My Acoustic Trauma Tinnitus Has Faded Some — Will It Continue to Fade More?

[Angela Riffe]

Hi,

Late August of this year, I experienced a pneumatic staple gun for several minutes in a small concrete room. My tinnitus started 2 weeks later, a few days after going to an American soccer game. The game was not overly loud, not as loud as likely elsewhere in the world. However, the combo likely gave me tinnitus.

I've had tinnitus about 6 months. The tinnitus has slowly faded from a 5/10 (masked in shower and loud restaurants, but not by City bus, aggressive static sound, spikes included a tone) to a 3/10 (less aggressive sounding static, no tone, can hear in an office, but can easily tune it out, still pretty noticeable in a quiet room). The fading happened over the first 4 months. It's now been a couple of months since I've noticed any fading.

Questions for the group:
For the people who have experienced tinnitus fading after acoustic trauma, what was your experience?

Was the fading more apparent closer to the trauma?

Did it continue to fade (perhaps at a slower rate?), or just stop fading and develop a baseline tinnitus?

I've read a lot here about not measuring or listening for tinnitus, which I have gotten much, much better at doing. Still my curiosity is getting the better of me here.

Thanks for your help!

 

[jjflyman]

Mine faded very slowly, but it took 3 years. It would seem to stay at about the same volume for months, and just when I thought it would stay at that level, it would fade a little. Very slow process.

 

[Eloy Resendez Jr]

Well, I can only speak on my first bout with tinnitus five years ago. I could be wrong but I don't really think the sound decreases, I believe our brain eventually adapts to it. Personally I had a really rough go with it the first time, my anxiety was of the charts so I believe that slowed the process substantially for me. Overall took me right around a year to really get back to kinda being myself. Took about 3 years to not notice it much.

Sounds like your doing well at 6 months. Good for you. At 6 months for me I was still struggling with it. I'd say you right on track or even a bit ahead to fully adapting to it. I know most people on this site like to use the word habituation, so whichever works for you.

As I've mentioned before, I had a spike back in December so I'm kinda starting over but thank God my anxiety is not nearly as bad as the first time. I'm about 2 months behind you, so I hope to be where you at, at 6 months. I am handling it better this time but since I'm not anxious like the first time I'm more aware of my tinnitus which just angers me or frustrates me. Doesn't help that I'm stuck in my office most days.

So Angela, I'm glad to hear your getting better, it gives us hope, continue to move forward, hang in there and have a blessed day.

 

[ASilverLight]

Well, I can only speak on my first bout with tinnitus five years ago. I could be wrong but I don't really think the sound decreases, I believe our brain eventually adapts to it.

It does actually decrease, or even go away, for many. Just check out the success stories here and other sites. What you describe is habituation.

 

[jjflyman]

It does actually decrease, or even go away, for many. Just check out the success stories here and other sites. What you describe is habituation.

Yes, my first time with tinnitus from an acoustic trauma was horribly loud, and it faded to ZERO in about 2 years. The actual sound was gone.

 

[Jack V]

Yes, my first time with tinnitus from an acoustic trauma was horribly loud, and it faded to ZERO in about 2 years. The actual sound was gone.

Any advice?

 

[jjflyman]

Any advice?

Mine was from an acoustic trauma, so I did this:

No earbuds, ever again.
Protected my ears with ear plus when going out to the store, Gym, restaurant, etc... for about a year.
No lawn mowing, and wear ear protection when using power tools, vacuums, etc.
I did not take any supplements.
Exercise.
I used sound apps on old smart phones in every room, rain sound.
Time, time, time and more time.

 

[Jack V]

Mine was from an acoustic trauma, so I did this:

No earbuds, ever again.
Protected my ears with ear plus when going out to the store, Gym, restaurant, etc... for about a year.
No lawn mowing, and wear ear protection when using power tools, vacuums, etc.
I did not take any supplements.
Exercise.
I used sound apps on old smart phones in every room, rain sound.
Time, time, time and more time.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Angela Riffe]

@jjflyman

Thank you for reaching out to me again and for your perspective I appreciate your story and your encouragement. I'm glad that yours went away, eventually. I am trying not to hold out for it too much. It seems to be the exception and not the rule.

Sounds like your doing well at 6 months. Good for you. At 6 months for me I was still struggling with it. I'd say you right on track or even a bit ahead to fully adapting to it. I know most people on this site like to use the word habituation, so whichever works for you.

@Eloy Resendez Jr And thank you so much for your encouragement as well. I do still struggle with it from time to time, and I have to remind myself that it hasn't been that long since I first got my tinnitus. I am doing so, so much better mentally since it first happened. I should just be grateful for improvements in the sound and my mental state that I have had. I hope that yours continue to improve as well. I know that our minds do eventually adapt. It's hard to keep prospective when it is just so annoying and feels unfair sometimes. It's hard to not let it rob you of some joy. You hang in there too, Eloy! Thank you again!

 

[PhoenixAcademy]

Mine is fading really slowly, I think, I hope. It's like a rollercoaster sometimes.

 

[Juan]

I think tinnitus is just unpredictable. It can fade or not, It can die down and reappear. It goes up and down, sometimes for no apparent reason.

 

[KMc24]

Mine faded very slowly, but it took 3 years. It would seem to stay at about the same volume for months, and just when I thought it would stay at that level, it would fade a little. Very slow process.

I'm 2 years in, and that's exactly my experience. It seems to change for me every 8 months or so. Very slow process indeed.

