Developed Severe Reactive Tinnitus After Yesterday's Acoustic Trauma

[HootOwl]

So after another acoustic trauma yesterday I've developed severe reactive tinnitus, where almost every external noise has an overlay of what I would describe as a screech/cicada sound. However this sound is not present in my normal tinnitus. It only appears with an external source - but strangely enough not with music or talking on the TV. My one life line for masking (listening to fans) has been completely taken from me. Now it's either listen to the reeee on top of the fan or turn the fan off and listen to all the garbled mess inside my head. On top of that I now can hear it overplayed outside if there is any wind whatsoever. Can't even walk outside anymore without bursting into tears because it feels like there's no escape.

I just need some support - it feels like in the last week between the new tones and severe reactive tinnitus my world is crumbling around me. Has anyone had any success treating this specific subset of reactive tinnitus, where the sound being generated isn't your tinnitus tone/s and immediately goes away when you go back into a silent room?

 

[Nate52]

I developed reactive tinnitus this past Labor Day. I did not have any noise event recently, but just woke up with it. It is very difficult or impossible to mask. I would just like to know the cause. Keeping busy and trying to ignore it helps. Some days it is better and some days it is worse. I also have that overlay or feedback sound. Mine are a ring/whistle.

 

[HootOwl]

I developed reactive tinnitus this past Labor Day. I did not have any noise event recently, but just woke up with it. It is very difficult or impossible to mask. I would just like to know the cause. Keeping busy and trying to ignore it helps. Some days it is better and some days it is worse. I also have that overlay or feedback sound. Mine are a ring/whistle.

Do you also have slight sound distortion? I feel like my hearing for broad band frequency is slightly off kilter but I can't quite place it because the sound of people talking and music is completely normal.

 

[Harley]

So after another acoustic trauma yesterday I've developed severe reactive tinnitus, where almost every external noise has an overlay of what I would describe as a screech/cicada sound. However this sound is not present in my normal tinnitus. It only appears with an external source - but strangely enough not with music or talking on the TV. My one life line for masking (listening to fans) has been completely taken from me. Now it's either listen to the reeee on top of the fan or turn the fan off and listen to all the garbled mess inside my head. On top of that I now can hear it overplayed outside if there is any wind whatsoever. Can't even walk outside anymore without bursting into tears because it feels like there's no escape.

I just need some support - it feels like in the last week between the new tones and severe reactive tinnitus my world is crumbling around me. Has anyone had any success treating this specific subset of reactive tinnitus, where the sound being generated isn't your tinnitus tone/s and immediately goes away when you go back into a silent room?

Reactive Tinnitus is most likely one of the worst types.
I have one too and it is pretty much inescapable hell on earth.
Not quite sure why some people have a steady maskable Tinnitus and some end up with this one.

 

[HootOwl]

Reactive Tinnitus is most likely one of the worst types.
I have one too and it is pretty much inescapable hell on earth.
Not quite sure why some people have a steady maskable Tinnitus and some end up with this one.

Harley I feel you. It's absolute hell. I have no idea why reactive tinnitus even occurs. Is the underlying damage different in some way to cause reactive tinnitus instead of maskable tinnitus?

Have you tried anything that helps it? I'm seriously considering Keppra, but that also worries me.

Was yours caused by acoustic trauma too?

 

[Nate52]

I have had a mild / steady tinnitus for a long time in one ear. It doesn't bother me much. This new reactive tinnitus in my other ear is very tough to deal with. I relate to the "Hell on Earth" comment. I notice my hearing is worse as well. My ear reacts instantly to running water or chip bags. When the water stops, the ringing stops.

 

[Harley]

What is Keppra?
The only thing that can mask it is pure tone at my tinnitus frequency, which is around 9000 Hz.
This is quite literally a waking nightmare.

 

[HootOwl]

What is Keppra?
The only thing that can mask it is pure tone at my tinnitus frequency, which is around 9000 Hz.
This is quite literally a waking nightmare.

