Noise-Induced Tinnitus — Positive Success Stories

[Contrast]

The fullness in your ears is due to hearing loss. I have hearing loss, and my ears feel full too.

Here is the good news:

Hearing aids will correct fullness. They are small and hardly visible at all. Some even come with bluetooth, so you can use with your phone. As soon as you wear them, the fullness goes away. That has been my experience.

More good news:

T can be miserable with hearing loss, because the sound is perceived as internal. But with hearing aids, having more external sounds offers relief.

Bad news is that hearing aids can be expensive, and not always covered by insurance. I know Costco has more affordable hearing aids, but I have not tried their brand.

pff.... How would hearing aids make noise induced pain better? The inner ear swells from noise because it's damaged.

it's not like the hair cells and ribbon synapses are being repaired when you insert a microphone in your ear, part of the reason so many people here don't like hearing aids is because hearing loss is a much more complicated issue then just turning up the volume.

Hearing damage can be muffled hearing, broken sounding hearing, and less clarity of hearing, turning up the volume won't solve the problem just forcing the damaged inner ear to make out a better degree of signal. Hearing aids are literally just like turning the volume up on an ipod for not being able to hear as well.


people with forms of hearing loss that currently require hearing aids are better off wating for a hair cell regeneration trial then throwing money at HA, Unless they can get them for really cheap.

 

[MikeS]

pff.... How would hearing aids make noise induced pain better? The inner ear swells from noise because it's damaged.

it's not like the hair cells and ribbon synapses are being repaired when you insert a microphone in your ear, part of the reason so many people here don't like hearing aids is because hearing loss is a much more complicated issue then just turning up the volume.

Hearing damage can be muffled hearing, broken sounding hearing, and less clarity of hearing, turning up the volume won't solve the problem just forcing the damaged inner ear to make out a better degree of signal. Hearing aids are literally just like turning the volume up on an ipod for not being able to hear as well.


people with forms of hearing loss that currently require hearing aids are better off wating for a hair cell regeneration trial then throwing money at HA, Unless they can get them for really cheap.

He said he had hearing loss and fullness. I have hearing loss and fullness too and hearing aids make the fullness go away. I know this, because I put the hearing aids in, and fullness go away. I take them out, and fullness returns. It is not rocket science. And no, people are not better off waiting. Hearing aids help your brain hear -- and it is use it or lose it -- if your brain does not hear sounds, then it will lose the ability to process those sounds. So if you have hearing loss, you are better off using hearing aids.

 

[Contrast]

He said he had hearing loss and fullness. I have hearing loss and fullness too and hearing aids make the fullness go away. I know this, because I put the hearing aids in, and fullness go away. I take them out, and fullness returns. It is not rocket science. And no, people are not better off waiting. Hearing aids help your brain hear -- and it is use it or lose it -- if your brain does not hear sounds, then it will lose the ability to process those sounds. So if you have hearing loss, you are better off using hearing aids.

Another suffer here mentioned hearing aids causing his ears to burn, what about people with muffled hearing. turning the volume up louder will only continue to distort their hearing.

I'd have to agree with you at the end point of "use it or lose it", but the whole idea is I don't believe hearing aids should be considered "medical devices" they are basically just a microphone that's put in the human ear and can be made simply by companies like Bose.

 

[MikeS]

Another suffer here mentioned hearing aids causing his ears to burn, what about people with muffled hearing. turning the volume up louder will only continue to distort their hearing.

I'd have to agree with you at the end point of "use it or lose it", but the whole idea is I don't believe hearing aids should be considered "medical devices" they are basically just a microphone that's put in the human ear and can be made simply by companies like Bose.

Whatever they are -- they correct the fullness in my ears. And I am able to hear in meetings where I would otherwise be struggling. They are not perfect, but they help me a lot. Plus relieve tinnitus too -- because I am picking up more external sounds. Yeah, it sucks that they are overpriced, but they are better than nothing.

