Almost Every Noise Spikes My Tinnitus

[AnthonyMcDonald]

Hello. I have been experiencing suicidal levels of tinnitus, and it keeps getting worse. I have very severe loudness hyperacusis too.

What I want to ask is - why is my tinnitus spiking so easily (almost daily) to noise that shouldn't even be considered loud? (I'm talking 50-60 decibels max). It's already gotten so loud.

Please, I need some input. My hair cells can't be dying from such low noise exposure!

 

[Stacken77]

I'm very sorry to hear about your sensitivity, @AnthonyMcDonald.

What I want to ask is - why is my tinnitus spiking so easily (almost daily) to noise that shouldn't even be considered loud? (I'm talking 50-60 decibels max). It's already gotten so loud.

To me, it looks like the loudness hyperacusis is the culprit for this, or at least some over-sensitivity in the brain. I deprived myself of sound for two weeks in February, and it began spiking to 20 dB sound; there was no trauma involved. The spikes were quite benign; always receding in 20 minutes or so, until March where I was hit by a semi-loud noise which worsened the sensitivity to such a degree that spikes now could last days from simple conversations or a running tap.

My hair cells can't be dying from such low noise exposure!

I agree, I can't believe they're being damaged. In my personal case, I don't see this as ear damage, but rather a "calibration" that has gone complete bonkers in the brain. Too little sound and it worsen, too much and it worsen - seems like an awful balance.

I'm pretty much in the same situation, so I can't give any recommendation.

I know exactly how hard it is to deal with, and I sincerely hope you make a recovery,
Stacken

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

I'm very sorry to hear about your sensitivity, @AnthonyMcDonald.

To me, it looks like the loudness hyperacusis is the culprit for this, or at least some over-sensitivity in the brain. I deprived myself of sound for two weeks in February, and it began spiking to 20 dB sound; there was no trauma involved. The spikes were quite benign; always receding in 20 minutes or so, until March where I was hit by a semi-loud noise which worsened the sensitivity to such a degree that spikes now could last days from simple conversations or a running tap.

I agree, I can't believe they're being damaged. In my personal case, I don't see this as ear damage, but rather a "calibration" that has gone complete bonkers in the brain. Too little sound and it worsen, too much and it worsen - seems like an awful balance.

I'm pretty much in the same situation, so I can't give any recommendation.

I know exactly how hard it is to deal with, and I sincerely hope you make a recovery,
Stacken

Hello Stacken, thanks for the reply.

I have read your case and I do agree that we are similar in many ways. Unfortunately my spikes have never gone down after appearing, or I just haven't given them the chance to, either way. There is always too much noise where I am, and I have a feeling that the spikes keep stacking on top of each other.

I agree with what you say about the brain. There's no way that this has anything to do with hair cells, rather the hyperacusis.

Hope you recover too.

 

[GeorgeLG]

My tinnitus gets louder after nearly every sound exposure but it goes back to baseline. Louder sounds give me ear pain. My baseline got progressively worse in the beginning but has leveled off.

I am at the point that tinnitus rarely bothers me and I spend a great deal of my day not thinking it about it even though its louder now. I achieved this by modifying how I think about tinnitus and how I react to it. There are many techniques to achieve this, a recent thread here called Back to Silence highlights one of them.

I hope you find relief,
George

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

My tinnitus gets louder after nearly every sound exposure but it goes back to baseline. Louder sounds give me ear pain. My baseline got progressively worse in the beginning but has leveled off.

I am at the point that tinnitus rarely bothers me and I spend a great deal of my day not thinking it about it even though its louder now. I achieved this by modifying how I think about tinnitus and how I react to it. There are many techniques to achieve this, a recent thread here called Back to Silence highlights one of them.

I hope you find relief,
George

Hey George. Thanks for the reply.

My tinnitus never goes back to baseline (or so far hasn't) after noise exposure. Unfortunately I think habituating or not thinking about such severe tinnitus and hyperacusis is quite impossible, imo.

 

[Stacken77]

Unfortunately I think habituating or not thinking about such severe tinnitus and hyperacusis is quite impossible, imo.

