Is It Bad for Those with Tinnitus to Sleep with Foam Earplugs?

[Luman]

I'm a newbie, have tinnitus under 2 months. I'm able to sleep OK with foam earplugs pushed part of the way in my ear canal.

Are there any risks in dong this, as far as tinnitus goes?

I'm also wondering if it will have a negative, positive or neutral effect on my efforts to habituate. I keep a sound machine with the volume set to low/medium, near to the bed. Thank you.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I got into a habit of sleeping with earplugs long before the onset of my T. Minor noises used to wake me up, and earplugs ensure this doesn't happen. For me, one of the problems caused by T was my inability to sleep with earplugs (because T would be too loud). My T got less loud compared to that first month, and also I had habituated, and these days on some nights I am able to sleep with earplugs again.

At one point I attempted to speed up my habituation by wearing earplugs 24/7. This way I thought would not be shocked by loud T when I would try to sleep. It didn't work out as a doctor noticed some irritation on my eardrum, which could have been there as a result of an infection due to the 24/7 earplug increasing the humidity inside of the ear.

In any case, I believe that, if anything, earplugs ought to help you to habituate to your T. Based on my experiences, wearing earplugs when you sleep shouldn't have a negative impact on your T.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Hi @Luman

It is not a good idea for a person that has tinnitus especially when intrusive to sleep in a quiet room or to use earplugs when asleep. The brain and auditory system never turn off. Please read part of a text taken from my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. As you are new to tinnitus you might find it helpful to read the whole document. Therefore, please click on the link at the bottom of the page.

Michael

When we are asleep, the auditory pathways and brain are still active. If the brain hears silence it has the ability to increase the level of the tinnitus making it louder and more intrusive during waking hours. The sound machine with its low level non intrusive sounds, will gently deliver sound enrichment to the brain while we sleep which will, over time help it to push the tinnitus further into the background of the mind making it less noticeable during the day and helps the habituation process. Anything new that we bring into our lives takes time to get used to. Most people are used to sleeping in their bedroom at night in complete silence. Therefore, please remember the sound machine takes a while to get used to but once the benefits are realised you won't want to be without it.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

[Luman]

I got into a habit of sleeping with earplugs long before the onset of my T. Minor noises used to wake me up, and earplugs ensure this doesn't happen. For me, one of the problems caused by T was my inability to sleep with earplugs (because T would be too loud). My T got less loud compared to that first month, and also I had habituated, and these days on some nights I am able to sleep with earplugs again.

At one point I attempted to speed up my habituation by wearing earplugs 24/7. This way I thought would not be shocked by loud T when I would try to sleep. It didn't work out as a doctor noticed some irritation on my eardrum, which could have been there as a result of an infection due to the 24/7 earplug increasing the humidity inside of the ear.

In any case, I believe that, if anything, earplugs ought to help you to habituate to your T. Based on my experiences, wearing earplugs when you sleep shouldn't have a negative impact on your T.

Hi Bill,
Thanks for your input. I used earplugs before the T as well, due to noises outside and from the upstairs neighbors. I also retire late, and sleep later than most people. There's been construction going on outside my building for over a year, and this morning they're using jackhammers and other extremely loud equipment, constantly. Closing the window and using a sound machine reduces the sound somewhat, but earplugs are best for this. I may have to adjust my sleep and wake time, due to T, and moving is not an option right now.

 

[Luman]

Hi @Luman

It is not a good idea for a person that has tinnitus especially when intrusive to sleep in a quiet room or to use earplugs when asleep. The brain and auditory system never turn off. Please read part of a text taken from my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. As you are new to tinnitus you might find it helpful to read the whole document. Therefore, please click on the link at the bottom of the page.

Michael

When we are asleep, the auditory pathways and brain are still active. If the brain hears silence it has the ability to increase the level of the tinnitus making it louder and more intrusive during waking hours. The sound machine with its low level non intrusive sounds, will gently deliver sound enrichment to the brain while we sleep which will, over time help it to push the tinnitus further into the background of the mind making it less noticeable during the day and helps the habituation process. Anything new that we bring into our lives takes time to get used to. Most people are used to sleeping in their bedroom at night in complete silence. Therefore, please remember the sound machine takes a while to get used to but once the benefits are realised you won't want to be without it.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

Thanks once again for your help, Michael. I did print out some of your materials the other day, and read it, but I must have missed the part about the ear plugs. As I have made a habit of using earplugs for years, as explained in the post above, I'm not used to sleeping without them. In order to acclimate myself, I'm going to try putting them in partially at night - only 1/2, then 1/3 the way, then only one ear, then none.

 

[Hadassah]

I've slept EVERY night for 30 yrs with foam ear plugs because I'm such a light sleeper. I have had T for one year - moderately severe T for approx 4 months. I've continued sleeping in ear plugs, but due to the info on Michael Leigh's threads, I've ordered a high quality sound machine and am attempting to transition over to using it. (It's been a work in progress
Whether sleeping in ear plugs has caused or contributed to having T is really unknown - My audiologist is doubtful there is a connection, and I've not found adequate research to support that there is, however my goal is habituation and if saying goodbye to ear plugs assists me in meeting that objective, I'm all for it.
Habituation IS occurring for me so I feel very blessed!