Those with Hyperacusis and Tinnitus, Please I Need Insight

[kmohoruk]

So far I've found it to be a bit of a balance... and a difficult one to achieve sometimes.

Right now I'm a bit bummed because I have to wait about another month before I'm able to start the sound therapy part of TRT. But when it does happen it will feel good to be on the road to getting better (hopefully).

I'm really in the same boat as @Gio Makyo . I've had T for about 8 years and was totally fine with it until I experienced a permanent spike that happened over the summer. While it really sucks, I am already making progress and now sleep every night with no sound masking or medication.

I remember the point that @Dr. Nagler once made on this site. I think the key is to just sort of accept that silence with T, is sort of like your new silence - if that makes sense? For the most part, I am now able to read in a pretty quiet room and focus on my awesome new book (" Not Fade Away" By Rebecca Alexander. Its a fantastic read especially for people who may be struggling with T or going through a new adversity).

I do however find dealing with H to be very challenging at times. While I know that mine is in more of a mild form, I am still worried that my decrease in sound tolerance makes me more susceptible to damage that will increase my T. I say this as about 2 months ago I was exposed to a loud car horn that added a ring to my normally hissing T. While it does seem to fluctuate now, I am still a bit nervous as I didn't have this sound before this exposure.

I have however made progress (My sensitivities are with the higher frequencies. So I'm ok with most everyday sounds for the most part). I spent about 30 minutes at the Apple Store by my house yesterday to get a new phone. The Apple stores here in my area are usually pretty quiet, especially if you time it well! Even with the music playing, the mild conversation that was going on in the background - I was fine. I even measured the sound for the heck if it using an app on my previous iPhone that clocked the sound being at about 80db which I then just told myself

"Ok, this is the same level that I would be exposed to if I was driving in a car. I am ok, this will be ok"

I think the key for people with H is wherever they are on the spectrum......its important to seek treatment sooner rather then later. The key is not to wear ear muffs everywhere, to cancel out all noises in your home etc...

I do believe when doctors say "The auditory system THRIVES on sound" because its true. Your brain is trying to listen for sounds - this is basic human biology.

The key is to exposure yourself to sounds that you're comfortable with and hopefully it will dissipate. Some people are able to do this on their own, while others (like myself) try and seek treatment. For me this process is just taking awhile as by the time it starts, it will have been about 5 months.

Those are just my random thoughts on the subject (I also have a small blog and actually recently wrote an entry regarding losing silence, new perspective etc... for anyone who is interested. The link is in my profile for this site)

 

[Matthias]

You can work on the phonophobia, fear of (some types of) sound, by staying exposed to noises,
but the real hyperacousis doesn't go. At least for me it doesn't.

But i also don't know if loud noise above my H treshold (but normally not harmful) causes damage.

 

[Mike34]

@Street Spirit Interesting. First I've heard about TPT for the ear. Where can I find the manual digitally?

 

[Street Spirit]

@here2help, you seem extremely knowledgeable about hyperacusis treatment.
May I ask you then, how long does it take (on average) to recover from hyperacusis while under care of a professional experienced with dealing with hyperacusis ?
Lets assume a best case and worst case scenario.

Hmm Dan, just seeing this post now. Just so you know I have made improvements despite my living situation. ..and never plan on padding my windows... lol

However I agree for some, it's up and down and can be insidious...but we're not all the same and my H might be more chronic in nature due to my other issues.

 

[Street Spirit]

Actually following the advice of people who live in padded window apartments might not be a bad ideal, if one, lives behind a hardware store and beside a sometimes noisy neighbor and also lives off a very busy highway with loud trucks and motorbikes.

sorry meant to qoute this...

 

[Street Spirit]

@Street Spirit Interesting. First I've heard about TPT for the ear. Where can I find the manual digitally?

Unsure digitally but just google or maybe you tube Clair Davies TPT.

 

[Street Spirit]

@demi , just to point out a small but significant contradictory statement in your quote - if LDL's rise, that is indicative of improvement so it does get better. However, unfortunately, it is true in some cases, that one sound that was too loud and it can collapse again. That's the insidious thing with H and T, is that one never knows...............until it happens.
I think you would not disagree with this claim?

On a happier note, you should not feel helpless. You had improvement and there is all the reason to expect more improvement.

Hyperacusis is very odd. In a year I have seen people go on to improve and live normally and others like myself make progress and lose it...and "repeat" It really does affect people differently.

