the day it got louder. But the volume on them was low, Maybe that caused a spike?
@Abe Many people think using headphones and keeping the volume low will not make the tinnitus worse. However, I have counselled a lot of people whose tinnitus has spiked due to listening to headphones at low volume. It is true, not everyone will be affected by using headphones at low volume when they have tinnitus. But I wonder why would anyone want to take such a risk, knowing how distressing tinnitus can be. The post below is also in my article:
Tinnitus, A Personal View, but I will paste it here for convenience. I still advise you to read my article in full when you are able to.
I wish you well
Michael
Headphones and Tinnitus
The views on whether a person with tinnitus should listen to music through headphones are controversial. Some people show no adverse affects while others do even when the volume level is kept low.
As I have already mentioned we are all different so the only way a one can know is to experiment for themselves if they want to. In my opinion, when the tinnitus was caused by exposure to loud noise/music and it has become intrusive - by this I mean a person having to seek help at ENT, then they shouldn't listen to music through headphones no matter how low the volume is set.
Most music has syncopation throughout its frequency range, so it's constantly changing in pitch, rhythm and timbre. The beat of the music and volume can also change while listening. This evokes pleasure and can stir our emotions. This happens whether we listen to music loud or soft, although certain types of music does sound better played at a higher volume than others, and vice versa.
Once the Cochlea in the inner has been affected by noise exposure, it is much more sensitive to sound. This is one of the reasons hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound) is often experienced with noise-induced tinnitus. The wearing of WNGs (white noise generators) as part of TRT treatment can often cure the condition. I will be covering Hyperacusis and Habituation in more detail later on.
The organ of the Corti, which is attached to the cochlea, has approximately 20,000 hair
cells. These hair cells move to the vibration of sound and are just one of the components in the auditory system that enable us to hear. Someone that already has a sensitive auditory system due to noise-induced tinnitus and listens to music through headphones at a low volume, risks irritating the Cochlea further; this can make the tinnitus louder and more intrusive.
In my opinion, it can be misleading when some health professionals tell tinnitus patients, listening to music through headphones is fine as long as long as the volume is kept low. These health professionals mean well and know a lot about the anatomy of the ear and therefore, it is not my intention to try and undermine their abilities or expertise. However, It must be said, that many of them have never experienced intrusive tinnitus. This leads me to say, one of my ENT consultant's who is an Audiovestubular physician, and someone that I have a lot of respect for, once told me that I know more about tinnitus than her. She explained because of never experiencing tinnitus.
I have spoken to many people and corresponded with them by email and at Internet forums, complaining their tinnitus has become worse because after listening to music through headphones even though the volume was kept low.
My advice to anyone that has tinnitus that was caused by exposure to loud noise is not to listen to music through headphones, as the auditory system is more sensitive. However the choice is entirely up to them.
Michael