Do Older Folks Take Longer to See an Improvement of Their Hyperacusis?

[Athens]

TRT cannot fix hyperacusis or make it improve. There's nothing scientific to TRT: the concept is as simple as having sound around you and turning up the volume week after week...

The problem is sounds from the real world, peak sounds, very loud unexpected sounds that are commonplace, will give you trouble and maybe produce setbacks. There's no therapy for patients to get used to these sounds again.

I am giving it a try as there is really no other treatment available except for unconventional therapy. They do not really recommend, however, turning the sound up gradually. I think that the basic thought is to always have some sound around you. It reminds me of antidepressants. The people who feel much better six (6) to eight (8) weeks after taking them may have ended up feeling better on their own without any medication.

 

[racedy]

Mine started when I was 39, improved after a year to the point I stopped carrying ear pro with me everywhere (although will still wear at places I know have the potential to be loud). I'm about 2.5 years out and it's pretty good except for loud sounds at certain frequencies. Things still sounds very loud to me but dont cause pain unless it's at certain frequencies, like my kid niece squealing.

2 years ago I could not tolerate my dog barking, it was painful to me, but now it doesn't hurt (although is still very annoying).

I think it will improve for you over time, too.

 

[Juan]

It reminds me of antidepressants. The people who feel much better six (6) to eight (8) weeks after taking them may have ended up feeling better on their own without any medication.

Yes, that's my conclusion about TRT too.

 

[Athens]

Since your hearing loss is minor I agree with your audiologist that you don't need hearing aids. You are doing the right thing using the white noise generators for 8 hours a day. As long as you are not experiencing any discomfort then carry on. In time your oversensitivity to sound should decrease. As the brain habituates to the white noise it will slowly push the tinnitus further into the background and enable habituation. There are a few things I want to suggest that I think will be of help.

When you put the generators on in the morning keep the white noise slightly below the tinnitus and leave it there. Try not to adjust the volume throughout the day. Some people increase the volume when out the street, as the sound of traffic can make it more difficult to hear the white noise. Please do not do this. Regularly adjusting the volume of the white noise will make it more difficult for the brain to habituate to it and possibly delay or completely stop the habituation process. When it's possible invest in an Oasis Sound Machine, as the sound quality is much superior than your phone.

If you are able to have regular counselling with your audiologist I believe this will be helpful, as explained in my TRT posts on my started threads. Lastly, I suggest you try to keep away from social media sites and not discus tinnitus or your treatment. Instead, try to incorporate positivity into your life as much as possible. Start a new interest or hobby. This will direct your thoughts to other things and help to take away your focus from the tinnitus.

Take care and wishing you all the best,
Michael

This is the earlier response where you addressed hearing aids in relation to my issues.

 

[Michael Leigh]

This is the earlier response where you addressed hearing aids in relation to my issues.

I stand by what I previously said because your audiologist said that your hearing loss is minor and she didn't think it was necessary for you to wear hearing aids. I have previously said in this forum that hearing aids should not be used to treat hyperacusis, as they are not the correct devices. This is not normally the practice in the UK under the NHS health system.

Tinnitus and hyperacusis is treated with white noise generators. When a patient has significant hearing loss, tinnitus with hyperacusis, they are usually fitted with dual purpose devices, that incorporate a hearing aid and white noise generator. They can be operated independently or together. They should be introduced to the auditory system slowly as mentioned in my posts.

I correspond with people beyond UK shores, who have told me that they don't have hearing loss and yet, their audiologist has fitted them with hearing aids to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis. I don't understand this mindset and believe it is wrong.

I can only give advice based on the treatment, that I have had in the UK under the NHS for tinnitus and hyperacusis.

All the best,
Michael

 

[Wrfortiscue]

I stand by what I previously said because your audiologist said that your hearing loss is minor and she didn't think it was necessary for you to wear hearing aids. I have previously said in this forum that hearing aids should not be used to treat hyperacusis, as they are not the correct devices. This is not normally the practice in the UK under the NHS health system.

Tinnitus and hyperacusis is treated with white noise generators. When a patient has significant hearing loss, tinnitus with hyperacusis, they are usually fitted with dual purpose devices, that incorporate a hearing aid and white noise generator. They can be operated independently or together. They should be introduced to the auditory system slowly as mentioned in my posts.

