DJ at Young Age, and Now Got Tinnitus from Loud Music at a Party

[MindOverMatter]

Sorry to heat you struggle @Thomas_83.

Electrical noise in your head is as much tinnitus as anything else imo... but the electric and humming head tinnitus might be related to anxiety issues - as you mentioned.

My personal experience with this, and I've had it for a long time, is that when I manage to calm down, let go and get proper sleep, the centralized tinnitus minimizes. The bad days get far in between, and you can appreciate life again.

You seem to be in a vicious circle right now. And that can be really hard to sort out/find your way out of on your own.

Have you considered getting some help from a therapist/counsellor that know more about the mechanisms of tinnitus?

If (?) you have sleep issues, you should also get that sorted.

Hang in there man. There is certainly hope, and you will get better. Chances of tinnitus to resolve/disappear completely however, when having it around for a longer time, or second/third time trauma, and it becoming a chronic issue, are close to none.

BUT the good news is, that doesn't mean you can't live a happy, normal life with time. Habituation takes times, and tinnitus will become less noticeable when the brain has rewired and adjusted - once you will be capable of allowing that to happen.

Acceptance and getting out this constant fight and flight response is key. That is the first step imo.

It is a slow process, and it takes time... time is a healer. You will get there - but it is always easier with some help that can follow you up in person. So it is good you at least get some assistance from a psychologist at this point.

Especially when you seem to have reached a point where you are having seriously destructive thought patterns.

 

[kingsfan]

Electrical sounds in my head are also debilitating me recently.

 

[Thomas_83]

@MindOverMatter, got picked up by an ambulance last night, therefore my late reply.

Had a big panic attack and could not breathe.

I'm now back home, and the hiss is almost gone today. This is very strange. I can now breathe and relax again with no medicine other than the SSRI I've been taking for 6 years.

BUT, while spending time home today, I found Terry's video (Back to Silence) in the Success Stories section. Wow, what an inspiration that man is. I need to relax, so I will follow these steps Terry talks about.

 

[MindOverMatter]

@Thomas_83, sorry to hear this.

Yes, seems like you need to relax more, calm down, and get in control of your anxiety/panic issues.

For better days!

 

[Benjaminbb]

You are getting very good advice from the members here.

I will add my opinion:

Your ears need TIME to heal from a trauma. 2 months is not nearly long enough, it might take 6-18 months for your tinnitus to fade.

This is from my experience of 2 times noise traumas that caused my tinnitus. The first one was 18 years ago and my tinnitus was screaming loud, but faded away 100% in about 2 years. My second time was 5 years ago and faded 95% in 2-3 years.

Give it time and protect them from noise from now on.

Hey, out of interest, was it the same frequency and ear that came back 13 years later? Or another whole thing?

 

[Benjaminbb]

@MindOverMatter, got picked up by an ambulance last night, therefore my late reply.

Had a big panic attack and could not breathe.

I'm now back home, and the hiss is almost gone today. This is very strange. I can now breathe and relax again with no medicine other than the SSRI I've been taking for 6 years.

BUT, while spending time home today, I found Terry's video (Back to Silence) in the Success Stories section. Wow, what an inspiration that man is. I need to relax, so I will follow these steps Terry talks about.

Hey Dude, I really need you to pay attention here.

As you mentioned, you do not have BAD tinnitus comparatively. You have very minor tinnitus, it's actually amazing. What you are experiencing is very similar to what I had, I was completely stressed like you for months, paying a lot of attention to it and freaking out. One day it would be a tone, one day hissing.

After long enough I was able to learn what I was experiencing was anxiety in terms of my reaction to tinnitus. Which you already know. We get so scared about living with this and we read this forum and see how much some people are suffering. But you absolutely need to take care of the anxiety, for yourself, your family etc.

I absolutely promise you can have a completely normal life with this minor tinnitus, even 4/10, it's all a matter of perspective. I am currently where I want you to be. You also should be aware that so many people recover and also even when they don't and the tinnitus continues they still live an absolutely fulfilling life. It worries me that you're 4 months in and still panicking at this level, we need to address this as soon as possible.

What do you actually fear? Have you tried any medication for anxiety? Clearly you haven't had enough of a moment to recover mentally from the shock and fear you experienced when this started. You got this man.

 

[Thomas_83]

It's now been 10 days since my huge anxiety attack. Something had to be done, so I used Terry's Back to Silence method.

And the anxiety is almost completely gone.

The tinnitus is also very low. Just a little annoying ringing, but I do not describe the tinnitus anymore.

I went on a little trip with my wife this weekend and went to a restaurant.

Slept in the hotel without a single masking sound and woke up to 0.5% tinnitus.

So Terry's method works! Now I believe the horror period is over for me.

 

[Thomas_83]

Hello again. A year has passed since my onset, and I thought I should update my post.

I still have it, yes, but there have been weeks, even some months I can't hear it. It think it's because of habituation.

I was in a very dark place before and even got a rope ready to hang myself.

Now I'm riding a dirtbike in the forests, playing with my kids, got better at my work, and even got two new job offers (but it will stress me, so no).

So if you have panic attacks and your tinnitus just started, hang in there. It's not the end of your life. It's just a period of your life that is hard and it will get better.

 

[CW Dragon]

Hello again. A year has passed since my onset, and I thought I should update my post.

I still have it, yes, but there have been weeks, even some months I can't hear it. It think it's because of habituation.

I was in a very dark place before and even got a rope ready to hang myself.

