Is Complete Silence Possible for a Tinnitus Sufferer?

[Samir]

Maybe someone else will recall what study I'm referring to?

Maybe so, but I have already recalled it. It's a study by David M. Schneider and colleges, published in Nature in 2018:
A cortical filter that learns to suppress the acoustic consequences of movement
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0520-5

The full study is behind a paywall.

A story on this study can be found here:
https://www.neuro.duke.edu/research/research-news/brain-has-natural-noise-cancelling-circuit

And if you look closely you will find a link to the full study (for free):
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0520-5.epdf?author_access_token=aFodDvfZkZsEFylBvbrjV9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0Pe5apvTgJAylLFC_kr5N_5Fi6QEWlwUdYU85Lg5DO00oer4p1s7DHFhVq7YE69vuN42dX1Hh6hyqDTdNGIhLTbpd2_DPOLDjcLZO36WhrFDw==

 

[Deniseh]

@Samir

Just a wee update, woke up @ 4:02 this morning in complete silence... yup... complete silence

I lay there for around half an hour in trepidation waiting for a noise that never came.... go figure, the silence was actually deafening and I started to feel anxious about the lack of noise so much so I put my nature app on just to get background noise.

Unfortunately when I woke back up the noise was back but I couldn't believe how anxious I felt.

TBH I think the anxiety was caused by expecting the drone to return.

 

[Christopher805]

I've had tinnitus and hyperacusis for 9 months from ingesting ototoxins. Occasionally, I wake up to complete silence. I try not to move. It last a while, then tinnitus kicks in. It only happens in the morning. It gives you that missing but so longing piece of normalcy. I was wondering if it had something to do with sleeping with sound machine. Then I experienced the same affect with phone apps, while sleep. It makes me believe the constant playing of sound without any conscious awareness (sleeping) of other external sounds creates these morning time moments. It is almost like the brain and ear only hear the sound machine, which creates repetitive layers of sound in the ears. We wake up, in a somewhat incoherent state, with these layers of sound, and we hear nothing. However, as we become more coherent these layers start to dissipate from ear and brain and the ring returns. Because I listen to sound machine or phone app for hours during the day, turn it off the ring is present.

 

[Tybs]

It depends on your cause of tinnitus: or at least, that is my current view on it. Let me share my thoughts... but keep in mind that part of this is assumption, based on our current knowledge of tinnitus. My conclusions could very well be invalid due to limited information.

If one has hearing loss and tinnitus is generated by the brain trying to fill in the missing input signals, then the sounds should be fairly constant (not necessarily in volume, but in frequency/behavior). As this lack of input is stable, the generated tinnitus should be as well: therefore, silence should not be possible with this cause.

If one has had any kind of trauma and tinnitus is the result of muscle issues or pinched nerve(s), then certain postures could bring relieve to said muscles or nerves, quieting down tinnitus. In these cases, having silence is definitely possible, although figuring out the required posture(s) can be a challenge. (This used to be my situation.)

If one has TMJ with tinnitus as a result, then the issues causing tinnitus are quite stable. I expect silence not to be a possible occurrence in this case.

 

[mikki_]

Two times I have tried HBOT. After the pressure is increased I hear dead silence for some minutes. During the entire time my T is 95% gone. I talked to the HBOT operator and he said that many people have similar experience. Of course it does not last after the pressure is back to normal. But does anyone know why is this the case?

 

[Jack V]

Two times I have tried HBOT. After the pressure is increased I hear dead silence for some minutes. During the entire time my T is 95% gone. I talked to the HBOT operator and he said that many people have similar experience. Of course it does not last after the pressure is back to normal. But does anyone know why is this the case?

Here's a theory:

First, you can be very relaxed during HBOT, achieving an almost zen-like, floating state.

Second, the sound of oxygen rushing into the chamber can sound similar to tinnitus, and it almost pulls it out of your head. You hear it all around you, so you hear it less inside you. Somehow your tinnitus melds with the vortex of air all around you and you no longer hear it as tinnitus.

But once the ride is over, well, there it is again.

 

[ASilverLight]

This morning I had about 20-30 minutes of near, if not complete silence. Woke up on my back, heard nothing but the birds. It was bliss.