I correspond with people beyond UK shores, who have told me that they don't have hearing loss and yet, their audiologist has fitted them with hearing aids to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis. I don't understand this mindset and believe it is wrong.

I can only give advice based on the treatment, that I have had in the UK under the NHS for tinnitus and hyperacusis.

All the best,
Michael

I agree the amplification for hearing aids may make tinnitus worse if you have hyperacusis. I think white noise may work if you don't spike to it like some people do (me). I'm exposed daily to my PC fan and my tinnitus gets a tad louder hearing it, no improvement in that regard either after 10 months.

 

[Athens]

I agree the amplification for hearing aids may make tinnitus worse if you have hyperacusis. I think white noise may work if you don't spike to it like some people do (me). I'm exposed daily to my PC fan and my tinnitus gets a tad louder hearing it, no improvement in that regard either after 10 months.

Are you wearing above the ear sound generators or using some other type of sound therapy?

 

[Michael Leigh]

I agree the amplification for hearing aids may make tinnitus worse if you have hyperacusis

I don't believe I actually said hearing aids may make tinnitus worse if a person has hyperacusis. If hearing aids are introduced slowly as I have mentioned in my posts, this will cause the least amount of irritation and not make the hyperacusis worse. Hearing aids are are not the correct devices for treating hyperacusis, they are meant to improve a person's hearing loss to optimum. Once this is achieved with time the tinnitus will improve. There could be some improvement if a person also has hyperacusis but as I've mentioned, hearing aids are not the correct devices for treating hyperacusis. It would be better to wear dual purpose units. These devices have hearing aid and white noise fitted in the unit.

I'm exposed daily to my PC fan and my tinnitus gets a tad louder hearing it, no improvement in that regard either after 10 months.

A PC fan can make tinnitus and hyperacusis worse. I advise you to get a PC that is fitted with a solid state hard drive and doesn't use an internal fan. I couldn't use a conventional laptop with an internal spinning hard drive and fan, as my tinnitus would increase. I now use a laptop fitted with SSHD and no internal fan and my tinnitus is not affected.

My computer base unit is fitted with a SSHD and uses an ultra quiet fan. I requested this when a computer engineer built my PC.

If you want to treat your hyperacusis then it has to be done the correct way. Use wearable white noise generators and have counselling with an audiologist. My post: Hyperacusis, as I See It, available on my started threads gives advice on self help to treat hyperacusis.

Michael

 

[Wrfortiscue]

I don't believe I actually said hearing aids may make tinnitus worse if a person has hyperacusis. If hearing aids are introduced slowly as I have mentioned in my posts, this will cause the least amount of irritation and not make the hyperacusis worse. Hearing aids are are not the correct devices for treating hyperacusis, they are meant to improve a person's hearing loss to optimum. Once this is achieved with time the tinnitus will improve. There could be some improvement if a person also has hyperacusis but as I've mentioned, hearing aids are not the correct devices for treating hyperacusis. It would be better to wear dual purpose units. These devices have hearing aid and white noise fitted in the unit.

A PC fan can make tinnitus and hyperacusis worse. I advise you to get a PC that is fitted with a solid state hard drive and doesn't use an internal fan. I couldn't use a conventional laptop with an internal spinning hard drive and fan, as my tinnitus would increase. I now use a laptop fitted with SSHD and no internal fan and my tinnitus is not affected.

My computer base unit is fitted with a SSHD and uses an ultra quiet fan. I requested this when a computer engineer built my PC.

If you want to treat your hyperacusis then it has to be done the correct way. Use wearable white noise generators and have counselling with an audiologist. My post: Hyperacusis, as I See It, available on my started threads gives advice on self help to treat hyperacusis.

Michael

Yeah, seeing a tinnitus specialist right now, but haven't touched noise generators yet because of irritation. I guess we will see when I get to that point. Some I've seen here have used WNGs and have gotten worse, so I'm a bit wary. Doing CBT has been helping. It's just the reactivity and some anxiety towards a certain tone that has me working with someone.

Thanks buddy.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Are you wearing above the ear sound generators or using some other type of sound therapy?

I used hearing aids as I have hearing loss, with some white noise for a trial and I kept getting spiked so I returned them. Protecting my ears when going out has helped more than noise so far, but I need to expose them safely.

