From Darkness to Light, How I Recovered from Tinnitus & Hyperacusis

[billie48]

I have had hyperacusis for fifteen (15) months and tinnitus for almost as long. I have not overprotected and have exposed myself to normal, everyday sounds. The hyperacusis and tinnitus have not improved and the tinnitus seems like it might even be worsening. I am wearing above the ear sound generators and listening to pink noise each day. It might be aggravating my condition but my tinnitus seems reactive to running water, paper/plastic bags, turning the key in a lock, squeaky floors, etc. I am also still having a lot of insomnia which has been a problem since July of 2020.

Do you still have the hyperacusis?

My hyperacusis from the SSHL has subsided. It didn't fade overnight. It is a gradual process. Someone told me his therapist told him to not wear earplugs all the time and that the more he was willing to expose to normal sounds, the faster his recovery. So I didn't protect my ears with earplugs as often this 2nd time around with hyperacusis. So it seems to have faded away sooner this time.

But everyone is different. Use prudence with your own situation.

Best wishes. God bless.

 

[Athens]

Do you still have the hyperacusis?

My hyperacusis from the SSHL has subsided. It didn't fade overnight. It is a gradual process. Someone told me his therapist told him to not wear earplugs all the time and that the more he was willing to expose to normal sounds, the faster his recovery. So I didn't protect my ears with earplugs as often this 2nd time around with hyperacusis. So it seems to have faded away sooner this time.

But everyone is different. Use prudence with your own situation.

Best wishes. God bless.

Have you had hyperacusis on two different occasions?

Yes, I still have hyperacusis. I have exposed myself to normal, everyday sounds, but I am not really experiencing any improvement. I know that some people have taken two to four years to improve and I am 57 so it might take longer. I am still listening to pink noise through above the ear sound generators. I have started jogging long distances again, but only during a very quiet time of the night. I have this belief that my jogging/running was very beneficial to my mental health and brain functioning back when I was running seven miles each day. I started walking instead and it just doesn't give me the same relaxed feeling. I am hoping that it will result in some change to my brain chemistry and result in my brain adjusting to normal sound again. It has always resulted in a sedating effect so this should help as well. Please send me any encouraging guidance.

 

[billie48]

Yes I had the 1st hyperacusis over a decade ago when I first had high pitched tinnitus. That subsided in a year or so. Then over a year ago, I had SSHL on my left ear and a 2nd hyperacusis episode hit me again. It subsided also.

Keeping your jogging will help you stay positive and happy as exercise has a calming effect on the nerves. Good on you.

 

[Athens]

Yes I had the 1st hyperacusis over a decade ago when I first had high pitched tinnitus. That subsided in a year or so. Then over a year ago, I had SSHL on my left ear and a 2nd hyperacusis episode hit me again. It subsided also.

Keeping your jogging will help you stay positive and happy as exercise has a calming effect on the nerves. Good on you.

I have heard that jogging and the strenuous nature of it causing the head to be moved in a somewhat jarring way might not be good for tinnitus, but not certain about hyperacusis. I have read something about crystals in the ear being adversely impacted. Please let me know if you or anyone else has any thoughts on this issue. I have found long distance jogging/running to be very beneficial to mental and physical health, but this was before I had tinnitus and hyperacusis.

 

[Sofia]

Are you able to go to cinemas/concerts again? I' m scared to never go back to those beloved places...

 

[billie48]

I have heard that jogging and the strenuous nature of it causing the head to be moved in a somewhat jarring way might not be good for tinnitus, but not certain about hyperacusis. I have read something about crystals in the ear being adversely impacted. Please let me know if you or anyone else has any thoughts on this issue. I have found long distance jogging/running to be very beneficial to mental and physical health, but this was before I had tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Sorry for the delay in replying as I haven't checked the success story for a long time. I personally don't find jogging affecting my tinnitus. Perhaps you can post this question to the main support forum. I hope your condition has improved. God bless.

 

[billie48]

Are you able to go to cinemas/concerts again? I' m scared to never go back to those beloved places...

Sorry for the late reply as I have not checked the success story for a long while. I personally have no problem going to cinemas. I don't attend concerts. For loud movies I usually just use my fingers during the loud scenes. Best wishes and God bless.

