Help Me Understand What Caused My Tinnitus

[Alvise]

Hi @Alvise

Tinnitus can fluctuate a lot this is not uncommon especially in the early stages which you are still in. Please do not worry about this. Please read my post below on the habituation process that you might find helpful.


The habituation process.

Habituation is frequently talked about in tinnitus forums and probably comes in at second place to the popular question: when will a cure be found? It seems some people have become quite taken with this word and believe it is the most important thing to strive for when dealing with this condition. Everyone wants to habituate as soon as possible and carry on living their life doing everything that they want to and putting tinnitus firmly behind them.

I can honestly say that I see nothing wrong with that, but wanting something in the speed that we would like it isn't always achievable, especially with something like tinnitus. A few people that have had tinnitus for a while, have contacted me to discuss just that. They have concerns about the length of time it's taking to habituate. Similarly, I have heard from those new to this condition that want the habitation process to start as quickly as possible. Both groups tell me they are doing all the right things but it seems patience is giving way to despondency and despair and some are starting to believe habituation might never happen for them.

It is of little comfort to these people when they hear family and friends say, tinnitus is just a minor irritant and something that can easily be ignored. Occasionally, it might be intrusive but this is never more than temporary and they are still able to carry on with their life unperturbed. I often sense the frustration a person is under when they are relaying this to me. Whether I'm talking to them on the telephone, private messenger or answering an email. It is then that I'm often asked: why is it that the habituation process doesn't seem to be happening for them?

Answering such a question isn't easy because there is no single answer that I can provide but I will say this. Tinnitus is a common condition that comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. It can be very troublesome especially in the early stages of onset, but gradually this gives way and the condition settles down and in time many manage to cope with it when it's mild or moderate. Sometimes this may involve treatment via a hearing therapist or a person achieves this naturally without being referred to a clinic.

It should be noted that tinnitus can be a complex condition, depending on how loud and intrusive it is for the individual? So what I've just outlined won't apply to everyone. There are other factors that also come into play. A person's make-up or rather their outlook on life. Whether they are positive or negative thinking can help or delay the habitation process. In addition to this, stress and anxiety are often associated with tinnitus and a person might be taking medication such as an antidepressant to help cope with it. There are a myriad of scenarios that I could relay to you on how tinnitus can affect someone's quality of life, their well-being and the habituation process. For now I will say this:

When a person habituates to tinnitus it means they are able cope with it but this doesn't mean they will never hear it. Although some people habituate to a level where the tinnitus is rarely heard or stays at a very low level. Whether the tinnitus is silent for periods of time or remains low, mild, moderate or is occasionally intrusive, it doesn't really matter, because it all means the same thing. When habituation is reached a person will know, because whatever the level it will not bother you. However, like everything there are exceptions and tinnitus is no different. I believe there are some limitations to habituation. As I have previously said the condition comes in many forms and intensities. Some people have variable tinnitus that can fluctuate from silent, mild, moderate and severe. When it is loud and intrusive (severe) and this level is sustained for long periods it can become very debilitating and a person might have to take medication to cope with it, which is usually supplied by their doctor. This level of sustained intrusiveness shouldn't be confused with a tinnitus spike, which usually returns to baseline within a short period of time.

I want to say that I believe habituation is achievable for most people with time. In some instances a person might need the professional help of a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist, as there are a variety of treatment options available to help one in the habituation process. One should also try to be realistic. There are some people that will accept nothing less than a complete cure from their tinnitus and this is unfortunate, because they could waste a lot of time being miserable.

I have corresponded with people that have said, their tinnitus is very low and is only heard occasionally or in a quiet room, at night for instance. Yet these people are not satisfied because they want a complete cure and will deliberately seek out quiet surroundings to monitor their tinnitus, checking to see if it has increased or not. It's as if they have become obsessed with this condition and to the point where is starts to affect their relationship with those that are close to them, and I don't think this is healthy.

In summing up I want to say one last thing. Those that are having treatment with a Hearing Therapist, Audiologist, or finding that their tinnitus is becoming less intrusive and they are in the habituation process. Try not to read negative posts or associate with negative thinking people who are not in the same place that you are, as their beliefs can prevent your advancement, if you are not careful.