Yeah, I agree. When my spikes always went back in 20 minutes or so, between February and March, I completely habituated to the reactivity and lived a pretty good life. I never got prolonged worsening and my sensitivity stayed the same.

The defining factor is if we get permanently/prolonged worsening from normal activities, or that which is required of us. At that point, isolation is our only option, and habituating or accepting complete isolation can be very hard to deal with mentally.

I would still say that the spikes I get nowadays usually recede or improve, but I think the baseline definitely has increased gradually over the recent months. But I understand what you're going through; it simply is one of the most distressing types of tinnitus that the average sufferer won't be able to imagine.

Wish you well,
Stacken

 

[Adelaide14]

Hi @AnthonyMcDonald. I don't seem to have temporary spikes either. It's utter crap. Any increase I have to my baseline doesn't settle down. My tolerance to sound seems to be getting worse as things that didn't effect me a few months ago now make me wince. I'm desperately trying not to overprotect but when there's new, louder noises appearing daily (weekly if I'm lucky) I'm not sure there's much else that can be done.

Have you seen an audiologist?

 

[Stacken77]

I'm very sorry to hear that, @Adelaide14.

I'm desperately trying not to overprotect but when there's new, louder noises appearing daily (weekly if I'm lucky) I'm not sure there's much else that can be done.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by "overprotection"? I've been using hearing protection literally 24 hours a day for months; I consider that overprotection, and I think that can mess up the sound tolerance in the brain given enough time. But I don't consider using hearing protection for moderate noise over protection, even though our doctors disagree.

Here's my take; if we can improve our sensitivity with sound enrichment (which is not for everyone in every case), we shouldn't expose ourselves to sounds that makes us wince - we don't build tolerance by doing so, instead we risk getting a setback. If we can be exposed to a set of sounds that do not make us wince, and better yet, do not spike us, then that's good.

Wish you well,
Stacken

 

[Wrfortiscue]

I'm very sorry to hear that, @Adelaide14.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by "overprotection"? I've been using hearing protection literally 24 hours a day for months; I consider that overprotection, and I think that can mess up the sound tolerance in the brain given enough time. But I don't consider using hearing protection for moderate noise over protection, even though our doctors disagree.

Here's my take; if we can improve our sensitivity with sound enrichment (which is not for everyone in every case), we shouldn't expose ourselves to sounds that makes us wince - we don't build tolerance by doing so, instead we risk getting a setback. If we can be exposed to a set of sounds that do not make us wince, and better yet, do not spike us, then that's good.

Wish you well,
Stacken

Have you thought about doing slow decibel increments Stacken? Like change out earmuffs or earplugs slowly to increase more sound?

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

Hi @AnthonyMcDonald. I don't seem to have temporary spikes either. It's utter crap. Any increase I have to my baseline doesn't settle down. My tolerance to sound seems to be getting worse as things that didn't effect me a few months ago now make me wince. I'm desperately trying not to overprotect but when there's new, louder noises appearing daily (weekly if I'm lucky) I'm not sure there's much else that can be done.

Have you seen an audiologist?

I have seen an audiologist. Unfortunately, predictably, they were of now help whatsoever. My hearing loss is mild-moderate, and I'm quite sure I had hearing loss before my onset of tinnitus due to me having to ask people to repeat themselves quite often. Why my tinnitus and hyperacusis decided to appear now? God knows.

 

[Adelaide14]

Hi @Stacken77,

No I'm not wearing protection to the level you are. My use of the word overprotection is probably directly linked to the view of my audiologist. I do think trying to follow the advice from medical staff has lead to my tinnitus worsening. It's tricky when multiple people tell you not to overprotect for every day noise (one ENT told me to sit with a plate and strike it with cutlery until the noise doesn't make me flinch. That bit of advice I did not follow... madness)

I wear ear defenders at work and around the house if I'm washing up or doing what I perceive to be noisy jobs. If I leave the house for any reason I wear ear plugs but I do find if I wear them too long I get nasty earache which will result in a spike.

