Tinnitus and Hyperacusis After Heavy Headphone Use — What Are the Odds This Will Subside?

[star-affinity]

There's something about that stupid game, there are some really loud high pitched noises - when you're downed for example - that are not healthy.

That explains a lot – I'm often downed in the game since I'm not a very good player.

And then directly after a 2-3 hour session of Apex going to bed with this music in a loop all night (why didn't you set a timer, you idiot?):

https://tidal.com/album/77525403

It did work fine for four nights, but on the fifth... I was even having some toilet paper tucked in the ear to dampen things a little since I had ear fullness. Never thought the low volume would be able to do damage, but it all adds up I guess.

Ear fullness = time to rest your ears from sound and music! I knew that, still I didn't act accordingly and (still) feel like an idiot when I think about it.

 

[David S]

So then, really the only difference between an in-ear monitor and a hearing aid would probably be the range of frequencies reproduced. A hearing aid produces somewhere around 1000 to 10,000 Hz where a professional in-ear monitor would reproduce the entire audio spectrum.

@kingsfan, thanks for the explanation. When trying to treat tinnitus with sound enrichment, I think volume/power is essential. The sound should be 5 dB above our hearing threshold but still under 10 dB. That really is not a lot of energy and could not possibly harm you cochlea. This is very easy to set in WNGs but more difficult on other devices. They are also easy to wear and also pass all external sound through because the in-ear rubber nobs/cups are open. I had good experience with WNGs in the past to build sound tolerance and I will try them again.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I think volume/power is essential. The sound should be 5 dB above our hearing threshold but still under 10 dB. That really is not a lot of energy and could not possibly harm you cochlea.

My advice to you is to take your time David, and try not to put too much emphasis on volume and power of sound enrichment. Please remember that using white noise generators to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis is not a quick fix. It can take many months. Equally important is a person's mental and emotional wellbeing and the way tinnitus and hyperacusis is affecting the individual, as some people may need counselling with an audiologist or hearing therapist when using white noise generators.

Best of luck,
Michael

 

[David S]

My advice to you is to take your time David, and try not to put too much emphasis on volume and power of sound enrichment. Please remember that using white noise generators to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis is not a quick fix. It can take many months. Equally important is a person's mental and emotional wellbeing and the way tinnitus and hyperacusis is affecting the individual, as some people may need counselling with an audiologist or hearing therapist when using white noise generators.

Micheal, I know that. Last time around it took me well over 6 months until I felt results from the sound enrichment. I am working with well-being and muscle treatment of neck and cheek for now.

You mentioned that you are using your WNGs daily now. If you feel conformable saying, it would be very interesting understand the reason behind this?

 

[Michael Leigh]

Micheal, I know that. Last time around it took me well over 6 months until I felt results from the sound enrichment. I am working with well-being and muscle treatment of neck and cheek for now.

You mentioned that you are using your WNGs daily now. If you feel conformable saying, it would be very interesting understand the reason behind this?

I hope to be writing a piece on white noise generators David. If I manage to complete it, I will explain my reasons for using white noise generators for the last 8 months regularly.

Take care and hope the muscle, neck and cheek treatment goes well.

Michael

 

[Bob1234]

The Tinnitus Mix thread is so entertaining though!

What brand of custom molds are you interested in? I have Westone and I don't recommend them. I want to try ACS and Sensaphonics.

Don't get me wrong, the Westone filters are amazing, but the fit and material of the plugs are not great in my experience. There are audio engineers who swear by them though, so YMMV.

Thanks for the suggestions! Looks like the real deal, not what I was finding. There are Westone and Sensaphonics dealers near me. I'm scheduling an appointment tomorrow, thanks again!

 

[Bob1234]

Wife wants me to go see an ENT who specializes in tinnitus an hour away recommended by someone, but I'm not sure if there's any point in seeing another one. There's nothing he'll be able to do anyway. But maybe I'll go just to appease her.

I feel a lot more tired than before, I think my brain is fried later in the day. Maybe some slight depression setting in. Need to just give it time and hopefully habituation will kick in... in 6-24 months or so, yikes

 

[star-affinity]

Wife wants me to go see an ENT who specializes in tinnitus an hour away recommended by someone, but I'm not sure if there's any point in seeing another one. There's nothing he'll be able to do anyway. But maybe I'll go just to appease her.