It's a potassium channel modulator similar to trobalt. You can read through the threads on here regarding it. Danny and Viking said they had success with treating their reactivity using it (but understandably some users called this into question given some issues with them reporting contradictory things in the past).

But I believe @DebInAustralia had success with her reactivity. I reached out to Lyra who has what sounds like something very similar to me, but she hasn't been on the forum for many months. The last I saw she was getting adipose stem cells in Chicago.

 

[HootOwl]

I have had a mild / steady tinnitus for a long time in one ear. It doesn't bother me much. This new reactive tinnitus in my other ear is very tough to deal with. I relate to the "Hell on Earth" comment. I notice my hearing is worse as well. My ear reacts instantly to running water or chip bags. When the water stops, the ringing stops.

The shower is pure torture to me now. Used to be a place I could relax for 10 minutes. The ping distortion I get when I'm in there are actually quite painful. What's odd for me is that several of the faucets in my house do not elicit the ping, only one (and the shower of course). And it's not a matter of strength - I'll have the facet dripping in one bathroom and it pings and then it drips in another and it doesn't.

 

[Nate52]

I think you are right about a different type of hearing damage leading to a different kind of tinnitus.

 

[Guest444]

I have the same thing. My ears are spiking right now just from a simple 10 minute car ride and the car was almost silent. This shit is so twisted it's absurd.

 

[Digital Doc]

Reactive tinnitus is a royal PITA. I had some version of it with hyperacusis transiently after my noise induced tinnitus got set off worse with additional traumas, including the blast of a semi-truck. The beep of the microwave oven stopping was almost painful at some points, as was glasses and dishes hitting each other. Also, was bad at night waking up with every passing car, even at a lower volume.

Thankfully, it got better over some months, even before the tinnitus really improved.

For the shower, try some waterproof swimmer's earplugs that may make it more tolerable.

 

[HootOwl]

Reactive tinnitus is a royal PITA. I had some version of it with hyperacusis transiently after my noise induced tinnitus got set off worse with additional traumas, including the blast of a semi-truck. The beep of the microwave oven stopping was almost painful at some points, as was glasses and dishes hitting each other. Also, was bad at night waking up with every passing car, even at a lower volume.

Thankfully, it got better over some months, even before the tinnitus really improved.

For the shower, try some waterproof swimmer's earplugs that may make it more tolerable.

The problem for me and why I'm worried is that sounds aren't painful for me (except the one shower sound) which I believe is the most common form of reactive tinnitus it's just that there's this loud cicada chirp over everything except near silence. Even with a slight breeze the cicadas go from 0 to 100. Are you saying that you had something similar to that or just the reactivity and pain to certain sounds. I'm just looking for some hope, I'm a a really dark place right now.

Is this synaptic damage?

I'm so scared that none of the upcoming treatments will work on this type of tinnitus, the thought is horrifying for me.

 

[Digital Doc]

Hard to explain, but would have a continuous, loud whoosh, with additional sound amplifying other sounds, if it makes any sense.

 

[astaff14]

Hey I hope you're doing any little bit better at least. Tinnitus is a beast & I am so sorry you've dealt with it so badly.

 

[Phat Tuna]

I had it for a month. Then it improved greatly randomly over a couple days. Then I had an LDL test at an audiologist that was too loud. Then it all spiked worse than ever. Month later I still have it, but am holding onto hope it will improve again. Also have Hyperacusis and both improved at the same exact time and then got worse again at same time, so I do believe there is definite connection between the two at least in my case. 0.5mg Ativan improves both symptoms by like 70%, but I try not to take it cuz it seems like it is worse the next day.

 

[alex1975]

Sorry to hear that... Ever since I developed tinnitus, almost a year ago, I've had the reactive type. It's got a bit better over the first few months, then got worse after a concert in August. Now it's again getting a bit better but still reactive to certain sounds, the worst for me is white noise such as a fan, a clothes dryer or hair dryer. It sounds like a shhhhhhh sound over the white boise that raises over it.
This is the best masking sound I've found ro date for me, perhaps it might work for you as well;

 

[Tybs]

Reactive T from the start as well, though mine is not sound induced.

