Earplugs in the Shower (the Occlusion Effect): Don't Do It!

[Tara Lyons]

Hi @Tara Lyons, just to be sure, you ordered noise reducing earplugs not noise cancelling headphones right?

Yes noise reducing ones

 

[Tara Lyons]

It shouldn't be permanent. I'll get a spike for a few days if I drive for more than 2 hours without earplugs, so try the earplugs next time.

Ugh. Big mistake!!!

 

[Tara Lyons]

Long story short, I developed symptoms of a systemic autoimmune disorder 5 years ago when I had a major flare up and was super sick. During the last year of my education, it was super stressful. When the stress ended, my chronic illness went ballistic and spread to my inner ear. I developed balance problems, tinnitus, and hyperacusis. The balance problems resolved, but the hyperacusis has gotten much, much worse to the point where I am severely disabled.

I'm sorry, that's terrible...

The ENT said I had hyperacusis but I don't think my sound sensitivity is that extreme - I thought hyperacusis was relatively rare? There's hyperacusis and then there's just sound sensitivity... so I thought.

My ears have this insane loudness in them today. This is total hell.

 

[LilSass]

Hi @Tara Lyons ! How are you doing today? I wish I could make you and everyone else here better! I never knew life could be so cruel...
Have you had any 'quiet' time since it all started? Stay strong and try to keep busy - I've been going for a lot of bike rides and find that helps. I hope the ear plugs make a difference. I'm going to order some myself as the silicon ones from the pharmacy are a bit flimsy. Which ones did you get?
Saying prayers for everyone.

 

[Tara Lyons]

Hi @Tara Lyons ! How are you doing today? I wish I could make you and everyone else here better! I never knew life could be so cruel...
Have you had any 'quiet' time since it all started? Stay strong and try to keep busy - I've been going for a lot of bike rides and find that helps. I hope the ear plugs make a difference. I'm going to order some myself as the silicon ones from the pharmacy are a bit flimsy. Which ones did you get?
Saying prayers for everyone.

Hi!

No, this is hell. It's different every day but no quiet time. Today no "blaring" of my left ear, just a lot of high pitch noise/activity. It's crazy how different it is.

A lot of vibrations earlier today. I went to a little get together last night and I used ear plugs but my ears ached after! I'm thinking I might have "reactive tinnitus" part of the hyperacusis? I don't know. It's terrible.

How are you?

 

[Tara Lyons]

I never expected to ever have this. I look at old pictures of my "old life" it really kills me. It's so hard to think of who I once was...

 

[Lucifer]

I never expected to ever have this. I look at old pictures of my "old life" it really kills me. It's so hard to think of who I once was...

Me neither. It's a shame celebrities have done fuck all to raise awareness about the harm in noise exposure. Didn't even realise tinnitus and hyperacusis existed. The only thing they talk about is hearing loss and everyone assumes it's due to people becoming old.

 

[Tara Lyons]

@Lucifer @Michael Leigh @aot

I love traveling. I go to Aruba every year. Like is my life over because of this? Am I ever going to be able to travel again?

 

[Tara Lyons]

Me neither. It's a shame celebrities have done fuck all to raise awareness about the harm in noise exposure. Didn't even realise tinnitus and hyperacusis existed. The only thing they talk about is hearing loss and everyone assumes it's due to people becoming old.

What is this "loudness" sensation I get? Like a roaring loudness? Almost like a vibration?

@aot

 

[LilSass]

Yes, instead of getting up early to do yoga and relax in the silence, I sleep in as late as I can hoping that it will be a 'quiet' day and I will be able to focus on something else. I certainly feel that I have lost a sense of who I was and it causes me some anxiety, something I never really experienced before, certainly not at this level. I do my best to stay positive, but I feel like I'm going in circles sometimes and have thoughts I've never had before. I've arranged to speak to a counselor, I think maybe speaking to someone about it will help - I may also start a diary, though I've never been one to write down my thoughts (I'm always afraid someone will find it and I'll be exposed!) Anyway, I will keep trying new things and moving forward, although some days I feel like I'm just killing time...I hope in time we can all recover our 'joie de vivre'. Certainly life will never be the same, but we can do our best to make the most of it.
I'm glad you were able to get out for a bit, I think it's important to do little things that make us feel 'normal', even for a moment.

 

[Lucifer]

@Lucifer @Michael Leigh @aot

I love traveling. I go to Aruba every year. Like is my life over because of this? Am I ever going to be able to travel again?

