Significant Tinnitus Change: A 3 kHz Sound Joined My Previous 13 kHz Sound

[Jacks]

I have experienced tinnitus for a decade. My doctor is unsure of the cause. I normally experience a very high pitched sound at 13 kHz, mostly on my left side. It can appear for months before fading out of consciousness. I can hear it now and it's quite annoying.

However, three weeks ago, I began experiencing a much lower yet still high pitched sound that appears every few minutes on both sides, worse on the right. The sound is at about 3 kHz. It is not the "fleeting tinnitus" sensation. It is instead a constant lower volume that spikes every few minutes in both ears. I have tried Prednisone with no luck.

Does anyone know what is going on?

I do not listen to music with earbuds or attend concerts. I passed a hearing test with no loss in the conversation frequencies, yet a 15 dB loss starting around 12 kHz. The audiologist thought this was normal. I am 40.

Please help. I don't know how I can live and function with these new changes that I hear everywhere. Thank you.

 

[billie48]

Please help. I don't know how I can live and function with these new changes that I hear everywhere. Thank you.

Welcome to the forum. It seems your tinnitus is similar to mine now. I have a ultra high pitch tinnitus in the right ear. Then 4 weeks ago my left ear just went deaf in a sudden hearing loss episode. But even though it can't hear it gives a continuous low humming sound with roaring or rumbling pattern. So now I have a bass and a soprano in my head 24/7. This may seem too hard to bear for new sufferer of 2 or more tones, something called multi-tonal tinnitus. But it is quite common and many members have 2 or more tones going all the time. At first many people freak out but later people just learn to accept it and move on. One famous comedian David Letterman had openly admitted that he has 2 toned tinnitus in a talk show with William Shater (Star Trek Captain Kirk who has a bad tinnitus too) and Letterman seems to be at ease with his 2-toned tinnitus. This was a 1996 show. Letterman retired about 5 years or so ago. It seems his 2-tone tinnitus hasn't prevented him enjoying his show and his retirement.

Perhaps try to remain positive that over time your tinnitus either fades or you will habituate to the new ringing pattern just like many others do. Good luck. God bless.

 

[Jacks]

Thank you Billie.

My audiologist referred me for CBT. Do you think this is worth my while?

I am obviously not doing well. Have had plenty of crying fits since this started and am struggling to get it off my mind. Have no idea how this new tone appeared, and that it's not it's fluctuating between sides / volume so regularly is knocking me off my feet. Do these new in and out noises usually disappear / go back to baseline? I know it hasn't even been a full month yet.

I will say that the only time I do not notice it is when I am exercising. I don't know what to make of that.

 

[Ava Lugo]

Welcome to the forum. It seems your tinnitus is similar to mine now. I have a ultra high pitch tinnitus in the right ear. Then 4 weeks ago my left ear just went deaf in a sudden hearing loss episode. But even though it can't hear it gives a continuous low humming sound with roaring or rumbling pattern. So now I have a bass and a soprano in my head 24/7. This may seem too hard to bear for new sufferer of 2 or more tones, something called multi-tonal tinnitus. But it is quite common and many members have 2 or more tones going all the time. At first many people freak out but later people just learn to accept it and move on. One famous comedian David Letterman had openly admitted that he has 2 toned tinnitus in a talk show with William Shater (Star Trek Captain Kirk who has a bad tinnitus too) and Letterman seems to be at ease with his 2-toned tinnitus. This was a 1996 show. Letterman retired about 5 years or so ago. It seems his 2-tone tinnitus hasn't prevented him enjoying his show and his retirement.

Perhaps try to remain positive that over time your tinnitus either fades or you will habituate to the new ringing pattern just like many others do. Good luck. God bless.

I have had reactive tinnitus for over a year. I hear it everywhere and I don't have to look for it to hear it, plus I got multiple reactive sounds that I hear everywhere.

I haven't been able to habituate yet.

 

[kingsfan]

I have a 4 kHz sound in my left ear along with the really high pitch static in both ears. I understand your despair. The lower 4 kHz tone is absolutely the most disgusting sound I've ever heard in my life. Mine is there 24/7. Always loud. Sometimes so loud I almost feel nauseous.

 

[Plat87]

I've just recently noticed a high pitched hissing/static sound that comes and goes probably around 8 kHz on top of the regular constant "eeeeeeeee" sound which sucks because I was just about getting used to the normal ear ringing.

Hopefully it subsides.

 

[Plat87]

Welcome to the forum. It seems your tinnitus is similar to mine now. I have a ultra high pitch tinnitus in the right ear. Then 4 weeks ago my left ear just went deaf in a sudden hearing loss episode. But even though it can't hear it gives a continuous low humming sound with roaring or rumbling pattern. So now I have a bass and a soprano in my head 24/7. This may seem too hard to bear for new sufferer of 2 or more tones, something called multi-tonal tinnitus. But it is quite common and many members have 2 or more tones going all the time. At first many people freak out but later people just learn to accept it and move on. One famous comedian David Letterman had openly admitted that he has 2 toned tinnitus in a talk show with William Shater (Star Trek Captain Kirk who has a bad tinnitus too) and Letterman seems to be at ease with his 2-toned tinnitus. This was a 1996 show. Letterman retired about 5 years or so ago. It seems his 2-tone tinnitus hasn't prevented him enjoying his show and his retirement.

Perhaps try to remain positive that over time your tinnitus either fades or you will habituate to the new ringing pattern just like many others do. Good luck. God bless.

Thank you for this uplifting post and yeah I totally agree, whether it's one tone, two tones, three tones... our brains will eventually adjust to it.

 

[billie48]

Thank you Billie.

My audiologist referred me for CBT. Do you think this is worth my while?

I am obviously not doing well. Have had plenty of crying fits since this started and am struggling to get it off my mind. Have no idea how this new tone appeared, and that it's not it's fluctuating between sides / volume so regularly is knocking me off my feet. Do these new in and out noises usually disappear / go back to baseline? I know it hasn't even been a full month yet.

I will say that the only time I do not notice it is when I am exercising. I don't know what to make of that.

CBT is a great technique to challenge one's thinking or perception of tinnitus. It teaches you the concept of cognitive distortions which are bad for our mental health. Distortions such as 'All or Nothing Thinking' needs to be challenged so that we will be able to compromise to accept different slices or aspects or sensations in life. Another distortion is 'Catastrophic Thinking' which tends to project about our future under tinnitus and make us feel miserable or anxious. I didn't take a formal CBT but I did do self-help CBT with books and YouTube tutorials. I know of an admin on another forum who told people that he cried for 2 years when he was hit with multi-tonal tinnitus until he took up CBT treatment and began to turn around his suffering. So if you can afford that treatment, go for it. You can do self help like me too. Take care. God bless.