I feel a lot more tired than before, I think my brain is fried later in the day. Maybe some slight depression setting in. Need to just give it time and hopefully habituation will kick in... in 6-24 months or so, yikes

I'm about to see an audiologist and see if there's anything that can be done to lower the sound a bit. Maybe with a hearing aid since I seem to have some hearing-loss, probably around the frequencies of my tinnitus. My tinnitus (the intrusive one, I have three) isn't very loud, but the high pitch and also that it's oscillating a bit (up in pitch) at times and then back to its base "hissing sizzle" makes it difficult to ignore I think.

May I ask how yours sound. Is it more of a static?

 

[Bob1234]

I'm thinking about testing out a hearing aid as well after reading a thread here. I have some hearing loss around 4000 Hz, not enough to warrant a hearing aid by itself. But if it somehow helps/masks my tinnitus, I'll gladly pay whatever it costs.

My tinnitus is around 6400 Hz, its a steady relatively pure tone I think - I spent some time on this site trying to narrow it down:

https://www.audionotch.com/app/tune/

They might be able to program the hearing aid to mask out multiple frequencies, and maybe a way you can adjust it for the one that oscillates, I don't know.

Best of luck to you at the audiologist, let me know how it goes!

 

[kingsfan]

Thanks for the suggestions! Looks like the real deal, not what I was finding. There are Westone and Sensaphonics dealers near me. I'm scheduling an appointment tomorrow, thanks again!

If you are wearing these to work or anywhere where you will be talking with them in, ask the audiologist to do a deep mold for talking/singing.

 

[Michael Leigh]

You mentioned that you are using your WNGs daily now. If you feel conformable saying, it would be very interesting understand the reason behind this?

Hi David,

About ten years before developing tinnitus I wanted to learn to type. The reasons are a mystery but felt it was something that I had to do. At the time computers were in their infancy, not so easily available as they are now and were very expensive. A better option for me was to buy a portable manual typewriter and a touch typing book. In the evenings after arriving home from work, I had something to eat and then settled down to practice touch typing.

When computers became more affordable the typewriter was put in a box and placed in my attic. Some time had passed when I heard that a cousin was looking for a typewriter so gave it to him.

The saying that things come full circle is so poignant. Last December for some reason the yearning to return to using a typewriter kept gnawing at me. After searching online I ordered an Olympia Splendid 33 manual typewriter, that was made in Germany in the 1960s. It came fully serviced and fitted with a new ribbon, platen and feed rollers.

The machine is a joy to use as it does one single thing, enables me to focus just on writing and not being tempted to constantly backspace and edit, browsing Twitter, checking emails or being lured into watching videos on YouTube. This is mentioned a lot at a forum I visit.

During typing, as the metal type bars strike the paper which rests against the rubber platen, it moves steadily along the carriage from right to left. In the process a loud repetitive thwack is heard and is very high pitched. This noise is inherent to all manual typewriters and something that completely slipped my mind. The sound measures between 60 to 80 decibels. After a while it grates against my ears causing some discomfort but thankfully wasn't painful. I didn't want to tempt fate so chose to wear my noise reducing earplugs. These reduced the sound to a much more comfortable level and could type for longer periods without any problems.

Unfortunately this wasn't always ideal, as it makes listening to music more difficult while typing and also causes an occlusion effect. Wondering what to do, I decided to experiment to see whether wearing my white noise generators for up to ten hours a day would help? It pleases me to say they have. I am now able to use my typewriter without earplugs and not experience any discomfort.

Take care,
Michael

 

[David S]

Unfortunately this wasn't always ideal, as it makes listening to music more difficult while typing and also causes an occlusion effect. Wondering what to do, I decided to experiment to see whether wearing my white noise generators for up to ten hours a day would help? It pleases me to say they have. I am now able to use my typewriter without earplugs and not experience any discomfort.

Michael,

What an interesting story. I know that some of the famous authors here in Sweden still use typewriters. They would not touch a computer for their writing.

How strange it could be. The antidote for protecting yourself from one sound is to add another sound rather than protecting yourself. That really show how important sound enrichment could be.

It would be very interesting to know what you are writing about but that might be another story.

