Hearing Distortions and Resonance — What Are They Caused by? What's the Theory?

[Benjaminbb]

Hey all

I've been meeting a lot of friends who've described they have distortions (broken speaker) type effect in loud environments. I personally have a resonance peak that peaks at a certain high frequency probably 4-6 kHz or so. It's been there in one ear as long as I can remember. The same ear that also pings if someone claps, fireworks etc

Neither really caused an issue other than it being slightly annoying in loud places and slightly fearful about the ping becoming a permanent sound.

However, am starting to wonder what these aberrations are caused by? Are there any theories? It just seems to be semi common so I'd be surprised if there's no real knowledge. I always assumed it was one of tho inner ear bones vibrating/rattling funny at a certain resonance.

My only concern is that it feels as if the peak is almost amplifying sound in that frequency and consequently causing bits of damage here and there. I have no evidence for go by other than the fact it pings relatively easy and the other ear doesn't. There's also a loss at that exact frequency that wasn't there 10 years ago so both symptoms existed well before that.

Thank for you for any insight! Thanks.

 

[SD7]

Hey all

I've been meeting a lot of friends who've described they have distortions (broken speaker) type effect in loud environments. I personally have a resonance peak that peaks at a certain high frequency probably 4-6 kHz or so. It's been there in one ear as long as I can remember. The same ear that also pings if someone claps, fireworks etc

Neither really caused an issue other than it being slightly annoying in loud places and slightly fearful about the ping becoming a permanent sound.

However, am starting to wonder what these aberrations are caused by? Are there any theories? It just seems to be semi common so I'd be surprised if there's no real knowledge. I always assumed it was one of tho inner ear bones vibrating/rattling funny at a certain resonance.

My only concern is that it feels as if the peak is almost amplifying sound in that frequency and consequently causing bits of damage here and there. I have no evidence for go by other than the fact it pings relatively easy and the other ear doesn't. There's also a loss at that exact frequency that wasn't there 10 years ago so both symptoms existed well before that.

Thank for you for any insight! Thanks.

Did this fade with time? Really sucks when it happens to people's voices.

 

[Matchbox]

Did this fade with time? Really sucks when it happens to people's voices.

Try your own voice. Life fucking sucks right now.

Theory as to why? My guess is that nerve is "primed" to fire by induction from a neighbour. Either it's alive and disconnected from a hair cell, or it synapsed to the wrong hair cell. It could also have something to do with stereo processing and auditory nerve damage (sound arrives a bit later in the damaged one, delayed processing, brain has to do something, etc).

Xanax helps this so my theory is more of the "primed to fire" category.

 

[Tau]

Hey all

I've been meeting a lot of friends who've described they have distortions (broken speaker) type effect in loud environments. I personally have a resonance peak that peaks at a certain high frequency probably 4-6 kHz or so. It's been there in one ear as long as I can remember. The same ear that also pings if someone claps, fireworks etc

Neither really caused an issue other than it being slightly annoying in loud places and slightly fearful about the ping becoming a permanent sound.

However, am starting to wonder what these aberrations are caused by? Are there any theories? It just seems to be semi common so I'd be surprised if there's no real knowledge. I always assumed it was one of tho inner ear bones vibrating/rattling funny at a certain resonance.

My only concern is that it feels as if the peak is almost amplifying sound in that frequency and consequently causing bits of damage here and there. I have no evidence for go by other than the fact it pings relatively easy and the other ear doesn't. There's also a loss at that exact frequency that wasn't there 10 years ago so both symptoms existed well before that.

Thank for you for any insight! Thanks.

Broken speaker (crackling) is usually cochlear synaptopathy.

I agree with @Matchbox on the amplified frequencies (I am experiencing selective frequency hyperacusis, too). If it's too loud, it starts to crackle, especially if the sound is not monotonal. Nerve damage.

 

[SD7]

Broken speaker (crackling) is usually cochlear synaptopathy.

I agree with @Matchbox on the amplified frequencies (I am experiencing selective frequency hyperacusis, too). If it's too loud, it starts to crackle, especially if the sound is not monotonal. Nerve damage.

Some kind of nerve damage for sure. What's odd is both in this thread and another one speaking about broken speakers drugs like Xanax seem to diminish them. In one thread someone took time off work and their distortions faded until he came back.

Personally I hear broken speaker in two scenarios artificial audio from my phone and when females speak to me in close range. There's almost a vibrating quality to it in my ear. I don't get any crackling when on the highway or when helicopter/planes fly over which are objectively louder.

 

[Tau]

Some kind of nerve damage for sure. What's odd is both in this thread and another one speaking about broken speakers drugs like Xanax seem to diminish them. In one thread someone took time off work and their distortions faded until he came back.

Personally I hear broken speaker in two scenarios artificial audio from my phone and when females speak to me in close range. There's almost a vibrating quality to it in my ear. I don't get any crackling when on the highway or when helicopter/planes fly over which are objectively louder.

When I was on Bromazepam for a week, my distortions were exactly the same. I had extremely vivid nightmares as a side effect, too, so I will not take benzos unless my situation is completely unlivable.

 

[Benjaminbb]

Some kind of nerve damage for sure. What's odd is both in this thread and another one speaking about broken speakers drugs like Xanax seem to diminish them. In one thread someone took time off work and their distortions faded until he came back.

Personally I hear broken speaker in two scenarios artificial audio from my phone and when females speak to me in close range. There's almost a vibrating quality to it in my ear. I don't get any crackling when on the highway or when helicopter/planes fly over which are objectively louder.

Exactly, which is why to me it feels far more like a physiological thing. Whether that be a resonance in a bone structure or bent/damaged cochlear hair cells, to me it's such a specific frequency and requires a minimum volume, so I couldn't imagine that being nerve related!

I can literally EQ the frequency out of music.
And also a common frequency in phone speakers like you mentioned.

I have a lot of experience in music and frequencies and to me it sounds exactly like a resonance of a certain piece of the hearing mechanism.

 

[Benjaminbb]

On another note, I don't hear the resonant peak/distortion at lower volumes, but only when it gets loud and seems to "rattle" my ear.

Anyone get something like that?

 

[SD7]

On another note, I don't hear the resonant peak/distortion at lower volumes, but only when it gets loud and seems to "rattle" my ear.

Anyone get something like that?

I get this vibration sensation. It's gotten better as of late actually.

 

[Samia]

How are you all doing? Have your distortions improved? I'm desperate for any help.

 

[Gabriel]

How are you all doing? Have your distortions improved? I'm desperate for any help.

To reply to you, more than two years ago I had distortions for, I think, weeks. And eventually it all went away when I stopped focusing on it and just started not giving a f* about it at all.

Now it is unfortunately back, that's why I am back on the forums. But it can heal.