Reactive Tinnitus Is Real

[kmohoruk]

My patients with severe sound sensitive tinnitus are often unable to speak on the phone at all. In fact I can think of two individuals offhand who were for the longest time unable to tolerate the noise created by their own voices. They are both much much better now, one thanks to TRT and the other thanks to a different desensitization protocol

I won't lie, thats really good to hear right now. I'm going through a bit of a rough patch right now and knowing that there are people who are doing much better after dealing with sound sensitive tinnitus thats worse then mine really helps give me that extra push right now.

Thank you.

 

[Street Spirit]

Phones have always been extremely problematic for me..speakerphone is the worst. I actually have a cottonball taped to my reg housephone speaker and it dampens the sound and I keep the volume set to one..then, I put an earplug in my ear to make or receive a call..

Yes, all this so I can have a brief conversation on the phone.

.anyways there was a few times where I progressed to not reacting to housephone so.much.

I recall Rob from H network saying he always( and maybe still ?)had issues with speaker phone and uses pink noise in background while on it..he said that workes well for him.

Good to know people get better. We need hope.

 

[DutchGuy]

I'm devastated, sorry.

 

[Knightofknots]

I been reading this thread and my T for sure spikes to other things than sound. I sometimes think its the volume at the bar but after a few drinks it goes up and I have my amazing 60db ear plugs. I also noticed caffeine spikes it and when I'm working out it spikes and during sex it spikes. I also noticed that playing nothing at night helps calm it down to a very low hum for the next day. I for sure am still new to tinntius and I'm still trying to learn how to over come it but I firmly believe it can be over come with time and understanding. I enjoyed reading your posts Dr. Stephen Nagler because when I'm doing hot yoga mine spikes just in my right ear only and I'm more wondering what causes it to spike just in the right. The same with sex it spikes during in my right ear and then after my ears feel blocked and I can't walk right and this never happened to me before my T. So I'm wondering if anyone else has those problems anything that altars my state of mind for sure altars my T, weed makes it worse shrooms makes it better but this is just me I am in no way saying anyone else try this!

 

[Street Spirit]

I been reading this thread and my T for sure spikes to other things than sound. I sometimes think its the volume at the bar but after a few drinks it goes up and I have my amazing 60db ear plugs. I also noticed caffeine spikes it and when I'm working out it spikes and during sex it spikes. I also noticed that playing nothing at night helps calm it down to a very low hum for the next day. I for sure am still new to tinntius and I'm still trying to learn how to over come it but I firmly believe it can be over come with time and understanding. I enjoyed reading your posts Dr. Stephen Nagler because when I'm doing hot yoga mine spikes just in my right ear only and I'm more wondering what causes it to spike just in the right. The same with sex it spikes during in my right ear and then after my ears feel blocked and I can't walk right and this never happened to me before my T. So I'm wondering if anyone else has those problems anything that altars my state of mind for sure altars my T, weed makes it worse shrooms makes it better but this is just me I am in no way saying anyone else try this!

Do you have sound sensitivity at all? Mine seems to react more so in my right ear as well..The "hiss" which is my worse ear and ear H and T began.

 

[Markku]

I have my amazing 60db ear plugs

Which earplug brand is that? I've never heard of plugs that attenuate 60dB.

 

[Knightofknots]

@Street Spirit if it's sound both spike up a little but go back down when I remove myself from the noise. Anything with a a lot of physical activity for more than a hour and it spikes in my right ear for sure. Anything spicy for sure spikes it as well anything that seems to stimulate my brain does different stuff to my T. Rather neat sometimes. There was a few times when I did very intense heavy breathing and it caused it to lower.

@Markku I got mine shaped to mine shaped to my ear and they told me it drops everything down to around 60dB I can double check because I could be wrong but they for sure make I easy being in bars and around heavy machinery.

 

[Telis]

Choose instead to help serve Thanksgiving dinner in a battered women's shelter. Use a ton of ear protection and put up with the auditory consequences. It won't kill you. Get off the speakerphone, and make a difference in the life of a real live person. Stop playing the role of the victim.

