My anxiety is caused by tinnitus. I don't know if it's the other way around. I read that anxiety on its own can't cause tinnitus but makes you more vulnerable to it.
Can Anxiety on Its Own Cause Tinnitus or Hearing Loss?
- Thread starter Jim Vasilakis
- Start date
So do I but I wanted to get a second opinion.
On a slightly unrelated note, are cricket sounds white noise? I use cricket sounds for sleep at very low volume since my tinnitus got a little sharper and I was wondering if it's ok to listen to them during sleep.
MemberAs mentioned earlier: Anxiety alone can cause tinnitus. The correlation between chronic anxiety and tinnitus is well-documented. Just to be clear, tinnitus can be induced by a myriad of causes and hearing loss is only one of them. However, hearing loss doesn't necessarily lead to tinnitus. There are many people with hearing loss and are tinnitus free! Tinnitus from anxiety may have a different physiological path than tinnitus from hearing loss.
Whether chronic anxiety can cause hearing loss, I don't know (as Greg said, I find that unlikely, too). Keep in mind that chronic anxiety does cause various health issues as our bodies aren't "built" for chronic anxiety.
You have noise induced tinnitus and hyperacusis. As a result stress and anxiety have developed. They become an integral part of a person's mental and emotional wellbeing and cannot easily be separated from it. Whilst hyperacusis can be treated and cured in some cases, tinnitus is more challenging. However, through habituation tinnitus can be lowered and therefore it's perception less noticeable in many instances. The more stressed and anxious a person becomes the more intrusive tinnitus and hyperacusis will tend to be. The reverse happens once stress is lowered but to achieve this, there are certain things you need to do.
Lowering stress and anxiety can be achieved in a variety of ways. Self help, medication, sound therapy, counselling or a combination of them. Please click on the links below and read my posts. To treat your hyperacusis start incorporating low level sound enrichment into your life during the day and also at night by using a sound machine. More information about this is in my post: Hyperacusis, As I See It. It is on my started threads.
Please go to my started threads and read my post: Tinnitus, A Personal View. The Habituation Process, From Darkness into Light. I suggest that you don't use headphones, earbuds or headsets even at low volumes.
All the best
Michael
Tinnitus and the Negative Mindset | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
Acquiring a Positive Mindset | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
The thing is that I didn't have chronic anxiety when I got tinnitus. My high anxiety appeared because of tinnitus in November 2020, 9 months after I got tinnitus.
I don't think I have hyperacusis. Noises don't bother and they haven't bothered my tinnitus for over a year. Why my tinnitus changed 1.5 months ago, I don't know but I don't have hyperacusis.
I don't think every single person with noise induced tinnitus has hyperacusis.
Nope. White noise has a strict definition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_noise
However, what most people (except for signal processing or sound engineers) think of when they say "white noise" is broadband noise, where not particular tone/pitch can be discerned. I wouldn't put crickets in the "white noise" bucket, but I'm not sure that matters too much for your application, since it's something you said you wanted to listen to at low volume when you sleep.
Indeed, the correlation is well documented, but that doesn't imply causality. I don't recall reading any study that establishes it.
You are correct, hyperacusis does not always accompany noise induced tinnitus. It reads below your Avatar that your tinnitus was caused by Loud Noise? If this is correct and your tinnitus is noise induced, there are usually three reasons for it changing and possibly getting worse. The first is related to sound. If you have been using headphones, earbuds, headsets, AirPods, even at low volumes, it's likely any of these could be responsible for making your tinnitus change or it becoming worse. If you have been listening to music through speakers at high volume levels without realizing it, or working in a noisy environment can cause it too.
The second is stress. As I mentioned in my previous post, tinnitus is an integral part of a person's mental and emotional well being and therefore, it needs to be managed. Please read the posts in the links I have sent you and those mentioned on my started threads.
The third is related to an underlying medical problem within your auditory system that is not related to the original cause, that was exposure to loud noise. If it is medical, then I advise you talk to your GP and see whether you can be referred to ENT for tests. My article: Tinnitus, A Personal View, on my started threads covers some of the common types of medical conditions that can cause tinnitus.
I wish you well.
Michael
What you assume to be safe may not be safe. Your tinnitus has changed for a reason which you are concerned about. If I were you, think about the suggestions I have mentioned. If it is sound, which I suspect, then try to do something about it.