David

 

[Stacken77]

Hi David,

About ten years before developing tinnitus I wanted to learn to type. The reasons are a mystery but felt it was something that I had to do. At the time computers were in their infancy, not so easily available as they are now and were very expensive. A better option for me was to buy a portable manual typewriter and a touch typing book. In the evenings after arriving home from work, I had something to eat and then settled down to practice touch typing.

When computers became more affordable the typewriter was put in a box and placed in my attic. Some time had passed when I heard that a cousin was looking for a typewriter so gave it to him.

The saying that things come full circle is so poignant. Last December for some reason the yearning to return to using a typewriter kept gnawing at me. After searching online I ordered an Olympia Splendid 33 manual typewriter, that was made in Germany in the 1960s. It came fully serviced and fitted with a new ribbon, platen and feed rollers.

The machine is a joy to use as it does one single thing, enables me to focus just on writing and not being tempted to constantly backspace and edit, browsing Twitter, checking emails or being lured into watching videos on YouTube. This is mentioned a lot at a forum I visit.

During typing, as the metal type bars strike the paper which rests against the rubber platen, it moves steadily along the carriage from right to left. In the process a loud repetitive thwack is heard and is very high pitched. This noise is inherent to all manual typewriters and something that completely slipped my mind. The sound measures between 60 to 80 decibels. After a while it grates against my ears causing some discomfort but thankfully wasn't painful. I didn't want to tempt fate so chose to wear my noise reducing earplugs. These reduced the sound to a much more comfortable level and could type for longer periods without any problems.

Unfortunately this wasn't always ideal, as it makes listening to music more difficult while typing and also causes an occlusion effect. Wondering what to do, I decided to experiment to see whether wearing my white noise generators for up to ten hours a day would help? It pleases me to say they have. I am now able to use my typewriter without earplugs and not experience any discomfort.

Take care,
Michael

Thank you for sharing, Michael.

A bit off topic, but you got me interested; what kind of literature do you write on that typewriter?

I'm playing a bit with poetry, and wanting to write a fictional novel. I can really see a typewriter enhancing productivity, whereas a computer can be more distracting.

All the best,
Stacken

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thank you for sharing, Michael.

A bit off topic, but you got me interested; what kind of literature do you write on that typewriter?

I'm playing a bit with poetry, and wanting to write a fictional novel. I can really see a typewriter enhancing productivity, whereas a computer can be more distracting.

All the best,
Stacken

Hi Stacken, thank you for your comments.

I would like to say that I write novels on my typewriter but that would be a lie. I merely write for pleasure on various topics that interest me. Some include: HI-FI, Tropical Marine fish, Carpentry and Joinery, that was my job before retirement. I dabble in a little Politics, that I won't say too much about. Tinnitus of course and that's about it.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Michael,

What an interesting story. I know that some of the famous authors here in Sweden still use typewriters. They would not touch a computer for their writing.

How strange it could be. The antidote for protecting yourself from one sound is to add another sound rather than protecting yourself. That really show how important sound enrichment could be.

It would be very interesting to know what you are writing about but that might be another story.

David

I am a member of a typewriter forum David. Some people have over 20 typewriters in their collection and proudly display them in glass cabinets. I am told it can become quite an obsession. Tom Hanks has over 250 typewriters. I have acquired another two. A Voss and an Imperial typewriter. Wonderful machines and will stop there. Did you know there is such a thing as a Typewriter Day?

I write purely for pleasure as mentioned to Stacken. I agree with you; sound enrichment is very important.

All the best,
Michael

 

[Bob1234]

5 weeks in and my hyperacusis somehow improved significantly in the last few days. The volume of my tinnitus has also reduced. Its still there constantly though. I felt some sharp pain in my ears occasionally last week, not sure what that was about.

Maybe this is just temporary, or I'm on the path to some form of recovery. I've used no headphones, been very careful with noise and taken it very easy overall.

My sleep has been awful, but it may be because of some of the supplements I am taking. I suspect the Magnesium L-Threonate, I'm going to stop all that for now. I'm usually very productive at work, but that has definitely been impacted.

This has easily been the hardest 5 weeks of my life, what a freaking journey so far.

Not sure what I would've done without the information available on Tinnitus Talk.