 

[Joe Cuber]

What an epic post, thanks for compiling all that wisdom. I have taken CBT/DBT classes, and I see a lot of it woven into your advice. I recently started the Back to Silence method, and it turned my attitude around pretty quickly. Your post here deepens the perspective for me, so thanks. And also, by the way, thanks for sticking around on the forum. I see this post was from 2014, so I'm glad to see you're still helping others today

 

[alnil]

This thread is a lifesaver.

 

[RunningMan]

I have heard that jogging and the strenuous nature of it causing the head to be moved in a somewhat jarring way might not be good for tinnitus, but not certain about hyperacusis. I have read something about crystals in the ear being adversely impacted. Please let me know if you or anyone else has any thoughts on this issue. I have found long distance jogging/running to be very beneficial to mental and physical health, but this was before I had tinnitus and hyperacusis.

I've found that any sustained exercise that gets my heart rate up sufficiently increases my tinnitus, whether I'm running, using the treadmill at fast pace with elevation, or biking. And it seems to take hours to return to normal. But, despite the increase in the tinnitus volume, after a short post-exercise recovery period, I feel better than prior to the exercise. It can make a big difference if I'm feeling depression before the exercise, to feeling normal afterwards. I tend to do about an hour of exercise in the late afternoon or evening, and it reduces anxiety and depression for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to carry over to the next day at all. This is the same experience/benefit I was getting from it going back over a year, when my tinnitus ramped up to a new baseline level in early 2022.

I have tinnitus, apparently not hyperacusis, but there's no way I'm going in a movie theater. I thought they were loud even before my tinnitus increased, so I'm not taking any chances. But that's an easy sacrifice for me. Same thing with concerts or anyplace with loud music.

 

[Andrew40]

Dear @billie48, the author of this wonderful, very useful thread:

What should those with reactive tinnitus do? Tinnitus that is not masked by anything?

 

[Heal82]

Dear @billie48, the author of this wonderful, very useful thread:

What should those with reactive tinnitus do? Tinnitus that is not masked by anything?

I think what I have read somewhere is that the masking sound should be just below your tinnitus sound. But, I am a novice. Let's wait for the experts.

 

[billie48]

Dear @billie48, the author of this wonderful, very useful thread:

What should those with reactive tinnitus do? Tinnitus that is not masked by anything?

Like @Heal82 says above, masking doesn't have to totally block out tinnitus. In fact TRT requires people to set the masking sounds slightly lower than the tinnitus so that your brain will have time to slowly habituate to the ringing without panicking all the time. I have had episodes of reactive tinnitus too. It seems to be an element of hyperacusis, sound sensitivity to certain sounds. Try to protect from loud venues but not overprotect to the normal ambient sounds of the environment you are in. One positive thing about hyperacusis is that many people do get better over time. I had 2 episodes of hyperacusis and both time it faded away within a year. So try to remain calm and positive so that you can avoid triggering the limbic nerves, which will cause worse reaction to the tinnitus. Hang in there with patience and hope. God bless.

 

[Heal82]

Hi @billie48. I have hyperacusis and tinnitus after having my ear wax removed by ear Irrigation. I am currently working remotely. Do you have any suggestions for me?

 

[billie48]

Hi @billie48. I have hyperacusis and tinnitus after having my ear wax removed by ear Irrigation. I am currently working remotely. Do you have any suggestions for me?

If the hyperacusis makes it hurtful to listen to loud or sharp sounds, try to stay away or wear ear protection. You can try using musician earplugs to block off extra loud sounds while still allowing you to hear external sounds. Use prudence in ear protection to avoid developing sound sensitivity. If the tinnitus bothers you, try masking it to the extent that your hyperacusis can still bear the masking sounds. It is a patience game, as hyperacusis tends to fade or reduce in intensity over time. Take care. God bless.

 

[Fields]

Hi @billie48. I have hyperacusis and tinnitus after having my ear wax removed by ear Irrigation. I am currently working remotely. Do you have any suggestions for me?

This might not be of much help to you right now, but my hyperacusis slowly resolved itself over the course of about 3.5 years.

The process might sometimes be slow, but hyperacusis can get better.

Ultimately, the only things I know that actually helped me were Magnesium (to calm down), lots of rest, and protecting my ears in loud places – but not overprotecting them. For me, gradually getting used to normal sounds again helped. It was a slow process though, with several accidental setbacks.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

 

[Andrew40]

This might not be of much help to you right now, but my hyperacusis slowly resolved itself over the course of about 3.5 years.

The process might sometimes be slow, but hyperacusis can get better.