 

[Rudy]

How is your H now demi? I've had mine for almost 3 weeks and its been a living hell

 

[kaycee]

Mine comes and goes. Can t and h occur a month after loud noise exposure??

 

[Nick the Swede]

@kaycee , mine came about a month after my accident. Was really bad for 5-6 weeks and then faded, not very troubled by it atm.

 

[kaycee]

So you still have T and h? How can it come about way after the incident?

 

[Nick the Swede]

I still have my T yes, but not very bothered by my H.

 

[SueR]

I'm the opposite, Nick!

I went to a concert in May before my H started (in Nov. - 2013) - I wonder if that might possibly be a factor.

I also went to an amusement park and had LOTS of trouble with the easy rollercoaster rides (June '13 before my dizzy spells started in January'14). The ones one step above the toddler rides was the max of my enjoyment. Went on a few others people were saying were not bad... WRONG! Vowed never to go again. DX'ed with Meniere's a few months after the dizzy spells started.

 

[CDNThailand]

Demi,

IT WILL IMPROVE. I have had H for nearly 8 years now as the result of being front row at a concert for too long. It was awful for the months afterward. If I don't overexpose my ears to any substantially loud noise (concert, club, siren, etc.) and don't overprotect my ears in what feels like uncomfortable sound situations my sensitivity greatly improves over time! I still get numbness, burning and fullness all the time around exposure to what would seem like unharmful noise.

It does get better though, you just have to be disciplined and give your ears several months to gradually recoup their ability to endure sound - Then they will not overreact and experience the symptoms you describe so easily. This has been my experience with H over the years…..One awful setback can mess everything up though sadly (being at a loud venue for too long for example). I can tell you though that I have reached periods over the past 8 years where my ears have improved tremendously but I always mess it up sooner or later by overestimating my tolerance…..Anyway….Didn't mean to ramble but I am confident your symptoms will subside significantly and ease even if it takes weeks/months as I know exactly what you are feeling. Just be strong and positive.

Thank you max, makes me feel better, I stayed in a police station for 5 minutes...it was too loud for ME, not the guidelines...

T stayed the same brecause not loud enough to cause damage 60-70 db, but caused h spoke...2 days now, first h spike ever and 7 weeks into t, you gave me hope

 

[Sam98]

Old post, I know, but how is your hyperacusis now? Do you still experience ear fullness? If not, how long did it take for that to go away?

 

[Bill Bauer]

Old post, I know, but how is your hyperacusis now? Do you still experience ear fullness? If not, how long did it take for that to go away?

Hyperacusis normally goes away between 6 and 12 months after the onset. I think you can safely assume that your hyperacusis is going to end up being temporary.

 

[Sam98]

Hyperacusis normally goes away between 6 and 12 months after the onset. I think you can safely assume that your hyperacusis is going to end up being temporary.

Thanks Bill! It's definitely improved since the day it first appeared. I no longer find every day noises or voices uncomfortable. Still don't think I can handle headphones but I mean I avoid them anyway. I've been to fairly noisy places over the summer like amusement parks and whatnot and felt fine (carry ear plugs around with me just in case). Guess I was just curious (and perhaps a bit anxious) as to if or when it'd fully go away. Or maybe this is as "good as it gets" (in quotes cause I don't mean to sounds ungrateful). Also curious to know if people's ear fullness (not muffled hearing, just the sensation) ever goes/went away. It can be quite annoying or distracting. Unsure of what it is exactly that's causing it. Sorry for the rant, thanks for the reply.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Also curious to know if people's ear fullness (not muffled hearing, just the sensation) ever goes/went away

Mine did.

Are you sure that the benefit of attending those loud places for a couple of hours is worth the potential cost (e.g., lifelong louder tinnitus, worse hyperacusis)?

 

[Marc22]

Bill Bauer:

For most people hyperacusis does NOT go away after 6 to 12 months. It normally improves but rare is the person who is cured of hyperacusis completely. I think I would know after having hyperacusis for 24 years and reading hundreds of other people's stories.

Marco

 

[Mila9828]

@Max, that is great to hear!

I feel like the burning doesn't happen as often anymore, but the fullness definitely does!
My fullness seemed to be subsiding until last night when I dropped frying pan on a baking sheet while I was washing dishes, and right away the fullness/numbing returned, and has not let up at all today - but I have hope!

I think I may start to wear earplugs while doing dishes now though.

This is so old but did your hearing ever go weird as well?