Tinnitus Caused by MRI

[ccpjc]

Before I begin, I kindly ask that responses avoid comments like "you should have" or "they should have." I am already dealing with my own internal struggles over this.

In September and October, I experienced random bouts of tinnitus in my left ear, accompanied by pressure and pain. By early December, it became more persistent, so I saw a doctor who prescribed antibiotics. However, the pressure and pain persisted despite the treatment.

As I started researching tinnitus, I came across information about acoustic neuroma. Unfortunately, I had nearly all the symptoms associated with it, except for hearing loss. Despite this, I panicked and convinced my doctor to refer me for an MRI.

When I went for the MRI, the technicians had trouble properly fitting the earplugs in my right ear. Although I kept expressing concern, they assured me that the ear protection was correctly placed. The MRI was extremely loud, and when I came out, I noticed tinnitus in my right ear, which had not been present before.

Now, I have finished the antibiotics, and the tinnitus and discomfort in my left ear have mostly subsided. My wife reassured me that I did not have a tumor, and my doctor had advised me to wait until finishing the antibiotics before making further decisions. However, I was in such a state of panic that I went ahead with the MRI anyway. Now, I am left with profound regret, sadness, anger, and a deep sense of trauma over what happened, knowing I may have to live with this for the rest of my life.

It has been five days since the MRI, and the noise in my right ear has been constant. There is also some pain and a strange sensation in that ear. I spoke with a doctor virtually on the same day as the MRI, an ER doctor the following morning, and my family doctor after that. All three told me the same thing: nothing can be done. I asked about Prednisone, but each one declined to prescribe it. Whether it would have helped or not, I will never know.

Now, I am consumed with regret. My sleep is disrupted, the noise is constant regardless of the environment, and I keep replaying the MRI experience in my mind. I told them the ear protection was not properly fitted, but they assured me it was. It was not.

I spoke with a psychologist on Saturday, who told me that I made the decision based on what I thought was right at the time and that I need to forgive myself. However, it is incredibly challenging to do so, knowing I caused this and may have to live with it forever. I want to cry, and I have been trying hard not to break down in front of my kids.

That is my story and my deep regret: I wish I had waited a little longer. While the MRI showed no tumor, I now have this awful reminder of my decisions and mistakes.

 

[ccpjc]

I'm sure this is something many can relate to, but you can read about my experience with the MRI disaster above.

Right now, I'm in Las Vegas—a trip I booked before developing tinnitus. It's been difficult being here with my family, surrounded by so many people enjoying themselves, while I'm struggling with this constant ringing in my ears. The loud noises around me are only making it worse.

It's hard not to think back to just nine months ago, when I was here with my wife, enjoying everything without a care. Now, my life feels completely turned upside down.

 

[billie48]

Welcome to the forum. It seems the MRI may have caused acoustic trauma, leaving your ears a bit unstable. Sometimes, hyperacusis or reactive tinnitus can develop after acoustic trauma. This is quite common, as many members here report similar symptoms—myself included.

When my hyperacusis was severe, even my wife's soft voice felt piercingly painful. Going to restaurants was a purely nightmarish experience. However, hyperacusis or reactive tinnitus resulting from acoustic trauma often fades over time. I've experienced hyperacusis twice, and both times it faded within a year. So, be hopeful that your condition might be temporary. Try not to get too stressed, as stress tends to aggravate tinnitus. Be patient and allow your ears time to heal.

Sometimes the mental suffering can be so intense that it triggers a fight-or-flight response. When the limbic nervous system is activated, it may interpret tinnitus as a mortal threat. I made this mistake initially and endured a nightmarish existence because of it. However, I now live a normal and enjoyable life. In fact, I wrote my success story, "From Darkness to Light…", where I share many helpful strategies for coping with severely intrusive tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Feel free to check it out to see if these strategies might help you manage your tinnitus. Give it time, take good care of yourself, and stay hopeful. Wishing you a speedy recovery. God bless!

From Darkness to Light, How I Recovered from Tinnitus & Hyperacusis

I am one of those who strongly believe that being positive will help us habituate to tinnitus faster. A few years back I was in total darkness of immense sufferings from severe tinnitus & hyperacusis. I have ultra high pitch and loud tinnitus (T) which was soon followed by piercingly hurtful...

www.tinnitustalk.com

 

[ccpjc]

I found an online tool that sweeps frequencies from 22 Hz to 8 kHz, and I've managed to pinpoint where my hearing loss is occurring.