 

[Athens]

I stand by what I previously said because your audiologist said that your hearing loss is minor and she didn't think it was necessary for you to wear hearing aids. I have previously said in this forum that hearing aids should not be used to treat hyperacusis, as they are not the correct devices. This is not normally the practice in the UK under the NHS health system.

Tinnitus and hyperacusis is treated with white noise generators. When a patient has significant hearing loss, tinnitus with hyperacusis, they are usually fitted with dual purpose devices, that incorporate a hearing aid and white noise generator. They can be operated independently or together. They should be introduced to the auditory system slowly as mentioned in my posts.

I correspond with people beyond UK shores, who have told me that they don't have hearing loss and yet, their audiologist has fitted them with hearing aids to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis. I don't understand this mindset and believe it is wrong.

I can only give advice based on the treatment, that I have had in the UK under the NHS for tinnitus and hyperacusis.

All the best,
Michael

The thing that intrigues me about the possibility of using hearing aids is that she proposed "just a touch" of amplification to compensate for the minor hearing loss. My audiograms show the same dip in all three that have been done during the past year.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Yeah, seeing a tinnitus specialist right now, but haven't touched noise generators yet because of irritation. I guess we will see when I get to that point. Some I've seen here have used WNGs and have gotten worse, so I'm a bit wary. Doing CBT has been helping. It's just the reactivity and some anxiety towards a certain tone that has me working with someone.

Thanks buddy.

You are welcome @Wrfortiscue, and I wish you every success with WNGs and CBT. I would like to make a few suggestions that you might find helpful.

White noise generators should be introduced to the ears and auditory system slowly to reduce irritation and possibly spiking the tinnitus and hyperacusis. Therefore, set the volume of the WNGs below the level of the tinnitus and wear them for just 1 or 2 hours then remove them for the same duration. After the elapsed time put them on again setting the volume below the tinnitus and wear them for another 1 or 2 hours. If you notice any irritation reduce the wearing time again.

Continue doing this on day one, two and throughout the week. Continue this process for week two and so on, then gradually increase the wearing time. The goal is to achieve a total wearing time of 6 to 10 hours a day and many people achieve this. At night white noise generators shouldn't be worn while asleep. Instead use a sound machine by the bedside setting the volume slightly below the tinnitus.

Over time the white noise generators will help to desensitize the auditory system so it becomes less sensitive to sound and thus hyperacusis will reduce. At the same time the tinnitus is treated as the brain will habituate to the white noise generators and will slowly push the tinnitus into the background so it becomes less noticeable. This treatment can take up to 18 months and ideally, you should have regular counselling with your audiologist. Counselling helps to remove and demystify the negative thinking that is often associated with tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Contrary to some beliefs hyperacusis can be completely cured using white noise generators or reduced to very low levels. Similar results can be obtained using self help that I have covered in my thread: Hyperacusis, as I See It. It all depends how severe the tinnitus and hyperacusis are and the way they affect a person's mental and emotional well-being.

All the best,
Michael

 

[Taw]

Mine started when I was 39, improved after a year to the point I stopped carrying ear pro with me everywhere (although will still wear at places I know have the potential to be loud). I'm about 2.5 years out and it's pretty good except for loud sounds at certain frequencies. Things still sounds very loud to me but dont cause pain unless it's at certain frequencies, like my kid niece squealing.

2 years ago I could not tolerate my dog barking, it was painful to me, but now it doesn't hurt (although is still very annoying).

I think it will improve for you over time, too.

Good to know!

Did you have (burning, stabbing) pain or loudness hyperacusis? Asking because dog barking is like 90-100 dB, which is huge, of course it's intolerable.

 

[Taw]

I was 37 when I developed hyperacusis. It got to a pretty manageable point within 2 years. Really didn't have any improvement for a year. Same for my tinnitus.

Dealing with a pretty bad setback that seems like a possible long term worsening right now though :/

Any improvements after your last setback in December? I hope you are better.

 

[GoatSheep]

Any improvements after your last setback in December? I hope you are better.

No. I am in hearing protection 24/7 at this point. Low level sound like vents running etc hurt my ears. The pain isn't bad or immediate, but even in a quiet room with no protection the pain will slowly build within 10 minutes or so to a concerning level. I'll then put on earmuffs and it'll take about 30 minutes to resolve.