Ultimately, the only things I know that actually helped me were Magnesium (to calm down), lots of rest, and protecting my ears in loud places – but not overprotecting them. For me, gradually getting used to normal sounds again helped. It was a slow process though, with several accidental setbacks.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

Have you ever had hyperacusis in the form of reactive tinnitus?

 

[Fields]

Have you ever had hyperacusis in the form of reactive tinnitus?

My tinnitus has always been a constant pure tone of around 7300 Hz, but varying in volume.

My hyperacusis purely came in the form of pain, triggered by sound.

 

[Heal82]

Thanks @billie48 and @Fields for your valuable insights.

I developed hyperacusis on December 17, 2023 after ear irrigation to remove earwax. A couple of days before the ear irrigation I had developed strong ringing noise on my right ear which made me visit the clinic. The nurse, after seeing my ears, mentioned that I had a lot of earwax which needed removal. She then removed the earwax in both ears. The ringing noise on my right ear vanished and I was hearing everything very loudly. Initially, I was happy that my ringing noise had disappeared and I was hearing much better. However, on the night of the same day, I again couldn't sleep because I had a different ringing. A few days down, I started getting a lot of discomfort from everyday noise. That's when I realized I had developed hyperacusis.

I have been taking every precaution possible but my hyperacusis has only worsened. I am a little scared as to what I am doing wrong. Could I be overprotecting? Although, I have also read on many posts on Tinnitus Talk that hyperacusis gets worse before it gets better. I am banking on that.

 

[Fields]

Thanks @billie48 and @Fields for your valuable insights.

I developed hyperacusis on December 17, 2023 after ear irrigation to remove earwax. A couple of days before the ear irrigation I had developed strong ringing noise on my right ear which made me visit the clinic. The nurse, after seeing my ears, mentioned that I had a lot of earwax which needed removal. She then removed the earwax in both ears. The ringing noise on my right ear vanished and I was hearing everything very loudly. Initially, I was happy that my ringing noise had disappeared and I was hearing much better. However, on the night of the same day, I again couldn't sleep because I had a different ringing. A few days down, I started getting a lot of discomfort from everyday noise. That's when I realized I had developed hyperacusis.

I have been taking every precaution possible but my hyperacusis has only worsened. I am a little scared as to what I am doing wrong. Could I be overprotecting? Although, I have also read on many posts on Tinnitus Talk that hyperacusis gets worse before it gets better. I am banking on that.

You're welcome. For me it definitely got worse first. I believe, in large part, that was due to increased mental stress and anxiety. I became very fearful of (loud) sounds and how it would affect my hearing.

It took me a while to recover from that. When I did, though, my hyperacusis also started to get better.

 

[Travis Henry]

Thanks @billie48 and @Fields for your valuable insights.

I developed hyperacusis on December 17, 2023 after ear irrigation to remove earwax. A couple of days before the ear irrigation I had developed strong ringing noise on my right ear which made me visit the clinic. The nurse, after seeing my ears, mentioned that I had a lot of earwax which needed removal. She then removed the earwax in both ears. The ringing noise on my right ear vanished and I was hearing everything very loudly. Initially, I was happy that my ringing noise had disappeared and I was hearing much better. However, on the night of the same day, I again couldn't sleep because I had a different ringing. A few days down, I started getting a lot of discomfort from everyday noise. That's when I realized I had developed hyperacusis.

I have been taking every precaution possible but my hyperacusis has only worsened. I am a little scared as to what I am doing wrong. Could I be overprotecting? Although, I have also read on many posts on Tinnitus Talk that hyperacusis gets worse before it gets better. I am banking on that.

There is no such thing as overprotecting. Anyone who says that is off their rocker IMO. You aren't going to break your leg by not doing things that damage it. I don't think ears are any different in that sense. Since your ears are already damaged, you need to give them silence as much as possible and only sounds they can tolerate. Give time for the nerves or inflammation to settle.

Just my opinion... as a man that got worsened by the doctors and people saying not to overprotect.

 

[DeanD]

@billie48, your positive posts are what gave me hope in my early days.

You mention that you now cruise. Have you ever measured the dB rating inside a cabin?

I'm trying to travel again despite severe reactive tinnitus (and more issues caused by whatever triggered off this tinnitus), and I have always wanted to do a cruise, but was a little concerned over the constant engine noise and hum?

 

[billie48]

@billie48, your positive posts are what gave me hope in my early days.

