Does Tinnitus Get Better with Time?

[ceauses97]

When I first got tinnitus over 9 weeks ago I was a total wreck. My reaction to it got slowly better over next weeks, and I did very well until now. I'm not sure if i can survive this. I don't think my tinnitus has actually increased, but it's just the thought of living with it the rest of my life that destroys me. I'm back to square one and I'm not ashamed to admit that ive been crying every day lately.

I've long time stopped hoping for my tinnitus to go away. If it does, great, but if I'm ever going to be able to live with this, my tinnitus HAS to decrease in volum. It's just painfully loud right now, it wakes me up at night and I haven't slept properly since the onset of my tinnitus. It's in my head and nothing can mask it at night. Ive tried everything, nature sounds, white noise, fan turned on, nothing works. So here is my one million question; does tinnitus actually improve with time? Specially noise-induced tinnitus. I'm not talking about the reaction to the noise, but actual improvement. Does the noise itself reduce in volum?

 

[glynis]

Hi,
For some people tinnitus can go or fade but for some it can be a rollercoaster of good and bad days and for some it remains problematic and for some hearing loss is a part of the cause .

Our reaction to the sound can change as our brain adapts and stops seeing tinnitus as a threat .
For some people it's debilitating and as much as they try to stay positive the overwhelming emotions can send them on a downwards spiral and counselling and medication can help.

With age related hearing loss tinnitus can come with it and hearing aids can be of help.

I try to focus on the positives in life even though my ears are blasting away I know giving in to them will soon have me feeling down so I know then I need push harder to be happy and take my mind off the sound keeping busy.

Hope you get some good days to make the most of....lots of love glynis

 

[AnxiousJon]

Didn't magnesium help? Are you still vomiting or experiencing other symptoms of the vitamin toxicity? Fat soluble vitmins are stored in your tissues, and then they slowly release into your blood. You stopped taking vitamin D altogether didn't you? Please tell me you did.
"In cases of vitamin D toxicity, patients with severe hypercalcemia may require hydration, diuretics, steroids (hydrocortisone 100 mg IV q6h), calcitonin (4-8 IU/kg q6-12h), and/or mithramycin (25 mcg/kg IV over 4-6 h, once daily for 1-4 days)."
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/819426-medication#6

"Calcitonin analogues may be used if the patient is severely hypercalcemic following the diuretic therapy. These agents directly inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption and have significant analgesic effects on bone."
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/819426-medication#6

 

[ceauses97]

Didn't magnesium help? Are you still vomiting or experiencing other symptoms of the vitamin toxicity? Fat soluble vitmins are stored in your tissues, and then they slowly release into your blood. You stopped taking vitamin D altogether didn't you? Please tell me you did.

Magnesium did help me the first time I took it. I almost woke up tinnitus free, only with a faint hissing sound, but my tinnitus has returned since then. I stopped taking vitamin D and calcium a long time ago, but my symptoms are still there. I'm not sure if hypercalcemia resolves on it's own, or if I actually need medical treatment. I have a doctor appointment on friday so I will ask her for sure.

I'm going to give it one more month. If this doesn't pass within that time limit then it's 100 % obvious that headphones and loud music was the main cause for my tinnitus. Time will tell.

 

[linearb]

I don't know exactly what you mean by better. I had mild, stable T from 1999-2009, which was worsened by an acoustic trauma in the midst of an emotional breakdown. In 2010 I would have described my tinnitus as "suicidal", "catastrophic", "life-wrecking".

The adjective I tend to use these days is "obnoxious". Viewed that way, something which is "obnoxious" is clearly "better" than something which is "life-wrecking", but the reality is much, much, much more nuanced and complex than that.

 

[AnxiousJon]

I have a doctor appointment on friday so I will ask her for sure.

Don't mention the tinnitus. Mention all the other symptoms. Talking about tinnitus will shut down the doctor's mind.

 

[ceauses97]

Hi,
For some people tinnitus can go or fade but for some it can be a rollercoaster of good and bad days and for some it remains problematic and for some hearing loss is a part of the cause.

I've only had an had hearing test up to 8k and it didn't show any loss. I'm going to make an new appointment with the nearest ENT and take a high frequency hearing test, hopefully thay may give me the answer I'm looking for.

I guess at the end of the day, this is really pissing me off because I have literally destroyed me whole life at such a young age. I caused this, and I will never forgive myself. I can't even study with this loud siren in my head, but school isn't important right now, I'm more scared of the fact that I may not survive this...

 

[linearb]

I'm not talking about the reaction to the noise, but actual improvement. Does the noise itself reduce in volum?