My cell phone alarm went off the other day while not wearing protection and I had pain in my eyes, forehead and cheeks for about eight hours after that.

I'm also having to use double protection when I leave the house to take my kids to school or something. I've found only earmuffs to be insufficient.

I'm basically getting to a point of being severely disabled. Hopefully if I protect I won't go downhill further. So far when I've been trying to do some exposure like to say of even ten minutes in a quiet room it seems to make my tolerance drop further and further. It's very suffocating being in protection 24/7. Practically no external noise, just my tinnitus.

I worry about not being able to work and becoming homeless. I have no relatives who will take me in and obviously living somewhere like a shelter with this condition is not an option. I won't be able to take care of my kids or support them so I'll be a deadbeat dad in everyone's eyes at that point.

I'm definitely closer to suicide than I've ever been. I actually did a practice run with my exit bag the other day and ran into an issue. The nozzle on helium tank has to have constant pressure applied to it in order to release helium. Obviously if I pass out I can't guarantee this applied pressure. So I contacted the company I purchased the tank from and inquired about a different nozzle.

They gave me a suggestion even though it's not a nozzle for helium and instead for argon. Ideally it should still work. The only thing they mentioned was it would "fill my balloons slower". I don't know how much that may affect an attempt. Currently, I can't see a problem though. I ordered one from Amazon and it should be here today.

I want to live. I have three kids who I love very much, but the walls are closing in on me currently and with no one being able to help including my ex-wife, mother etc. I'm pretty much screwed.

 

[aura]

No. I am in hearing protection 24/7 at this point. Low level sound like vents running etc hurt my ears. The pain isn't bad or immediate, but even in a quiet room with no protection the pain will slowly build within 10 minutes or so to a concerning level. I'll then put on earmuffs and it'll take about 30 minutes to resolve.

My cell phone alarm went off the other day while not wearing protection and I had pain in my eyes, forehead and cheeks for about eight hours after that.

I'm also having to use double protection when I leave the house to take my kids to school or something. I've found only earmuffs to be insufficient.

I'm basically getting to a point of being severely disabled. Hopefully if I protect I won't go downhill further. So far when I've been trying to do some exposure like to say of even ten minutes in a quiet room it seems to make my tolerance drop further and further. It's very suffocating being in protection 24/7. Practically no external noise, just my tinnitus.

I worry about not being able to work and becoming homeless. I have no relatives who will take me in and obviously living somewhere like a shelter with this condition is not an option. I won't be able to take care of my kids or support them so I'll be a deadbeat dad in everyone's eyes at that point.

I'm definitely closer to suicide than I've ever been. I actually did a practice run with my exit bag the other day and ran into an issue. The nozzle on helium tank has to have constant pressure applied to it in order to release helium. Obviously if I pass out I can't guarantee this applied pressure. So I contacted the company I purchased the tank from and inquired about a different nozzle.

They gave me a suggestion even though it's not a nozzle for helium and instead for argon. Ideally it should still work. The only thing they mentioned was it would "fill my balloons slower". I don't know how much that may affect an attempt. Currently, I can't see a problem though. I ordered one from Amazon and it should be here today.

I want to live. I have three kids who I love very much, but the walls are closing in on me currently and with no one being able to help including my ex-wife, mother etc. I'm pretty much screwed.

It makes me so sad and worried reading this.

I am so sorry that you're going through such difficult times. I don't even know what to tell you, but:

As long as you can still protect your ears, you shouldn't let go just because you're afraid of what might happen.

I also have these kinds of thoughts. What if I can't work anymore? What if I won't be able to take care of my little girl?

We don't have any kind of control over our health. It's scary and frustrating.

But we're the ones in control with our lives. We choose if we fight or if we give up.

You can choose to die if you want to. It's in your power. BUT please, just wait some more. <3

 

[Athens]

No. I am in hearing protection 24/7 at this point. Low level sound like vents running etc hurt my ears. The pain isn't bad or immediate, but even in a quiet room with no protection the pain will slowly build within 10 minutes or so to a concerning level. I'll then put on earmuffs and it'll take about 30 minutes to resolve.

My cell phone alarm went off the other day while not wearing protection and I had pain in my eyes, forehead and cheeks for about eight hours after that.

I'm also having to use double protection when I leave the house to take my kids to school or something. I've found only earmuffs to be insufficient.

