Loud Tone for a Few Seconds — Fleeting / Transient Spontaneous Tinnitus

[Cher69]

Hi guys - I read a post by @Jade where she had a spike and it scared her a bit.

Thankfully only a temp spike; it soon settled for her and it made me realise that I've experienced this twice yesterday.

I suddenly get in one or both ears at different times a really really high pitch but not too loud tone for about 5-10 seconds - then it stops!

I try to think back to pre-tinnitus days did I get this sudden screech but I can't remember!

I have a feeling I probably did but shrugged it off - now I have tinnitus and this noise that is totally at a different level to my normal tinnitus scares me a little.

Does anyone have an opinion on the sudden loud high tone I get please?

Cher x

 

[Markku]

Fleeting tinnitus.

I experience this quite often, the frequency of it happening varies, but probably 3-10 times a month.

A very, very loud high-pitched ringing for about 10-20 seconds and then it disappears as quickly as it came.

If you google fleeting tinnitus, you'll see it's not uncommon at all.

The suddenness, randomness and loudness of it was first very scary. But now, after experiencing it hundreds of times in the past 3+ years, I no longer think much about it.

 

[Dhaval]

Fleeting tinnitus.

I experience this quite often, the frequency of it happening varies, but probably 3-10 times a month.

A very, very loud high-pitched ringing for about 10-20 seconds and then it disappears as quickly as it came.

If you google fleeting tinnitus, you'll see it's not uncommon at all.

The suddenness, randomness and loudness of it was first very scary. But now, after experiencing it hundreds of times in the past 3+ years, I no longer think much about it.

Hi
@Markku @Cher69

I've also been having this mine does not last more the 3-5 seconds but it does seem to occur at different frequencies and in co-relation to no perticular time or event and in both the ears too, again no perticular pattern, it is one mystery that baffles me as to why it happens, any scientific explanations that any of you've come across. Infact this is pretty dam scary.

Cheers
Dhaval

 

[Jade]

@Cher69,

Hello lovely lady before I had constant T and before I even knew what it was and that it was actually a condition I used to get loud ringing in my ears a few times a month and it was VERY loud, it would silence the world out and all I could hear was a RIIIIIING for maybe 5-10 seconds and it would dissipate and go away as quick as it come, I couldn't think why it was happening as it would happen doing all sorts of different activities....however I never panicked like I do now.

Lately I have been so consumed with pure panic and stress over this new found pain in my ass (T) that I have alowed it to supersede all my waking hours so lately (last few days) I have been very stubborn with myself for my partner, my daughters and most of all my sake to NOT consult Dr Google as I instantly go into mental destruction mode as its all worst case scenario and doom and gloom, to NOT put my fingers in my ears to make it louder or to make sure that its definitely coming from inside my head not from an external source, to NOT freak out about louder then normal sounds and to enjoy my music again!!!! certainly not at the volume I did a month ago (one click from maxing it out lol) and to start getting reflexology and massages to generally relax me starting tomorrow, I think we all need to be a bit more nicer to ourselves and nurture our bodies weather it be relaxation, exercising or a combination of both to give us a little balance to help us stay that much more grounded so we are not burning the candle and both ends as its all to easy to do when you are stressed out, well that's my and my opinion only,

I hope your having a better day hun xx

 

[Cher69]

@Jade I so agree with doing something to try and 'relax' - when this started for me I went for some Indian head massages and it helped me greatly relax the tension in the muscles around the neck / head. I also found some apps for my phone some guided relaxation stuff - I tried loads of these until I found a 'voice' I liked for me its a soft Scottish accent which I find very relaxing - try the free one ' Andrew Johnson ' Relax Lite. Deffo keep off Dr Google you sound like me - I read stuff and I worry about it more ! Enjoy the massages and try to give yourself time to relax this is hard for us Mum's but pls try to give yourslf some Jade Time ! x

@Markku that sounds like it !! Reckon I will get used to it - and relax when it happens - just scary for those few moments hoping it does stop !

T-You guys as aways your support is fab - Cher x

 

[Karen]

Hi, Cher,

My husband and I both have tinnitus, and we have both experienced the "fleeting tinnitus" phenomenon. It just happens out of the blue, for no apparent reason. I've noticed that sometimes, when I turn my head quickly, the loud ringing happens. It doesn't last very long, only a few seconds. And my husband says he has the same thing.

I agree with the others --- please don't worry about it, and try to relax. It just comes with the territory!