So perhaps you're right and I need to be upping my level of protection despite what I've been told. The longer I have this condition the more I'm convinced the medical professionals (that I've come into contact with anyway) actually know very little. It would be refreshing if they came out and said that instead of repeating the same unhelpful mantras!

 

[Stacken77]

Have you thought about doing slow decibel increments Stacken? Like change out earmuffs or earplugs slowly to increase more sound?

Yes, and I think that would make things easier. I'm just stupid, and have my priorities in the wrong place. I should go on sick leave now, but the circumstances have made it a tough decision. I'll probably do it sooner or later, I'm just hoping that the increased sound will fix it eventually anyway.

 

[Stacken77]

My use of the word overprotection is probably directly linked to the view of my audiologist. I do think trying to follow the advice from medical staff has lead to my tinnitus worsening.

Yeah, I thought so. I'm just going to break it to you; the medical establishment aren't a very good giver of advice regarding our conditions. Even my doctor have acknowledged how little we know about ear problems.

In my very own first hand experience, and from reading this forum, it seems that; yes, we do get more sensitive to sound if we deprive ourselves of it, but it takes a lot of protection for some time to actually do this. But it also seems we can get worse if we are exposed to too much sound. I had a 2 hour conversation in March, and I remember that quite a lot of sounds made me wince during that episode, and after that my tolerance to sound dropped really bad.

So I think a good rule of thumb is; to avoid sounds that makes us wince, but still enrich ourselves with sound that are comfortable. If you can listen to some low level music on speakers, then that's good, or take a walk in nature.

I think we can make a recovery, I really hope so,
Stacken

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Yes, and I think that would make things easier. I'm just stupid, and have my priorities in the wrong place. I should go on sick leave now, but the circumstances have made it a tough decision. I'll probably do it sooner or later, I'm just hoping that the increased sound will fix it eventually anyway.

Great... you should recover eventually, I mean sound exposure has to help some.

 

[Stacken77]

Great... you should recover eventually, I mean sound exposure has to help some.

I hope so. The problem is usually this; I go a few days and take in more sound, everything seems to work out pretty alright, the spikes are there but not too bad - until it all culminates in a serious spike where I simply have to retreat to silence. I stay in 24/7 hearing protection, the spike usually subsides after a few days, at least to quite a big extent, but after those days, all my previous progress of desensitization are erased.

I know desensitization is real, at least in my personal case, I've seen improvements where less sounds make me wince, but the spikes are what makes me surrender each time.

Again, I'm a firm believer in protecting our hearing, but this 24/7 crap cannot be good, I will never believe that. But what's one supposed to do when life's in a Catch 22? - Don't really know.

Thank you for existing buddy, @Wrfortiscue.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

I hope so. The problem is usually this; I go a few days and take in more sound, everything seems to work out pretty alright, the spikes are there but not too bad - until it all culminates in a serious spike where I simply have to retreat to silence. I stay in 24/7 hearing protection, the spike usually subsides after a few days, at least to quite a big extent, but after those days, all my previous progress of desensitization are erased.

I know desensitization is real, at least in my personal case, I've seen improvements where less sounds make me wince, but the spikes are what makes me surrender each time.

Again, I'm a firm believer in protecting our hearing, but this 24/7 crap cannot be good, I will never believe that. But what's one supposed to do when life's in a Catch 22? - Don't really know.

Thank you for existing buddy, @Wrfortiscue.

I hear you. I have delayed spikes to sound so I don't even know what's spiking me anymore lol.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

I have been getting daily worsening of my tinnitus together with hyperacusis (noise induced). I was stable for 2 months before my worsening (never spiked), and it's been getting worse daily for 3 months.

Increases in volume and tones. I am completely lost and don't know what to do. I known this question might not have an answer but does anyone speculate how I might be able to stop this constant daily worsening of symptoms? My tinnitus gets louder and worse from almost every noise. I am at the end of my rope, I cannot endure more worsenings. I can barely hear anything at all through my tinnitus because it is so loud (yet I still get hurt from hyperacusis). I take NAC, Magnesium, and other vitamins sometimes. I have been recommended to start using benzos.

Does anyone know what I can do? Please, any speculation would be helpful. I already sit at home all day in hearing protection. My house isn't very loud but the cars outside can be.