I don't think @Zimichael is playing the victim just because he has certain limitations and is concerned about his future well being. Give the guy a break...he's doing what he thinks is right for his health, he helps in whatever way he can....even if that is on the speaker phone...whatever, help is help. Just because he is not down at the woman's shelter doesn't mean he isn't helping people or that's he's playing the victim or whatever nonsense that was said.

He is in a rough spot, but still manages to help out here at TT in many ways. His tinnitus knowledge as far as I'm concerned is second to none and his emotional support for many here is irreplaceable, maybe you would know this if you didn't ignore his posts. He is one of the first people that reached out and tried to help me. I give this guy a HUGE amount of credit in the situation that he is in.

I don't want to re-spark anything here but I think this needed to be said.

Telis

 

[dan]

Choose instead to help serve Thanksgiving dinner in a battered women's shelter. Use a ton of ear protection and put up with the auditory consequences. It won't kill you. Get off the speakerphone, and make a difference in the life of a real live person. Stop playing the role of the victim.

Just a thought.

stephen nagler

Put up with the auditory consequences ?

@Zimichael, you're a great loving and caring person with tons of charisma.
Unfortunately it bothers some people and they want to ruin you and feed off your suffering. Don't fall for the bait.

 

[Dr. Nagler]

I don't think @Zimichael is playing the victim just because he has certain limitations and is concerned about his future well being. Give the guy a break...

I'll stand by my Post #56 - especially the "Just a thought!" part.

Seems to me that if a fellow can spend all day long on a speaker phone. then he oughta be able to drive a two-hour shift for Meals on Wheels or some such thing and begin to build a résumé of success for himself while making a difference in the life of a flesh and blood human being whom he can actually look in the eye.

Or maybe not.

It's just a thought!

I recently posted the following:

"I cannot creep into anybody's head and hear what he or she hears. I cannot become one with anybody's soul and feel what he or she feels. The only thing I can do is talk in generalities and make statements based upon my own knowledge and experience."​

So if what I am saying doesn't apply to the man, then it doesn't apply. Shoot me! Maybe it'll apply to the next guy (or gal) with "reactive" tinnitus.

Just a thought!

Dr. Stephen Nagler

 

[kmohoruk]

I'll stand by my Post #56 - especially the "Just a thought!" part.

Seems to me that if a fellow can spend all day long on a speaker phone. then he oughta be able to drive a two-hour shift for Meals on Wheels or some such thing and begin to build a résumé of success for himself while making a difference in the life of a flesh and blood human being whom he can actually look in the eye.

Or maybe not.

It's just a thought!

I recently posted the following:

"I cannot creep into anybody's head and hear what he or she hears. I cannot become one with anybody's soul and feel what he or she feels. The only thing I can do is talk in generalities and make statements based upon my own knowledge and experience."​

So if what I am saying doesn't apply to the man, then it doesn't apply. Shoot me! Maybe it'll apply to the next guy (or gal) with "reactive" tinnitus.

Just a thought!

Dr. Stephen Nagler

Wow....just wow. I am glad to hear that he is doing much better. While my H is still very mild (hopefully it stays like that or goes away) and my T is about more mild/moderate. This gives me a lot of hope, desire and drive to commit and give TRT the best go that I can give it.

I remember hearing this story before posted somewhere else, but this really re-enforces that when TRT is done properly, that it can lead to great success, allowing the patient to hopefully return to a more normal life. I hope and aim for my result to be the same. Thank you @Dr. Nagler

 

[Mark McDill]

p.s. I dont want to misinform people by saying one sentence answers. So just to make things clear, the experienced TRT clinician will make the decision about the reactivity of your tinnitus.
Dr.Nagler says clearly, that if the tinnitus return to baseline within 24 hours, then chances are in your favor. I would however say much less than 24 hours (that's pushing it, imo)
If the tinnitus does not return to baseline after 24hrs, then white noise gens are contraindicated.
Feel free to correct me @Dr.Nagler.

dan
I'm having difficulty determining if I have reactive T or not. I know that if my T is roaring and I have lunch in a noisy burger joint then my T really revs up (but it will go back down to a simple roar about 10-15 minutes after I leave). However, while in the noisy burger joint I can crank up my white noise generators and mask it (and it won't peak through). Maybe there are different levels of reactive T.

