me, it has for more than twenty years.

You shouldn't play music ever again. Mild sufferers won't think much of it, but it's not worth the risk - you wouldn't want to experience severe tinnitus.

It's what I do for a living, hahaha, and it's what I love; telling someone never to do what they love again is ridiculous, and this is the negative stuff I'm getting off the forum due to. I use extremely protective musicians' earplugs when I'm in rehearsals, shows, or anywhere the decibels are over the mark of potentially damaging the ears, which I have done for years, by the way. My tinnitus wasn't noise-induced anyway; it was due to a trauma to the ear via a forceful Valsalva, basically a pulled muscle in the middle ear that is still yet to fully heal, but I'm making progress.

My ears are not compromised, by the way; that was the thinking that kept me stuck.

 

[Varda]

However, it is highly likely your tinnitus was going to go away anyway as you had had it for only a short time. Anything you did is very likely a coincidence.

@Charlie398 never said his tinnitus went away. What was written was: "At some point, you have to make the choice that you are going to beat it, overcome it, and not let it invade your life anymore."

 

[RunningMan]

It's what I do for a living, hahaha, and it's what I love; telling someone never to do what they love again is ridiculous

It's not ridiculous at all and has been suggested by others as well, advising new members how to avoid worsening. Ignore at your own peril. If your tinnitus worsens, along with hyperacusis and other possible issues that often accompany it, you might be reporting back here in the future as others have done after being reckless and thinking they can return to their old ways.

My ears are not compromised, by the way; that was the thinking that kept me stuck.

I would bet your ears are compromised. In addition to avoiding the loud noises of rock bands, you might want to consider wearing double hearing protection in some louder environments if you can't avoid them.

 

[gameover]

I'm not saying I figured it out for the whole tinnitus population. This is called "Success Stories," here, I share what worked for me.

Yeah, you wrote that, but then you contradicted yourself right away:

Finally, you will get better. I promise. Everything gets better. But at some point, you have to make the choice that you are going to beat it, overcome it, and not let it invade your life anymore.

This is bullshit, sir. Survivorship bias. People are notoriously bad at conflating correlation with causation.

I am glad you got better; congrats. But don't gaslight us by saying we need to "make a choice." This is toxic and denigrating positivity. We are suffering from a debilitating physical injury. It is not a matter of mindset at a certain level. You do not know what you are talking about.

 

[Travis Henry]

Hey guys,

I'm going to post this and then leave this forum for good because there are too many people here with too much negativity, and I don't want to see it. I hope everyone gets well.

On March 31st, I blew too much pressure into my ears during a Valsalva maneuver, setting off my tinnitus. It also caused hyperacusis and slightly dulled and distorted hearing in my left ear. I'm a musician, so the thought of never playing music again scared me. Like most of us, I went online and saw all the same things: no cure, fasting advice, and all that stuff. Although there's no medical intervention that has cured me, I am about 80-85% better in just over two months.

Here's how I did it; this may not work for everyone, but I can only speak about what's worked for me.

First of all, remove anything unhelpful to tinnitus from your awareness. Clear your YouTube history if needed, get off the forum, and stay away from anyone who tells you it is forever. IT IS NOT FOREVER, AND YOU WILL GET BETTER. Not to throw shade, but a couple of people here made comments that made me extremely depressed and anxious when I was going through it at the start.

Secondly, for anyone with hyperacusis, stop wearing earplugs in environments where your ears are safe (doing dishes, watching TV, shopping centers). I hate to think how much time I spent negatively reinforcing my brain that my ears needed to be protected from everyday sounds. THEY DON'T! If you go to a concert, a shooting range, or use power tools, sure, use earplugs. That's sensible. But not around the house. Though I understand it won't be helpful in the long run.

Thirdly, I saw a lot of negative reviews of Julian Cowan Hill on here that kept me away from him for a while until I finally listened to him. I don't know him, I haven't paid for anything, all I've done is download his app, do the meditations, and take his advice. It's been extremely beneficial and probably saved my sanity and kickstarted my recovery. Try Craniosacral Therapy. The way I look at it, you can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars at audiologists, doctors, and ENTs, and they're all going to say the same old thing: "Learn to live with it." Or you could spend equal or less than that, in my situation, and actually get results. Give it a try; I urge you!

Fourthly, see your friends, go for walks, and enjoy nature. Live your life as if you never had tinnitus to begin with! Your brain will forget about it over time. I know it's easier said than done, but you're not going to get anywhere sitting in your house thinking.

Fifth, take Magnesium and hot baths, do neural tapping, and stretch. Make a habit of setting aside time for yourself to relax every day. It takes practice, but it can be done.

Sixth and maybe the most important one: STOP CHECKING ON YOUR EARS. Don't touch them, block them to see if it's gone away, and don't think about them. Tinnitus is not in the ears anyway; it's in the brain. It's like a rash; the more you scratch it, the more it will itch. The best thing I did was stop checking my ears and comparing my left ear to my right. It's not helpful.

Finally, you will get better. I promise. Everything gets better. But at some point, you have to make the choice that you are going to beat it, overcome it, and not let it invade your life anymore. For me, tinnitus put me in the psych ward. I had it badly. I felt like my life had been robbed of me. Not anymore. I'm 22; my life has just begun. You can reset it whenever you want, no matter how long you've had it or what the "professionals" have told you. You can and will get better. It's a matter of mindset. Right now, as I'm writing this, my tinnitus is so low I actually don't care about it at all. As for the distorted hearing, it's getting a bit better and clearer day by day, and the hyperacusis is pretty much gone altogether.