 

[mikki_]

Here's a theory:

First, you can be very relaxed during HBOT, achieving an almost zen-like, floating state.

Second, the sound of oxygen rushing into the chamber can sound similar to tinnitus, and it almost pulls it out of your head. You hear it all around you, so you hear it less inside you. Somehow your tinnitus melds with the vortex of air all around you and you no longer hear it as tinnitus.

But once the ride is over, well, there it is again.

In HBOT I think it is the pressure change. The oxygen has not been flowing yet when I find silence and neither am I super relaxed in HBOT when it starts. But this still leaves the question of why pressure change puts T to zero and keeps it very low during the entire time?

I have also another trick that allows me maybe minute of silence: meditation, laying down, and playing this track on Bose ear phones. During the track I actually achieve a state where I constantly across the boundary between sleep and complete zen. I have been doing a lot of mediation so I doubt this works for everyone. For me the trick is to focus specially on the birds.


I think I would be happier if I could not achieve a brief silence with these. It is emotionally very very exhausting to know that in principle silence is possible but finding the silence in day to day life is still impossible.

 

[Christopher805]

I appreciate your thoughts. I had an audiogram up to 20,000 Hz. No hearing loss until 16,000 Hz. Audiologist said normal for someone my age. Some OHC damage. I agree if there is hair cell damage the brain should keep trying to fill those frequency gaps thus sufferers would not have moments of silence. What I do not get is I have hair cell damage with some hearing loss but experience moments of silence.

Let's hope one day we all will know more about the ear brain connection and tinnitus. Thank you for your perspective; much appreciated.

 

[Tybs]

What I do not get is I have hair cell damage with some hearing loss but experience moments of silence.

I theorize that your T is not due to hearing loss then. Logically, all the theories I've read concerning neuroplasticity where the brain "generates" the T sound(s) due to lack of input leave no room for the sounds toggling on and off: after all, the input is there or it isn't. And with hearing loss, it simply isn't there and never will be there unless the cells are regenerated somehow. Ergo, having periods of complete silence would mean that hearing loss is not the cause.

Still my theory though, I'd love to hear a solid explanation from someone who thinks differently.

 

[Christopher805]

I theorize that your T is not due to hearing loss then. Logically, all the theories I've read concerning neuroplasticity where the brain "generates" the T sound(s) due to lack of input leave no room for the sounds toggling on and off: after all, the input is there or it isn't. And with hearing loss, it simply isn't there and never will be there unless the cells are regenerated somehow. Ergo, having periods of complete silence would mean that hearing loss is not the cause.

Still my theory though, I'd love to hear a solid explanation from someone who thinks differently.

You are right. My tinnitus is the result of ingesting an ototoxin. But no hearing loss. I wish it would stay silent permanently. Thanks for your thought.

 

[Luman]

I have persistent, intermittent tinnitus. Some days, it's there for a few hours, and stops. Others, it's on all day with no breaks. I would say that it's about 90% middle-head, sometimes a bit more on one side, because I sleep on my side with one earplug partially in whatever ear I'm not sleeping on. It drove me crazy for about two years, but habituation kicked in which I never thought would happen, under the circumstances, and my life is back on track.

 

[Christopher805]

I have persistent, intermittent tinnitus. Some days, it's there for a few hours, and stops. Others, it's on all day with no breaks. I would say that it's about 90% middle-head, sometimes a bit more on one side, because I sleep on my side with one earplug partially in whatever ear I'm not sleeping on. It drove me crazy for about two years, but habituation kicked in which I never thought would happen, under the circumstances, and my life is back on track.

Happy to read habituation kicked in. Did you use sound machines or some other form of sound therapy to help habituate?

 

[Luman]

Happy to read habituation kicked in. Did you use sound machines or some other form of sound therapy to help habituate?

Yes, I used standard sound machines, nothing fancy, but I used them previously for years before tinnitus, to sleep. I use the background sound of waves when I'm awake, even on days when the tinnitus is very low or non-existent.

My current two sound machines of are 'LectroFans, including the newer one with a headphone out jack, which I plug into aux. jack of a wood table radio for the wave/surf sounds during the day and evening. In the bedroom, I have the original 'LectroFan by itself, and use fan sounds for sleep. I now sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, and I probably don't need the sound machine but I'm used to it.