Take care, relax, and keep that lovely positive attitude!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Per]

@Jade

Since I got T I stopped listening all music in headphones. When you listen to music now do you feel it's okay on very low level or is it on medium level? Have someone in the medical field advised you on this? This is what I need to find out cause a life with no music at all seems devastating to a person that used to listen hours every day. Also, seems like you are dealing better with your T now, do you think it has much to do with an actual positive development of your T or is it physiological do u think? In the end I guess it doesn't matter but I'm curious because for some the phantom signals actually gets lower by some life changing activity. You say you relax more, have you noticed a significant difference after any particulate exercise?

When it comes to what is explained as fleeting T it feels very difficult to compare volume levels, cause what you describe as VERY loud could be my normal level. When I read about it seems like I have that max volume level most times with just a short period of lower volume. What is loud and what is low? It's relevant to each and everyone's own "normal" level. When mine is at max it is louder than any external environmental sound, for other people that could be what they experience 2-3 times for 20 seconds every month. Or it could be louder than that even for some people. Our perception of decibel is individual anyhow. Loud is loud for everyone I guess, alltough the same perception of loud doesn't apply for the next person. It's like the sound of a screaming baby has always been loud to me, even before T&H. While for a mother of small babies or fathers for that matter the sound could be perceived as lower or more normal.

 

[Jade]

@Per,

Hey mate well I have a BOSE sound system in my car and home and it goes crazy loud so instead of having it one click below maxed out I have it sitting on a quarter (25%) of full volume enough to drowned out my T and sing along like a mad woman.

Like you music is a BIG part of my life, I simply adore music when I'm sad I listen to it, when I'm down I listen to it, when I'm driving around in my truck for 12.5hrs and feel like im going to fall asleep I listen to it to psych me up so music is a big part of my every day life, I am feeling you loud and clear.

I am a month into the T and I still haven't used my Beats head phones they are one thing that I think I might have to retire but I was going mental, honestly stupid stupid thoughts were going around and around in my head and I was not progressing forward however just quickly falling into a into a hole of depression and constant panic attacks so naturally people at work started to notice that I wasn't myself and began asking and I was honest I told them that I had ringing in my ears and you would not believe how many ppl were like "are you serious?? I have that all the time or I've had that for years" and it made me think that these bloke are functioning perfectly fine, you wouldn't even know and here I am thinking its the beginning of the end and almost preparing myself for impending doom so I thought fuck this, I'm going to start tomorrow as of fresh, enjoy my music, not freak out at sounds, try my best to avoid overly noisy environments (however not always possible) and take a set of (sexual repellent earplugs) as I call them (stop laughing no seriously here I am all dolled up with a pair of fluoro ear plugs in looking like I should be walking around with a carer) but I'm going to do my best to start to enjoy my life like I did before T and so far so good, its early days and I'm sure I'll be back in the SOMEONE PLS HELP ME NOW column in the future but today is a good day and I'll certainly enjoy every bit of it

 

[Cher69]

@Per You say you relax more, have you noticed a significant difference after any particulate exercise?

Hi Per - in reply to your question above - I have found no difference after any exercise its still the same volume, tone, pitch - however - I am distracted from it so from that point of view then yes - the activities I do help - I do however only at the moment take part in more gentle exercise - ie walking - in my pre T days I did lots of hi-impact activities and the last time I went to a class it was so tired and the music to loud so I left - I will try again soon and let you know if I find any difference when I get back to my favourite more energetic classes.

I have though found that finding the time to 'de-stress' to try and help with my panic attacks and anxiety has given me lots of help and the strength to start making positive steps to cope with my T - the relaxation recordings I've used have without doubt helped me sleep and relax the tension in my head. I have a range of 'recordings' I listen to and I make sure I do this everyday.

So its a mixed answer - NO nothing has stopped the T or made any difference to the volume - but yes things have helped me deal with it and in doing so its has decreased in some ways and I don't hear it as much in everyday activities as I learn to ignore it.

I think it so different for everyone its about taking all the ideas and suggestions everyone on here has discussed and one your comfortable about trying and finding what works and helps you - anything is worth a go this forum is fab for finding out ideas to try.

That all said Ive had a rough few days and nights and it is as loud as it was at the start in my darkest days - so without doubt stress, worry, lack of sleep make it worse - or at least make it feel worse so it feels loud again and stressing me out at 2 am 3 am 4 am etc - so Im trying to kick start myself back into action.

Its certainly a roller-coaster of a ride ! Hope you have some good days ahead - much love Cher x

 

[Maydengar]

Greetings,
I've had tinnitus for a few months now, yet it's quite soft and is composed of either a buzz or ringing sound. However, recently I've been having these episodes of spontaneous tinnitus on top of it, where for around 5 seconds either my left or right ear goes completely deaf and just rings, then it returns to normal. I know everyone experiences spontaneous tinnitus, but the frequency which it has been occuring has increased, and I'm getting it 3 times a day, whereas before it would just be once a week. Should I be concerned?