 

[Contrast]

I still notice more often then not noise causes my ear tto feel slightly congested, but then it goes away.

 

[New Guy]

I'm working on my truck today, no power tools, and out of curiosity I put on the same hearing protection I used the that day with a respirator and safety goggles. Unfortunately it demonstrated how little the ear muffs worked with that setup. I should have had ear plugs on as well that day. Lesson learned a little too late.

 

[New Guy]

10 Months

Same old thing with the same variety mixed in. About a week ago I got very anxious because I've spoke to some people with t a little longer than I've had it and they are way ahead of me in their recovery. I was back in the first weeks of t for a week or two.

All I could do to comfort myself was talk to a couple people on the website and tell myself that there's nothing I can do but be patient.

Overall I'm doing ok, the anxiety is not what it was and the increase in the h I had from using a power tool last month has pretty much gone away. I'm sure the t increased from using the power tool but I don't know how much. It seems to be, or has settled. It's in the usual pattern of softer in the morning to mid afternoon with crickets underneath sometimes and then harsher from mid afternoon to bed time. The volume doesn't seem to change much but the intensity of the t does.

I still occasionally hear the warbly sound in my left ear only. That has been happening less. I want to say that noise is associated to louder noise exposure but I haven't tracked it that much. I'll leave it at it's there sometimes but for the last few weeks a non factor.

I still get fleeting t occasionally, probably once every 3-4 days if I had to guess. It's still more than normal but not as often as earlier months.

I bought a decibel meter, a real cheap one, to check what volume of noise bothers me. It seems anything over 65-70 db gets my anxiety up. The pitch of the noise makes a difference as well, the higher the pitch the less tolerant I am.

I've been checking the decibels of noises that cause me concern. Inside my diesel pickup it runs about 65-70 decibels at an idle and 70-78 when driving. I noted I feel like I'm ready to take the ear muffs off in the truck, I suppose that's why. The truck is a very low pitch right at the tip of my comfort level. I haven't taken off the muffs or tried plugs but when that day comes I'll do it gradually, not all at once.

I measured the vacuum cleaner, shop vacuum (I already had a quiet model made by a company called Festool), washing machine, dishwasher are all under 85 decibels but I have to double check the levels. It gives me some reassurance that using these tools before t was not damaging my hearing.

I ran the die grinder that I was using a couple weeks before I got t for a few seconds and it came out at 98 db. It probably was a little louder when grinding so I'll say probably around 105 db. I think it was the duration of the noise that did me in, along with not wearing earplugs in addition to the ear muffs I had on. I'm pretty sure if I had plugged my ears and worn ear muffs I would have never met all the wonderful people on this site. I'll share that with anyone and everyone I see using power tools from here on out.

I have to remind myself again that there is nothing I would have done differently the day I was using the grinder without knowing what I know now. I had what I thought was adequate hearing protection on. I wasn't rushing. In the end I simply never read up on hearing safety and I assumed throwing a pair of ear muffs on would be enough. It had been for the previous 30 years of my life.

I'm hoping to start waking up earlier and exercising more and eating better etc. etc. It's time to start moving forward, no matter how little. I'm tired of being depressed, exhausted actually, and I miss having energy and enthusiasm.

I have to focus on the fact that my h has gone down a lot but I now realize, after getting the noise meter, I still have a way to go with that.

The kittens are doing a great job of distracting me. They are both cute and love attention. Caring for the kittens allows me to forget t for moments at a time.

 

[emmalee]

I'm hoping to start waking up earlier and exercising more and eating better etc. etc. It's time to start moving forward, no matter how little. I'm tired of being depressed, exhausted actually, and I miss having energy and enthusiasm.

This is a good approach, John. I truly understand how you are feeling.

The kittens are doing a great job of distracting me. They are both cute and love attention. Caring for the kittens allows me to forget t for moments at a time.

I love your new avatar, the little kitten is so adorable. Its affection for you is genuine and heartwarming.