One side comment -- in the case of my own tinnitus, the two are the same. The more distressed I am, the louder the tinnitus is, in terms of literal minimum masking level required to cover it up with crickets/etc.

I am not suggesting that this is universally true, but for me, volume is as much a symptom of distress, as distress is of volume. Nasty little feedback loop; stepping outside of it is hard...

 

[RaZaH]

You could very well have hearing loss that does not show up on a regular test ,and not because it does not reach 8k and beyond. They test at intervals , very coarse intervals , your damage may be between .

Try this , find an online sinus sweep, preferably from ca 30 hz to 10 k about 30 40 ,sec , put on headphones , low volume and listen to the sweep , if you have damage you will hear it drop in volume somewhere , even "panning/moving between the ears " as the damage may be different between your ears , I pretty much guarantee you will hear a drop somewhere .

 

[ceauses97]

I don't know exactly what you mean by better. I had mild, stable T from 1999-2009, which was worsened by an acoustic trauma in the midst of an emotional breakdown. In 2010 I would have described my tinnitus as "suicidal", "catastrophic", "life-wrecking".

By better I mean actual decrease in tinnitus volum. I know how 80 % of the people manage to live completely fine with tinnitus, but I believe I'm the 20 % that doesn't, and never will. Silence for me was like a door to creativity and wisdom. I'm angry because there is absolutely zero awareness about this condition. I knew about almost every contagious, life-threatening diseases found in this world, even strange mental illnesses. Knowing these type of things were, believe it or not, my strange hobby and passion. I used to read a lot about rare diseases, simply because I found them very interesting. But never ever did I came across this suicide-inducing "illness" named tinnitus. If I had, I wouldn't be here for sure.

How was your tinnitus caused in the first place? Was it the one 120 dB loud concert in 1999 or excessive use of headphones? Did you get a lot of ringing as "warnings" before it got permanent? if so, how long would it last before it subsided?

 

[linearb]

By better I mean actual decrease in tinnitus volum. I know how 80 % of the people manage to live completely fine with tinnitus, but I believe I'm the 20 % that doesn't, and never will.

I think this is a self-fulfilling prophecy; I had a long period where I held on to similar beliefs, and didn't really make any progress (in terms of tinnitus, or life in general).

It is what it is. If the sound doesn't go away or change, then your only choices are to find a way to change yourself around it, or continue to suffer. One of these things is much harder the the other; the other one is easier but much more painful.

Silence for me was like a door to creativity and wisdom. I'm angry because there is absolutely zero awareness about this condition. I knew about almost every contagious, life-threatening diseases in this world, even strange mental illnesses. Knowing these type of things were, believe it or not, my strange hobby and passion. I used to read a lot about rare diseases, simply because I found them very interesting. But never ever did I came across this suicide-inducing "illness" named tinnitus. If I had, I wouldn't be here for sure.

I think this is all projecting yourself outside of the current situation. Whether or not having had more foreknowledge or information would have changed the outcome, does not matter. It's just a fantasy you're creating in your head, and the more you project yourself into those fantasies, the less time you spend in calm awareness of the current moment, and the more you will suffer. That's basically Zen 101, I think.

How was your tinnitus caused in the first place? Was it the one 120 dB loud concert in 1999 or excessive use of headphones? Did you get a lot of ringing as "warnings" before it got permanent? if so, how long would it last before it subsided?

Genetics, use of prescription drugs from a young age, noise exposure, premature birth, headphone use, non-prescription drugs... who knows. It's not a very interesting question to me at this point; again, it simply is, and knowing the root causes with perfect certainty wouldn't have any impact on this moment now.

 

[glynis]

I've only had an had hearing test up to 8k and it didn't show any loss. I'm going to make an new appointment with the nearest ENT and take a high frequency hearing test, hopefully thay may give me the answer I'm looking for.

I guess at the end of the day, this is really pissing me off because I have literally destroyed me whole life at such a young age. I caused this, and I will never forgive myself. I can't even study with this loud siren in my head, but school isn't important right now, I'm more scared of the fact that I may not survive this...

I would see audiology and might provide you with white noise generators.
They helped me so much at early onset of tinnitus.
They provide a white noise sound that was better than my pearcing sound to focus on.

Try not to worry about the future and just concentrate on this term and get extra study time,help with exams and projects etc and home work .

If you find your mood is really down have a word with your doctor for help.

I work in a school and have a son who finished uni and one at uni.
The One at uni is hearing impaired as had his ear bones removed when was 7.
He's on a placement for a year as a Arcatect and keeping him on during his last year part time and then with them full time and qualified and has epilepsy too.
Don't let tinnitus take away your smile and laughter and follow your dreams and don't let your ears win.....lots of love glynis