 

[Markku]

I have never heard of fleeting tinnitus having clinical significance.

Maybe the increased frequency of this happening is temporary? How long has it now been at 3 times a day?

It's normal to be concerned with any changes to tinnitus, and for your peace of mind maybe you should see a specialist about it. I'm not a doctor and you should always consult a medical professional to get the qualified answer, but I'm pretty sure you'll be told that it's nothing serious and try not to worry, but confirming and hearing it from a specialist may help.

How did your tinnitus came about, by the way?

 

[frohike]

From "Audiologists' Desk Reference, Volume II" (1998)

Transient Spontaneous Tinnitus (TST)

• An apparently normal period of tinnitus, usually a high-frquency (>1000 Hz) ringing, lasting only a few seconds.
• Sometimes further defined as transient high-frequency spontaneous tinnitus (THFST)
• May rise in subjective intensity, and then fade away.
• Only one ear is affected at any time, although both ears can be affected over time.
• The tinnitus is often foreshadowed by a sensation of fullness in the same ear and very slight dulling of hearing sharpness.
• TST may occur many times per week or infrequently as several times per year.
• May be related to oscillation secondary to instability in the nonlinear electromechanical properties of the outer hair cells, with a rapid stabilization with a dampening of oscillation (LePage, 1995).
• May occur when one is tired and especially noticed in a quiet environment.

Vernon J, Schleuning A, Odell L, Hughes F. A tinnitus clinic. Ear, Nose, Throat J, April 1978:58-71; LePage EL. A model for cochlear origin of subjective tinnitus: Excitatory drift in the operating point of inner hair cells. In Vernon JA, Moller AR (eds). Mechanism of tinnitus. Needham MA: Allyn & Bacon, pp. 115-147, 1995


From "A model for cochlear origin of subjective tinnitus: Excitatory drift in the operating point of inner hair cells" (1995)

Page 119 comments a case of a 47 male tinnitus sufferer, who had a background of in relevant disciplines such as "mathematics, physics, and engineering, plus twenty years researching auditory physiology", plus "32 years experience tuning pianos":

• TST has occurred since early teens; long before any manifestation of continuous tinnitus, it occurred only with a single pitch corresponding to a frequency in the range never below 1 kHz and seldom above 4 k Hz.
• The incidence has been episodic, maybe twenty times per week during periods of frequent music exposure or great tiredness, to less than once per week at other times: total number of occasions estimated to be many thousands.
• Only rarely is TST associated with a specific incidence of overexposure.

It doesn't associate these episodes with anything. They just seem to happen at random. The whole book chapter is at http://www.oaericle.com.au/pdfs/LePage_TinnitusBookChapter.pdf It's not aimed at the general public, thus, no clear takeaway points.


I think that a common worry in Tinnitus sufferers is that TST (aka fleeting tinnitus) may indicate that you are getting worse. I have never read such a thing in literature or from a patient testimony. As Markku said, it doesn't seem to have clinical significance.

Following some references I found that before the 70's, the ear was considered a passive linear mechanical sensor (where response is proportional to the cause), and it took a decade to find out that the ear is non-linear "and that this property is related to active process in the living organ".

 

[Luca]

I get this all the time. Probably every 2 days orso. It sometimes lasts for several minutes for me though. But usually it is about 5-30 seconds.

 

[Cher69]

@frohike - that sums it up in a nutshell - and so accurate that I am scared its a sign my T is getting worse - very reassured to read most people experience this ( although I don't wish this upon anyone! ) I get exactly what your post describes a sensation of fullness and muffled hearing after - and effecting one ear for a few seconds - guess it goes with the ' all in the same boat ' catch phrase - although selfishly I've hoped I would be different - I reckon Im not - hey could be worse - I like you guys loads and kind of think things happen for a reason so Im in the T family now ! x

 

[Cher69]

@Luca I like your post as it reassures me Im not alone and no different to all the others with this condition x

 

[yonkapin]

Yeah this happens to me quite a bit, sometimes won't happen for months but then sometimes it'll happen 3 or 4 times in one day. I'm pretty sure I've always experienced this though, way before I got my tinnitus, so I don't think there's too much to worry about!

 

[Dhaval]

But why is the question I've never had this before I got t and it's down right scary. There has to be a reason for it to happen can't be just a happenstance. Also those whose t gets cured do they continue to experience this. Does it decrease /increase with time. And do all of u experience different frequencies to your t or is it same or similar. Mine tends to be similar.

Buy I find it weird to think this would just happen. I for 1 believe there has to be some signofiicance.

