Reactive Tinnitus, Hyperacusis and Tired Ears

[flobo]

It's been 4 weeks already since my acoustic trauma (30 minutes only of my first ever concert, never listened to music much before):

I don't feel very good about it and it doesn't look like things are going better atm. Just posting to see if someone had a similar experience.

I have two tinnitus sounds in the right ear: One is a weird pulse. It looks like someone placed a beacon in my right ear (bip bip bip bip ). This one isn't so annoying as I can't hear it except in total silence (and even then not always).

The other one is a weird high pitched sound/ hissing. Not covered by anything.
It's reactive to ANY long duration sound (and only long duration sound).

I hear a door slamming, no effect.
I hear a car passing outside, no effect.
I take a 10 minutes shower, T is higher for about an hour.
I take a 2 hour walk in a secluded area (only sound of nature / wind/ocean), T spikes for 10+ hours afterward.
I use my pc and hear the fan. T goes higher for a while (not too long thankfully).
I use a water fountain to try to take my mind away from T. After 2 hours, T spikes for 10+ hours as well.

So far,enough time in silence afterward always bring it back down to its original level.

But there's more, a few time, usually at night, I felt like the tic toc of the clock was distorted and hurting my ears (I think that's hyperacusis).

If I try having a conversation with a few family member, it starts out ok than after 20 minutes, it feels like my ears are tired and I can't hear easily anymore.

If I try low level TV or music, it feel weird and distorted.

I was to start working after college in early July, and this whole mess cost me my first ever job.

I'm also a member of a French tech podcast, well, I had to take an "indefinite leave" from that as well.

As for social life, it's gone as well. How am I supposed to take the train or go to any city in my condition if even the sound of nature spikes T.

I'm just spending my days doing nothing, trying to get out (with ear plugs), making it worse and going back home.

Does/can it get better at this point?
I'm not even talking about T alone anymore. At this point, I feel like I'd settle for a low level non fluctuating T and forever having to avoid loud places.

EDIT : Forgot about it : my GP gave me benzo (bromazepam).

Having read about it here and elsewhere, i try not to use it but it's hard as when i do, everything goes back to "normal" for a few hours.

No more T, perfect silence, able to talk to people and ear fine again.
But only for a few hours.

The only normal thing I did this month was read a few pages of a book while under benzo.

 

[Wojtek Kalka]

Hi there,

sorry to hear that you have a hard time.

and yes it will get better, one month is a very short time. That is the sad truth about Tinnitus and Hyperacusis. Everything takes a LOT of time. Stop thinking in days or weeks, it takes sadly month + to get better. But as said a very high percentage of people are getting better over time.

Well PC issues is easy to solve, get a fanless PC.

How you experience the spike. The Tinnitus gets louder and slowly back to your base level?

So low level nature sounds make your tinnitus worse? What is low level have you tried masking
at low level? What about very low level white noise?

Btw
I overprotect my ears, do not do it. It made my reaction to sounds a lot worse. Took a month to heal some now.

My solution for the moment are masking sounds which I play below! my tinnitus level. Approximately about 80% of T but it does cover the Tinnitus up to 80%. At the moment I use cicadas/crickets sounds. Hehe I have now a collection of about 25 different headphones but daily I with very cheap on for 20$ that plays the masking sounds without covering the outside too much. They have -5-10db noise reduction. I have also one with 30+ for really loud places.

A good one to get are the Bose QC20 or QC35 for louder areas imho. Their noise cancelling is pretty powerful.

Btw interesting point is I can use the maskers now only in one ear! and it still nearly has the same effect and it calms the brain down for the other ear too and the other can listen fine to people.

Wish you all the best
Wojtek

 

[flobo]

How you experience the spike. The Tinnitus gets louder and slowly back to your base level?

Exactly. The longer i'm exposed, the higher T gets, and then it slowly goes back down once i'm in silence.

Hi there,
So low level nature sounds make your tinnitus worse? What is low level have you tried masking
at low level? What about very low level white noise?

Low level is the sound of a beach with no people in the late evening for exemple, or anywhere else outside the city.

The slight wind and nature sounds alone are enough to spike T after a little while.

About white noise, i tried listening to some, but i got instant spike (much much faster than with any other noise).
I haven't been able to find online any sound that can cover it.

 

[Michael Leigh]

It's been 4 weeks already since my acoustic trauma

I'm just spending my days doing nothing, trying to get out (with ear plugs), making it worse and going back home.

Your acoustic trauma which led to tinnitus and hypercusis is going to take time to heal @flobo and this is the truth. @Wojtek Kalka has given you some good advice. If you are able to get tinnitus counselling then I advise you to do so and use sound enrichment at night. Try to use "noise protection" less but if you find it necessary then use whenever needed.

This condition takes time to improve and especially the sensitivity to sound - it is not something that can be rushed. It is not "reactive tinnitus" because there is no such thing. It was a terminology made up in tinnitus forums and now, some in the medical field have adopted the word and devised a suitable treatment problem, that I believe is purely for monetary gain. You have " hyperacusis" plain and simple caused by noise trauma that has opened up the auditory receptors in your brain making you sensitive to certain sounds. It will heal but takes time and it's important that you use "sound enrichment" whenever possible and especially at night. At low level and increase this slowly over time but it shouldn't mask (cover-up) your tinnitus.

Michael