 

[PortalNaut]

That db meter will help you put your impressions together with facts. I use earplug when I grind coffee beans, and it is at least 85db. I too measured my car's noise levels and was able to quiet it due to a leak in the door. I am taking the approach to ear safety a 'year at a time.' I was asked to fly in 2018 but did not. I would be tempted to maybe fly in mid 2019 (if I have to) but I'd rather not. I hope your H and T go down so you can do some of the things you are used to doing.

Keep on keepin' on. And please post a picture of a kitten!

 

[New Guy]

Visited the grocery store today, went to checkout with a full cart, about half way through I noticed my ears were literally cringing with every beep. I was standing about 4' from the beeper. Not sure why but I stayed where I was (I was distracted, it happens). Ears have a full feeling and are more sensitive to loud noises now about 7 hours later. T may have increased a touch.

I feel like this will pass in a few days but yet again I find myself thinking, "Are you freakin' kidding me?" It's been over 10 months since I damaged my ears and they are STILL very reactive.

There was nothing I would have done differently the day I got t until I got t and realized the mistake I made. I can't believe this continues with little relief for so long and no sign of an end coming.

I keep making starts and stops to get back to old habits. Unfortunately the stops outnumber the starts significantly. I feel like I can't catch a break.

When I saw my first ENT about 2 weeks after getting t he said double up your ear protection and give it time. I'm so glad I didn't follow that advice. I really thought t was just hearing a noise. I had no idea what hyperacusis was and aural fullness.

I've been down many times in my life but never more than 3 months to 6 months at the most. I just feel like I can't catch a break.

I know there are so many worse off than me on the site. This post could have been written by half the members. I simply need to vent. I'm not as amped up as I appear but it's yet another case of, "Are you kidding me?"

 

[New Guy]

Had a decent day. Loaded up brush in my truck from an ice storm last week and made two trips to the dump. Picked up some firewood size brush at the dump and brought it home and cut it with a hand saw wearing plugs and muffs. I heard the t the whole time but it didn't bother me and I don't notice an increase after working.

It was refreshing to use my muscles and get lost in the job for a good part of the day. I'm feeling a good tired tonight.

I visited a gas station for some goodies and wore plugs, thank goodness, the cashier was cranking the tunes in the store.

Pulled something in my knee...hope that's a short term thing!

 

[New Guy]

My wife has been sick and she kissed me on the cheek the last couple nights before bed. Nowhere near my ears but a kiss on the cheeks is quite loud. I'm going to have to ask her to kiss more gently tomorrow.

My ears have a fullness. Not so much from the kiss but I notice almost daily that by the end of the day they feel a bit full. Almost like I've surpassed my noise allowance for the day. It usually clears up by the morning.

What a F'ing pain this thing is.

I know I didn't get t on purpose but so often I find myself thinking if only I knew then what I know now. If my actions for a couple hours of my life were different things would be so different. I'm sure many on the site feel the same way.

I try to find the positive. I appreciate all I have in life and watching the world. I've been doing a lot of watching for the last 11 months.

I still have a hard time seeing myself even half as engaged as before t. I admit I've made some good progress and I'm not close to where I was the first month or two but I still have a long way to go.

The moment I realized I had t it was already too late to do anything about it. Quiet sobbing....

 

[Bill Bauer]

If my actions for a couple hours of my life were different things would be so different.

I would need to change only a few seconds of my life (in order to drastically increase the quality of two years of my life)...

How is your knee?

 

[Drone Draper]

Both the concerts I attended that pushed me over to T were my girlfriend's band. I keep thinking about how I would've been safer if I wasn't there to support her. FML.

 

[New Guy]

@Bill Bauer

The knee was a one day thing thank goodness. It was a twinge that could have gone either way. I haven't gone nuts on it yet but I'm feeling ok with it. Thanks for asking.

@Bill Bauer and @Drone Draper

They say life comes down to moments. I really didn't believe that until this happened. Now I realize how true that is.