 

[hps]

I read somewhere [cannot recall now], these beeps are because of some readjustments in the central auditory pathways.when the gain of outer hair cells[OHC] increases too much ,regulatory mechanisms in CNS by negativce feed back send signals to OHC to decrease the gain from these,producing beeps with or without sudden quietening[sense of decreased hearing] of auditory pathways in that ear.This is supposed to be normal phenomenon.

I used to get these phenomenon occasionaly before onset of my T , but these are more frequent after onset of T .Frequency seems to be same everytime.

 

[Dhaval]

Ya so after all adjustments are done does it stop. If the gain can be adjusted can't the brain just switch off the neuron where the HIC is damaged

 

[Amelia]

I know these loud high pitched T like sounds that last a few seconds are "normal", but are they still considered normal in a T sufferer?

I've had a few today which have freaked me out and yesterday I had a period of a few seconds when my left ear got a feeling of fullness/pressure and it seemed like I went completely deaf (difficult to explain I'm sorry)

My T seems more noticeable today ... Wondering if it's related?

 

[JTP]

Hi,

They call it fleeting tinnitus. Even people without T have it. Some people say they have it more often after getting T, but basically it is completely normal phenomena and nothing to worry about. We just pay more attention to our ears than before, that's all.

 

[MT09]

Yes, that is completely normal for every human being to experience. Everyone gets those quite frequently. Normally, people totally ignore it. It's quite different for T sufferers, since we've got almost the same sound throughout the day. But, nothing to worry, it's normal, both the sound and the feeling of fullness when that happens.

 

[Amelia]

Thanks @JTP & @MT09
Thought that was the case but wanted to double check that it wasn't a bad sign for someone who already had T.
Very scary for a few seconds tho!

 

[MT09]

Agreed. Used to trouble me too, but gotta know it's completely normal. Scary right? You've got that dreadful sound constantly in your ears already, and to top that you get another weird fullness in the ears and a louder sound!

 

[AnneG]

That happens to me before i even had T, or even before i knew what Tinnitus what. Actually it was because of that, that i started googling it. Mine usually last no more than 5 seconds, it happens a lot before. But then sometimes it takes 3 months or so apart sometimes 4 times a month. My hearing would suddenly stop and all i can hear is a "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" then it slowly fades, and it vanishes. scares the crap out of me! But when it started happening a lot i learned to react to it less. It hasn't happened since my T onset. I'm not looking forward to that

 

[Riikka]

I also experiences those extra tinnitus sounds, they are louder than my usual T. I have never actually worried about them, as they use to disappear after a few seconds. I just try to ignore them and not think about if they could last for a longer time.

 

[christine kauhane]

My neighbor has the flu, so i went down stairs to give her some home made soup i made for last nights dinner . i live on the 6th floor she lives on the 5th i used the stair well and when i got into the hallway of the 5th floor my T changed tones, went back to my normal ring after 2 sec does this happen to anyone else??? i just thank Jesus cause i like the tone i have now i can live with this one....

 

[st0rch]

Sitting at my desk today, and all the sudden I get that sudden feeling of deafness and loud ringing that comes with it, almost like you just heard a really loud noise or a flash bang grenade, that quickly disappears. This has been happening on and off since the onset of my T (about 3 weeks ago). However, tonight it was different, it happened, then 3 seconds later it happened again, and then 15 seconds later again, and again. What is this and why the hell is it happening?

It's not the usual T I get, which doesn't feel like my ears or plugged and is quite sporadic and high pitched. Pretty scared right now, I'm not quite sure what the hell my ears are doing.

 

[frohike]

This? https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...ansient-spontaneous-tinnitus.1834/#post-16119

 

[Neenie]

Stay calm. Things will settle down. The increase in noise will not last. Do not think about it. Do not notice it. Do not look for it. Do not expect it. Keep doing whatever you're doing at work and don't let yourself freak out. Focus on something else and accept that the noise it there...for now....not forever. But....if you keep noticing it, and monitoring it and worrying about it, it will NEVER go away because you are telling your brain that this noise you hear is a big problem and that it needs to focus on it all the time. For example, try this. Pick up your phone. Call a friend. Talk on the phone and after you hang up, you will realise that you didnt hear your tinnitus for the entire conversation. The brain can not attend two tasks at the same time and focus on them at the same time. Dont dwell on the noise, dont try to ignore this, it wont work, just accept it and move on. Habituation takes months so don't expect things to magically be gone tomorrow because most likely they wont be. You just have to accept that this is the way it is now and you ahve to live each day to the best ability that you can. Hope this has made sense. Good luck. If you do the right things you will have no annoyance in 6 months time. If you do the wrong things. You will have tinnitus forever.