My Hyperacusis Journal — Sound Therapy and CBT with Tracy Holcomb (Treble Health)

[Theezy]

Not sure what to do. Just sitting and trying to avoid sounds while living my life isn't working. I am reactive to stuff more and more, while the reactive spike is just getting shriller. Piercing and buzzing my brain to the smallest sound of a fan lol. I can't avoid those sounds 100%. Also, my tolerance drops as the day goes. Not sure if I should just keep resting my ears as much as possible (tolerance drops), try TRT again (not a popular option) or what.

Wow I'm going through an extremely similar experience, you may have a a couple month head start though. My continuous worsening phase started in late August. Takes a lot of strength just to take it day by day.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Small update.

So after all that I've come to realize, some just can't do digital sound therapy and I'm one of them. Avoiding digital audio, protecting from loud sounds is the best way to go with a damaged auditory system like mine.

I kept gaslighting myself and kept doing it based on audiologists and some advice I read online. If you keep worsening, it's probably safe to say it doesn't work, vs. telling yourself you're doing it wrong.

Also the people who keep telling you to continue and push through while worsening, don't have to deal with your consequences. I'm the one sitting in a dark room floor with 1-2 hours of sleep because I react to everything after pushing through sound therapy. Life goes on for them while you're tortured from a one-size-fits-all approach.

Listen to your body and be your own judge.

 

[Merlin L]

Small update.

So after all that I've come to realize, some just can't do digital sound therapy and I'm one of them. Avoiding digital audio, protecting from loud sounds is the best way to go with a damaged auditory system like mine.

I kept gaslighting myself and kept doing it based on audiologists and some advice I read online. If you keep worsening, it's probably safe to say it doesn't work, vs. telling yourself you're doing it wrong.

Also the people who keep telling you to continue and push through while worsening, don't have to deal with your consequences. I'm the one sitting in a dark room floor with 1-2 hours of sleep because I react to everything after pushing through sound therapy. Life goes on for them while you're tortured from a one-size-fits-all approach.

Listen to your body and be your own judge.

Hi! As a new noise-induced tinnitus and hyperacusis sufferer, I'm considering sound therapy myself, but for obvious reasons (I too am reactive to sound), I'm on the fence about it.

I was just reading this whole thread and I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. Hopefully you can give your ears now some rest and silence.

I was wondering how would you describe you hyperacusis? Do you have only certain sounds that feel too loud or all sounds? Do you get any pain during the sound or after exhausting your ears (for example after having a louder than usual day)?

Wish you all the best

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Hi! As a new noise-induced tinnitus and hyperacusis sufferer, I'm considering sound therapy myself, but for obvious reasons (I too am reactive to sound), I'm on the fence about it.

I was just reading this whole thread and I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. Hopefully you can give your ears now some rest and silence.

I was wondering how would you describe you hyperacusis? Do you have only certain sounds that feel too loud or all sounds? Do you get any pain during the sound or after exhausting your ears (for example after having a louder than usual day)?

Wish you all the best

Hey, late response, but mainly my tinnitus ramps up and gets louder or more piercing to digital audio or running sounds like water, AC, fans etc. I don't really recommend sound therapy with reactivity as I feel digital audio irritates it. Rest your ears and slowly introduce to real nature if you can.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

I'm going to be real honest. I should've rested my ears more. I kept getting fake tolerance and pushing my ears too much. Not loud sounds but like tv, games and driving. Taking advice like to "keep living your life" can be dangerous with reactive tinnitus. Hopefully someone can read this and not make the same mistake. Rest your ears and slowly introduce to sound if you can. Be healthy and mindful.

Good luck and see you on the other side.

 

[Jupiterman]

@Wrfortiscue, did you ever try medications to help with symptoms?

 

[Wrfortiscue]

@Wrfortiscue, did you ever try medications to help with symptoms?

Nah not really but maybe I should

 

[ZFire]

I'm going to be real honest. I should've rested my ears more. I kept getting fake tolerance and pushing my ears too much. Not loud sounds but like tv, games and driving. Taking advice like to "keep living your life" can be dangerous with reactive tinnitus. Hopefully someone can read this and not make the same mistake. Rest your ears and slowly introduce to sound if you can. Be healthy and mindful.

Good luck and see you on the other side.

What do you mean by 'getting fake tolerance'?

 

[DeanD]

What do you mean by 'getting fake tolerance'?

If it's what I think it is, and @Wrfortiscue's and my tinnitus sound similar, he means he would push through with some noise and because his ears started to react less, he thought he was building tolerance - and his ears were desensitizing.

When this happens you feel more confident, so you add more sounds and keep it going etc... until bam, it repays you - with kind!

I did this myself and ended up in a nightclub of all places (with custom earplugs) about 8 weeks ago. Then 10 days later I had a long day or work calls over Teams (6 hours in total for the day). That was nearly 6 weeks ago now, and things that night took a turn for the worst and haven't properly settled down.

I'm desperate to desensitize the reactivity, and again looked at Treble Health as I did before. They have moved on to monthly subscription packages now, but I just don't feel my ears would deal with the white noise and anything remotely going near the ear.

 

[Karl S.]

I used Treble Health, and my audiologist was Michelle Kennedy. I have tinnitus (moderate to severe) but not hyperacusis. Michelle helped me with different coping skills that I hadn't considered before, and I was satisfied with the experience.

I speak in the past tense because we eventually reached the limit of what could help. No products were sold to me; in fact, she told me that sound generators and bone conduction devices wouldn't work for my specific case.

— Karl S.