Mark

 

[dan]

dan
I'm having difficulty determining if I have reactive T or not. I know that if my T is roaring and I have lunch in a noisy burger joint then my T really revs up (but it will go back down to a simple roar about 10-15 minutes after I leave). However, while in the noisy burger joint I can crank up my white noise generators and mask it (and it won't peak through). Maybe there are different levels of reactive T.

Mark

Yes, there are certainly different levels and types, but yeah you do seem to have a form of it, by definition, reactive tinnitus reacts to noise and yours obviously does to some extent.

 

[Telis]

dan
I'm having difficulty determining if I have reactive T or not. I know that if my T is roaring and I have lunch in a noisy burger joint then my T really revs up (but it will go back down to a simple roar about 10-15 minutes after I leave). However, while in the noisy burger joint I can crank up my white noise generators and mask it (and it won't peak through). Maybe there are different levels of reactive T.

Mark

Hi mark, How often do you wear your in ear noise generators? They help obviously?

 

[Dr. Nagler]

@kmohoruk posted:

"Wow....just wow. I am glad to hear that he is doing much better. While my H is still very mild (hopefully it stays like that or goes away) and my T is about more mild/moderate. This gives me a lot of hope, desire and drive to commit and give TRT the best go that I can give it."

"I remember hearing this story before posted somewhere else, but this really re-enforces that when TRT is done properly, that it can lead to great success, allowing the patient to hopefully return to a more normal life. I hope and aim for my result to be the same. Thank you Dr. Nagler."

..................

I feel I need to make a clarification here. While I am an unapologetic proponent of TRT (done properly, as you carefully note), TRT is not the only way to achieve this type of result.

The key - as I see it - is Strategy, Determination, Flexibility, and Insight. TRT is but one of a number of effective strategies.

Dr. Stephen Nagler

 

[kmohoruk]

That's a very good point (and a very important one!) to make. Thank you for clarifying @Dr. Nagler

 

[NiNyu]

Oh..I should also add when my H is better, my reactive T is gone..so I suppose the problem lies in the fact that not enough is known regarding hyperacusis...

Isn't that the same? H = reactive T.

Problem with my T is it fluctuates everyday, depending on noise exposure. I am not sure how to habituate to that.

Same here. In addition, my T is always in the foreground. It basically competes with every other sound in the high-frequencies (the shower, doing the dishes, plastic or paper bags, traffic etc). The longer my right ear (heathly one) is exposed to such sounds the longer my T stays cranked up on full volume.

 

[NiNyu]

The same with sex it spikes during in my right ear and then after my ears feel blocked and I can't walk right..

I'd say, stop the sex immediately. On the other hand, be grateful you don't fall in a pseudocoma like me.

 

[linearb]

I'd say, stop the sex immediately. On the other hand, be grateful you don't fall in a pseudocoma like me.

Have you had this medically evaluated? If you literally can't move or talk after sex, that sounds like a neurological issue, which would make me wonder if it's somehow connected to your T :-/

 

[Steve]

Isn't that the same? H = reactive T.

No it isn't.

Hyperacusis is an over-amplification of external sounds, when something sounds unbearably loud, distorted even, and you are the only one noticing it.

Reactive tinnitus is the volume of your tinnitus rising up in certain noisy situations, battling with the noise to be higher, then usually staying high for a time afterwards.

 

[NiNyu]

@Steve, I see. Thank you for clarifying the terms.
So it seems I have both then. My T does react to other sounds and certain sounds do hurt.

@linearb, trust me if you did what I do you would be unable to move or talk.^^

 

[Steve]

@Steve, I see. Thank you for clarifying the terms.
So it seems I have both then. My T does react to other sounds and certain sounds do hurt.

@linearb, trust me if you did what I do you would be unable to move or talk.^^

There are other terms but no point getting into the details, the main thing is that you hear a sound and it hurts or feels stupidly loud.