 

[Bill Bauer]

It was a twinge that could have gone either way.

My knee took two years to heal...

 

[New Guy]

That is not cool! I haven't pushed it but so far so good.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I haven't pushed it but so far so good.

For the first year or so, I could feel it every time I had to use the stairs or walk uphill/downhill. I didn't have to push it to know that my knee wasn't well. It sounds like you haven't hurt it nearly as badly as I had that one time about 12 years ago. I stupidly hiked up a very steep hill. I had to walk backwards on the way down, as the pain was less intense that way.

 

[Drone Draper]

I used to wonder how people in wheelchairs who had ended up there through accidents felt.

Like, the day they had their accident, how little they would have known that would be the last day they had functioning legs and how that would make them feel.

I wonder about myself now. What would have happened if I'd caught a bad cold or something and couldn't go to the gym and blast my ears or go to the gigs that did me in?

I'm giving this all a few more months, then I'm probably going to head off to Korea or Switzerland. I don't think I can habituate, it's not within my personality to do so.

 

[New Guy]

@Drone Draper

I won't say I'm used to the noise but I'm getting better at it. Be patient and do your best to survive day to day when the t is new. Don't think about the future, try not to think about the past and focus on surviving. I hope you're masking too.

 

[Drone Draper]

Hi dude.

Thanks. I'm trying to be a bit more positive and focus on the good things.

 

[New Guy]

Sitting alone at night with no masking.

I hear it, if I choose to focus it's quite loud. Easily over the sound of the fridge if I was next to it.

It's not a hiss or static, it's an eee.

A few months ago this would have had my heart racing and anxiety skyrocketing. It's starting to happen as I think about it more.

I think this is progress.

 

[R. David Case]

Hello, I've been lurking on your forum for about a week and figure I'll post a question here for support.

Here's my story.

About 3 weeks ago I was working on my truck and I used a die grinder for 2-3 hours. I'm very careful about safety so I had on my earmuffs the entire time. I did have a hat on and safety glasses so the earmuffs may not have been as tight as needed.

I've used the die grinder before but only for 10-15 minutes at a time with no issues.

The day I used the tool everything was fine. I had no discomfort or pain from the noise and everything seemed like it was ok. I was elated I got the job done and didn't think twice about it.

About 6 days later my ears had ringing. I assumed it must be from a medication I'm on or the start of a cold because I felt a fullness in my ear. After a week of this I visited an ENT and he ran a test on my ears.

The results showed what the doctor called mild to moderate hearing loss in the higher frequencies. He said the ringing was my ears trying to compensate for the noise they couldn't hear. He said it will usually get better with time and once my anxiety goes down. He recommended a couple over the counter supplements to help.

Unfortunately he really didn't have much to say beyond that.

I've had jelly legs since that meeting because I thought it was a cold or something and it was much worse. I go from times I can barely stand because I'm so scared to times I realize I have to be strong to beat this. I'm only into this for my second week.

Right now I have ringing that is stronger in my right ear than left though it fluctuates between them. I have a pressure or fullness in both ears though sometimes one more than the other. If the room is quiet the noise is always there.

If I go outside, drive my car, go to the gym or do something physical I barely notice the noise but if I'm in a quiet room it is really loud. It is difficult to concentrate and being in a quiet room brings the jelly legs back.

I know I screwed up. I thought ear muffs were enough. I would appreciate if folks can stay as positive as possible in the replies. I've beaten myself up enough.

Can anyone share stories of success with this situation? I had ear protection on and always wear ear protection when using loud equipment. I think it was the duration that did me in.

If anyone has been in a similar situation and can share a positive story about their recovery, or the noise getting quieter over time, I'd really appreciate it.

I'm hoping it slowly starts to fade. I saved a thread on this site about positive stories on tinnitus to read as motivation because I need some good news right now.

Thank you!

I can share many success stories, check out my thread "I Invented a Sound That Knocked Out My Tinnitus" I have a free sound therapy called Tinnitus Mix and have helped 440 people reduce or eliminate their tinnitus!!