What is this "loudness" sensation I get? Like a roaring loudness? Almost like a vibration?

@aot

You will be able to go on holiday again. Give it time. Most likely your tinnitus should reduce but it takes a very long time.

When you mean by the loudness situation is this your tinnitus being louder or do you find external sounds louder than before. If its the latter that means you have loudness hyperacusis but if you experience pain as well then you have both loudness and pain hyperacusis.

Good thing that there are a lot of clinical trials going on at the moment and the earliest it should come out is 2-3 years time. Hopefully FX-322 ends up helping the majority of us.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I'm physically hurting bad and my tinnitus is very loud. This article only applies to some of us. Some are able to adjust. I was was almost totally able to adjust from 10/10 tinnitus from syringing when it dropped to 6/10 after four years. Three years later, I had one very serious physical concern after the after. I gave myself an aortic aneurysm from being stressed - I now have several 10/10 sounds. I'm over 65.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

 

[aot]

What is this "loudness" sensation I get? Like a roaring loudness? Almost like a vibration?

@aot

TTTS, maybe? As far as I know it's anxiety based. Does it feel like a vibrating sensation in your ear?

 

[Tara Lyons]

You will be able to go on holiday again. Give it time. Most likely your tinnitus should reduce but it takes a very long time.

When you mean by the loudness situation is this your tinnitus being louder or do you find external sounds louder than before. If its the latter that means you have loudness hyperacusis but if you experience pain as well then you have both loudness and pain hyperacusis.

Good thing that there are a lot of clinical trials going on at the moment and the earliest it should come out is 2-3 years time. Hopefully FX-322 ends up helping the majority of us.

There is just a vibrating loudness. I can't explain it. Yesterday they were vibrating all day. Just this sensation of "loudness" like it reacts to noise or something?! It's so terrible. I can't believe this is my life...

 

[Tara Lyons]

TTTS, maybe? As far as I know it's anxiety based. Does it feel like a vibrating sensation in your ear?

Yes! Or like a roaring loudness.

 

[aot]

Yes! Or like a roaring loudness.

Sounds like TTTS. This means that your Tensor Tympani Muscle is overactive, and reacts to lower volume sounds than the average person. (Some people can make it happen by just thinking of loud sounds, or by clenching their eyes shut.)

While many people with hyperacusis and/or tinnitus have TTTS, it isn't necessarily indicative of hearing/ear damage. It's an anxiety based condition. Just because your tensor tympani muscle is vibrating doesn't mean you're in any harm.

Tara, I know this would be difficult because of COVID-19, but have you considered any local Tinnitus or hearing loss support groups? (Even if you have no measurable hearing loss, most tinnitus is sound induced.) This site is great, but I think being around other people physically who have this condition would do you some good. I visited both and they were all very kind and supportive.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Lucifer @Michael Leigh @aot

I love traveling. I go to Aruba every year. Like is my life over because of this? Am I ever going to be able to travel again?

HI @Tara Lyons

I have only seen your post by chance and didn't receive an alert. Your life is not over so try not to focus
on that as it instils Negative thinking. You will be able to go on holiday in time so try to work towards this. This is the reason I have suggested that you go for a walk every day 30mins to begin with. This will help invigorate you and help to clear your mind so you are able to think more positively. Whatever interests and hobbies you had before the onset of tinnitus, try to engage in them.

Michael

 

[Tara Lyons]

@Michael Leigh

This is so hard. I never expected any of this to happen to

You will be able to go on holiday again. Give it time. Most likely your tinnitus should reduce but it takes a very long time.

When you mean by the loudness situation is this your tinnitus being louder or do you find external sounds louder than before. If its the latter that means you have loudness hyperacusis but if you experience pain as well then you have both loudness and pain hyperacusis.

Good thing that there are a lot of clinical trials going on at the moment and the earliest it should come out is 2-3 years time. Hopefully FX-322 ends up helping the majority of us.

Sounds like TTTS. This means that your Tensor Tympani Muscle is overactive, and reacts to lower volume sounds than the average person. (Some people can make it happen by just thinking of loud sounds, or by clenching their eyes shut.)

While many people with hyperacusis and/or tinnitus have TTTS, it isn't necessarily indicative of hearing/ear damage. It's an anxiety based condition. Just because your tensor tympani muscle is vibrating doesn't mean you're in any harm.