I'm basically getting to a point of being severely disabled. Hopefully if I protect I won't go downhill further. So far when I've been trying to do some exposure like to say of even ten minutes in a quiet room it seems to make my tolerance drop further and further. It's very suffocating being in protection 24/7. Practically no external noise, just my tinnitus.

I worry about not being able to work and becoming homeless. I have no relatives who will take me in and obviously living somewhere like a shelter with this condition is not an option. I won't be able to take care of my kids or support them so I'll be a deadbeat dad in everyone's eyes at that point.

I'm definitely closer to suicide than I've ever been. I actually did a practice run with my exit bag the other day and ran into an issue. The nozzle on helium tank has to have constant pressure applied to it in order to release helium. Obviously if I pass out I can't guarantee this applied pressure. So I contacted the company I purchased the tank from and inquired about a different nozzle.

They gave me a suggestion even though it's not a nozzle for helium and instead for argon. Ideally it should still work. The only thing they mentioned was it would "fill my balloons slower". I don't know how much that may affect an attempt. Currently, I can't see a problem though. I ordered one from Amazon and it should be here today.

I want to live. I have three kids who I love very much, but the walls are closing in on me currently and with no one being able to help including my ex-wife, mother etc. I'm pretty much screwed.

Have you tried Gabapentin for the pain? I also worry about the future with this condition. I have had periods of decent sleep for five to fifteen days and then I have a tough night (like last night). It really impacts your perspective.

How is your sleep?

 

[GoatSheep]

Have you tried Gabapentin for the pain? I also worry about the future with this condition. I have had periods of decent sleep for five to fifteen days and then I have a tough night (like last night). It really impacts your perspective.

How is your sleep?

No I haven't. Last night and tonight I'm not sleeping because of the pain. Tonight I'm in worse pain than with the cellphone alarm. I ordered some new earplugs. These:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079J55W51?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I was trying them out for about 30 minutes. They I guess are more like musician's earplugs where they have a flat response so you can hear people speak better and "music" better. I guess they are musician's earplugs, I don't really know. Anyway, apparently letting through any of those frequencies was a HUGE mistake. I was fine like to say for about 30 minutes. Then I stopped and put back on my muffs. Within just a few minutes I began to get a brittle achey feeling in my ears and now I've been in miserable pain for 3 hours. My entire face and neck hurts.

Prior to this I had almost a pain free day. It seems I can be pain free for the most part, I just have to protect 24/7. It's driving me bat shit crazy though. I'm having panic attacks from it. I took Clonazepam 1 mg yesterday and today. It doesn't help the pain for me though. Just calms me down and it seems to be lowering my tinnitus volume some.

I used to take it daily for a little over a year and when I got better I tapered off. At this rate I may be going back on it daily again if I can get a new prescription. I have about a month and a half supply saved up for periodic use right now.

I'm scared to try a new med to be honest. I often have reactions to meds. They tend to spike the hell out of my tinnitus. Being that I'm wearing ear protection 24/7 right now I'm very concerned with trying to keep my tinnitus volume as low as possible so I don't feel even more suffocated by the muffs and plugs.

Prior to this worsening I was sleeping great for about half a year with no meds and just Melatonin.

 

[Athens]

No I haven't. Last night and tonight I'm not sleeping because of the pain. Tonight I'm in worse pain than with the cellphone alarm. I ordered some new earplugs. These:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079J55W51?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I was trying them out for about 30 minutes. They I guess are more like musician's earplugs where they have a flat response so you can hear people speak better and "music" better. I guess they are musician's earplugs, I don't really know. Anyway, apparently letting through any of those frequencies was a HUGE mistake. I was fine like to say for about 30 minutes. Then I stopped and put back on my muffs. Within just a few minutes I began to get a brittle achey feeling in my ears and now I've been in miserable pain for 3 hours. My entire face and neck hurts.

Prior to this I had almost a pain free day. It seems I can be pain free for the most part, I just have to protect 24/7. It's driving me bat shit crazy though. I'm having panic attacks from it. I took Clonazepam 1 mg yesterday and today. It doesn't help the pain for me though. Just calms me down and it seems to be lowering my tinnitus volume some.

I used to take it daily for a little over a year and when I got better I tapered off. At this rate I may be going back on it daily again if I can get a new prescription. I have about a month and a half supply saved up for periodic use right now.