Don't give up hope. Now get out and enjoy your life again.

Lots of love to you all!

This is a chapter of my life I am now closing. Best wishes, you will get better!

Oh wow. I didn't know it was a choice; I'm choosing to be homebound. I guess I prefer to worsen to a homebound state when following doctors' orders to stay exposed to everyday sounds but wear earplugs around louder stuff. I worsened standing far back at an outside concert. My tinnitus audiologist said it was OK to go with earplugs. I guess I made the wrong choice, too. I just thought my way into more damage... or did I get more damage that is limiting my life and killing me inside and out?

I'm glad you and @Michael Leigh got better, but there's no reason to tell people with worse damage that it's a choice. TRT, CBT, and especially medications are BS for severely damaged auditory systems, in my opinion.

 

[Charlie398]

Okay, well, I'm getting off Tinnitus Talk now since there's not a lot of positivity in here. If you guys want to stay miserable, then stay miserable.

I'm out. Best of luck.

 

[Fields]

Okay, well, I'm getting off Tinnitus Talk now since there's not a lot of positivity in here. If you guys want to stay miserable, then stay miserable.

I'm out. Best of luck.

Thanks for taking the time to share your story. I hope you'll continue to stay well.

 

[Utdmad89]

It's not ridiculous at all and has been suggested by others as well, advising new members how to avoid worsening. Ignore at your own peril. If your tinnitus worsens, along with hyperacusis and other possible issues that often accompany it, you might be reporting back here in the future as others have done after being reckless and thinking they can return to their old ways.

I would bet your ears are compromised. In addition to avoiding the loud noises of rock bands, you might want to consider wearing double hearing protection in some louder environments if you can't avoid them.

Okay, well, I'm getting off Tinnitus Talk now since there's not a lot of positivity in here. If you guys want to stay miserable, then stay miserable.

I'm out. Best of luck.

Nobody wants to "stay miserable." Have some compassion!

 

[JeffToob]

If you have severe tinnitus, it is impossible to relax. You have to keep yourself busy from the minute you wake up, and go to sleep once exhausted.

How do you define severe tinnitus?

 

[HighleyTall]

How do you define severe tinnitus?

When you wouldn't mind not waking up the next morning.

 

[Jupiterman]

Okay, well, I'm getting off Tinnitus Talk now since there's not a lot of positivity in here.

Positivity fixes tinnitus? Really?

I must have missed something all this time?

 

[object16]

Don't worry. I used to have tinnitus off the charts. Initially, it would subside and go away in three days. Then, it would take a week. Eventually, it never went away. One day, it got to the point where I couldn't sleep—literally couldn't sleep for weeks on end. My doctor admitted me to the hospital. They didn't know much back then, so I was heavily medicated with Elavil and was completely under for two weeks. When I came to, I realized that now I had tinnitus plus low-frequency hypersensitivity and generalized sound hypersensitivity. Not to worry, my ENT said my hearing was fine and that the tinnitus would go away with "a bit of Elavil." Lol.

OK, that was 30 years ago. Ten years ago, I was having dental crown work done. After that, the tinnitus became even more of a nightmare, to the point where I was pretty sure I was going to end it all. A truck backfired, and I couldn't show up for work the next day. When the hospital fire alarm went off, I had a spike that lasted six months, and I never returned to baseline. Don't come to Tinnitus Talk expecting your tinnitus will miraculously go away. If it goes away, it isn't a miracle; it's just that your brain managed to heal this time. Next time, it will be harder. And then, you may be unlucky enough that your brain is wired in such a way as to give you a nightmare.

Why do you think, after the Civil War in the USA, there were so many heroin addicts suffering from phantom limb pain after lower limb amputation? Not everyone got it. And not everyone will get ridiculous tinnitus. Two people can have the same hearing loss. One might have no or minimal tinnitus, while the other may have tinnitus so severe they wish to die. It's not that the other person is somehow weak or has the wrong attitude; their brain is wired differently—they were just unlucky. FFS.

But hey, that was still 35 years ago. I've been contending with it, and I'm still here. I still have a full-time job. The tinnitus is progressively worse. If I get a spike, I suppress it with Clonazepam. That usually works. I do, however, ignore the remarks that it's no big deal. It is a big deal. Treat it seriously because it is serious. But just because it's serious and will get worse, that's not a good reason to throw in the towel. It is a good reason to find out everything about what you've got so you won't make it worse.

I'm a Benefactor here, and you can listen to Tinnitus Talk Podcast. This is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder. The brain has healing mechanisms, but this can quickly get to the point where no healing will make it go away, and I learn to contend with it. Six years ago, I was hoping to get a natural illness so I could pass away quickly. Instead, I've now got leukemia, but it is of a chronic variety, and I go for therapy to keep myself in a positive state of mind.

What we've got here is quite depressing, and treating it properly requires a multidisciplinary approach, one part of which is group support, which happens to be this forum. So, going on Tinnitus Talk will not make you worse, FFS. It is where you get your education, where truly knowledgeable people share their experiences and expertise with you, and where you get support if you get down. You are allowed to get down about this. Don't start cussing me out because I've gotten depressed with this numerous times in the past. I keep busy, do things to keep my mind off it, play quiet background radio at work, play quiet music at night, and take appropriate medications without overdoing it. I do alternative treatment, which is called complementary medicine. In case people haven't heard of it, that's what it's called.

 

[JeffToob]

When you wouldn't mind not waking up the next morning.

That's a feeling you can have without tinnitus. What are the symptoms exclusive to tinnitus that make it severe?