 

[aura]

I had a 2 hour conversation in March, and I remember that quite a lot of sounds made me wince during that episode, and after that my tolerance to sound dropped really bad.

I also experienced a nasty spike after a long phone conversation. I avoid them now... among lots of other normal activities.

This is strange. It's just a phone call after all. At the lowest volume. On the speaker. Are we that sensitive?!

 

[Stacken77]

So very sorry to hear that, @AnthonyMcDonald.

I have been getting daily worsening of my tinnitus together with hyperacusis

So you hyperacusis has also worsened with time? Does the tolerance drop further after minor exposure to sound? I think the hyperacusis is the culprit behind the tinnitus worsening, so having the hyperacusis worsen is not good at all.

I know this doesn't add much, but I'm extremely sensitive to sound, spike all the time, but my "loudness hyperacusis"/sensitivity to (primarily high frequency) sound has remained stable after my major setback in March. If sensitivity is straight up progressing further for you, then that's alarming.

I known this question might not have an answer but does anyone speculate how I might be able to stop this constant daily worsening of symptoms?

Only way to stop the worsenings would be to completely adopt double protection 24/7 and be in quiet environments. But it's hard to know if that's the right strategy long term. I wish we had more definitive answers.

I take NAC, Magnesium, and other vitamins sometimes.

Sounds good. For me, I think supplements haven't helped at all, and I believe that's because we're not dealing with inner ear damage when the sound levels are so low. I think the brain is really screwing up itself.

Does anyone know what I can do?

All I can say is that my sensitivity to sound has, and is, improving, and that is due to very very gentle exposure. It is a Catch 22 since the tinnitus spikes up, so I can't really give a recommendation since I'm in a similarly crappy situation.

Hang in there buddy, hang in there...
Stacken

 

[aura]

I hear you. I have delayed spikes to sound so I don't even know what's spiking me anymore lol.

I guess we get them just from existing.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

Only way to stop the worsenings would be to completely adopt double protection 24/7

I have tried this and I continue to get worse from sounds like ears crackling when yawning, swallowing, saliva sounds. Also, my tinnitus spikes randomly when I'm falling asleep (just ups in volume for no reason).

Yes, my hyperacusis is and has been getting worse.

Do you know of any cases like mine? I am sensitive to all sound, no matter the frequencies.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

So very sorry to hear that, @AnthonyMcDonald.

So you hyperacusis has also worsened with time? Does the tolerance drop further after minor exposure to sound? I think the hyperacusis is the culprit behind the tinnitus worsening, so having the hyperacusis worsen is not good at all.

I know this doesn't add much, but I'm extremely sensitive to sound, spike all the time, but my "loudness hyperacusis"/sensitivity to (primarily high frequency) sound has remained stable after my major setback in March. If sensitivity is straight up progressing further for you, then that's alarming.

Only way to stop the worsenings would be to completely adopt double protection 24/7 and be in quiet environments. But it's hard to know if that's the right strategy long term. I wish we had more definitive answers.

Sounds good. For me, I think supplements haven't helped at all, and I believe that's because we're not dealing with inner ear damage when the sound levels are so low. I think the brain is really screwing up itself.

All I can say is that my sensitivity to sound has, and is, improving, and that is due to very very gentle exposure. It is a Catch 22 since the tinnitus spikes up, so I can't really give a recommendation since I'm in a similarly crappy situation.

Hang in there buddy, hang in there...
Stacken

Hey Stacken, when you spike to sound, is it a huge spike or just moderate? It seems like I spike all the time but it takes my low 2-3/10 tinnitus to a 4-5/10 almost 50% of the day from reactive tinnitus. When I get a loud spike 7-9/10, it lasts for a couple of days and it's from a loud sound.

My buzzsaw tone is independent. I can spike on both ears and it can be quiet or I can have low tinnitus but the buzzsaw is intrusive and loud. I can reduce the buzzsaw by icing or massaging my left jaw and also by adjusting my neck. It is also noise induced.

Do you get huge spikes or just moderate? Just curious.

