Starting to Feel as Though It Won't Go Away

[MonstercatMusic]

So I've had tinnitus for about 4.5 months now as the result of an ear infection. My reaction was probably the opposite of most people here. When I first heard the noise I remained calm and assumed it would go away with the infection. The infection cleared a long time ago so I'm beginning to lose it a little and start panicking in the way most people do when they first hear it.

I'd like to know some opinions on a few things.

I have been exposed to short periods of loud noise since my T (involuntary):
- Dick head road works worker knocking over a heavy metal and wood scaffolding structure (one that uses structural beams, not the thin scaffolding pipe). He had no hearing protection and didn't seem startled by it, was 5m away from me and it felt like it could have been 100db.
- Loud truck passing less than 1m from the sidewalk
- Very heavy book smacking off a desk less than 1m away

Some of these events has made my ears feel crunchy or squelch. (I can also make that happen by clicking my jaw muscles sometimes). However there was no pain experienced after the noises. What are the odds that such incidents could mess will recovery, or worse count as hearing trauma.

Secondly I've been disregarding advice to not use earphones to some degree.
I still use them, but rather than for 3hrs every day, its now for 5hrs a week and sometimes not at all for a month. I have been having the volume at a moderate level (slightly higher than before T) because every time I hear my T over my music / movies I get pissed off that it's ruining every corner of my life. I will reduce my use further but I hope it hasn't
Screwed with my chances.

I still think there is something up with my ears that is causing it. Something that can be medically treated or helped in some way. After all it wasn't induced by loud noises and my ears have never felt fully clear of pressure problems / mucus since.

Rant part:
Times ticking on and it hasn't reduced in volume at all. It reduced in volume over the first few weeks but it's been stuck since.
I previously could deal with it because there was hope as it was the early days.

I see all these happy New year fireworks posts and what song was your last of 2017 posts. All I can think about when I see these is how much it would probably make my ears uncomfortable. I see posts about concerts and think how I wouldn't have any fun. And this shit has literally ruined my love of music.
I have been relatively careful with music volume and protecting my hearing compared to most people I know before I got T. And despite that I still have T.
I feel I have been robbed of my hearing when others disregard the safety of theirs and get off scott free.

 

[Bill Bauer]

At least your T hasn't spiked after those noise incidents. The fact that you didn't have a full ear sensation after those incidents is also good.

Try not using headphones, and wearing earplugs when you are in an environment where you could be exposed to noise. Try to stay away from even moderate noise (e.g., vacuum cleaner). Aside from taking supplements, there is not much else you can do (besides trying to ignore the sound).

 

[GregCA]

What are the odds that such incidents could mess will recovery, or worse count as hearing trauma.

Pretty small odds in my opinion.

I have been having the volume at a moderate level (slightly higher than before T)

Well it seems you've moved the dial in the aggravating direction: if anything, it seems like you'd want to take it easy on the volume and avoid loud sounds, earphones or not.

I still think there is something up with my ears that is causing it. Something that can be medically treated or helped in some way. After all it wasn't induced by loud noises and my ears have never felt fully clear of pressure problems / mucus since.

What steps have you taken to diagnose your hearing problems?

I have been relatively careful with music volume and protecting my hearing compared to most people I know before I got T. And despite that I still have T.
I feel I have been robbed of my hearing when others disregard the safety of theirs and get off scott free.

That's one important lesson of life: life isn't fair.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Pretty small odds in my opinion.

I disagree.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

It's wise to use blocking headphones when using a blender, vacuum or to block loud noise from other sources, but there's are time limits for many. I must maintain good posture without head bending so that I don't get a physical somatic reaction, a spike. The brain, not the ears need to her sounds. By using headphones for an continuous extended period of time, the brain realizes that you have trapped (blocked) your tinnitus sounds. Along with the brain only hearing those sounds, this could slow down any recovery and even make your brain more sensitive to sound.

 

[MonstercatMusic]

I disagree.

I get that it probably would interfere with recovery. But permanent hearing loss??

I'e noticed that some quiet diolog on tv or very fast speaking can be a struggle to process and pick up properly. I hear the sounds but don't process what it meant.

Also very windy days and fast swaying trees (right next to house) seem to dominate whatever I'm watching on tv. Background noise seems to intrude more easily than it did before T. However I only watch tv at moderate/low volume.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I get that it probably would interfere with recovery. But permanent hearing loss??

I was talking about interference with recovery.

 

[MonstercatMusic]

I was talking about interference with recovery.

What's your opinion on my struggle with background noise and tv dialog from time to time.

 

[Bill Bauer]

What's your opinion on my struggle with background noise and tv dialog from time to time.

It sounds like the type of hearing loss that regular hearing tests don't normally pick up. You could ask an audiologist to do a more extensive test (at higher frequencies), but I would not do that, if I were you. It is not like anything could be done to cure hearing loss...

 

[Wenno]

You refer to 'hearing' what's on TV but not always understanding it- in other words 'distorted, yeah? And the sound of wind/trees (louder than you think they should) be is exactly what I have (in one ear). Along with the Tinnitus (which is now waking me up at times in the night), I have some diagnosed low frequency hearing loss. So, higher frequency sounds- like female newsreaders, children squealing etc are way too noticeable and troubling to that one ear. I sometimes have to use 'subtitles' function on TV because I miss too much dialogue. The 'everything is loud' aspect from which I suffer is Hyperacusis.
I presume that you've had a more definitive diagnosis since your post. Personally I am just coping with most of this stuff, but the Tinnitus at night is recently a real concern. I get to sleep ok with a meditation CD but of course during the night when the CD is long since finished I can sometimes be woken by the 'humming bees' in that ear.
I'm gonna have to consider 'masking' options now. Grateful for advice ( not nature sounds please) from anyone here. I've heard of pink and white noise etc but I'm a newby and haven't really needed it until now.