Have I Got Tinnitus with Pain or Hyperacusis with Pain?

[FrontRoomFanatic]

So I'm getting a bit confused now with what my condition actually is. I've definitely got tinnitus, and I believe I have hyperacusis. I think I have pain hyperacusis but maybe I have tinnitus with pain?

The reason I ask this is that I see so many different things online and I came to see that most people have loudness hyperacusis and that the pain usually starts as a result of loudness.

However, my problem is tinny speakers and certain artificial audio sources which cause a scratchy feeling. It isn't associated with volume although volume can make it more pronounced. It seems more the frequency of these particular things than the volume to me. I'm wondering If maybe I don't have hyperacusis and it's something just relating to the tinnitus?

 

[MrCrybaby]

So I'm getting a bit confused now with what my condition actually is. I've definitely got tinnitus, and I believe I have hyperacusis. I think I have pain hyperacusis but maybe I have tinnitus with pain?

The reason I ask this is that I see so many different things online and I came to see that most people have loudness hyperacusis and that the pain usually starts as a result of loudness.

However, my problem is tinny speakers and certain artificial audio sources which cause a scratchy feeling. It isn't associated with volume although volume can make it more pronounced. It seems more the frequency of these particular things than the volume to me. I'm wondering If maybe I don't have hyperacusis and it's something just relating to the tinnitus?

What you are experiencing are a variety of symptoms of noise induced cochlear damage. Clawing at a "correct" diagnosis is a losing game, you'll lose the forest for the trees.

 

[Orions Pain]

The reason I ask this is that I see so many different things online and I came to see that most people have loudness hyperacusis and that the pain usually starts as a result of loudness.

From what I've read, people who have "Pain Hyperacusis" don't necessarily feel pain as a result of loudness, for many, any sort of noise sets off pain.

There are also many people who have "Loudness Hyperacusis" with no pain.

Some unfortunately have both.

What kind of pain do you experience? There are numerous things that can cause pain in the ear.

 

[FrontRoomFanatic]

From what I've read, people who have "Pain Hyperacusis" don't necessarily feel pain as a result of loudness, for many, any sort of noise sets off pain.

There are also many people who have "Loudness Hyperacusis" with no pain.

Some unfortunately have both.

What kind of pain do you experience? There are numerous things that can cause pain in the ear.

I would say I have 'irritation' hyperacusis then. It's only certain artificial sounds like a laptop or mobile phone speaker that bother my ears now. I worry that it will get worse, but it has already got better as plates and cutlery used to bother it, but now they don't.

 

[Orions Pain]

I would say I have 'irritation' hyperacusis then. It's only certain artificial sounds like a laptop or mobile phone speaker that bother my ears now. I worry that it will get worse, but it has already got better as plates and cutlery used to bother it, but now they don't.

That's interesting. Plates and cutlery are way more loud than artificial sounds so if those don't bother you I think that's good.

I'm the opposite, I can't stand the sound of plates but artificial speakers don't bother me at all. It might have something to do with losing hearing at a certain frequency.

 

[Capstan]

Might also be reactive tinnitus too, if its specific frequencies. Does it only irritate or does your tinnitus also get louder with the artificial sounds? If it sounds distorted, it might be dysacusis.

 

[FrontRoomFanatic]

That's interesting. Plates and cutlery are way more loud than artificial sounds so if those don't bother you I think that's good.

I'm the opposite, I can't stand the sound of plates but artificial speakers don't bother me at all. It might have something to do with losing hearing at a certain frequency.

I dropped a spoon into a bowl while doing the dishes yesterday. It was loud but in the normal way, and no pain or irritation. June 2021 will be 2 years since onset. I'm hoping to have further reduction in sensitivity by then... By this I mean that I'll essentially be trying to be optimistic about progress until that date. Thereafter I'll prob see no further improvement, going on what I read here and elsewhere.

 

[FrontRoomFanatic]

Might also be reactive tinnitus too, if its specific frequencies. Does it only irritate or does your tinnitus also get louder with the artificial sounds? If it sounds distorted, it might be dysacusis.

Hmm, isn't reactive tinnitus just another name for hyperacusis? I'm losing track of all the nuance, lol. No it remains the same volume thankfully.

 

[Capstan]

Hmm, isn't reactive tinnitus just another name for hyperacusis? I'm losing track of all the nuance, lol. No it remains the same volume thankfully.

Depends who you ask here. Lol

 

[serendipity1996]

Might also be reactive tinnitus too, if its specific frequencies. Does it only irritate or does your tinnitus also get louder with the artificial sounds? If it sounds distorted, it might be dysacusis.

I have the same problem - laptop/phone speakers aggravate my hyperacusis the most. 'Organic' environmental noise isn't that much of an issue. It's weird when I hear audio coming from my laptop it doesn't seem 'loud' per se but it's like there's certain frequencies which just sound super harsh and stand out. Wonder if that's a form of distortion. I wonder if it also could be due to audio compression? I've also found recently that continuous static noises like the kitchen/bathroom fan and even my laptop fan kinda irritate me - not even causing pain hyperacusis symptoms or anything but it's like I'm unable to just tune those out of conscious awareness any longer like I used to and they make me feel really tense. The crazy thing is it partly seems like I 'thought' this problem into existence like as soon as I thought to myself 'damn my laptop fan is kinda irritating' I couldn't not notice it and now I can't tune it out like I used to. It's so odd because my pain hyperacusis was way worse 2 months ago with burning, cooling pain, tingling etc yet I wasn't bothered by these sounds.