 

[Stacken77]

Hey @Wrfortiscue, hope everything's well with you buddy!

when you spike to sound, is it a huge spike or just moderate? It seems like I spike all the time but it takes my low 2-3/10 tinnitus to a 4-5/10 almost 50% of the day from reactive tinnitus. When I get a loud spike 7-9/10, it lasts for a couple of days and it's from a loud sound.

I find that description very familiar. As I've written, I get spikes constantly from very low level sound, but I guess they're "moderate" in volume, and usually go down after an hour or a good nights sleep.

But what can happen is if I e.g. sit in a computer meeting for 6 hours straight, ride a car (with double protection), or expose myself to too much low level noise in too short of a time frame (which is very easily done, believe me), I may get a more "serious" spike which I would I also would consider a 7-8/10, and those spikes can last for 3-7 days.

It's usually one of these serious spikes that erases my attempts of desensitization since I kinda have to retreat to 24/7 protection in order to get the spike down, and I need to have the spike down to survive lol.

Wish you well,
Stacken

 

[Chris S.]

The advice of the ENT (about striking a dish with cutlery) is, well, something that perhaps he/she should try for an hour at home. Dropping a fork on a plate close to my head in the summer led to nearly 4 months of enduring a severe tinnitus spike. But lately I seem to be getting spikes out of nowhere - no clear cause.

About overprotection - some days, I wear hearing protection for 2-4 hours (being outside or cooking at home, etc. - activities that, in the past, led to bad and long-lasting spikes) and usually my brain turns up the tinnitus volume if I spend that much time with earplugs and/or earmuffs.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Hey @Wrfortiscue, hope everything's well with you buddy!

I find that description very familiar. As I've written, I get spikes constantly from very low level sound, but I guess they're "moderate" in volume, and usually go down after an hour or a good nights sleep.

But what can happen is if I e.g. sit in a computer meeting for 6 hours straight, ride a car (with double protection), or expose myself to too much low level noise in too short of a time frame (which is very easily done, believe me), I may get a more "serious" spike which I would I also would consider a 7-8/10, and those spikes can last for 3-7 days.

It's usually one of these serious spikes that erases my attempts of desensitization since I kinda have to retreat to 24/7 protection in order to get the spike down, and I need to have the spike down to survive lol.

Wish you well,
Stacken

Thanks buddy, it seems we are in a similar situation. My hyperacusis is not that bad yet though lol.

 

[Brian P]

Hey @Wrfortiscue, hope everything's well with you buddy!

I find that description very familiar. As I've written, I get spikes constantly from very low level sound, but I guess they're "moderate" in volume, and usually go down after an hour or a good nights sleep.

But what can happen is if I e.g. sit in a computer meeting for 6 hours straight, ride a car (with double protection), or expose myself to too much low level noise in too short of a time frame (which is very easily done, believe me), I may get a more "serious" spike which I would I also would consider a 7-8/10, and those spikes can last for 3-7 days.

It's usually one of these serious spikes that erases my attempts of desensitization since I kinda have to retreat to 24/7 protection in order to get the spike down, and I need to have the spike down to survive lol.

Wish you well,
Stacken

Do quick low level sounds spike yours too? Turning over in bed, typing, scratching your face, moving the sheets?

 

[Stacken77]

Do quick low level sounds spike yours too? Turning over in bed, typing, scratching your face, moving the sheets?

I think that set of sounds are just brief enough to not invoke a spike, but anything with a longer duration than that probably would.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

So as I understand there's nothing I can do to stop it?

 

[Adelaide14]

I don't think anyone has any concrete answers @AnthonyMcDonald. It's an awful situation to be in and short of some major miracles on the horizon I don't think there's much advice to give. I can't blame you for asking though. Nothing I'm doing is preventing the rapid increase to my baseline. I'd even be ecstatic to have it slow down slightly. Is your home life secure? I'm terrified of the day I can't work. Although I've been signed off sick at the moment which doesn't bode very well. I hope you get some relief soon.

 

[Stacken77]

Nothing I'm doing is preventing the rapid increase to my baseline.

Wouldn't increasing the everyday protection at least slow down the baseline increases?