Terrible Hyperacusis Caused by COVID-19 Vaccine

Hello everyone. I have had terrible hyperacusis in my left ear for three years, which has progressively been getting worse. I believe it was caused by a COVID-19 shot. The timeline makes sense. Whether it was the vaccine or not I suppose is irrelevant. I also played music.

Anyway, the hyperacusis is absolutely awful. I believe I am grieving my old life and have gotten depressed. I have been prescribed hearing aids and have been using them as noise generators but I can't seem to get past a 1/2 hour a day (I've been doing it about 2-3 months). It seems to make my condition worse. I get a feeling of fullness and pressure in my left ear. Sometimes, it goes away, and the sound of water and crinkling of bags gets easier to tolerate. Then I will have a long car ride or something and think everything is fine, only to wake up with a major setback. The ringing goes off the hook along with the pressure and fullness, and when it happens, it can take weeks to calm down.

Should I keep going with the sound generators? Should I continue even through a setback? I'm confused. I bought Pawel Jastreboff's book, but I still don't know what to do. I found an expert to guide me in Portland, but it's tough to get to see her, and I don't know if this is working or if I should take a break when I have a setback or what. Right now, I am using hearing aids and the TinnitusPlay app. I can only stand the summer rain sound. Anything like white noise, similar to a vacuum or hair dryer is absolute hell on me. I am using the same sound at night while sleeping. This whole thing is tough on my ears. I can make myself continue, but should I? Will this actually get better? It seems like putting more noise in my ears is a bad plan.

I don't know what to do. I signed up to go to Shea Clinic to do the perfusion they offer, but the idea of flying is scarier than hell. This hyperacusis sucks.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Should I keep going with the sound generators? Should I bother going to Shea Clinic?

Thanks in advance,
Eddy

 

Hi @Fast Eddy, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Can you describe your symptoms in more detail? Does the ringing increase with exposure to sound, or do sounds just seem louder to you?

 

It's not surprising, considering Pawel Jastreboff doesn't know what to do.

Unfortunately, everyone's experience is different, so I don't think anyone can really and truthfully give you a recommendation for you personally. Getting worse after trying something isn't a great sign, but whether it's persistence for a happier outcome or continued worsening is the unknown $64000 question, I am afraid to say.

Personally, I have never tried ear generators because my hyperacusis reacts to any type of artificial noise from any type of speaker. However, I did have the same reaction to plastic bags, etc., which improved over time with general exposure. I do protect my ears still, but I have never tried sound therapy.

I'm tagging in @Michael Leigh, who has a lot of positive experience with hyperacusis and TRT. He may be able to advise from his experience whether continuing after apparent worsening is a wise idea.

 

Hi. I'm so sorry you're going through this. One of the reasons I didn't take the COVID-19 vaccine was because I checked EudraVigilance first and because I already had tinnitus/hyperacusis.

Considering what I know now (recent research), I wouldn't use sound generators. Just give yours ears as much rest as they need. If you have longer car drivers, protect your ears. If you are in a noisy environment, protect your ears. Sleep is very important. It can take months, but this will probably get better, naturally.

Maybe take some Magnesium and B6:

→ Calm the noise: The magic of Magnesium and Vitamin B6 in sound sensitivity

 

Thank you for tagging me, @DeanD.

Hi @Fast Eddy.

The fact that you are a musician, I suspect that you have had tinnitus for quite a while without being aware of it because it was operating at a low level, so your brain was able to ignore it comfortably. It is also possible that the COVID-19 shot increased the tinnitus and brought it to the forefront of your mind, and therefore, your brain was no longer able to ignore it. Once the limbic system becomes aware of the tinnitus, it wants to latch onto it and doesn't want to let it go. Since you have Pawel Jastreboff's book, it explains all about the limbic system. I am a believer in Pawel Jastreboff's TRT book despite what others may think.

Hyperacusis often accompanies noise-induced tinnitus which is what I believe you have. I understand the discomfort that you are going through with tinnitus and hyperacusis. Since you have been feeling this way for three years, I am a little surprised that you haven't been making some improvement because noise-induced tinnitus with or without hyperacusis usually shows some improvement over time. However, for this to happen certain criteria has to be met.