I'm scared to try a new med to be honest. I often have reactions to meds. They tend to spike the hell out of my tinnitus. Being that I'm wearing ear protection 24/7 right now I'm very concerned with trying to keep my tinnitus volume as low as possible so I don't feel even more suffocated by the muffs and plugs.

Prior to this worsening I was sleeping great for about half a year with no meds and just Melatonin.

I think that Clonazepam is very appropriate for you given your situation.

 

[aura]

No I haven't. Last night and tonight I'm not sleeping because of the pain. Tonight I'm in worse pain than with the cellphone alarm. I ordered some new earplugs. These:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079J55W51?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I was trying them out for about 30 minutes. They I guess are more like musician's earplugs where they have a flat response so you can hear people speak better and "music" better. I guess they are musician's earplugs, I don't really know. Anyway, apparently letting through any of those frequencies was a HUGE mistake. I was fine like to say for about 30 minutes. Then I stopped and put back on my muffs. Within just a few minutes I began to get a brittle achey feeling in my ears and now I've been in miserable pain for 3 hours. My entire face and neck hurts.

Prior to this I had almost a pain free day. It seems I can be pain free for the most part, I just have to protect 24/7. It's driving me bat shit crazy though. I'm having panic attacks from it. I took Clonazepam 1 mg yesterday and today. It doesn't help the pain for me though. Just calms me down and it seems to be lowering my tinnitus volume some.

I used to take it daily for a little over a year and when I got better I tapered off. At this rate I may be going back on it daily again if I can get a new prescription. I have about a month and a half supply saved up for periodic use right now.

I'm scared to try a new med to be honest. I often have reactions to meds. They tend to spike the hell out of my tinnitus. Being that I'm wearing ear protection 24/7 right now I'm very concerned with trying to keep my tinnitus volume as low as possible so I don't feel even more suffocated by the muffs and plugs.

Prior to this worsening I was sleeping great for about half a year with no meds and just Melatonin.

From what I recall, you were feeling better but you had an incident in a music store back in autumn?

 

[GoatSheep]

From what I recall, you were feeling better but you had an incident in a music store back in autumn?

Yes. I was so much better. I've never been in this condition before. Not even close. My noxacusis was definitely mild before.

Going to that record store without ear plugs was the worst mistake I've ever made.

 

[Taw]

Yes. I was so much better. I've never been in this condition before. Not even close. My noxacusis was definitely mild before.

Going to that record store without ear plugs was the worst mistake I've ever made.

This is very strange because, from what I recall, there wasn't too much noise there. But this is a very strange disease and setbacks occur when one doesn't expect.

Please note that Clonazepam has a lot of side effects, you should take it under medical supervision, and sometimes hyperacusis gets worse after you stop it. It's a lot safer to try Gabapentin, Lyrica or Carbamazepine for the pain.

And about wearing protection 24/7, not sure if it's good either, because the brain will be more sensitive to sounds. Like wearing sunglasses 24/7, you won't be able to go in the sun for some time.

Try to drop the earplugs at least in your quiet room, slowly of course.

 

[GoatSheep]

This is very strange because, from what I recall, there wasn't too much noise there. But this is a very strange disease and setbacks occur when one doesn't expect.

Please note that Clonazepam has a lot of side effects, you should take it under medical supervision, and sometimes hyperacusis gets worse after you stop it. It's a lot safer to try Gabapentin, Lyrica or Carbamazepine for the pain.

And about wearing protection 24/7, not sure if it's good either, because the brain will be more sensitive to sounds. Like wearing sunglasses 24/7, you won't be able to go in the sun for some time.

Try to drop the earplugs at least in your quiet room, slowly of course.

I took the Clonazepam after tinnitus and hyperacusis onset for over a year. I had no major issues. It never negatively effected my tinnitus or hyperacusis. I stopped taking it when I felt better. I tapered for about 4 months with no problems really. Some restless nights and mild spikes. I was under medical supervision when I took it. Or at least the pill pushing psychiatrist gave me a prescription. They don't talk to you much. Appts take an hour or more of waiting and 15 minutes of actual time if that even.

