Spontaneous Recovery Stats: Many Recover (3 Studies)

[Sonic17]

@Bill Bauer Thank you Bill, always so helpful.

 

[Bill Bauer]

@Bill Bauer Thank you Bill, always so helpful.

Your kind words mean a lot. Thank you.

 

[Paulmanlike]

Hhmmmmmm, according to an NHS source online that I read a while back, only 11% will spontaneously heal from tinnitus (complete silence) although the percentage for habituation was much higher?

 

[Bill Bauer]

Hhmmmmmm, according to an NHS source online that I read a while back, only 11% will spontaneously heal from tinnitus (complete silence) although the percentage for habituation was much higher?

Could you please provide a link to that paper? It would be interesting to see what group of people (i.e., age, the cause of their T, T duration before one was included into the study, etc.) the paper was looking at.

 

[Paulmanlike]

Could you please provide a link to that paper? It would be interesting to see what group of people (i.e., age, the cause of their T, T duration before one was included into the study, etc.) the paper was looking at.

I can't remember, it was online linked to an NHS page.

 

[cviechec]

Reading this topic, I would like to add the following link:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0194599814545325
It states in page 5; "Tinnitus may improve spontaneously. In 1 cohort study,
nearly 50% of patients with significant tinnitus (moderate severity, sleep problems, or both) improved after 5 years, with 43% of those improved reporting complete resolution and the
remaining 57% reporting only mild symptoms.26 In another study,27 82% of patients who reported tinnitus at baseline had
persistent tinnitus after 5 years, suggesting close to a 20% rate of
spontaneous improvement."

So there's hope for the newly onsets.. I registered specifically to post this, since myself, I am also struggling with my tinnitus.

That's hopeful information.

I wonder if this is only for noise induced, or all T.

I'm in the otoxic category

 

[Bill Bauer]

That's hopeful information.

I wonder if this is only for noise induced, or all T.

I'm in the otoxic category

Check out posts #36 and 37 on page 2 of this thread. (Oh, I see you quoted post #36.) Those posts are about seniors. My guess is that some of them had their T as a result of taking ototoxic medications. You would think that what happens with brain neurons must be similar in both acoustic trauma and ototoxic cases of T. It might be the brain eventually rewiring itself that cures or alleviates T, so hopefully these results can be used to predict the likely progress of T that is a result of a reaction to ototoxic medication...

 

[Dave Viger]

I think hope is the biggest salve. It's amazing how cold some can be in the medical profession. I'm 74, in otherwise good health. At first this was devastating. You heal from broker bones, fevers, most everything. The first thing I read was that to find out you have tinnitus was the worst news aside from a terminal illness like cancer. When I heard you can outgrow it, end up not being bothered by it, even hear it after habituation, and hopefully take things that will greatly reduce it, or eliminate it, it kept you from not wanting to jump off a cliff (would never do that to my wife and kids). I pray a lot because I have seen and heard of great medically unexplained miracles. What I wish is that there was a way of instantly reducing the sound when you seem to have these spikes in the hissing. I've played jazz piano in jazz combos at UNLV as a hobby and to help the jazz studies program. The thought of never being able to play again was a huge crusher, but I recently bought some rather expensive professional musician ear plugs that hopefully will work. So many hopeful and encouraging remarks on this site are so uplifting and help keep you going.

 

[Bill Bauer]

What I wish is that there was a way of instantly reducing the sound when you seem to have these spikes in the hissing.

Some people on this forum found that they get relief (i.e., their T temporarily fades) when they take benzos (e.g., Xanax, Valium). If you decide to experiment with this, try to minimize the number of times when you try this. You don't want to get addicted...

I've played jazz piano in jazz combos at UNLV as a hobby and to help the jazz studies program. The thought of never being able to play again was a huge crusher, but I recently bought some rather expensive professional musician ear plugs that hopefully will work.

I read posts by many people here reporting temporary or even permanent spikes after being exposed to moderate noise (i.e., loud pubs) while wearing hearing protection (e.g., ear plugs)(!) You might want to wait for a year or two after the onset of your T, to allow your ears to heal, before trying playing a musical instrument again. The first time you try it, you might want to do it only for 15 minutes or so. Wait a couple of days to see whether it has a negative impact, then try playing for longer next time.

 

[jocke]

@Bill Bauer Thank you so much for this post. A week ago i got T from a small firecracker and i at first i thougt i had ruined my life compleatley. But then i read around and saw a bunch of recovery stories and got happy. Today my T dissapeard compleatley for about 1 hour and then came back. When i saw your post i got much more hope to recover. i mean if a coupel of peapol could recover their queitness or how i should say i can proababley recover from this small bang compeard to that bomb.

Im sorry for not spelling all the words correctly since English is not my first language

 

[Bill Bauer]

Thank you for sharing that the information in this thread was helpful to you!

