Broken Ear or Hyperacusis (Distortion)? Most External Noises Sound Distorted

[Phat Tuna]

It must be some form of hyperacusis, right?

For me it came on same time as hyperacusis. There is definitely a relation, imo.

 

[Hammers]

Here's my guesses.

1) loudness hyperacusis of certain frequencies coupled with dips in hearing
2) tonal remapping in the auditory cortex bringing your brain the wrong sound
3) damaged OHCs that have lost their tuning ability
4) damage to the basilar membrane or middle ear bones
Or even a wacky combination of all 4

 

[LanaK]

That can happen with hyperacusis, feeling like sounds are distorted or bad quality, it is like the finer sounds are dampen and the central sounds, the central frequencies, are amplified...

That's what I have too. Since last 5 to 6 months, worser last month. The best explanation is broken speakers, along with amplified high frequencies. I sometimes hear only high frequencies end even those are not just amplified but different too, more vivid, they also vibrate, like playing on a nerve... hard to explain. I hear that more if I put music on very low level or when there is background noise like in a car.

I also find it that some quite loud noises bother me less that some quiet, especially low frequencies are not so bothersome, but some tinny low volume noises or voices irritate me a lot. Some electronic music in cafees are really very irritating to me even if the volume is very low.

I am glad others put this issue up as I myself was wondering too what is going on. I never came across this issue in any article about hyperacusis so far.

 

[HootOwl]

Yes, I had exactly all you describe and more. The distortion took around 5 to 6 months to completely go away. The hyperacusis took 8 months to leave.

For around 4 months it was constant then it become intermittent before I noticed it had gone for period of time and so far has not returned.

I hope things settle for you, I fully understand your struggle, it is really a difficult condition to cope with

Thank you so much, I'm only a month in and cases like yours give me hope that even if it doesn't go away completely it can subside to the point where I can feel functional again. ((Hug))

 

[HootOwl]

I'm right there with you. I've had it over 2 months now. Its gonna settle for both of us though. I know it.

Thank you Tuna! I have hopes for everyone here. I guess I didn't realize how many of us are struggling with these horrid symptoms.. my normal tinnitus is like a walk in the park compared to this let's hang in here together

 

[HootOwl]

Here's my guesses.

1) loudness hyperacusis of certain frequencies coupled with dips in hearing
2) tonal remapping in the auditory cortex bringing your brain the wrong sound
3) damaged OHCs that have lost their tuning ability
4) damage to the basilar membrane or middle ear bones
Or even a wacky combination of all 4

I've been doing waaaay too much reading on the topic and I think you're pretty much on the money (except I don't know about #4 - didn't really come across that in my research).

I believe most if not all of the damage related to distortion/loudness hyperacusis starts at the cochlear level, specifically at the Low threshold A1 nerve fibers with elements of inflammation at the synaptic site.

I think for those who get better the inflammation resolves (usually within 1-2 years because inflammation in the war takes a long time to leave) leaving the synapses and nerve fibers in tact whereas those who stagnate (or even get worse) have enough damage that the synapses die leading to nerve fiber death as well. This "locks in" the cochlear damage. However, I think this is where regenerative medicine will help alleviate our symptoms.

OHC could very well play a role as I know one of my reactive whistles is at the exact same frequency where I have a hearing loss notch. My DCN is definitely reacting to the loss of input there.

Perhaps I'm foolish but the more I understand the science of the inner ear, the more I think a mixture of synaptopathy and OHC loss is the smoking gun behind tinnitus and by extension loudness hyperacusis, as well as other hearing disorders such as distortion.

I recommend reading this paper here if you haven't already - it kind of spells everything out in the discussion section and was very helpful to me.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3742994/

It is funny though. I've tried to figure out what is involved with specific frequency tuning and it's surprisingly difficult to find a sufficient answer. It seems to be a very delicate balance between OHC function and ANF innervation that makes us hear frequencies correctly, at the right volume, at the right time.

But if anyone can point me to a definitive answer on that I would love it.

 

[Phat Tuna]

But if anyone can point me to a definitive answer on that I would love it.

Dunno if this changes your theory at all, but mine I believe is due to damaged nerves via dental work. Also, my right ear is perfect without hearing loss, yet it still has the same symptoms of sound distortion and hyperacusis same as the left, which does have some minor hearing loss on the high end.