I'm reluctant to try new meds because if they spike my tinnitus where I'm having to where earmuffs even in complete silence I feel I'll probably go crazy. I'm trying to keep my tinnitus as low as possible and Clonazepam somewhat takes the edge off. When I took it in the beginning it made my tinnitus almost go away. That gradually lessened to it having no effect. Now that I've been off it, it seems to have some effect again, but not substantial.

It also used to make my hyperacusis sensitivity go way down. It still seems to do a little bit. But nothing for the pain.

The record store was the catalyst. I've mentioned elsewhere that where I didn't realize how badly it had effected my sound tolerance I kept getting smaller setbacks. This is definitely all my fault for not just stopping it in its tracks by being super cautious after it happened. I'm truly an idiot.

I've also mentioned in other posts even in quiet rooms with just furnace noise and things I'm having pain if I take my earplugs or earmuffs off for short periods. I've been trying to do a minute or two every hour or so and that seems ok. But anything from like 10-30 minutes and I have pain. 30 minutes last night even with lighter NRR plugs was WAAAAAAYYYYY worse. 11 hours of pain from 10:15 pm till 9am this morning. I barely slept.

Have any of those meds you mention actually helped your pain? I know at least two of them have caused several people around here's tinnitus.

 

[aura]

Yes. I was so much better. I've never been in this condition before. Not even close. My noxacusis was definitely mild before.

Going to that record store without ear plugs was the worst mistake I've ever made.

So how long after this incident did it take for the pain hyperacusis to appear?

 

[GoatSheep]

So how long after this incident did it take for the pain hyperacusis to appear?

I was in the store about 15 minutes. As I was driving home I began to have pain in my jaw and tingling. It was elevated for a few days. Then it subsided a lot.

I went from being able to watch TV and listen to music to suddenly not being able to tolerate them without starting pain cycles. All three of my kids have iPads, it's virtually impossible to avoid being around artificial sound in my household as at least one of them are always on an iPad or television. I wasn't wearing protection at this point. Just trying to tolerate and avoid.

Then I kept trying to see if I could watch TV yet like every couple days to a week or listen to a little music and each time it felt like it had more and more of an impact. I'd try to hang around my kids and play with them without protection and that wasn't helping either.

I was just an idiot. I kept putting myself into situations that previously I was tolerating well thinking this would blow over quick because even my two month long setbacks previously were more so sensitivity to sound where my ears would jump and maybe some mild pain at that point.

Unfortunately, whatever happened at the record store was a different kind of irritation, injury, or whatever you want to call it, that I just wasn't familiar with addressing. And of course everything you read conflicts. Do protect, don't protect, blah blah blah, it's such a fine line.

I mean driving wasn't bothering me so I wasn't protecting driving. But then I need to protect any time I'm around my kids or near an iPad even if I'm not in direct aim of it's speaker. I don't use cell phones anymore so I figured keeping a reasonable distance from my kids when they watched and things would be fine.

I just handled it all wrong and now I don't know what to do. I understand I need to build my tolerance back up, but 12 hours of pain from 30 minutes of exposure I don't know what to do.

Today I started a journal and I'm trying to do about 5 minutes with the earmuffs off every hour in a quieter area of my townhouse and document how my ears feel.

I just started. It's just such an uncertainty. Like the first hour after the five minutes I put my earmuffs back on and noticed no change really. Then the next hour I did another 5 minutes and I noticed my ears tightening up and starting to get a little warm feeling. Then I put the earmuffs back on and I didn't have any major pain, but I definitely did have some pain periodically for the next 30 minutes and my sensitivity was heightened. I'm currently wearing Peltor X5A and I noticed even through them the sound of my children's voice was making my ears ache mildly and thumping sounds on stairs and things did the same.

I may hold off an hour and then try again giving myself a little more time. I certainly don't want to protect 24/7. Just that the other night I went to sleep with no protection and within two hours woke up in pain. I laid there for a bit and the pain continued to build so I put in earplugs.

Last night I did 27NRR musician's style earplugs and at first they seemed fine upstairs. So I went downstairs and spoke to my kids for a minute, then warmed some food in the microwave. I ate fast. So I was down there like fifteen minutes. In total in those earplugs for 30 minutes including being upstairs and then I had like 11 hours of pain last night starting at 10:15 pm till 9 am.