I wish you well
Michael

PS: further reading on habituation:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/answers-to-hyperacusis-and-habituation.12058/

thanks a lot mate. very helpful and interesting

 

[Michael Leigh]

thanks a lot mate. very helpful and interesting

You are welcome @Alvise

Please read the post below that I have written on another thead: Headphones and tinnitus that you might find interesting. The link is also below.

@Dmitriy

You are new to tinnitus so I am going to tell you a few things that you may not know. Many ENT doctors know very little about tinnitus. They are physicians. They know about the anatomy of the ear and can treat it medically or surgically. There will be people that tell you headphone use causes no harm at low or sensible volumes and there's no scientific evidence reporting a person with tinnitus faces any risks. You don't need scientific reports just peruse some of the posts in this forum from peoople that use headphones and regretted it.

Furthermore, people that have tinnitus caused by an underlying medical condition that's not associated with "loud noise exposure" know nothing about the risks a person takes, using headphones when the tinnitus was orignally caused by loud noise.

A short while ago I recieved a PM message from someone that has recently got tinnitus caused by "headphone use" This person has had all the tests at ENT. The person's doctors and audiologists have explained their hearing is prefect and please take note: cannot understand why this person has tinnitus or hyperacusis. Can you believe that? I am going to post this message later on a seperate thread but omit the members name. This confirms what I've always said and been told my ENT doctor. ENT doctors are not tinnitus experts they are physicians. This is one of the reasons there are tinnitus support forums all over the internet when some of the people that should know about the condition and how to treat it haven't got a clue.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-headphones.24398/#post-282105

 

[Alvise]

I tryed the sound pillow, to retrain my brain to nost listen tinnitus during the night, but the problem was that I could not hear the white noise on the side I have tinnitus (the right one), since over there I have also a hearing loss.
So I tryed to turn my head and to hear the white noise with the lef ear (the one with no hearing loss).
Does it work anyway , since I have to train my brain?

 

[Codaz]

hydrops can give vertigo (which I don't have thanks god), fullness and tinnitus,
doctors told me to drink a lot of water and avoid salt.

I don't understand the connection between drinking a lot of water and using diuretics (which are there to remove excess fluids).

 

[Alvise]

I don't understand the connection between drinking a lot of water and using diuretics (which are there to remove excess fluids).

because (they say) , drinking a lot of water you just stop the ADH antidiuretic hormon to work.

Dunno.
Anyway, one year is apssed, everything was going well till 15th Febrauary. An acoustic trauma. Soon or later it had to happen. A dish crashed to the ground making a lot of noise. Ear pain and tinnitus spike. Not so high soike to be honest, but enough to make it more noticeable and to ruin my sleep.

I am so frustrating. Everything was going perfectly. I was recovering.

I dunno what to do. I made asap 2 audiogram and seems my hearing loss didn't become worse, but I still hear T and my T ear is a it muffled.

Any advice?

 

[Codaz]

because (they say) , drinking a lot of water you just stop the ADH antidiuretic hormon to work.

Dunno.
Anyway, one year is apssed, everything was going well till 15th Febrauary. An acoustic trauma. Soon or later it had to happen. A dish crashed to the ground making a lot of noise. Ear pain and tinnitus spike. Not so high soike to be honest, but enough to make it more noticeable and to ruin my sleep.

I am so frustrating. Everything was going perfectly. I was recovering.

I dunno what to do. I made asap 2 audiogram and seems my hearing loss didn't become worse, but I still hear T and my T ear is a it muffled.

Any advice?

I'm sorry to hear about your worsening T but if you call that an acoustic trauma, what do you call roadworks or passing a construction yard?

 

[Alvise]

I'm sorry to hear about your worsening T but if you call that an acoustic trauma, what do you call roadworks or passing a construction yard?

nice question.
in fact I always try to think " it was just a dish on the ground, it can't have been damaged me!"
But I don't know.. it was so loud I felt something moving inside my ear and the next days T seemed a bit higher in volume and I could not sleep.
I hope it will subside. I pray.
Sometimes I think is everything inside my mind but it doens't ffs.
I am not in panic, I am just really really sad because everything was getting better. And in 40 days I'll have a daughter.
I don't want to be a depressed father.

 

[Alvise]

yday night if I stayed in a particular position my T was low.
The only way to keep it low is find a position and stay in a silence place, since it became more reactive.