 

[billie48]

A few months ago this would have had my heart racing and anxiety skyrocketing. It's starting to happen as I think about it more.

Great to know your condition has improved. Honestly it is to be expected. One of the most common elements of habituation is TIME. The passage of time will help the body to get bored with the T ringing/sensation, and also the returning of the normal parasympathetic nervous system to replace the fearful and stressful feeling of the limbic nervous system which, with the Amygdala, is responsible for the fight or flight response. The pre-frontal cortex will take over from the Amygdala in processing the formerly stressful T stimulus. The cortex will suppress the fearful response naturally, which means you will have much lesser extreme and negative reactions to deal with. Then gradually, habituation will kick in. That is probably what is happening now. Again, congratulations. God bless.

 

[Jcb]

Sitting alone at night with no masking.

I hear it, if I choose to focus it's quite loud. Easily over the sound of the fridge if I was next to it.

It's not a hiss or static, it's an eee.

A few months ago this would have had my heart racing and anxiety skyrocketing. It's starting to happen as I think about it more.

I think this is progress.

This sounds so good, how are you doing new guy?

 

[New Guy]

@Jcb

Pretty much stuck where that post was. I suspect it's going to stay that way for a while. I'll write some more soon. Hope you're doing well.

Perhaps because I'm on the site or perhaps because I drove for about 4 hours today but it's a loud night. I've got rain falling beside me and I'm going to turn the volume up a couple notches.

I thought things would start to settle by now but it looks like what I've got it what I've got.

Bummer.

 

[Jcb]

@Jcb

Pretty much stuck where that post was. I suspect it's going to stay that way for a while. I'll write some more soon. Hope you're doing well.

Perhaps because I'm on the site or perhaps because I drove for about 4 hours today but it's a loud night. I've got rain falling beside me and I'm going to turn the volume up a couple notches.

I thought things would start to settle by now but it looks like what I've got it what I've got.

Bummer.

It still an improvement new guy, just take each day as it comes and try and not put pressure on yourself. I think possibly being on this site may make your T come to the forefront because you are thinking about it while you read and type.

Everybody's T is unique to them so some people may find "getting used to it" takes that little longer. I'm more than sure you'll come out on top even if it takes longer than you thought it would.

I'm good, the same really. Some days are better than others but I'm taking each day at a a time.

 

[New Guy]

I was washing my hands today and I heard a new tone and it freaked me out. It was a steady, solid tone and up until that moment I never heard it. I walked to another quiet room and thank goodness heard nothing. Went back to the sink and heard the quiet eeee again.

After moving my head this way and that I discovered the noise is from a led light bulb. Thank goodness!

 

[New Guy]

1 Year 1 Month

I can't believe it's been a year already. Time moved so slowly at first. Perhaps it's a good sign time is moving again.

Physical t

It's usually quietest in the mornings and through the day gets louder. The tone is also softer in the mornings. In the morning it's above the noise of the fridge, in the evening it's sharp and loud enough to be above the tv but I'm getting better at ignoring it.

It's not the same pattern every day. It varies depending on how tired I am or how active I am. If I drive and wear ear muffs in the am, that isolates the noise and intensifies the sound earlier in the day. Usually around 3-5 the switch from softer to more harsh occurs.

There is an extremely slow trend toward a softening of the tone, or I'm getting more used to it.

The h continues to lessen but it has a way to go. The fact that the h was so intense at the beginning, and it's still fading, tells me that I really messed up my ears. I can't believe how sensitive my ears were last spring.

I can now go to big box home improvement stores and not cringe when they call things over the speakers, though they're still really loud, and a local deli playing music doesn't bother me as much anymore. Things are definitely less amplified by the h but I still carry ear muffs wherever I go in case of a fire alarm, idiot (so many of them out there) with a loud muffler, siren or who knows what else.

