High Frequency Hissing and Hyperacusis

[Mellow7]

Hi,

I want to run a question by you all.

I've had tinnitus for about 2 months now. It's not the best it has been right now.

I've been experiencing this high pitched hissing or sizzling in my left ear that I cannot quite wrap my mind around... It started a month ago after having the flu and 'took residence' in the back of my neck. I would only notice it if I paid attention to it. That has now changed since a week. The thing is that I cannot mask it with any form of background sound (unless it is really loud), even though that works to some extend for the other tones I hear. But on the other hand, as soon as I enter a quiet environment, those other tones come to the foreground and the hissing remains the same 'volume' or gets less intrusive because my mind seems to take more notice of the ringing or pulsating sounds I hear as well.

The hissing also seems to get worse when I've been in class for a few hours and my ears have been assaulted by the microphone amplified voice of the professor. It generally settles back down after a few hours, but since a less pleasant experience last week never really completely to the degree I had it after the flu came down.

Does anyone relate to this and can you tell me how this will further develop? I'm trying to stay focused on my school work, but that is sometimes hard when this T reacts badly to actually pursuing good grades.

Thanks for reading and take care.

 

[Anthonyr]

I have the exact same sound. Like someone frying a egg in your brain or a burst pipe with steam coming out. Except that It's in my right ear. Had mine for about 6 months now. Mine has stayed at a relative stable volume. If It gets louder. It is usually due to me being stressed, anxious or ill. Once I feel normal again. It will usually go back down.

I can not reassure you if it will get better or worse. I am in the same limbo. I think we all are. We can only try protect our ears better and keep our fingers crossed.

When I need relief. I usually use this video as a masker. Seeing as we have a similar sound. Maybe it will help you too.

 

[Michael B]

I can relate to one part of your post; amplified sound through microphones and the affect it has on tinnitus. I've come a long way with hyperacusis but this continues to be a problem for me. I would try to give myself a safe distance from the speakers and/or try earplugs.

 

[Mellow7]

Could it have something to do with the Tensor Tympani? It just seems that when I'm exposed to certain sounds (especially shrill noises or those that suddenly break through silence), my ear drum seems to quiver. This does not really cause pain, though does lead to some discomfort. Often after a few hours of the quivering or twitching eardrum (which may or may not be the tensing of the Tensor?), the hissing seems more prevalent? Any thoughts on this? Is there an effective treatment for TTTS?

 

[Mellow7]

I have the exact same sound. Like someone frying a egg in your brain or a burst pipe with steam coming out. Except that It's in my right ear. Had mine for about 6 months now. Mine has stayed at a relative stable volume. If It gets louder. It is usually due to me being stressed, anxious or ill. Once I feel normal again. It will usually go back down.

I can not reassure you if it will get better or worse. I am in the same limbo. I think we all are. We can only try protect our ears better and keep our fingers crossed.

When I need relief. I usually use this video as a masker. Seeing as we have a similar sound. Maybe it will help you too.

I'd just like to add real quick that it does indeed provide great relief. That is the exact frequency where my hissing is at. Thank you!

 

[Anthonyr]

Could it have something to do with the Tensor Tympani? It just seems that when I'm exposed to certain sounds (especially shrill noises or those that suddenly break through silence), my ear drum seems to quiver. This does not really cause pain, though does lead to some discomfort. Often after a few hours of the quivering or twitching eardrum (which may or may not be the tensing of the Tensor?), the hissing seems more prevalent? Any thoughts on this? Is there an effective treatment for TTTS?

My eardrums also twitch with certain noises. As if there's a moth stuck in my ears. This started to happen just before the onset of the hissing tinnitus. We have the same noise in only one ear and similar twitches. Which is very interesting. Maybe we have the same unknown cause?

I am currently waiting for the results of a head MRI. I've also had every bloodtest known to man. They all came back normal. Have you had any tests done?

Oh, and I'm happy the video helped!

 

[dpdx]

Hope you feel better.

 

[sjtinguy]

I get hissing a lot too.. and amplified music and voices definitely can make it worse.. I'd consider trying ear plugs or muffs in classes with amplified sound

I'd just like to add real quick that it does indeed provide great relief. That is the exact frequency where my hissing is at. Thank you!

If that one works for you, this one might as well.. I find it a little more relaxing and can listen to it longer

 

[Mellow7]

My eardrums also twitch with certain noises. As if there's a moth stuck in my ears. This started to happen just before the onset of the hissing tinnitus. We have the same noise in only one ear and similar twitches. Which is very interesting. Maybe we have the same unknown cause?

I am currently waiting for the results of a head MRI. I've also had every bloodtest known to man. They all came back normal. Have you had any tests done?

Oh, and I'm happy the video helped!

I've only had the classic tests so far. I seem to have some hearing loss at 6000 hz,, but all other frequencies are above average (or so says the ENT). The contraction of the Tensor Tympani has not really improved in the last few days. I'm pretty sure that it is making this particular hissing sound worse, since I've got other tones as well that are, thankfully, stable. Lately I've been staying away from classes, seeing that they worsen the hissing (even though the db volume never exceeds 75) because of the amplified voices of the lecturers. It is so demotivating to have such a response to just about the only thing that can take my focus away from the T. Thankfully I've managed to get some support from the faculty and they allowed me access to the video lectures that I can watch at home at a much lower volume. I guess in the end we all have to cope and it helps tremendously if people are understanding in even the smallest of ways.

When it comes to the TTTS, I've read a bit about it, but it generally seems to be a corollary of hyperacusis or general phonophobia. That little muscle is wired to our brains that have become hypersensitive to auditory stimuli. If you can get the negative responses to (even just moderate) sound under control, then this psychosomatic symptom should go as well.

What I haven't found yet, however, is some study explicitly stating that TTTS on its own can cause T, but maybe I need to read up on it further. If anyone on this forum has any ideas, they would be greatly appreciated.