Hyperacusis and Tinnitus Following Acoustic Shock: How Can I Continue My Life?

Musical ear syndrome. I also have it. I hear chainsaws and people talking like the TV is on.

 

I think I have palinacousis. I read that some people with hyperacusis had this symptom as well.

 

What is so funny, @Pixelito?

 

Just stop. You don't know what you are talking about.

Gaslighting OP is shitty. Musical ear syndrome is a subtype of tinnitus. It shows how much you actually know.

 

Do you think my palinacousis will go away with time? I am freaking out. Thanks ❤️

 

It certainly can go away. Mine sadly has only gotten worse, but mine was induced by Clomipramine, which palinacousis is a known side effect of.

 

Hi there. Like @Utdmad89 said, @IYIiKe is busy posting bullshit just to read it back to himself. Don't give it any thought. The best you can do is figure out the users on here who state unfounded opinions and simply brush them off or place on ignore.

The reality is yes, there is a condition where we hear exact mimics of sounds. I swore when I first got my first two tones, one was exactly my refrigerator's low-hum and the other my computer's sleep cycle noise.

My only advice is to be cautious of all loud noise and get as much sleep as possible. The quality of sleep I get greatly impacts both the noise and my ability to deal with it.

I hope you are feeling a little better!

 

I'm just chiming in here after years of absence on Tinnitus Talk to offer some positive feedback and advice.

I experienced similar issues to yours back in 2015 after an acoustic incident (gunshot). My hearing was severely affected—I couldn't stand certain loud or high-pitched noises. My tinnitus was in the 4-5/10 range, fluctuating in intensity. New tones would pop up and disappear, sometimes mimicking external sounds. I also dealt with Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome (TTTS) that would occur randomly or be triggered by certain sounds, including my own voice. Needless to say, I went off the deep end for a while (and who wouldn't?).

The good news is that all my symptoms faded, and I'm very confident yours will too.

From what I'm reading, you're doing all the right things: you're being cautious around noise, allowing your ears to rest, and, most importantly, you're young, which gives you a very good chance of healing.

It took about a year of non-linear progress for my tinnitus to stabilize and diminish over time (it's at a 1/10 now, and it rarely bothers me anymore). My hyperacusis took about 12-18 months to gradually improve. Now, I'm still careful around noise and wear earplugs when necessary in loud environments like the metro or on airplanes. I can enjoy acoustic concerts or live classical music occasionally, with earplugs. Depending on the type of movie and theater, I might use earplugs or not. I now produce electronic music in my home studio at reasonable volumes, with breaks, and with no problems. I sometimes listen to podcasts with good open-back earphones without issues. These are all activities I couldn't do initially, but I gradually reintroduced them into my life as I became more comfortable.

I now live a decent life that's 90-95% of what it was before. It mostly takes time to get better. In the meantime, try to reevaluate your life and find meaning in new, cool things (walking in nature, new hobbies, maybe a new career, etc.) while living healthily with good food and exercise.

 

Or they might get worse. You can't be confident about anyone's issues other than yours. You are very lucky to get better; a lot of people here don't and just get worse.

OP should have hope but only listen to their body and symptoms.

 

Over 25 years, mine just has continued to get worse. I have protected my hearing better in more recent years, but I still experience worsening.

 

Honestly, don’t waste your breath. If you dare to suggest there might be an alternative to double protection or living in silence as a hermit, you’ll be immediately shot down here.

The quote above is accurate. Many people do improve over time, and once they do, they leave places like this. What remains is a forum full of chronic sufferers who refuse to consider any other opinion.

Three years ago, I was in constant, burning pain. No, I wasn’t a mild case—I almost ended my life because of this problem. But three years later, I’m living life again. Yes, I’m careful, and yes, I still have pain, but I’m no longer in that dark place. So, yes, it really can be a matter of time—lots and lots of time.

I come back here occasionally to see if anything has changed, but it never does. The same old negative comments and commenters dominate.

Good luck,
IM

 

I'm sorry to hear that you've been facing some abuse on the forums. I've been following all your posts because I've had tinnitus for years, but over the past few months—since a stressful hospital stay and the birth of my second baby—I've developed ear pain. It has steadily worsened and is now almost constant.

I'm feeling isolated from my kids and extremely depressed and anxious. Could you share what helped you to recover?

I hope you see this, and thank you in advance.

 

@Utdmad89, how long were you on Clomipramine for? Did it help your pain hyperacusis at all?

 

I developed palinacousis when my hyperacusis started in December 2023. It's now been almost 8.5 months. I have seen improvement, but I don't think the palinacousis has completely gone away. It sounds like your case is severe (at least to me), and I would advise you to take an indefinite leave from work unless you can work remotely. You need to give your auditory system complete rest. Calm down and accept that this is not a sprint but a marathon with an unknown end time. Only when you accept that no one knows when it will improve will you start to see progress.

It would be best if you remained in silence for at least the next 2-3 weeks to give your auditory system a proper rest. I would also advise against speaking. If you must speak, do so briefly and use earplugs. You will likely need to talk to set up appointments with a doctor.

 

Hi everyone ❤️

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. They have given me some hope. I am still struggling with palinacousis and hyperacusis, and I really hope this nightmare will end soon. I can't leave my job, so I'm going to see if it's possible to work remotely for two days a week.

@Sebastians, your story has given me some relief, as you had the same symptoms as I do. How did you cope with the situation during those 18 months? Were you able to continue working? How long did it take for your palinacousis to fade?

Any tips to help improve my condition are greatly appreciated.

Thank you all ❤️