Tara, I know this would be difficult because of COVID-19, but have you considered any local Tinnitus or hearing loss support groups? (Even if you have no measurable hearing loss, most tinnitus is sound induced.) This site is great, but I think being around other people physically who have this condition would do you some good. I visited both and they were all very kind and supportive.

Yes I've considered that, it's just hard with COVID-19. I am going to look into it.

My mom says I should go on an anti depressant to help cope but I don't know. It changes so much every day, it's crazy. I feel like I never know what I'm in for when I wake up.

Being new to this I put myself in situations where I aggravated my ears so I'm upset about that. At 32 I should have known better.
Ugh

Thank you for your advice.
The vibrating was crazy, this insane roaring loudness plus a lot of ringing. Blaring. They were just really bad yesterday, maybe because I drank the night before? I don't know.

:/

 

[Michael Leigh]

This is so hard. I never expected any of this to happen to

I still did not receive an alert message even though you wrote my name correctly: @Michael Leigh Tinnitus can be quite a surprise and affected me the same as you.

My mom says I should go on an anti depressant to help cope but I don't know

I think the advice from your mom is spot on and suggest you talk to your doctor. Tinnitus can affect a person's mental and emotional wellbeing quite profoundly in the early stages and beyond, this needs to be managed. There are various ways this can be achieved and medication in the form of an antidepressant can be helpful.

Take care
Michael

 

[Tara Lyons]

Majority of people are capable of it. Chances are you are one of them.

It is unfortunate that you got a spike. It is a setback, but there is no reason to worry about permanent damage. Make sure to learn from your mistake though.

You might consider taking baths. In a year or two you ought to become resilient enough to not mind taking showers again.

How do you know if you have hyperacusis or just noise sensitivity? Would I know if I had hyperacusis? VOICES are the worst. Then after that is probably water and dishes.

 

[Bill Bauer]

How do you know if you have hyperacusis or just noise sensitivity?

What's the difference between the two?

 

[Tara Lyons]

What's the difference between the two?

I thought hyperacusis was extreme sound sensitivity? And sound sensitivity was just sound sensitivity?

 

[aot]

How do you know if you have hyperacusis or just noise sensitivity? Would I know if I had hyperacusis? VOICES are the worst. Then after that is probably water and dishes.

Are these sounds painful? Do they sound louder than normal? If so, how loud?

Or do you just find them bothersome, annoying, etc?

 

[Bill Bauer]

I thought hyperacusis was extreme sound sensitivity? And sound sensitivity was just sound sensitivity?

The word "extreme" is subjective. What is "extreme" for one person is mild for another person. But the fact that one is bothered by the noises that don't bother others or that wouldn't have bothered one in the past - that's an objective fact.

 

[Tara Lyons]

The word "extreme" is subjective. What is "extreme" for one person is mild for another person. But the fact that one is bothered by the noises that don't bother others or that wouldn't have bothered one in the past - that's an objective fact.

I don't know. Someone told me I would know if I had hyperacusis. Not every sound annoys me, just some.

 

[aot]

I don't know. Someone told me I would know if I had hyperacusis. Not every sound annoys me, just some.

Sounds more like Misophonia to me.

 

[Tara Lyons]

Are these sounds painful? Do they sound louder than normal? If so, how loud?

Or do you just find them bothersome, annoying, etc?

Sorry just seeing this. Voices make me cringe and have triggered physical pain, where I had to leave. Sounds from speakers and TVs have caused shock like pain. Someone on here told me to avoid that for a while because it could be a form of hyperacusis. I don't know. I am so sick of this! I don't know how people live with this! Both of my ears are screaming

 

[Bill Bauer]

Not every sound annoys me, just some.

That's what hyperacusis is like (some frequencies are ok, others are not).

 

[Bill Bauer]

Sounds more like Misophonia to me.

Misophonia is a psychological problem. I am sure she would be able to tell whether her ears don't feel right after a sound, or that for some reason a sound makes her feel uneasy.

 

[Tara Lyons]

Sounds more like Misophonia to me.

That's what hyperacusis is like (some frequencies are ok, others are not).

How do I treat hyperacusis with sound? I read someone wrote about reactive tinnitus which is what I think I have and is a symptom of hyperacusis. This person used pink noise. Should I be wearing ear plugs all the time to protect my ears? So many different views, I don't know what to do!