You can be having the best tinnitus and hyperacusis treatment available, but if you are listening to audio through headphones, earbuds, AirPods, headsets, noise-canceling or bone conduction headphones, even at low volume, then it's possible that your symptoms will not improve and could get worse. Since you are a musician, if you are or have previously been playing loud music in a band or monitoring music through speakers in a studio environment, it is possible that these activities can also prevent your tinnitus and hyperacusis from improving and quite possibly making them worse. Sorry to sound so sobering.

Noise-induced tinnitus, with or without hyperacusis, does not like loud music. Once the auditory system is affected by noise trauma and a person develops tinnitus, it becomes more sensitive to sound even after habituation has been reached. A person can often live a fulfilling life after they have habituated, doing everything that they want to do but they need to be careful.

I have explained this in my threads: The Habituation Process, How to Habituate to Tinnitus, Will My Tinnitus Get Worse? I advise you to print these posts instead of reading them on your phone or computer screen.

The sound generators with in-built hearing aids that you are wearing can help treat your tinnitus and hyperacusis, but they need to be introduced slowly. I advise you to turn off the white noise and only use the hearing aids for now. Give your ears and auditory system time to get used to the increased sound that the hearing aids will provide from the outside environment.

I suggest wearing the hearing aid(s) for 10-15 minutes and see how you get on. Take them off for the same duration or longer. Then, put them back on. Gradually increase the wearing time until you are able to wear the hearing aid(s) for most of the day. When you are comfortable with this, turn on the white noise, keeping the volume slightly below the tinnitus - it is important that the white noise does not mask the tinnitus. Do the same with the white noise; turn it off after 10-15 minutes, then give the ears a rest. Turn the white noise back on. Gradually increase the wearing time over a few weeks until you are able to have the white noise playing for 6 to 8 hours. This process mustn't be rushed, so take your time. At night, don't wear your hearing aid(s); use a sound machine by your bedside.

More is explained in my thread: New to Tinnitus, What to Do?

Below is a further example of the way white noise generators can be used to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis. White noise generators must be introduced slowly to the auditory system to reduce irritation. Therefore, the on and off wearing time of 1 to 2 hours will need to be adjusted for each individual. If you notice an increase in the tinnitus and hyperacusis, then adjust these times.

Set the volume of the white noise generators below the level of the tinnitus and wear them for just 1 or 2 hours, then remove them for the same duration. After the elapsed time, put them on again, setting the volume below the tinnitus, and wear them for another 1 or 2 hours. If you notice any irritation, reduce the wearing time again.

Continue doing this on days one, two, and throughout the week. Continue this process for weeks two and so on, then gradually increase the wearing time. The goal is to achieve a total wearing time of 6 to 10 hours per day, and many people achieve this. At night, white noise generators shouldn't be worn while asleep. Instead, use a sound machine by the bedside, setting the volume slightly below the tinnitus.

Over time, the white noise generators will help desensitize the auditory system so it becomes less sensitive to sound, and the hyperacusis will reduce. At the same time, the tinnitus is treated, as the brain will habituate to the white noise generators and slowly push the tinnitus into the background so it becomes less noticeable. This treatment can take up to 18 months or more.

Regular counseling with the audiologist helps to demystify and remove the negative thinking that is often associated with tinnitus and hyperacusis. Contrary to some beliefs, hyperacusis can be completely cured or reduced considerably using white noise generators. The same can be achieved naturally or using self-help techniques described in my post: Hyperacusis, As I See It, on my started threads.

All the best,
Michael

Hyperacusis, As I See It | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

@Michael Leigh, nice copy and paste.

Using noise generators when having hyperacusis is like asking a patient with a root canal infection to bite on that tooth for a few hours a day. Stop promoting TRT, especially for hyperacusis. @Fast Eddy is even telling it's worsening his symptoms, for God's sake. Give those ears time to heal.

→ Effect of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy vs Standard of Care on Tinnitus-Related Quality of Life: A Randomized Clinical Trial

 

For your information, I do not copy and paste. I have submitted over 9000 posts to Tinnitus Talk and never have I copied and pasted. Each post is written in my own words. My reference to the limbic system etc. is not copied from Pawel Jastreboff's TRT book.

I realize you are new to posting in Tinnitus Talk. Over the years, I have met various troublemakers here and have dealt with them accordingly. I hope you are not going to be another one.

Good day,
Michael

 

@Fast Eddy, firstly, start a fire with Pawel Jastrabroofscammer's book.