 

[aot]

This just happened to me a few a minutes ago. I was playing on my phone, and then my moderate Tinnitus disappeared for a full second. It made a sound like a radio short circuting or something, and then it was gone. Came back immediately after.

I was too shocked to appreciate it. Still kinda shocked. First time I've heard silence since November.

 

[ASilverLight]

I still get occasional moments when my tinnitus is so quiet I perceive it as silence. This doesn't last longer than 1-2 minutes at most, usually less. I've been trying to track when and how - and it often comes when I'm hardly congested. I like to think my neck posture also influences it, but as I can't keep track of how I sleep it's hard to tell. It only happens in the morning.

edit: @aot that's great to hear though!

 

[linearb]

the hallucinogen n,n-dmt makes everything completely silent for about 4 seconds before the insane DMT noise starts then the alien languages come...

on a serious note, I spent a period of time doing specific medidation practices to try to silence tones, and reached a point where I could, but never more than 1-2 at a time out of the ~6 tones I have, and only with diligent, sustained attention practice. So that was "neat" but not that useful.

 

[GrandToDo]

My tinnitus is similar to the sound of cicadas. I have had this so long I don't even remember when/where/how it began but have become so habituated that I'm mostly unaware of it unless I think about it as when I started to read this post or when there are absolutely no other sound(s) around. But once conscious of it, it becomes exceedingly annoying and takes quite a while disassociate again. I had recently begun taking a Qigong course and noticed while practicing with regularity that I would periodically experience moments of silence in spite of the ongoing wave machine used to mask it while seeking sleep. During this stay-at-home, I have become very lax in pursuing my Qigong learning and practice. Those erratic silent episodes have evidently suspended with my pursuit of Qigong. I will simply have to pursue Qigong more vigorously in hopes of further experiencing those infrequent Sounds of Silence until someone/somewhere/somewhen finds the cause and cure. Keep well and stay safe.

 

[linearb]

My tinnitus is similar to the sound of cicadas. I have had this so long I don't even remember when/where/how it began but have become so habituated that I'm mostly unaware of it unless I think about it as when I started to read this post or when there are absolutely no other sound(s) around. But once conscious of it, it becomes exceedingly annoying and takes quite a while disassociate again. I had recently begun taking a Qigong course and noticed while practicing with regularity that I would periodically experience moments of silence in spite of the ongoing wave machine used to mask it while seeking sleep. During this stay-at-home, I have become very lax in pursuing my Qigong learning and practice. Those erratic silent episodes have evidently suspended with my pursuit of Qigong. I will simply have to pursue Qigong more vigorously in hopes of further experiencing those infrequent Sounds of Silence until someone/somewhere/somewhen finds the cause and cure. Keep well and stay safe.

This is pretty interesting to me because I had an experience last year where I went to a qigong/meditation group, did the movement exercises, sat down, and was VERY aware that my tinnitus was the loudest thing in the room. After 30 minutes of silent meditation, when my attention returned to the tinnitus, I realized that it must have literally gotten more quiet because I had become able to hear all sorts of very quiet room sounds, which had been totally masked by the tinnitus at the beginning of the meditation.

My own take on meditation is that it is something that happens in the moment, and so trying to "recreate" any specific sensory manifestation of it is directly counterproductive (because you are striving towards making things other than as they are, rather than trying to calmly abide in what is). Paradoxically, though, my ability to tolerate tinnitus in my day to day life did improve dramatically with qigong and meditatation.

Klonopin works "too well" now, and I have gotten lazy. I should get back to meditation and daily qigong...

 

[Jack V]

Klonopin works "too well" now, and I have gotten lazy. I should get back to meditation and daily qigong...

The prospect of a drug working a little "too well" sounds pretty good to me.

 

[PeterPan]

I hope more of you will answer the polling question. So far only 16 of you have answers the question, and more than 33% of you have said that you have experienced this phenomenon. It's interesting to see that complete silence is really possible, even for a brief moment. I didn't expect to see this kind of response, I didn't think it's so common.

Plenty of people with tinnitus have complete silence, and sometimes for an extended period (e.g. 1-2 days). They have intermittent tinnitus, which is quite common.