Now I'm riding a dirtbike in the forests, playing with my kids, got better at my work, and even got two new job offers (but it will stress me, so no).

So if you have panic attacks and your tinnitus just started, hang in there. It's not the end of your life. It's just a period of your life that is hard and it will get better.

Thank you! This keeps me going, gonna (have to) give it a year or two.

 

[10Kcd]

Thank you! This keeps me going, gonna (have to) give it a year or two.

I second what @CW Dragon said - thanks for the optimistic update, @Thomas_83.

 

[Thomas_83]

Hi again,

It's been two years since my last update.

I've had a good life with my tinnitus. At one point, I think it even went away for a short period.

Last year, I received a promotion to a managerial position at work. It went well overall, but the job was stressful, so I looked for an easier position (remote work) and got it. However, during the interview for the new job, I could already feel my tinnitus returning. After that stressful period, I'm now experiencing a huge spike – back to square one! I've already resigned from my previous job, but now I'm uncertain if I can even start the new one. What if this spike doesn't go away?

I believe the spike is stress-induced, as I've consistently protected my hearing since the initial onset.

How long can a spike last? Could it be months?

My body is back in fight-or-flight mode – no, no, no. I thought the nightmare was over! I just want to live a normal life again.

I've also started taking medication for sleep again...

 

[Thomas_83]

Well, I just spoke with a dear friend who has been in my life since I was 15 years old. He told me he has Meniere's disease. He's deaf in his left ear from 6500 Hz to 20 Hz and has a faint tinnitus.

Another friend shared that they have pulsatile tinnitus. What a crazy evening!

I felt so sorry for both of them. The friend with Meniere's disease said, "Yeah, I live just fine. It's annoying, that's all." And here I was, thinking I had it hard with my tinnitus. Some people are so strong and just keep going with their lives. I need to do the same.

Well, we'll see if my tinnitus improves in about five months. I have a positive mindset, and at least I don't have cancer or other serious medical conditions.

 

[Dr Nick]

My recent relapse with tinnitus started back in April after noise exposure at a bar, where a DJ was playing far too loudly (why aren't there laws to prevent this?). The tinnitus appeared about 18 hours later and manifested as a 13 kHz tone in my left ear. Initially, I experienced nightly panic attacks, which subsided after starting Mirtazapine treatment, a medication I continue to take before bed.

In response, I began protecting my hearing with earplugs and AirPods. However, a few months later, I developed low-frequency tinnitus as well. Both forms persist, but the 13 kHz tone is currently spiking terribly. It seems to worsen with poor sleep posture or position, and certainly with stress. In fact, it feels like a barometer for underlying stress, such as an upcoming important meeting at work.

A colleague of mine who has Meniere's disease has taken numerous months off work due to what he describes as "pure hell." Like me, he laments the infancy of medical science when it comes to hearing and ear conditions and is frustrated by the lack of knowledge among ENT consultants.

There are nights, like last night, when I feel desperate enough to want to rush to the hospital, only to remind myself that there is nothing they can do. I try to put things into perspective, reminding myself that there are far worse afflictions. I hold onto hope that the tinnitus will diminish over time.

I hope your spike subsides as well. They always seem to eventually, though I understand how easy it is to worry that this time might be different. That stress only perpetuates the spike, but I hope you find some relief soon.

 

[Thomas_83]

I hope your spike subsides as well. They always seem to eventually, though I understand how easy it is to worry that this time might be different. That stress only perpetuates the spike, but I hope you find some relief soon.

I am really hoping it becomes less noticeable or not bothersome again. This condition feels like torture. Yesterday, I had no sound in my head or ears. I was relaxing and watching the extended version of The Lord of the Rings in my home cinema at a low volume.

Today, it is impossible to stay in that room. The tinnitus started as soon as I woke up, and all day I have struggled to eat, relax, and just get through the day. I am worried about the future and what I might have done to my ears in my youth. My audiogram is really good, with everything above 20 dB, but I cannot stop myself from thinking that in 10 years I might be deaf. I hope that does not happen.

I could live with poor hearing and even a hearing aid, but the tinnitus, no, that is something I cannot handle.

At least the fleeting tinnitus has stopped.

 

[Thomas_83]

I just received the report from my MRI.

It shows two minor injuries to the spine in my neck. The doctors couldn't say for sure if this is related to my tinnitus. However, I'm going to a clinic that specializes in tinnitus and its treatment. I'll see what they have to say about my neck and these injuries.

I'm hopeful that the injuries are related and can be treated, or at least that they can help lower the volume of my tinnitus.

 

[Dr Nick]

I have not had an MRI because of my highly reactive tinnitus - even a short drive can cause days of low-frequency booming. However, I believe that my noise-induced tinnitus is compounded by somatic tinnitus, as I often experience the same as you describe. This morning, I awoke to screaming tinnitus around 3 am, coupled with a sore neck, which suggests a somatosensory element. I have read that microvascular compressions of the vestibulocochlear nerve may cause tinnitus, as detailed by Dirk De Ridder (Chapter 40 of the 'Textbook of Tinnitus') which states:

1. (a) A typical development consists of progressively more frequent bouts of tinnitus, which last longer and longer.
2. (b) If bilateral vascular compressions exist, the tinnitus alternates between the left and right side, and does not occur on each side simultaneously.

Magnetic resonance imaging sequences with constructive interference in a steady state can visualize most vascular contacts/compressions of the auditory nerve.