Today my T dissapeard compleatley for about 1 hour and then came back.

While I am sorry that it came back, the fact that it briefly went away (and that it happened only a week after the onset of T) is a Very encouraging sign. Hopefully these pauses will get longer and longer and soon you will be cured.

 

[jocke]

@Bill Bauer yes thank you. and i think so too

 

[GregCA]

Today my T dissapeard compleatley for about 1 hour and then came back.

This is a good sign. Keep your hearing protected from loud noises and you have a good chance at full recovery.

 

[jocke]

@GregCA Thank you. For every single person that tells me that I have a good chance to fully recover makes me more happy and makes it easier to deal with tinnitus. Thanks again. And I hope your tinnitus isn´t too bad and you also recover. No one deserves tinnitus.

 

[GregCA]

And i hope your T isn´t to bad and you also recover.

Thanks for the kind words, @jocke.

 

[John Meyers]

people who recover don't talk to the specialist. the only cases they see are long term cases. there are no legitimate studies to indicate long term prognosis - but seeming everyone I know that dealt with noise induced issues that actually calmed down and stopped wrecking their ears improved greatly.

a few cases:

- a friends father got it as a UK military chopper pilot - first year was horrid, slowly got better. still there, but totally habituated and its much much lower in volume
- friend of mine had it for ten years due to clubbing and metal shows. 4 years after he stopped going out its faded to where he can only hear it in a quiet room
- my physical therapist had it really bad for 8 months after a concert and its slowly improved since. 5 years later she gets it 1-2 days a month and its tolerable
- friend got it from shotgun with no earplugs. ears rang so bad he drank himself to sleep for 18 months. its been 4.5 years. he's mostly fine. gets a hiss 1-2 days a week that is "totally manageable". worked on garbage trucks the whole time with no earplugs.
- friend from an unrelated forum had H and T. H so bad he wore earplugs literally everywhere. 4 years later he runs a record label and just sold a song to SUBARU. He plays drums every day, his ringing comes only when he is very stressed out, tired, and alone.
- @I who love music post on MEGA T - while he didn't recover, he didn't stay in that severely worsened condition.

now a few famous people
- Neil Young couldn't be around electric guitars. released an acoustic album. Years later was on stage with pearl jam
- Jody Wisternoff still has from tinnitus but talks about the first months being so bad he could feel it vibrate his gums. This same symptoms comes and goes for me. In recent interviews he states "it's always there in quiet rooms". he plays at megaclubs and festivals
- Andy Timmons had horrible H. He now plays rock concerts

I think it's important to realize old injuries are never perfect - but in most cases there is an acute period that is much much worse, and most people here are in that phase. This isn't to diminish the long term sufferers. They do exist, and many are on this board. It's just important to keep perspective.

Protect your ears. stay healthy. passively hope for the best. it's all we can do.

Thank you Tom.

These stats are uplifting and will help some of us go on with our day without thinking too much of T.

My T is from one 2 hour concert so I am still hoping that it will subside someday. -- In the meantime, I am taking better care of myself, trying supplements, and staying busy..

 

[Casper]

My T is from one 2 hour concert so I am still hoping that it will subside someday. -- In the meantime, I am taking better care of myself, trying supplements, and staying busy..

Hi @John Meyers, I notice you have had T for almost two years. Have you noticed any improvement during that time? I'm just over seven months in and I've recently started having a few days where it where it will be unusually quiet at times. Unfortunately I still have a regular feeling of fullness in my ears, occasional ear pain, and an annoying reactive whistle that gets worse when I'm tired. Do or did you have any of these other symptoms too?

 

[Dave Viger]

Regarding waiting to play jazz again, I am 74, and in otherwise good health. These pro musician ear plugs are $260. I can't wait that long to do what I love. I tried it Sunday, and these plugs are form fitted, and you can hear with perfect pitch, and it didn't reach the damage level of db. At home I can wear no or very light plugs and it's not bad. The ones I got are from "Westone"

 

[GregCA]

Regarding waiting to play jazz again, I am 74, and in otherwise good health. These pro musician ear plugs are $260. I can't wait that long to do what I love. I tried it Sunday, and these plugs are form fitted, and you can hear with perfect pitch, and it didn't reach the damage level of db. At home I can wear no or very light plugs and it's not bad.

Which ones did you get?

 

[Dave Viger]

Anyone have success taking Magnesium pills? Read about one on this site who enjoyed tremendous improvement!

 

[Dave Viger]

Westone is the ear plug brand. They fit them to each ear by making a mold first, then they are individually made and formed after your mold of each ear!

 

[Jake007]

Anyone have success taking Magnesium pills? Read about one on this site who enjoyed tremendous improvement!

Only one way to find out, give them a go and see what happens my friend.