 

[Kriszti]

Plenty of people with tinnitus have complete silence, and sometimes for an extended period (e.g. 1-2 days). They have intermittent tinnitus, which is quite common.

I don't really understand this phenomenon. If it's possible to have silence intermittently, why can't the brain filter tinnitus out permanently? I had one of my sounds silent for about an hour this morning, but it's back.

 

[Tybs]

I don't really understand this phenomenon. If it's possible to have silence intermittently, why can't the brain filter tinnitus out permanently? I had one of my sounds silent for about an hour this morning, but it's back.

Despite the general assumptions, T is not always a result of (failing) brain filtering. TMJ and neck trauma are clear examples of causes where the sound perceptions are "real", in akin of "normally not generated from within the body", thus a new perception which did not exist before. Filters are not in place (yet) for this perception. Generated volume of T can depend on the severity of the cause, thereby differing each day, just like pain can worsen or decrease with certain conditions.

If such a cause is fixed, then the old situation is restored, making the perception disappear as well. Alternatively, the brain could "learn" to filter out this new perception, but this takes a lot of time. If severity changes regularly, so could the volume, thereby explaining how T can be gone one moment and reappear later on.

 

[Deniseh]

@Tybs

Reading your comment with interest!!

My tinnitus has changed over the past few months and one thing I've noticed is when lying down, if I lie on my tummy and position my head to face right then my tinnitus is fairly loud (in the quiet maybe 5/6) however if I position my head facing left then my tinnitus goes very low and most often disappears altogether, there are days when I lie like this for hours.

Is this 'normal' tinnitus? Or could it be caused by jaw/ neck issues?

 

[Tybs]

@Tybs

Reading your comment with interest!!

My tinnitus has changed over the past few months and one thing I've noticed is when lying down, if I lie on my tummy and position my head to face right then my tinnitus is fairly loud (in the quiet maybe 5/6) however if I position my head facing left then my tinnitus goes very low and most often disappears altogether, there are days when I lie like this for hours.

Is this 'normal' tinnitus? Or could it be caused by jaw/ neck issues?

I'd expect it is caused by the neck. Sleeping on your belly puts a large strain on your neck anyway, back or sideways helps the neck recover more easily. This was quite a struggle for me at first, as I used to be a belly sleeper, but now sleep works out okay.

My advice would be to get some physio exercises up and running.

 

[canyonero]

Everyone has tinnitus. Did you think it was the ocean you were hearing in a sea shell? It's just a matter of making the room quiet enough and you'll hear it.

 

[Tybs]

Everyone has tinnitus. Did you think it was the ocean you were hearing in a sea shell? It's just a matter of making the room quiet enough and you'll hear it.

That entirely depends on your definition of tinnitus. If T equals "the sounds that your body produces, despite you being able to consciously register them or not": then yes, everyone has tinnitus, as it is a fact that the body produces internal sounds. No one would deny that.

However, "tinnitus == internal body sounds" seems like a useless definition to me, as the whole point of the issue is whether one consciously hears it or not. People that do not aren't bothered at all, so why include them into the definition? That won't help with any kind of diagnosis. My vote is to at least limit the definition of T to those who consciously hear these sounds.

And to stay a bit more on topic: having T does not exclude the possibility of having silence again. I still have both T and periods of complete silence, and there are more cases like that. Try to make the best of the current situation, but don't lose hope on that point

 

[LilSass]

Hi @Luman & @Christopher805 & @Tybs! I have had intermittent t for the past six months, likely from ototoxic meds. I have one day off, one day on, sometimes 2-3 days off (recently). Does it get better? I'm not sure if it's improving at all and am worried that I won't be able to habituate. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Steph1710]

I have almost half an hour each morning when waking that I have no tinnitus sounds whatsoever... Bliss! Then the more I move about, the louder my tinnitus becomes.

 

[Kriszti]

I have almost half an hour each morning when waking that I have no tinnitus sounds whatsoever... Bliss! Then the more I move about, the louder my tinnitus becomes.

I have something similar, although not complete silence, but in the morning while I'm in my bed, my tinnitus is at its lowest. I get up, and it starts to crank up the volume. Fortunately, during lockdown my baseline got quieter, so without the reactiveness and the debilitating anxiety, this would be manageable.