Struggling BADLY with Dysacusis/Sound Distortion: Has Anyone Habituated and Does It Get Better?

[sv_505]

This started when I first started having Eustachian tube problems a couple of weeks ago. This "dysacusis" is KILLING me. Coming to terms with the reality that my hobbies could be over and I'll have to hop on anxiety meds and become a completely different person with a whole new set of hobbies and interests to cope has emotionally and mentally destroyed me. I can't listen to music, watch TV/videos or enjoy video games that have background music or ambience and I can't sleep peacefully with masking videos because they are all accompanied by inconsistent high-pitched whistling.

What also scares me is if my tinnitus ever increases for whatever reason, I won't be able to mask it because literally any form of masking like fans or rain produces the sounds. I don't know how I could habituate to this because it isn't constant like tinnitus and it's definitely louder and more disturbing than my tinnitus when it happens. No clue what could have caused this either as I've always been protective of my ears in regards to loud noises so I don't see how it could be from additional acoustic trauma and, as far as I'm aware, I haven't got any sickness or allergies.

Has anyone habituated? How do you cope? I'm seeing my GP on the 18th to get an ENT appointment for my potential ETD.

Sorry for the venting but I feel like I'm losing it.

 

[TheCapybara]

I have this and honestly, I don't think habituating to this is really possible since it's so noticeable. But you don't have to end your hobbies because of this.

You can still listen to music where there's no pitch that causes the distortion, and you can still play games too. If it's like mine, then I assume it only happens with a pretty high frequency, so it's not constant?

 

[sv_505]

I have this and honestly, I don't think habituating to this is really possible since it's so noticeable. But you don't have to end your hobbies because of this.

You can still listen to music where there's no pitch that causes the distortion, and you can still play games too. If it's like mine, then I assume it only happens with a pretty high frequency, so it's not constant?

Yeah, I hear it slightly over fans and stuff, and it bothers me a little anxiety and stress-wise. However, in terms of volume, MUSIC is the worst and most intrusive. It depends on the music too, some is more "reactive" than others. If I listen to any media that mostly uses instruments like pianos, violins or flutes, then the whistling becomes SUPER noticeable and distracting and ruins whatever I'm trying to enjoy, thus making me depressed...

For some reason, I forgot to mention that I did have sound distortion shortly after getting my ongoing tinnitus three years ago and while it freaked me out at first, I actually DID end up getting used to it like 7 months later (I don't know the exact time frame). Like, I could do all the stuff I mentioned that I enjoyed doing and never thought about it or got distracted by it unless I was actively looking for it. So, it either got spiked from stress/anxiety or I've "unhabituated" if that's even a thing, or, worst-case scenario; it actually did just straight up get worse.

Do you reckon my recent Eustachian tube issues and anxiety/stress is a possible cause? I don't think I had or developed dysacusis because sounds don't bother me or cause discomfort - aside from the distortions obviously. But I've seen somewhere that hyperacusis is a form of dysacusis so I don't know.

Thanks for the reply anyways, I hope you're doing well.

 

[TheCapybara]

Yeah, I hear it slightly over fans and stuff, and it bothers me a little anxiety and stress-wise. However, in terms of volume, MUSIC is the worst and most intrusive. It depends on the music too, some is more "reactive" than others. If I listen to any media that mostly uses instruments like pianos, violins or flutes, then the whistling becomes SUPER noticeable and distracting and ruins whatever I'm trying to enjoy, thus making me depressed...

For some reason, I forgot to mention that I did have sound distortion shortly after getting my ongoing tinnitus three years ago and while it freaked me out at first, I actually DID end up getting used to it like 7 months later (I don't know the exact time frame). Like, I could do all the stuff I mentioned that I enjoyed doing and never thought about it or got distracted by it unless I was actively looking for it. So, it either got spiked from stress/anxiety or I've "unhabituated" if that's even a thing, or, worst-case scenario; it actually did just straight up get worse.

Do you reckon my recent Eustachian tube issues and anxiety/stress is a possible cause? I don't think I had or developed dysacusis because sounds don't bother me or cause discomfort - aside from the distortions obviously. But I've seen somewhere that hyperacusis is a form of dysacusis so I don't know.

Thanks for the reply anyways, I hope you're doing well.

I honestly couldn't tell you for sure what the cause is. In my case, it's pretty likely that it was caused by headphones, maybe paired with anxiety/stress which has always been a big factor for me.

I know dysacusis is a really difficult thing to deal with, especially early on. You learn to live with it a bit better after your stress response to it dies down over the span of a few months, but you'll realize you can still do the things you did before but just more carefully and on a lower volume.

 

[Philip83]

I got dysacusis from a headphone blast about 2.5 years ago. It went away 95% in about 3-4 months. Now I only get it sometimes, most often with sudden, sharp human voice sounds, like a sharp laugh or yell. So, it can def heal up over time!

 

[Sadnoise]

At this moment, my main issue is dysacusis, together with very specific hyperacusis, almost like a reverb kind of experience. It's present in the ultra-lows, mids, and highs.

Is this recognisable for people? How do you cope and/or did it go away for you?

 

[Michael Leigh]

At this moment, my main issue is dysacusis, together with very specific hyperacusis, almost like a reverb kind of experience. It's present in the ultra-lows, mids, and highs.

Is this recognisable for people? How do you cope and/or did it go away for you?

You should be examined at ENT again and referred to an audiologist specializing in tinnitus and hyperacusis management.

I try not to use terms like dysacusis and noxacusis and prefer to keep things simple by calling oversensitivity to sound hyperacusis. This condition affects people differently, and it can be mild, moderate, and highly severe with pain. However, the more one complicates tinnitus and hyperacusis using the terminology above, the more it can be psychologically damaging for some people because tinnitus and, to some extent hyperacusis, are integral parts of our mental and emotional well-being. If one isn't careful, they can start to believe what they are experiencing is so severe they will not improve with treatment.

Undoubtedly, you are having difficulty, and this has probably been going on for quite some time. This is why I have suggested you see an ENT and audiologist for treatment. Medication and counseling might be advised to help you cope with what you are going through. When tinnitus and hyperacusis reach severe levels, they can start to have a serious impact on one's mental health. My advice is to seek professional medical help.

I hope you start to feel better soon,
Michael