 

[John Meyers]

Hi @John Meyers, I notice you have had T for almost two years. Have you noticed any improvement during that time? I'm just over seven months in and I've recently started having a few days where it where it will be unusually quiet at times. Unfortunately I still have a regular feeling of fullness in my ears, occasional ear pain, and an annoying reactive whistle that gets worse when I'm tired. Do or did you have any of these other symptoms too?

Hello Casper,

Mine is a consistent dentist drill in my right ear.

I was doing pretty good until 6 months ago when I was not eating healthy and working out like I should.

More recently, I spike it by going to a loud outdoor fest and not using an ear plug.

On a brighter note, I do read the success stories and a few had noise induced suffers like us who fully recovered after about 3 years. -- Seems like a long time but I can't believe it's been almost 2 years already.

I still kick myself everyday since what I did was so avoidable and I was being a careless drunk.

Starting last weee, I am also taking Magnesium, Zink and Ginko everyday which seems to help.

That is actually a good sign if yours fluctuates. I don't have any of those symptoms. How is your hearing?

 

[Casper]

More recently, I spike it by going to a loud outdoor fest and not using an ear plug.

I hope your spike went down again? I don't think I'll ever go to a live music event again.

On a brighter note, I do read the success stories and a few had noise induced suffers like us who fully recovered after about 3 years. -- Seems like a long time but I can't believe it's been almost 2 years already.

Yes, I haven't yet given up hope that it may still go away completely. I've even come across a case where it went away after four years.

I still kick myself everyday since what I did was so avoidable and I was being a careless drunk.

Same here, except I was driving and thus sober. The music was uncomfortably loud and I wanted to leave, but decided to stay because my friend really wanted to see the last band. I'll probably regret that decision for the rest of my life.

Starting last weee, I am also taking Magnesium, Zink and Ginko everyday which seems to help.

That is actually a good sign if yours fluctuates. I don't have any of those symptoms. How is your hearing?

I took a hearing test (up to 8kHz) one month after the noise exposure, and it only showed one or two dips of 10dB and 20dB in the very low frequencies. The ENT told me that anything below 25dB is not indicative of hearing loss, and described my hearing as "acute". Even if my hearing is fine, there's no doubt in my mind that I did very severe damage to my hearing, given that I still experience pain for no apparent reason seven months after the exposure. I'm going back for my six-month follow-up in a few weeks, when I'll probably take another hearing test. Do you have any measurable hearing loss?

 

[Paulmanlike]

Starting last weee, I am also taking Magnesium, Zink and Ginko everyday which seems to help

Seems to help in what John?

 

[Christokp]

@John Meyers @Casper do you all think it's possible for the T to go away even if you have hearing loss? My hearing is between 0-10 db all the way up to 8hz. However I've never been tested above that hz. I'm certain my hearing would fall below 10 db if it were tested at a higher range.

 

[Casper]

@John Meyers @Casper do you all think it's possible for the T to go away even if you have hearing loss? My hearing is between 0-10 db all the way up to 8hz. However I've never been tested above that hz. I'm certain my hearing would fall below 10 db if it were tested at a higher range.

Hey @Christokp, if your audiogram shows no hearing loss greater than 10dB from 250Hz to 8kHz, then I think most ENTs would argue that your hearing is perfect in that range. Everyone loses hearing as they age, but typically age-related hearing loss starts in the higher frequencies (above 8kHz), because the hair cells responding to these frequencies are closer to the opening of the cochlea. There are several hearing tests online where you can listen to sounds up to 20kHz, but you'll probably need a speaker of higher quality than the built-in one in your phone or computer. Do you know the frequency of your T?

 

[Christokp]

@ Casper my T is right about 9hz.

 

[Casper]

@ Casper my T is right about 9hz.

Hey @Christokp, I'm assuming you mean 9kHz, because I don't think humans can hear as low as 9Hz (the generally accepted range is 20Hz - 20kHz). I've seen people mention that the frequency of your T often matches the frequency of your hearing loss, so it's possible that your hearing loss is at 9kHz (which would not show up on a standard audiogram).

Have you tried playing a pure tone and slowly increasing the frequency from about 8kHz to 10kHz? You may notice a particular frequency where you struggle to hear the tone. You can use this app: https://www.audionotch.com/app/tune-wf/ Be advised, however, that my T often increases in volume for a few minutes after listening to pure tones like these, so I don't like to do it often.

 

[John Meyers]

@John Meyers @Casper do you all think it's possible for the T to go away even if you have hearing loss? My hearing is between 0-10 db all the way up to 8hz. However I've never been tested above that hz. I'm certain my hearing would fall below 10 db if it were tested at a higher range.

I'm not sure since I never researched T's affiliation with hearing loss.

I would listen to Casper since it sounds like he knows what he is talking about. (puns not intended