I Don't Hear Anything Above 16 kHz, Considered as Hearing Loss?

[Owen]

my stress makes me less resistant to my hearing problems.

I don't believe stress makes the perceived amplitude of mine higher, but I totally agree with this. If I am tired, feel under-the-weather, or become stressed, I definitely find tinnitus more intrusive and difficult to deal with.

 

[Emmi]

So I was thinking about this mysterious condition "T" again.. it is really like looking for the needle in a haystack and without doubt the cause of my T is connected to noise. So I am trying to do an extended audio-gram until 20khz and those two tests:
1. Auditory Brain Response Test - ABR - test for the connection of the auditory nerve between the brain and the ear 2. DPOAE - Otoacoustic Emissions Test - test to see if there are any damages to the hair cells

If that doesn't show any damage either, there is probably still no guarantee that there might not be a hidden hearing loss or whatsoever. But maybe it is some sort of indication. Any ideas what else I could do to test if there is damage?

Second observation, could be coincidence.. but it was now noticed several times that the right sight of my shoulder is very much tighter than the left, also if I am going to my osteopath the right side of my face hurts more than the left side.. so somehow tension seems stronger on the right, my T is also stronger on the right.

Do you think it is possible that the muscles somehow contract as sort of protection mechanism after noise exposure?
And if there is no damage in the ear, that T could ease when releasing this contraction?

 

[Jacob83]

@Emmi , maybe! Maybe not! Only time can tell. Why not just forget all these tests and let yourself start to habituate instead?

 

[Emmi]

@Jacob83

I know I should start doing that.. but I just want it gone so much :/ so I am trying to figure out what else I could do in order to ease it. Lately I do also have some weird vibration in both of my ears, it is a constant tickling feeling. And the tone changed to a whistle. This is all just so weird! How long did it take for you until you fully habituated?

 

[Jacob83]

@Emmi , I understand, we all do, and it is incredibly weird, probably the weirdest thing that can happen to anyone, but life's gotta go on. Even if you find the EXACT reason why you have tinnitus, you still have tinnitus. It's like prolonging the time you should be giving yourself to just sigh and go on where you were. Maybe you won't have it later! Maybe you will. Everything with this condition seems to come down to 'maybe.' Just don't beat yourself up over this.

I'd say within a year or so I was habituated to my T. I can't say for sure. If it wasn't for my recent spike a couple weeks ago I never would have even thought about it again. I was a teenager when my T came on and I'm 33 now. I still hope my T goes back to where it used to be, and I hope your T goes away completely But habituation happens! I swear

 

[dudeguywithstuff]

Don't forget that only 30-40% of people with hearing loss get T.

 

[Mario martz]

Hidden hearing loss like almost the 60% of users in here

 

[Emmi]

@Mario martz & @dudeguywithstuff

True it could be hidden hearing loss and that's hard to detect. Although I don't have difficulties understanding people in noisy environments..

And if there is no loss, I think that it is possible to solve the T. The only permanent problem would be damage.. the body can probably heal as well to some extent, but still damage seems permanent. The problem with T is that nearly EVERYTHING could possibly cause it and soon I probably tried nearly every therapy that exists.

I am somehow just so obsessed with monitoring it and praying that it fades. That makes it pretty hard to go on with life for me.. my life only consists of t right now.

 

[Emmi]

@Jacob83

true everything with this is a "maybe" and I would do myself a favor if I could just accept that it is how it is. But unfortunately my mind is full of "if".. I have a very hard time forgiving myself that I didn't react sooner.. and I guess I will pay a life long price for this. But at least I can't know for sure if my situation would be any different from now if I would have acted sooner.. it's this "maybe" again and in this case it's actually not that bad.

What caused your spike? Was it loud noise? I really hope it will settle down again!