 

[Eloy Resendez Jr]

Hi @Angela Riffe, how has life been treating you? Just curious how your holding up. I hope you are well.

 

[Angela Riffe]

@Eloy Resendez Jr

Thank you for checking in! Things were a bit tough at first. Working from home was hard to adjust to since there is no background noise like office chatter, HVAC, etc., so I was much more present with my tinnitus. I did have about four days of lower than normal tinnitus last week for the first time in many months. I got excited, but unfortunately, it returned to its normal level.

How are you holding up?

 

[Tara Lyons]

Mine was from an acoustic trauma, so I did this:

No earbuds, ever again.
Protected my ears with ear plus when going out to the store, Gym, restaurant, etc... for about a year.
No lawn mowing, and wear ear protection when using power tools, vacuums, etc.
I did not take any supplements.
Exercise.
I used sound apps on old smart phones in every room, rain sound.
Time, time, time and more time.

@jjflyman what type of ear plugs did you use? I have ones that are 15 dB and I'm not sure if it's enough. Did you have hyperacusis?

 

[jjflyman]

@jjflyman what type of ear plugs did you use? I have ones that are 15 dB and I'm not sure if it's enough. Did you have hyperacusis?

Yes I had bad hyperacusis, but it slowly faded away. i still don't like loud sharp noise like dishes clanking, but for the most part my hyperacusis is gone.
I mostly wear just foam ear plugs, they are rated at 32dB.

 

[Tara Lyons]

Yes I had bad hyperacusis, but it slowly faded away. i still don't like loud sharp noise like dishes clanking, but for the most part my hyperacusis is gone.
I mostly wear just foam ear plugs, they are rated at 32dB.

@jjflyman so yours totally went away? I'm terrified omg. I can't believe I have this. I remember waking up with an echo in my ears and it was all downhill from there. Sound sensitivity then the ringing started. My ears are very reactive. Which makes me think sometimes my problem is more hyperacusis. Idk I'm barely hanging on here, I knew nothing about tinnitus before this happened.

 

[jjflyman]

@jjflyman so yours totally went away? I'm terrified omg. I can't believe I have this. I remember waking up with an echo in my ears and it was all downhill from there. Sound sensitivity then the ringing started. My ears are very reactive. Which makes me think sometimes my problem is more hyperacusis. Idk I'm barely hanging on here, I knew nothing about tinnitus before this happened.

Yes, the first time it went totally away. Zero ring left after 2 years. The second trauma faded 90% in 3 1/2 years.

Also, the fullness and pain faded away, and the sensitivity is now only a problem with sharp sounds like dishes clanking.

 

[Tara Lyons]

Yes, the first time it went totally away. Zero ring left after 2 years. The second trauma faded 90% in 3 1/2 years.

Also, the fullness and pain faded away, and the sensitivity is now only a problem with sharp sounds like dishes clanking.

@jjflyman how did you keep your sanity?

 

[jjflyman]

@jjflyman how did you keep your sanity?

Having tinnitus (twice) was literally the hardest experience of my life. I was a basket case for months. I had counselling, went on anti-depressants (for a short time), spent days in a row in bed, and was suicidal. It broke me like nothing anybody could understand.

I get what you are going though. However, it most likely will improve over time, possibly even fade to zero, but it may take several years to fully recover. I had noticeable improvement even after the 3 year mark.

Have you had any fading or improvement?

 

[Tara Lyons]

I've been getting buzzy tones lately. The ringing doesn't seem as loud in earplugs. I don't hear it when I'm around people but it's still hard hearing it in general. I miss silence. I was suicidal too and then I think about my family and friends so I keep moving forward.

@jjflyman according to Bill Bauer fading goes from high pitch to a buzz to high pitch hiss to low pitch hiss. They're buzzing right now. This didn't start happening til a few weeks ago. I knew nothing about tinnitus before this happened. Had I known, I would have been more careful with my hearing and noise exposure. Even after tinnitus started I was misdiagnosed with Lyme disease, vestibular migraine. Never once was told it was tinnitus from probably years of loud noise exposure. So sickening. I just hope this heals and goes. I literally CAN'T stand this anymore.

 

[GBB]

Mine was from an acoustic trauma, so I did this:

No earbuds, ever again.
Protected my ears with ear plus when going out to the store, Gym, restaurant, etc... for about a year.
No lawn mowing, and wear ear protection when using power tools, vacuums, etc.
I did not take any supplements.
Exercise.
I used sound apps on old smart phones in every room, rain sound.
Time, time, time and more time.

How did you stand to plug your ears when it's so loud? I believe you but personally this thought terrifies me - I need to get outside to not hear it so I don't go insane. If I plug my ears it's like torture.

 

[twa]

Yes, the first time it went totally away. Zero ring left after 2 years. The second trauma faded 90% in 3 1/2 years.

Also, the fullness and pain faded away, and the sensitivity is now only a problem with sharp sounds like dishes clanking.

Did you have headaches?

 

[jjflyman]

Did you have headaches?

Yeah, sometimes I got a headache from having screaming loud tinnitus all day!

 

[forum_user]

Yes, my first time with tinnitus from an acoustic trauma was horribly loud, and it faded to ZERO in about 2 years. The actual sound was gone.

Do I understand it correctly that the first time you had tinnitus, it went away completely for you? Not even a tiny little sound stayed? And the second time you got tinnitus, over the course of 2 years it went to a mild hiss you hardly ever notice?

Thank you for your answer.