My experience is that the reactivity decreases over the months: it's just a really slow process. When mine started half a year ago, every sound or device nearby seemed to make it scream: now, only a few frequencies have minor effect. Not enough to disturb me anymore, but just enough to notice the increase below certain ceiling lights at work or specific devices at home.

 

[boliston]

Mine has been the annoying 'reactive' type of tinnitus - I remember the shower made a nasty 'glassy' sound and rain at night sounded really odd in a not nice way - it's still reactive at month 7 now but more 'hissy' than 'ringy/glassy' so slightly more bearable (still annoying) - there is quite a lot of day to day variation with weekends generally much better than working days (less stress i guess).

 

[JohnAdams]

Has it gotten any better?

 

[HootOwl]

Unfortunately no...I'm just trying to hang in there. But I should clarify that what I thought was reactive tinnitus is actually severe frequency distortion. I suppose there is some overlap but from what I can tell the actual frequency of many environmental sounds has been warped - it's not just an overlay on top. Especially in low bass tones and other low frequency sound. They are scratchy and brassy instead.

 

[Pink Noise]

Unfortunately no...I'm just trying to hang in there. But I should clarify that what I thought was reactive tinnitus is actually severe frequency distortion. I suppose there is some overlap but from what I can tell the actual frequency of many environmental sounds has been warped - it's not just an overlay on top. Especially in low bass tones and other low frequency sound. They are scratchy and brassy instead.

Hi @HootOwl,

Has your symptoms improved regarding the distortion and reactivity? I'm experiencing the same problem although mine is musical

 

[PDodge]

I have/had this it got better over the course of 2 years, where most days I just have regular Tinnitus, but somedays it will overlay a lot if what people prefer as regular masking sounds.

Cheers to a treatment soon!

 

[HootOwl]

I have/had this it got better over the course of 2 years, where most days I just have regular Tinnitus, but somedays it will overlay a lot if what people prefer as regular masking sounds.

Cheers to a treatment soon!

Did you ever experience setbacks or worsenings during those 2 years? Two of my normal tinnitus tones have now become highly reactive after being exposed to some screams.

 

[HootOwl]

Hi @HootOwl,

Has your symptoms improved regarding the distortion and reactivity? I'm experiencing the same problem although mine is musical

No they're actually much worse now. I'm barely keeping it together.

 

[Phat Tuna]

No they're actually much worse now. I'm barely keeping it together.

Is it cold where you live?

 

[HootOwl]

Is it cold where you live?

No, it Southern California so mild year round.

 

[PDodge]

Did you ever experience setbacks or worsenings during those 2 years? Two of my normal tinnitus tones have now become highly reactive after being exposed to some screams.

Yes lots, 6 month spike where the reactivity just went full blast and just remained constant. It was only after that I started having long stretches where it was barley audible. From onset it was a whirling/oscillating reactive 12khz+ smathering of static and various pitches that I could hear everywhere. but right now I don't hear my T at all.

 

[Pink Noise]

No they're actually much worse now. I'm barely keeping it together.

I know what you mean. I'm a music producer and now I have musical reactive tinnitus. It forces music to follow its scale or 2-3 notes. I can hear music in pink noise. Even the church bells on the way home from the gym followed the melody. I'm feeling so sad. I have 2 up coming releases finish and I'm struggling. I'm gonna take a few days off music to see if the symptoms can improve with a good rest.

 

[HootOwl]

Yes lots, 6 month spike where the reactivity just went full blast and just remained constant. It was only after that I started having long stretches where it was barley audible. From onset it was a whirling/oscillating reactive 12khz+ smathering of static and various pitches that I could hear everywhere. but right now I don't hear my T at all.

My god that gives me hope. Thank you, I'm barely keeping it together. The screams caused two of normal tinnitus tones to becomes extremely reactive and added another reactive (nontinnitus) tone. I hear them in all music and sound enrichment now...it's fucking devastating...