I wanted to say the fullness has gone away but my ears feel a full right now. I was listening to my speakers a too loud earlier, I guess, and my ears feel it. It's not the same fullness as the first months but it still happens.

One odd thing I've noticed is that when my daughter watches shows on the Disney Channel, and perhaps Nickelodeon, my ears are very sensitive. I think they make the sound as loud as possible, I think it's called compounding. My threshold is much lower for these channels.

Mental t

Once again I can't believe it's been a year and how rocky the last year has been.

I'm feeling more optimistic the last couple months. I feel like I have a life to live, I have a future, which I didn't last year. I don't know what that future will look like but I look forward to it.

I've been doing some work on my truck and cutting firewood by hand. I wear ear plugs when turning wrenches and using a bow saw and I double up on hearing protection for splitting wood with a splitting maul. I only split wood briefly, under 10 minutes at a time, so if it affects me it will be a small bump.

Still using ear muffs when driving my diesel truck with peaks around 70-75 db and over 40 mph in my wife's Honda CRV feels uncomfortable so I put ear muffs on. I can take the ear muffs off in the diesel truck which is around 65 db and feel fine but I don't want to push it.

I think my threshold for noise bothering me is around 70 db. Under that is ok, over that I want protection.

For people new to t

I want to share some things I learned the hard way. I hope this information will help you, and possibly inspire you, if you're new to this.

1. Things will get better for you. When t comes on it's constant and unending and all you can do is focus on it. In time you'll start to forget to pay attention and the h will go down. It will take a lot longer than you think though.
2. When you first get t do whatever you need to to make it through the day. For me going for walks in the forest helped and going for long drives with hearing protection. Whatever makes you happy and gives your mind a chance to wander, even if only for a few seconds, helps.
3. Get a sound machine to mask the t. I have a sound machine next to my bed and my favorite seat in the house. I have one at the kitchen table but I haven't used that one in months.
4. Avoid quiet rooms as much as you can because they really bring out the noise. When it's late at night and the room is quiet I have a hard time noticing any improvement in the t. I avoid quiet rooms so I don't have to think about it. That's why it's handy to have a masking machine, or masking video on your computer or smart phone.
5. It's ok to cry. You never need to feel ashamed about crying when you have t. I think it helps release the stress.
6. If noise caused t protect your ears from loud noises. Listening to loud noises caused an increase in the t (spike) and increased h(yperacusis) on more than one occasion.
7. If noise caused t stay away from loud noises even with hearing protection. My ears were so sensitive in the beginning that even with hearing protection things were loud. Last time I used a drill with hearing protection 3 months ago it increased the h for 2-3 weeks.
8. Around 4-5 months in may be your darkest time, more than the first month or two. The constant stress and worry catches up to you and knocks you on your but. Stay with it and be patient.
9. Just because the level of t or h has gone down you're not done healing. I would briefly try something loud, even with hearing protection, every few months to 'test the waters' and get spanked for it. Your ears need a lot of time to heal so give them that time.
10. Getting kittens helped take my mind off the t but man are kittens work. They jump on everything, bite you constantly because they don't know any better and they're constantly hungry. Consider adopting an adult cat(s) if you're not an extremely patient person. If you want a lap cat look for the ones that come to the edge of the cage and purr when you visit. No guarantees but it's a good place to start.

I don't want anyone to think I'm out of the water and life is back to normal. It's not. I want people to know that I'm not the mess I was when I first started this thread. I'm prepared to face the future and wait however long I have to to enjoy it. I'm not in the hole I was a year ago.

I'm moving in the right direction slowly and that's all I can ask for.

 

[GSC]

I love reading your thread, and I love that you write into it it's like a diary - which is truly a breath of fresh air when so many people fall off the map. It's one of my favorites I've come across in all honesty. And truly, i'm just in awe and proud of you in so many ways. Your strength and perseverance through something so hard in your life is entirely inspiring with a capital I. I'm rooting for you, wholeheartedly and completely.