 

[Orions Pain]

I dropped a spoon into a bowl while doing the dishes yesterday. It was loud but in the normal way, and no pain or irritation. June 2021 will be 2 years since onset. I'm hoping to have further reduction in sensitivity by then... By this I mean that I'll essentially be trying to be optimistic about progress until that date. Thereafter I'll prob see no further improvement, going on what I read here and elsewhere.

That's really good that you don't have pain. Especially since it's been 2 years. In my opinion the pain kind is the worst you can have, the loudness and/or distortion hyperacusis sucks. Perhaps the irritation you experience from speakers is just external noise somehow blending in with the frequency of your tinnitus, making it sound all weird? (just a very random guess here) but I hope things improve for you moving forward!

 

[FrontRoomFanatic]

Depends who you ask here. Lol

Indeed haha! That brought a smile to my face. Information overload at times.

 

[FrontRoomFanatic]

That's really good that you don't have pain. Especially since it's been 2 years. In my opinion the pain kind is the worst you can have, the loudness and/or distortion hyperacusis sucks. Perhaps the irritation you experience from speakers is just external noise somehow blending in with the frequency of your tinnitus, making it sound all weird? (just a very random guess here) but I hope things improve for you moving forward!

Thanks. I hope we both improve. Only been 10 months so far. June 2021 will be 2 years... the reason that is important is that there seems to be scope for improvement up until the 2 year point. And then chances reduce rapidly for any improvement (or so I've read anyway). I'm just keeping hope alive that I continue to improve up until then. That we both do!

 

[Capstan]

I have the same problem - laptop/phone speakers aggravate my hyperacusis the most. 'Organic' environmental noise isn't that much of an issue. It's weird when I hear audio coming from my laptop it doesn't seem 'loud' per se but it's like there's certain frequencies which just sound super harsh and stand out. Wonder if that's a form of distortion. I wonder if it also could be due to audio compression? I've also found recently that continuous static noises like the kitchen/bathroom fan and even my laptop fan kinda irritate me - not even causing pain hyperacusis symptoms or anything but it's like I'm unable to just tune those out of conscious awareness any longer like I used to and they make me feel really tense. The crazy thing is it partly seems like I 'thought' this problem into existence like as soon as I thought to myself 'damn my laptop fan is kinda irritating' I couldn't not notice it and now I can't tune it out like I used to. It's so odd because my pain hyperacusis was way worse 2 months ago with burning, cooling pain, tingling etc yet I wasn't bothered by these sounds.

This is how I was before my reactive tinnitus started. I noticed these as irritating but a few weeks later they started to cause my tinnitus to compete. I had a tympanogram right before this started. I have no idea why but maybe it triggered it. It is hell though.

 

[serendipity1996]

Thanks. I hope we both improve. Only been 10 months so far. June 2021 will be 2 years... the reason that is important is that there seems to be scope for improvement up until the 2 year point. And then chances reduce rapidly for any improvement (or so I've read anyway). I'm just keeping hope alive that I continue to improve up until then. That we both do!

This is one of the most inspirational stories I've read on here. It took this guy about 2 years to fully recover but it got better!
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...om-my-hyperacusis-and-chronic-ear-pain.14404/

 

[serendipity1996]

This is how I was before my reactive tinnitus started. I noticed these as irritating but a few weeks later they started to cause my tinnitus to compete. I had a tympanogram right before this started. I have no idea why but maybe it triggered it. It is hell though.

It's weird because my tinnitus itself is very mild and has remained that way for years, the hyperacusis is definitely the bigger problem for me. Just when I thought I was pretty much over the setback I would hate for things to come crashing down again.

 

[ASilverLight]

Thanks. I hope we both improve. Only been 10 months so far. June 2021 will be 2 years... the reason that is important is that there seems to be scope for improvement up until the 2 year point. And then chances reduce rapidly for any improvement (or so I've read anyway). I'm just keeping hope alive that I continue to improve up until then. That we both do!

If you take a look at the succes stories, there's even people mentioning their tinnitus getting better beyond the two year mark. Tinnitus is one of the most unpredictable conditions out there. As long as you keep noticing improvements, however small and however long, it's a good sign I think.

 

[Capstan]

It's weird because my tinnitus itself is very mild and has remained that way for years, the hyperacusis is definitely the bigger problem for me. Just when I thought I was pretty much over the setback I would hate for things to come crashing down again.

Just be careful with any more damage. In hindsight, when a noise isn't easy to ignore its a warning.

When did your hyperacusis & setback happen? I think reactive tinnitus is part of hyperacusis, just a different category.

 

[serendipity1996]

Just be careful with any more damage. In hindsight, when a noise isn't easy to ignore its a warning.

When did your hyperacusis & setback happen? I think reactive tinnitus is part of hyperacusis, just a different category.

January so 2.5 months ago and it's like 90% back to pre-setback levels but this is a relatively new worry for me. I think I've maybe been overprotecting lately a bit too though like in the past few weeks I've found myself habitually using earplugs sometimes when indoors which could just be serving to make things worse.
Wish I could return to the pre-setback days when my hyperacusis was basically a non-issue.

 

[FrontRoomFanatic]

If you take a look at the succes stories, there's even people mentioning their tinnitus getting better beyond the two year mark. Tinnitus is one of the most unpredictable conditions out there. As long as you keep noticing improvements, however small and however long, it's a good sign I think.

That's good to know, thanks.