Michael
At that low volume and on speakers listening to crickets to help me sleep I don't see how that is dangerous.
How is that different from a fan or from pillow speakers that people use for years?
The volume from the crickets is at 20 dB and they are not even directly to my ears.
HI Jim,
You haven't had tinnitus long so if I were you I'd try to be careful. Since you are happy with what you're doing carry on.
I wish you well.
Michael
Hmmm. I do recall reading a research article on a causal relationship between tinnitus and chronic anxiety. I'll make sure to share it once I find it. I do agree with your statement that correlation does not imply causality by the way!
Michael, I appreciate the advice. I would just like you to tell me which part is careless according to you.
The only thing I did in January was listen to a YT neuromodation track that I have been using for the past 7 months with speakers, on headphones 4 times. Even then, the volume was almost at its lowest and I listened for an hour 4 times over the span of one week. If my tinnitus changed, it's because of that, although I doubt it.
I have been using the crickets after my tinnitus became a little more noticeable, not before. So the chance of the crickets I use to sleep causing my slight alteration in perception is zero since I never used them before.
Just so we are clear, we are talking about an anxiety disorder that has lasted for years, right?
Hi Jim,
It is not a matter of you having been careless. On the contrary, I don't think that at all. What I have tried to convey to you is that you haven't had tinnitus long. If your tinnitus is noise induced as indicated on your avatar, then my advice is to be careful, because this type of tinnitus can take up to 18 months, sometimes longer, for a person to habituate to and for the tinnitus to completely settle down. A lot of people do not realise this, and that is the reason I have advised you to read my posts, in the links I have sent you.
Noise induced tinnitus can be aggravated by sounds that you might think are safe. Your tinnitus has increased/changed for a reason and this has concerned you and rightly so. If I am right this is due to sound as I have indicated in my previous post. It could also be caused by stress or an underlying medical problem within your auditory system, even medication can be a factor. However, experience suggests to me it is sound that has caused your tinnitus to change and it doesn't necessarily have to be loud. Hopefully it will return to baseline.
You have said that the sounds you have been listening to has been through speakers. It depends how large the speakers are and the distance from your ears. Although you think you don't have hyperacusis, I believe your auditory system is sensitive to some sound sources. All I am saying is to tread carefully. You should listen to sound because it will help with the habituation process and will treat any oversensitivity that you might have. More is explained in my post: Hyperacusis, As I see it. Just take things easy, enjoy listening to the audio you play though speakers, but I suggest not to use any type of headphones, even at low volume.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck.
Michael
I'm sorry, when I said speakers, I just meant my phone's built-in speakers. I just have my phone by the desk at night.
I'm 99% certain I don't have hyperacusis. My reaction to sounds in my everyday life has been exactly the same even after the tinnitus. Is there an examination I can take to make sure that I don't have hyperacusis?
Also, is it likely that the 4 times is listened to the headphones caused the change? I just find it weird since I used them sparingly over 3 weeks and only an hour at a time.
I didn't say that you have hyperacusis. I said I believe you have some oversensitivity to sound as a result of exposure to loud noise.
My advice is not to use any form of headphones. I don't think your ears have been damaged. With time your tinnitus will hopefully return to baseline.
At night try listening to nature sounds instead of music as music tends to draw attention to itself. More about this is explained in: Tinnitus, A Personal View. If you have a docking station with external speakers, or can blue tooth your phone to an external speaker, this will give a higher quality of sound. You can of course use a dedicated sound machine from Oasis.
Michael.
If it's chronic and your cortisol is off the charts it could totally screw with nerve expression and immunity... resulting in specifically "waking up" to tinnitus.
If it happened during the day I'd be hesitant to say that was the cause.
If it happened during the day I'd be hesitant to say that was the cause.
Lots of people have anxiety. They don't suddenly get tinnitus from it.
Are researchers who are trying to treat hearing loss and tinnitus claiming anxiety can cause it?
That's not surprising. Having anxiety or increased anxiety after getting tinnitus is understandable.
What's your sources for this?
Thanks for the advice Michael. Listening to wind and crickets at night with my phone at low volume 3 meters apart from me is what I have been doing. I assume that's safe. I never go above 25% volume and I have only used headphones 4 times in the past months and I don't plan on using them again.