 

[HootOwl]

Dunno if this changes your theory at all, but mine I believe is due to damaged nerves via dental work. Also, my right ear is perfect without hearing loss, yet it still has the same symptoms of sound distortion and hyperacusis same as the left, which does have some minor hearing loss on the high end.

Hm, I'm not sure tbh. I'm really just trying to piece together a working theory based off what I've read, since every ENT I've been to has barely given me the time of day

Was the dental work quite loud? Or do you think there was actually damage to the auditory nerve itself, not just the SGN as a result from noise exposure?

I'm actually not surprised that your distortion is bilateral if noise was the culprit.

 

[HootOwl]

https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jn.00184.2013

This is another Liberman paper from 5 years ago that gets even more in depth with the link between cochlear synaptopathy and hyperacusis.

 

[Phat Tuna]

Was the dental work quite loud? Or do you think there was actually damage to the auditory nerve itself, not just the SGN as a result from noise exposure?

Probably was loud, idk. Sound did not bother me at the time though. My ENT says my audiogram isn't consistent with someone who has had noise-trauma. Current theory is something with the tooth caused damage to the auditory nerve on my left side. Either that or an acoustic neuroma, but I am too afraid of the MRI machine to rule that one out.

Also there is very little tinnitus in my right ear. Tinnitus is primarily in left ear. I'm seeing dentist again tomorrow because the same tooth has actually been really hurting lately (upper left molar).

My timeline is as follows:

• Late March 2019 Dental cleaning - I notice tinnitus the following day
• April Cavity filling on upper left molar - tinnitus gets way worse on left side (starts to settle after a month)
• Early October another dental cleaning - New tone starts in right ear two days later. Takes me a week to realize it is reactive to sound. Another week goes by and I notice two more new tones on left side, both reactive. Another week goes by and I notice I am really sensitive to all sound and notice noise distortion.
• Early November things start to settle for two days. I am way less sensitive to sound and I am barely noticing the sound distortion and reactive tinnitus. I feel like I am finally healing. But then go to audiologist appt I made a month back. She does an LDL test and lets it get too loud. It aggravates all symptoms to high levels.
• Now - Tiny bit of improvement since audiologist appointment a month ago. It seems slightly different each day. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

 

[HootOwl]

Probably was loud, idk. Sound did not bother me at the time though. My ENT says my audiogram isn't consistent with someone who has had noise-trauma. Also there is very little tinnitus in my right ear. Tinnitus is primarily in left ear. I'm seeing dentist again tomorrow because the same tooth has actually been really hurting lately (upper left molar).

I'm sorry about the dental trouble...I know the struggle all too well. I hope it turns out to be fun inflammation and you won't need to get a filling (this has happened to me before). And yeah I hear you about the sound. My noise trauma came from a sound that didn't bother me either. I was in it for 2 hours and then bam, it's like a switch in my ear flipped and the whole world sounded different. Not sure if it was that sudden for you.

I don't mean to denigrate the entire profession but your average ENT unfortunately knows nothing about synaptopathy. They are very good at treating recognizable broader more recognized ailments, but when it comes to the inner ear they can be...very tunnel vision - especially with a normal audiogram.

At the moment the cruelest thing about otology is that there is no way to image the inner ear. I guarantee you once technology catches up and we are able to do with the ear what we can do with x-rays and MRIs the entire field of otology will shift overnight, and the gap in knowledge between medical practitioners and researchers will close.

Liberman and other researchers have been showing for the past decade that damage to synapses and nerve fibers can occur before and without any OHC loss or PTS on an audiogram. In fact I would argue given the current research that a normal audiogram with symptoms of hyperacusis and distortion is extremely consistent with noise induced synaptopathy. Dan, the CSO from Pipeline, also explained to me that damage from noise will target these synapses and nerve fibers first, even before OHC.

The paper I posted above (and you can find many others) shows just this.

To me, the real million dollar questions is - why is it that some people's brains respond to this lack of input with hyperactivity and some do not? That's something people are trying to parse out with genes but no one really knows.

Sorry about the wall of text. I just feel like we're actually a lot closer than we think we are to treatment. It all depends on the brain responds to the restored input. I'm hoping it is plastic enough to resolve the tinnitus and hyperacusis (or at least dampen the sensation). At least I hope... gotta keep the hope up right?

 

[HootOwl]

Sorry! I wrote my comment while you were doing to yours. I read your timeline and it sounds like either way you're on your way to make a full recovery again. The fact that it was dissipating for you before us an excellent sign.