I'm really not trying to overreact and I'm not trying to be nervous about sound. I want to hear the sound. I don't feel phonophobic towards it when I'm hearing it. I've experienced phonophobia after I got tinnitus & hyperacusis and I overcame it. This just doesn't feel the same.

Just to add, I also got a pretty bad flu a few weeks after the record store incident and I took my booster shot for COVID-19. I can't say for certain whether either of those played a part in the decline.

The flu definitely felt like it did a number on my ears. The booster not really. My 2nd shot however definitely gave me quite a setback. So who knows.

 

[aura]

@GoatSheep, just reading how much worse it could get makes me very anxious.

I'll ask you a stupid question, but... why are you wearing protection when you sleep? In case of an unexpected sound?

Because I don't understand what causes you pain in the middle of the night! I suppose it's silence in your room...

And another thing, doesn't it feel uncomfortable wearing earplugs all the time? Maybe you also have pain because of the earplugs...

 

[xyz]

@GoatSheep, just reading how much worse it could get makes me very anxious.

I'll ask you a stupid question, but... why are you wearing protection when you sleep? In case of an unexpected sound?

Because I don't understand what causes you pain in the middle of the night! I suppose it's silence in your room...

And another thing, doesn't it feel uncomfortable wearing earplugs all the time? Maybe you also have pain because of the earplugs...

It's probably only dead silent at night when you live in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise cars are passing by, car doors are shut quite loudly, drunken youngsters, ...

 

[GoatSheep]

@GoatSheep, just reading how much worse it could get makes me very anxious.

I'll ask you a stupid question, but... why are you wearing protection when you sleep? In case of an unexpected sound?

Because I don't understand what causes you pain in the middle of the night! I suppose it's silence in your room...

And another thing, doesn't it feel uncomfortable wearing earplugs all the time? Maybe you also have pain because of the earplugs...

I started wearing protection because I woke up to pain, building in my jaw and face. It's the sound of the vents running that's irritating me. They irritate me during the day too now. My tolerance is extremely low right now for whatever reason.

Yes earplugs and earmuffs cause pain and irritation. I try to switch them up throughout the day. But I don't know what else to do.

I've done two more cycles of giving myself 5 minutes of full exposure. A little pain with the first, but nothing major. After the second it feels like tensor tympani thumping and tightening has gone crazy in my left ear. It doesn't hurt really, but it's uncomfortable and has left a warm tingling swollen feeling in my left ear. The muscle is obviously overreacting like crazy to super low level sound.

I'm just going to keep trying these gradual exposures. Basically I'm definitely going to take it slow, but see when I work up to an actual pain cycle like the long one from last night and see how long exactly I can tolerate. Obviously I don't want to go through that again so hopefully I'll catch it before it gets to a full blown one, but at least then I'll have an average for how long I can tolerate maybe.

Once I'm doing 5 minutes an hour, I'll probably slow down a lot from there and just add like 15 second intervals per hour or something. I haven't figured it all out yet.

I'm definitely not trying to listen to any music or television period though and trying to avoid my children's devices like the plague.

I definitely don't want to stay like this. I'll either kill myself or go insane for sure. I can tolerate my tinnitus sound and have habituated quite a bit, but hearing it almost exclusively all day is pretty draining with hearing protection. And I have to be hyper vigilant not to take a supplement or med or eat something that triggers even a mild increase because I notice it way more now obviously.

Like I drank some caffeinated tea and normally I wouldn't even notice such a small amount of change in the tinnitus, but man it picked up annoyingly in earmuffs where I was going crazy. That's when I had to take a Clonazepam the other night.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

@GoatSheep, just reading how much worse it could get makes me very anxious.

I'll ask you a stupid question, but... why are you wearing protection when you sleep? In case of an unexpected sound?

Because I don't understand what causes you pain in the middle of the night! I suppose it's silence in your room...

And another thing, doesn't it feel uncomfortable wearing earplugs all the time? Maybe you also have pain because of the earplugs...

Just wanted to chip in that deeply inserted earplugs causes sharp and aching pain for me. The pain usually comes on random.

 

[aura]

It's probably only dead silent at night when you live in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise cars are passing by, car doors are shut quite loudly, drunken youngsters, ...

I don't live in the middle of nowhere and it's pretty quiet but you do have a point.

I was wondering because some people are saying that they have pain/reactive tinnitus even when they hear the sound of the sheets... which is insane... god,what a torture!