You are welcome Jim. Ideally, you want the sound source by your bedside and not 3 meters away. If I can suggest, buy an Oasis sound machine as they are specifically made for people with tinnitus. Model S-650 is popular and their best model is the S-5000. The idea is to supply your brain and auditory system with sound enrichment while you sleep. It will treat any oversensitivity to sound that you might have and also the tinnitus. More is explained in Tinnitus, A Personal View.
Sound enrichment takes at least 6 to 8 weeks to get used to so be patient. The volume of the sounds should be set at a level they are not drawing attention to themselves. Try and be patient and you'll realize the rewards in time. Too many people want quick results and give up using sound enrichment.
My advice again is not to use headphones of any kind even at low volume, although the choice is yours.
I wish you well.
Michael
Well, the sound source is actually by my bedside, it's more like 2 meters rather than 3 meters haha. I have a little desk right next to my bed. I still hear my tinnitus with low level masking so I'm putting it on a volume where I don't hear it at all.
Is there a chance that the limited headphone use in January caused the change in tinnitus? I think it's unlikely to have caused permanent change given the fact that I only used the headphones 4 times at very low volume.
I had used headphones before when my tinnitus first started and I saw no change at all.
As long as you are not setting the volume of the sound enrichment at a level that is totally masking your tinnitus that is fine. Make sure you can always hear the tinnitus slightly above the sound enrichment, that way your brain will learn to habituate to the tinnitus. This takes time so be patient.
I would say the headphone use has affected your tinnitus and suspected this the moment I read your post. This doesn't mean you will not recover, just give it time. I have had noise induced tinnitus for many years and correspond with a lot of people that have it.
Even when a person recovers from noise induced tinnitus they are never completely out of the woods. The auditory system has been affected, so it will always be more sensitive to sound and unfortunately, a lot of people are not aware of this. They do not realize they still need to be careful. Wearing hearing protection is no guarantee one is safe and I've explained the reasons, in many of my posts on my started threads.
Be patient and use low level sound enrichment during the day and at night. Try to engage in things you like to do, as this will help with habituation and take your mind off the tinnitus.
Michael
I just had a look at the S-5000. Pricey but I am willing to invest. What is the benefit though to one of these compared to sound apps that I have on my phone?
I have the S-5000, S-650, S-850. The internal speaker on a phone is smaller and will give the same quality of sound enrichment as a dedicated table top sound machine like an Oasis. However, if you are able to Bluetooth the phone to an external speaker, or plug it into a docking station that has speakers this will be good enough.
The thing is that I used headphones in the first two months after I got tinnitus and I used them more than I did two months ago with no change in the tinnitus.
How likely is that less frequent usage of headphones, at very low volume too, have caused an issue?
Also something that just came to my mind. I have been using a hair dryer two times per week and I noticed past week that it's a relatively loud machine. I measured the volume and it's around 70-72 dB. I only use it for 2-3 minutes each time. Is it safe?
The advice I give in this forum is for guidance and is not absolute. It is for the individual to make the decision whether to follow it or not.
As I have previously explained, a person with noise induced tinnitus needs to be careful as the auditory system is more sensitive, even after they have habituated to tinnitus. There are many people in this forum that have regrettably found this out, after following advice of some health professionals and returned to using headphones, only to realize their tinnitus has increased even when the volume is low. I have always said, some people with noise induced tinnitus are not adversely affected by headphone use, but sadly many are.
Because the ear and auditory system are more sensitive after recovery from noise trauma, means they can change suddenly. I will give you an example that I have mentioned many times in this forum. Therefore, frequent visitors will know it's not a made up story. A forum member contacted me who had recovered from noise induced tinnitus for six years. She got her life back was in a good job. She hadn't used headphones once throughout the six years and said, they were the original cause of the tinnitus. She decided to return to using them and kept the volume low. Unfortunately within a week the tinnitus returned with a vengeance and was so severe she couldn't return to work. She was very emotional on the phone and regretted using the headphones.
We are all different so I leave it to you to make that decision. All I will say, is think carefully about what I have advised you and the advice above.
I don't use a decibel meter and given my reasons in: Hyperacusis, As I See It. Each person is different, so cannot say whether a hair dryer is safe or not. Some people use noise reducing earplugs when using a hair dryer and have no problems. If you feel any irritation while using it, then it's might be a good idea to use noise reducing earplugs.
Michael
Log in or register to get the full forum benefits!
Similar threads
