Spiking with New Noise / Hyperacusis Return

[makethemgold]

Didn't think I'd be back on here since I thought I was finally over this junk, but here goes --

First came down with tinnitus out of the blue in 2011. I'll attribute it to a lifetime of playing music, going to shows (albeit with earplugs), and, well, the onset happened after two ear infections. Came with hyperacusis (not only noise sensitivity, always worse in my right ear, along with an intermittent electric zapping kind of noise in my right ear. The constant ringing has been and remains super high pitched (16khz?). I was at my worst; not sleeping, not wanting to go to work, totally shut down. Finally, after about 6 months, I slowly got back to normal. The electric zapping sound actually went away. I was actually feeling totally habituated. Basically, I hardly noticed the ringing at all.

Fast forward to exactly a month ago. I woke up one morning, pain in my right ear, hyperacusis back, and the electric zapping back, and it seems worse than ever. I have no idea what could've triggered it (though I did attend a sporting event and an outdoor concert without earplugs - which is incredibly rare, and it truthfully wasn't that loud; I'm the first to notice when something is unbearably loud - a couple of weeks prior, but I really doubt either did it). In addition, it always feels like there's some fullness in my right ear; like when I talk, I don't hear myself in my right ear as well as I can in my left (if that makes any sense). Regardless, concentrating is awful; sleeping is abysmal. I'm back in a state of depression, but there's not a whole lot I can do because I still have to get up and go to work and all that jazz. I'm just mortified that something happened. There have been a couple of days where the electric zapping kind of noise hasn't been as bad (yesterday into last night being one), but it seems to come back with a vengeance. I still can hear across all frequencies just fine (my first time around came with no hearing loss).

Anyone care to guess what's going on? Obviously I'm freaking out that this is permanent, and doing the whole "how'm I going to live my life with this" song and dance all over again. I'm mostly mortified of the insane electric zapping kind of noise that's really intermittent and very difficult to tune out, the sudden return of hyperacusis, and the weird slight fullness feeling -- not like a congested fullness, but that something just feels awkward in the right ear kind of fullness.

Any support would be appreciated. Again, trying to keep my emotions in check. I can't believe I'm back on here; thought this thing was over.

 

[Weswhat]

Hey! Your story is very similar to mine. I had very low tinnitus for 3 years until September 7th I woke up with my right in crazy pain followed by intense rnging, and hyperacusis. Went to an ENT and had many tests done. Everything came back normal, she then told me about TMJ disorder. So I went to a dentist who is trained in TMJ and am now starting treatment.

Your jaw crack or pop often?
Your jaw joint is located right next to your ear. Any sudden misalignment can cause the ear havoc.

My ear pain and hyperacusis are gone. Ringing is back down but still a little higher than it was previously (hoping I still recover 100%)
May or may not be your jaw. But just thought Id give you my experience.

 

[erik]

What you both speak of is not that unusual. The good news is that it usually settles again within time. There may have been something that caused this temporary setback but it should correct itself.

 

[makethemgold]

Thanks guys. I think a trip to the ENT might be worthwhile, albeit last time I went down this road I just got lots of "sorry sir, not much we can do about it lulz" kinds of looks.

This morning, it was particularly strange while in a meeting, something inside my right ear just kept feeling like it was vibrating. Went on for a good minute or two, then stopped. Haven't had that sensation in a long time. Additionally, the ringing was pretty bad when I woke up; not *as* bad in the past hour, but I imagine it'll come back with a vengeance soon enough. The vibration feeling is still there, as is the sensitivity. Maybe there's something legitimately going on in there that can be fixed. Bleh. I realize it's been a month since the latest sensations, so I'm hoping it can still fade, subside, whatever. It certainly stinks.

 

[noisebox]

Not much help to you but I too was totally habituated, had T and mild H since 2012. In fact most days I never heard it. Ihad no noise trauma, but in my case medical blunders let's say. Now T back and much worse H.
I think your outdoor events probably did it, brought the H back albeit slowly. Maybe H never really goes totally.
I realise now just his vulnerable we are once we have had this problem. Hopefully if the event was dreadfully loud you may recover faster this time.

 

[Blackbird26]

I am just like all of you...back and worse. .it really sucks big time!!! However I do have TMJD. Perhaps I should look at treating it with a splint at this point.@Weswhat what type treatment are you undergoing?

 

[makethemgold]

I decided, why not at least rule out an ear infection. I'm getting checked out tomorrow to see if the doc can find anything more going on. It's weird; was awful this morning, but it's been relatively calm the past few hours. Bleh.

 

[makethemgold]

Welp, no ear infection, but I'm being referred to an ENT. What was a little concerning is my blood pressure is pretty high. I'm in good shape, but I'm definitely not sleeping, super anxious, super stressed. Wonder if that can bring on a spike?

 

[makethemgold]

Have to admit that today has been a pretty bad day. I'm not sure if anyone else experiences this, but the killer right now is whenever I'm talking, there's an awkward sense of my right ear feeling plugged, like I can't hear myself as well in my right ear. This might be the "fullness" people talk about. I don't know. The new ringing / wooshing is still there. The fullness sensation is something that's really been plaguing me for the last couple of weeks, making it very hard to talk (nearly unbearable to talk at work, which is problematic). So basically, I have the new invasive ringing, the return of the hyperacusis, and now this fullness sensation in my right ear that feels like something is just blocked up in there, making something as simple as talking feel really, really strange.

 

[makethemgold]

Hey everyone. I could really use a little support here. The new noise hasn't gone down (to my knowledge); and it's to the point where it's really just driving me insane. This is the first weekend where I didn't leave the apartment, and I'm really starting to dread getting up to go to work. I haven't been through this since 2011, but this noise is just so dreadfully worse than what I went through then. Basically, I just broke down crying.

I saw an ENT that did the routine there's nothing they could do, that there was no hearing loss, and was just told to deal with it (again). How comforting. I don't understand this noise at all. It's not a pure tone high pitch. It's an intermittent scratching / squeal that I can't tie a khz to; or like an old school dial-up modem trying to connect. I learned to live with the super high pitch ringing I've had since 2011, but this intermittent scratching sound that's just forever changing in intensity and stopping and starting literally by the second is just driving me absolutely mad. I wish to dear god I could find something that sounds like it, or could find anyone that's experienced this, but it sounds like the majority of folks with T are dealing with a high pitched squeal, and not something like this.

Any advice anyone? The only time I've noticed it goes away is when I've come back from being out for awhile. I don't know if it's being masked by another noise or what, but once in silence, give it 15 minutes, and this sound returns.