Secondly, stay in quiet as long as humanly possible to let your ears rest. Stay off all drugs and live completely straight edge. Build a soundproof room to hide in. Work on posture. Sit in the sunlight if you can. Always wear hearing protection going outside and stay at a sound level you can without spiking tinnitus.

Whatever you do, STOP putting sound directly in your ears! Time and quiet is the only treatment for a damaged auditory system! Further damage prevention is all you have!

TRT IS A SCAM.

 

If you bought Jastrebroff’s book, don’t feel too upset or that you wasted money. It can still serve a purpose as toilet paper, something more akin to its actual value.

TRT is from the 80s or even earlier. Think about that for a second. Boom, the second’s up. That’s right, the book and treatment you’re receiving are from a time when mainstream cars didn’t even have airbags and the Cold War still waged as the Soviet Union still existed, that’s how ancient this theory is. And remember, a theory isn’t a fact, it’s an idea that you string evidence to and to date there’s very little concrete evidence connected to it, hence why tinnitus is still being researched. I’m not going to question TRT helping with tinnitus habituation, a process that can be achieved by somebody themselves depending on severity and/or reactivity. What’s the difference between watching your TV or creating enough background noise to drown out your tinnitus and wearable noise generators? I suspect the former is safer than the latter at least. If your tinnitus is stable and can be masked reasonably, over time you will habituate to it. How long that takes is subjective, and the above-mentioned factors will also play a role, but I wish you good luck; it may take time, so be patient and distract yourself as much as possible.

As for hyperacusis, no, TRT doesn’t treat it nor cure it at all. The mechanisms behind hyperacusis today aren’t even fully understood and only recently has the literature online done a complete 180 from sensitize this and that nonsense to no, there is a form of auditory damage causing this in terms of acoustic trauma, what you’re experiencing is physiological, not psychological, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise or you’ll fall into the same trap that took my life from me.

Ask yourself a simple question: if Jastrodaddy nailed it, then why is tinnitus still being researched to this day? I mean, if he’s right, why the research? Jastro P Diddy’s treatment amounts to “ohhh, you have diabetes? OK, eat this amount of chocolate everyday and increase it over time, and boom this time next year, no more diabetes.” It’s that ridiculous; it amounts to leeching in the medieval times as far as I’m concerned, but seeing as most audiologists and neurologists have literally nothing better to offer, this is what you’ll be given, a nearly 50-year-old treatment based on a guess.

As for what to do? @Travis Henry and @HighleyTall nailed it pretty much, so I’ve nothing to add there, but seriously heed their advice and don’t get taken in by people claiming to have answers to undo this; it doesn’t exist. Accept you have a damaged auditory system, rest your ears, take OCD levels of care of them, and most importantly, don’t worsen!

For reference, I’m a guy who started off mild and is now housebound, even room bound, as a result of terrible advice. Everyone is different; some worsen, some don’t, or some do down the line, but I know if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t want to flip a coin on which advice to take.

Good luck. I hope things improve for you.

 

I personally think it's very relevant.

There's a lot written on these forums from a few years back regarding the jab rollout and uptake. I was one of only a handful of people here who argued against taking it, so when new people come to the Tinnitus Talk (and there have been quite a few now) who correlate their tinnitus/hyperacusis onset/worsening with the jabs, that predicament has to be given serious consideration.

You're going to receive a lot of information and advice on here about how to treat your hyperacusis. The problem is, much of it will contradict so I will only say this; you know your body best so pay attention to what it is saying, especially if whatever treatment you decide to undergo is hurting.

Regarding possible spike-protein implicated in your situation, here's a link to what I think is an excellent (crowd-funded) publication co-authored by Theresa A. Lawrie who I have a huge respect for. Aside from the usual technical information, the paper discusses various protocols and methods for cleansing the body of these things. Do we have proof that spike protein has found its way into the auditory system to wreak havoc and cause hyperacusis? No. But there certainly appears to be a correlation in your case, so ridding oneself of what may be hanging over from the original injection could be an avenue worth exploring.

I hope things improve for you.

 

How is a parent meant to stay in quite? How is a diabetic meant to stay off meds?

How can you be in a soundproof room and be in direct sunlight, lol?

And if you only have further damage prevention ahead of you, what is the point in living?

I see you write these things all over the place. It's impossible for me to do any of this. I guess I'm just fcked.