You mention that you now cruise. Have you ever measured the dB rating inside a cabin?

I'm trying to travel again despite severe reactive tinnitus (and more issues caused by whatever triggered off this tinnitus), and I have always wanted to do a cruise, but was a little concerned over the constant engine noise and hum?

I'm sorry @DeanD that I missed reading your post and your question. Yes, I still go on cruises, and there are three planned cruises at the moment: an Alaska cruise in late July, a Hawaii cruise in November, and a Caribbean cruise in January next year. Hyperacusis is no longer an issue. I can tolerate most sounds but protect from loud venues, such as going to a loud movie. No, I never measured the dB on a cruise. I brought earplugs as a precaution but rarely needed to use them. I would use my fingers mostly, such as the sailing away party. But when my wife dragged me to the loud dancing floor, I either excused myself or wore earplugs and asked her to dance away from the speakers. The loud jet-engine-like tinnitus in my left deaf ear and the dentist-drill-like tinnitus in my right ear are always there, but somehow, habituation has kicked in, and I often am not aware of their presence. Life is short and needs to be enjoyed whenever I have the chance. Most of us may take time to improve, but we never lose hope. God bless us all.

 

[Travis Henry]

I am one of those who strongly believe that being positive will help us habituate to tinnitus faster.

Habituation can only happen if you have a certain level of damage. Once you reach a boiling point, all bets are off. If you get damaged enough, positive thinking doesn't do squat. If you lose all sound tolerance and become homebound with over 100 dB screaming in your brain because of the damage you've obtained, you could be a monk of positivity but still fold.

The level of damage dictates everything. That's why I've tried to spread the truth that time, quiet, and no medications are the best way forward for a damaged auditory system. Always stay at a safe sound level that doesn't increase the tinnitus.

 

[Jupiterman]

Yes, I still go on cruises

Are there any issues with boat fog horns? Aren't they off-scale loud? I've heard captains 'play' the foghorn for fun?

 

[KaiT81]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey and success story. It gives me so much hope! I am in my sixth month with tinnitus. It is not very loud but very high-pitched and intrusive. It's rarely quieter, and I usually hear it all day long. I still can't tune it out, and I still find the noise unpleasant and frightening. I'm afraid that habituation won't work for me.

My question to you is: is it "normal" that I am still heavily struggling with anxiety and still often have mood swings, depressed feelings, anger, and sleep problems?

 

[Della]

Hello @KaiT81, and welcome to the club no one wants to join. I assume you'd like to hear from the author of this thread, @billie48. Most of us who have had tinnitus for years don't get into the forum daily anymore, so tagging should help.

I'm so sorry you're struggling with anxiety, depression, and sleep problems... but to reassure you, all these feelings are absolutely normal for this condition. Many of us take medications to help combat these things so that you might check with your doctor about the possibilities.

Many people also find playing background sounds at night helpful, especially for sleeping. I especially like a website called myNoise.net, which lets you tailor the sounds to your individual hearing.

I know six months seems like an eternity to you now, but please know that you can and will acclimate to this condition. It will take its own sweet time, but eventually you will. Best of luck!

Della

 

[KaiT81]

Yes, @Della, you are right; I wanted to hear from @billie48. Thank you for tagging him. And thank you for your words and your compassion. In fact, I even take medication, a low-dose antidepressant, to be able to sleep. I hope by "acclimate to this condition," you mean that I can someday return to a nearly normal life, enjoy life, enjoy my two little kids and my wife, and go back to work.

 

[Della]

I hope by "acclimate to this condition," you mean that I can someday return to a nearly normal life, enjoy life, enjoy my two little kids and my wife, and go back to work.

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. It's incredible how much the human brain can screen out when needed. I can guarantee you will have a "nearly normal" life again. Hang in there.

 

[KaiT81]

Thank you again for your encouraging words, @Della. I am eagerly "waiting" for the habituation to kick in. Some say it can only start once you have ended the vicious circle of fear and attention to tinnitus. Others say that habituation means that you can tone down your emotional reaction and that fear and attention slowly fade away (and you can tune it out more often). I hope the latter group is right! Of course, I do a few other things besides waiting, but even in the sixth month, the noise is still all-consuming.

And about medication: you said that it would help many of us. I'm starting to think I need one, but I'm worried that antidepressants might make my tinnitus worse.

No matter what, I hope I hold on.