 

[Hammers]

I think inflammation is right on the money. I took a week off from work, and the dysacusis got a little better. Went back to work, it got worse. We must be close.

 

[Phat Tuna]

I think inflammation is right on the money. I took a week off from work, and the dysacusis got a little better. Went back to work, it got worse. We must be close.

In that case, would that Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) thing help? Doesn't that target to lower inflammation?

Could also be stress of going to work? Or is that part of the inflammation? My symptoms of H and Dysacusis improve by about 70% when I take 0.5 mg Ativan. I try not to take it though.

 

[Hammers]

In that case, would that Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) thing help? Doesn't that target to lower inflammation?

Could also be stress of going to work? Or is that part of the inflammation? My symptoms of H and Dysacusis improve by about 70% when I take 0.5 mg Ativan. I try not to take it though.

No, work doesn't really stress me. I enjoy my job. I'm sure it's the noise of work that causes inflammation.

 

[Vukis]

This is audio pareidolia https://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/apophenia-audio-pareidolia-and-musical-ear-syndrome/

 

[Juan]

No, work doesn't really stress me. I enjoy my job. I'm sure it's the noise of work that causes inflammation.

Yeah, there is a lot of noise nowadays. It is a big problem but nobody wants to talk about it at a political level and do something to fix it.

 

[Juan]

This is audio pareidolia https://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/apophenia-audio-pareidolia-and-musical-ear-syndrome/

Interesting. It is a bit like reactive tinnitus or typewriter tinnitus, but with musical tones. And a bit like remembering a song, or playing it inside your head... like a musical worm.

 

[mylesm]

Hey guys, anyone had any good luck with there distortions? Has anybody noticed any improvement in the overall sound and perception of the phantom noises, beeping etc?
My condition follows no pattern that I can identify, but it does seem less intense at times.
Right now I'm a little hung over and anxious and they seem to be firing on all cylinders. So I wonder if there is an element of anxiety there as cause? Anyone relate?
More importantly, has anyone's disappeared?

 

[Contrast]

Some people get better, some get worse. No one knows why.

 

[Phat Tuna]

Hey guys, anyone had any good luck with there distortions? Has anybody noticed any improvement in the overall sound and perception of the phantom noises, beeping etc?
My condition follows no pattern that I can identify, but it does seem less intense at times.
Right now I'm a little hung over and anxious and they seem to be firing on all cylinders. So I wonder if there is an element of anxiety there as cause? Anyone relate?
More importantly, has anyone's disappeared?

I'm in the same boat. Sometimes it is worse, sometimes it is better. And it changes its mind what it wants to react to. Used to get it in the shower. Not anymore. A particular song by mozart used to set it off like crazy. Not anymore. But now new songs do that didn't used to. Right now sitting in bed I hear this tone coming from outside. My gf says it sounds like an idle car. So she just hears the hum, but I just hear the tone.

Mine seems to be directly related to my hyperacusis. Both also seem to react to the weather. Colder it is the worse it is. I was in Florida for 3 days over the holidays and both my hyperacusis and distortions were very tame while I was there.

 

[mylesm]

I'm in the same boat. Sometimes it is worse, sometimes it is better. And it changes its mind what it wants to react to. Used to get it in the shower. Not anymore. A particular song by mozart used to set it off like crazy. Not anymore. But now new songs do that didn't used to. Right now sitting in bed I hear this tone coming from outside. My gf says it sounds like an idle car. So she just hears the hum, but I just hear the tone.

Mine seems to be directly related to my hyperacusis. Both also seem to react to the weather. Colder it is the worse it is. I was in Florida for 3 days over the holidays and both my hyperacusis and distortions were very tame while I was there.

Thanks for the response. How long have you experienced the distortions for?
What about tinnitus, were you dealt a bad case of that along side it, or is it pretty mild or barely audible?

 

[mylesm]

Some people get better, some get worse. No one knows why.

Yeah unfortunately I have no choice but to agree with you there man. But this answer isnt good enough for the anxious and sometimes irrational human mind haha. So I try and take some comfort from particular patterns and behavior of others to try and put myself in a group.

 

[Phat Tuna]

Thanks for the response. How long have you experienced the distortions for?
What about tinnitus, were you dealt a bad case of that along side it, or is it pretty mild or barely audible?

