Can Someone Explain a Spike?

[amymilly]

I'm new to tinnitus. Although it seems a life time of coping with it now. 4 months!

Anyway.

The past day or so my tinnitus seems louder than usual.

Ever since having tinnitus when I wake up it's at its quietest. Not today.

My ear's high pitch ring just seems so much louder than normal.

Is this my first spike??!

 

[Owen]

I'm not sure a spike means exactly the same to every tinnitus sufferer. Just as tinnitus has a wide variety of sounds, there also seems to be a huge variance in what triggers/increases it, what constitutes a spike and how long a spike lasts.

The most common that seems to be discussed is an increase in perceived amplitude for a day or two following an exposure to loud noise. This tends to settle down to its baseline after a few days. However, the most common cause of tinnitus seems to be noise trauma. I'm not sure of the numbers, but empirical evidence suggests it to be around 50% or more, with ETD, hormonal problems, degenerative disease, perforated ear drums, head trauma, ototoxicity etc. making up the rest (I'm sure there are many others).

The cause and nature of the onset for me were seemingly very rare, so it is not surprising that this relationship with spikes is not the same. I have no idea what causes mine to increase and decrease. I can concentrate on my tinnitus really hard and it stays extremely quiet, other times, I can be busy and distracted and suddenly it cuts in louder and any state in between - it is seemingly totally random. As a general rule, it only lasts for a few hours, rather than days.