Can You Habituate to Ultra-High Frequency Tinnitus (> 15 kHz)?

[ohnooo]

Hi,

I'm new here. I experienced an acoustic trauma with painful tinnitus around two weeks ago. I worry I may have made it worse by trying to match the tone of my tinnitus on some websites, as it seems the frequency and intensity of the pain have increased. Last night, I ended up in the ER due to the pain, and I even fainted from how intense the sound was. After some sleep, the pain has lessened, but the tinnitus is still very intrusive.

My question is: is there any hope for me to live with this condition? If the tinnitus eventually settles into a 16 kHz hiss rather than a shrill tone, is it possible for my brain to adapt and learn to ignore it? I'd appreciate hearing from anyone whose situation—especially with ultra-high-frequency tinnitus that can cause physical pain—has improved over time.

I can't believe I'm in this situation, and I'm struggling to see how living with it is possible. I'm only 21...

 

[Martin69]

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that you're dealing with tinnitus. From what I've learned, tinnitus caused by acoustic trauma often resolves on its own, especially since you're still very young.

Although this is a difficult time for you, try to find ways to distract yourself. When my tinnitus is really bad, I usually mask it with cricket sounds, but I'm not sure if that's recommended when an acoustic trauma has recently occurred.

Still, it's a good idea to avoid being in a completely silent environment.

For reference, my tinnitus is also very high-pitched, but it was triggered by stress and panic. As I mentioned, I'm confident that your tinnitus will either resolve or significantly improve with time.

Take care and stay strong.

 

[RunningMan]

Can you at least partially mask it? If it's stable and not too loud, you should be able to habituate with time. Also, if it's only been 2 weeks, it could get better with time. Have you been tested for hearing loss? In the meantime, try to use sound enrichment and rescue protocol supplements.

Did you get Prednisone early on?