Distortions started almost 4 months ago. Along with hyperacusis and new tinnitus tones that are highly reactive.

I've had normal non-reactive tinnitus for 11 months now. Before 4 months ago, the non-reactive tinnitus I had had gotten pretty manageable. I miss it.

Both cases happened after getting my teeth cleaned by a hygienist.

 

[mylesm]

Distortions started almost 4 months ago. Along with hyperacusis and new tinnitus tones that are highly reactive.

I've had normal non-reactive tinnitus for 11 months now. Before 4 months ago, the non-reactive tinnitus I had had gotten pretty manageable. I miss it.

Both cases happened after getting my teeth cleaned by a hygienist.

Wow that's horrible. So the initial cause was the dentist? It must have been loud.
Have you noticed any improvement during the 4 months?
When you say reative does the sound continue after the external noise stops?

 

[Phat Tuna]

I'm beginning to suspect TMJ as a

Wow that's horrible. So the initial cause was the dentist? It must have been loud.
Have you noticed any improvement during the 4 months?
When you say reative does the sound continue after the external noise stops?

Yes there has been improvement. It's been all over the place. First started as just one new tone (reactive). Then over the course of a week I started noticing the distortions. Then the next week I noticed sensitivity to sound. It all got worse the next week after that. Then the following week they all improved dramatically but I had made an audiologist appt. So I went to that. She did an LDL test and she let it get too loud. Next day everything came back at full force. It's been up and down ever since. Better than it was overall. But still not as good as it was before audiologist appt. And like i said before, the things that trigger the distortions have changed to other things. Many times.

I have s whistling tone in my right ear that comes and goes. When its here it reacts to all types of sound. In a completely quiet room it is silent. Some days it's not there at all even amongst sound. It's very peculiar because my right is actually my good ear with no apparent hearing loss. And before I nwver really had much tinnitus in my right ear. It was negligible. I have a similar reactive tone also in my left ear, but I dont notice it much compared to my baseline hiss. Which actually seemed to move from center of my head to my left ear after the teeth cleaning 4 months ago. Throughout the day, this hiss in my left ear turns into a pure tone eeeeeeee until the next morning.

I also had this scary electronic sounding sound in my left ear for a few months due to trying the sound therapy by that David Case. But I think that is mostly gone. Nvm, it's still there. It's just s little less scary sound. It's a Morse code sound that I've always had since 11 months ago. But it seemed to have changed to a higher pitch recently. And got really scary and intrusive after doing that sound therapy for one night.

 

[Vukis]

Dear guys do not stress a lot about this, because it can progress. I got this issue at 08.2019, stressed a lot and from 12.2019 these fucking distortions progressed / converted to music. I feel now like crazy, all sounds from ac, traffic are not just distorted with whistling, but playing music. Mentally I'm still ok, but this is horrible

 

[Phat Tuna]

Dear guys do not stress a lot about this, because it can progress. I got this issue at 08.2019, stressed a lot and from 12.2019 these fucking distortions progressed / converted to music. I feel now like crazy, all sounds from ac, traffic are not just distorted with whistling, but playing music. Mentally I'm still ok, but this is horrible

Try massaging your neck. Getting the SCM muscles to loosen up. Get a professional massage. Multiple if you have to. Can also massage yourself. There are exercises you can look up on YouTube. Also, if you have bad posture, work on correcting that as well. I believe doing these things have been helping me. Results weren't immediate. Took 4-5 days before I started noticing an improvement. There was actually an initial worsening the first couple days. This actually encouraged me cuz it told me my neck and jaw were a factor.

 

[Capstan]

I also had this scary electronic sounding sound in my left ear for a few months due to trying the sound therapy by that David Case. But I think that is mostly gone. Nvm, it's still there. It's just s little less scary sound. It's a Morse code sound that I've always had since 11 months ago. But it seemed to have changed to a higher pitch recently. And got really scary and intrusive after doing that sound therapy for one night.

Sound therapy is a joke. I found this out the hard way too. You can not fix noise damage with more noise. FML

 

[Capstan]

My distortions started after pink noise and sound therapy. My ENT recommended pink noise bc of therapy the army performs. The issue seems to be playing at masking levels. People really need to know better. I think people like @Bill Bauer are right that the only therapy is silence. I wish I'd followed that path.

I now have trouble with fans, showers, basically anything than that has a whine/hum noise. I'm very reactive. I now also get beeps at night. I am beyond just losing control.