Hi
@gameover, how are you doing? I'm in the same situation and have read all your posts. I'm a 40-year-old female.
What has helped me is noticing that despite all your messages about tinnitus or hyperacusis worsening, it always seems to return to baseline, and sometimes you even mention it's mild. Mine is reactive, with several tones constantly changing, and I hope it never gets worse. It's very loud, constantly screaming at me. I can't mask it due to hyperacusis, so I completely understand how hard it is to live with. I never have mild days, just loud screaming, but strangely, you have given me hope. I'm almost three months in.
You mentioned going on holiday last year, and it was reassuring to hear that the plane didn't make your condition worse. Have you been on planes since? Could you please share your experience?
You also mentioned that you sometimes go to restaurants with earplugs. I find that earplugs make my tinnitus intolerable. Can you hear the tinnitus more when you wear earplugs but just put up with it? Additionally, when I eat with earplugs, the act of chewing is very loud and unpleasant. Do you experience this, and how do you deal with it? Or do you use special earplugs that don't have this effect?
Do you attend special occasions, such as your children's birthday parties or weddings? If so, do you wear earplugs, and which type do you use?
Thanks for reading and helping another sufferer.
x
I flew again this summer. It wasn't a great experience, but it was bearable and maybe slightly better than last year. I paid for a business-class seat at the front of the plane. The planes (both the 737-800 and the newer 737 MAX) were still ridiculously loud. I used molded 25dB earplugs (designed for musicians, with filters and vents) along with ANC headphones on top.
I'll admit, I hate wearing earplugs when eating, so I usually avoid doing it. Naturally, tinnitus feels much louder when wearing plugs. I also use plugs in the car or when I'm in stores, though I don't go shopping often. Molded plugs help reduce the occlusion effect better than regular ones, but they're not perfect.
@gameover, I'm concerned about you. I haven't seen you here in a while. Please let us know that you're ok...
I am "okay." I took an extended break from here and from following tinnitus related things. (I admit I am having a hard time adjusting to the new forum site and layout.) My tinnitus has gotten worse—it varies a lot but is severe most of the time.
I did have a period of relative improvement that I attributed to jaw muscle massages and dry needling focused on the tensor veli palatini muscle. Then I temporarily relocated to a quiet house in the mountains, taking a break from therapies. This move was amazing for my nervous system because I was so sick and tired of the constant lawnmowers and traffic noise near our house.
Recently, I resumed dry needling, but it does not seem to have the same effect as before, so maybe it was the massages that made the difference. It turns out that some of my muscles were (and still are) tense, which seems to be a contributing factor to my tinnitus. I am planning to restart the massages soon.
There is some good news, though. My hyperacusis has noticeably improved. While things are still too loud for me (I cannot handle a restaurant unless it is very quiet), my tinnitus reactivity has gone down. I can tolerate far more sounds than before, though the volume and exposure time still matter. Most importantly, my noxacusis is gone, or 99.9 percent gone. I occasionally get a rare, momentary burning sensation, but I have been essentially pain free since mid-August.
Back in June, I had a major noxacusis spike after an extended audiogram. For about a month afterward, I was experiencing daily pain, but it gradually started improving.
Overall, I am trying to live my life, even if it is more limited than before. Being in a quiet and relaxing environment has been crucial for calming me down. I continue to work remotely and take walks outside. On good days, I can even manage half day trips, staying outside or in nature (I still cannot tolerate cities). I have to be very careful not to overdo it, though.
Recently, I rekindled an old hobby, photography. I bought some new gear and have been trying to enjoy it as much as I can. Life is still a far cry from what I had before, but I am doing my best to make the most of it.
I hope you are doing well,
@Buddy123. How have you been?
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