I had a period nearly 2 years ago of bad hyperacusis, my partners voice actually hurt my right ear. I had to ask her to talk softer (sometimes not at all) and keep away from that side. It fades though, even if you don't actively treat it. You can try using noise (pink is the usual), just have a music player rather than the overpriced generators. i have all sorts of noise if you want a high quality file to use.

You are pretty new to all this. I got both when I got mine, no walk in the park but it's beatable and you are in such an early stage that statistically you have a 98% chance of just forgetting about us all here and getting on with life (1%-2% have it where it has an effect on their lives, the group that makes up the vast majority of TT).

 

[NiNyu]

you are in such an early stage that statistically you have a 98% chance of just forgetting about us all here and getting on with life (1%-2% have it where it has an effect on their lives, the group that makes up the vast majority of TT).

I wish I was one of the 98% (well, not forgetting you all; never will!), but it looks bad. My case looks very bad. It's very likely a damage to the cochlea (rupture of the oval or round window of the cochlea = leakage of perilymph liquid). Worse, I wasn't given crucial information about this condition. Because if that's the case there are only two options, an emergency operation or staying totally put (lying in bed head higher than heart ~ 30° and move as lil as possible till the micro rupture healed itself for at least two weeks). Instead, I was pacing about like a crazy person all the time, day and night. I have been completely deaf on my left ear for ~10 days. Hearing came slowly back but I lost plenty of high-freq.

 

[linearb]

I have been completely deaf on my left ear for ~10 days. Hearing came slowly back but I lost plenty of high-freq.

One thing to keep in mind is that nerve injuries take something along the lines of 5-7 years to heal. What's been done at this point, may have been done, but there is no reason to assume things will not improve over time in several directions -- and there are many reasons to assume that whatever happens, things will not stay the same. Plasticity is unavoidable, the brain changes and reorganizes itself every moment.

 

[Steve]

Agree totally with @linearb

@NiNyu And to add, last year I lost virtually all of my hearing in one ear due to an infection (how my tinnitus first started in 2003). It still hasn't fully returned, I can sense a dullness in my hearing even now, but after being horrific for a month or so the tinnitus went down gradually and I'm back to where I was.

These thing do heal, it takes time and you may not even begin to be able to see it now, but they do.

 

[martin12]

Is reactive tinnitus a term for hypercusis without ear pain?

my tinnitus flares up when i turn on white noise or the television.

 

[amandine]

@NiNyu
I wonder how stress has an impact on t sound and volume.
I have plenty an abundance of stess so that could be the reason my t is so damned loud.
However I was wondering if NiNyu who is understandably stressed out with all this and that may in turn be having an impact on his T and reactivity to noise. Not saying it is but maybe it is....can anyone explain how stress and emotional stress has an impact if it does?
thanks

 

[Markku]

Is reactive tinnitus a term for hypercusis without ear pain?

my tinnitus flares up when i turn on white noise or the television.

@Steve explained it here, a few posts before yours:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/reactive-tinnitus-is-real.6962/page-3#post-99104

 

[NiNyu]

One thing to keep in mind is that nerve injuries take something along the lines of 5-7 years to heal.

things will not stay the same.

Or they won't heal at all. Don't get me wrong @linearb , I appreciate your optimism but something is very wrong with my left ear.

The thing is this, my left ear (injured) makes a strange droning noise whenever I burp, hiccup or when I have a foam earplug inside it and tap against my jaw (right under the ear). Instead of an earplug a finger works as well. Whereas my right ear does NOT make any sound. Thus it seems something is damaged inside my left ear. And that scares me! Why would there be a mechanical sound in one ear but not in the other? And it seems no one here has something similar to my condition.

 

[linearb]

I have significant structural issues on the left side of my jaw; the bone dislocates easily, and about twice a year something really strange and new happens. For instance when I was in florida last spring, I started to notice that whenever I would swallow I would hear an alarming series of clicks and beeps on the left side only. This persisted for longer than seemed reasonable before settling down.