In my left ear, I can hear sounds starting at 16 kHz, but nothing at 15 kHz. It starts again at 14 kHz and continues beyond that.

In my right ear, I can't hear anything until 14 kHz.

This confirms that I have hearing damage in both ears, but it's more pronounced in my right ear. That's the ear where my hearing protection failed during my last MRI.

Interestingly, after playing the 16 kHz tone in my left ear, my tinnitus has quieted down. For me, this suggests that my brain is trying to recreate the ~16 kHz tone.

Extended High Frequency Online Hearing Test | 8-22 kHz

A frequency sweep from 22 kHz down to 8 kHz.

www.audiocheck.net

 

[ccpjc]

Today, I woke up to an alert that my phone is low on storage, so I started clearing out older pictures and videos. As I went through them, seeing myself before this affliction with tinnitus, hyperacusis, and noxacusis brought me to new depths of sadness.

I'm overwhelmed with grief, regret, and pure sadness that this is now my life. This is supposed to be the best time of my life—watching my kids grow up, reducing debt, advancing in my career, and strengthening the bond with my wife.

But it feels like life is over. The ringing never stops, the sounds are unbearable, and I feel like I can't survive this. I'm falling into such a dark and depressed state of mind.

I know it's common for new sufferers to feel this way, but that doesn't make it any easier. This is my struggle now.

I read success stories and understand they represent the minority of cases. I've joined support groups and witnessed the sheer pain and suffering others endure, and it terrifies me that this could be my future too.

I just want my life back—the life I had less than a month ago. But right now, it feels like everything is falling apart, and I can't stop it.

 

[AverageJoe12]

32YO here in Texas, dealing with tinnitus and hyperacusis for 2 years. An MRI was my second trauma after the nightclub incident that incited this all. I'm sorry man, auditory conditions are difficult to contend with. For now, to keep on living, carry some foam plugs or Loops with you (search for these on Amazon) and pop them in whenever you feel overwhelmed by sound. There's a migraine connection too with invasive tinnitus and hyperacusis and I learned a lot from reading articles written by Dr. Djalilian on his website (I'm not endorsing his telehealth program one way or another). But his protocol treats invasive tinnitus with a combination of Nortriptyline + Topiramate and/or Gabapentin. You might consider some medication to help you maintain good quality sleep. Mirtazapine has also helped me with that in the past when I was first dealing with tinnitus & hyperacusis.

Over time, I began to re-introduce digital audio like pink and red noise and 'bright noise' on my iPhone via the background sounds function (accessible via the control panel when you swipe down if you have an iPhone). I actually found these sounds soothing, and they masking the tinnitus helped free up mental bandwidth to focus on other things than my suffering with this inescapable condition. If you have hyperacusis, sometimes sound therapy won't agree with you early on. But over time, I found a way to enjoy it. I play it at work to soothe my ears and nervous system in an office environment.

Smart people are researching this condition at Harvard and around the world. Read up on Eaton Peabody Labs and Dr. Susan Shore's bimodal stimulation device. This article gives me hope with regard to tinnitus and hyperacusis. I have normal hearing on paper but likely what's called hidden hearing loss - AKA cochlear synaptopathy. This company is working on a therapy for those of us with this auditory nerve damage but no discernible hearing loss on an audiogram. You should probably see an audiologist to confirm your diagnosis, but just don't sign up for any loudness discomfort level testing, which can be uncomfortable and worsen the condition.

Good luck. You're definitely not alone.

 

[ccpjc]

32YO here in Texas, dealing with tinnitus and hyperacusis for 2 years. An MRI was my second trauma after the nightclub incident that incited this all. I'm sorry man, auditory conditions are difficult to contend with. For now, to keep on living, carry some foam plugs or Loops with you (search for these on Amazon) and pop them in whenever you feel overwhelmed by sound. There's a migraine connection too with invasive tinnitus and hyperacusis and I learned a lot from reading articles written by Dr. Djalilian on his website (I'm not endorsing his telehealth program one way or another). But his protocol treats invasive tinnitus with a combination of Nortriptyline + Topiramate and/or Gabapentin. You might consider some medication to help you maintain good quality sleep. Mirtazapine has also helped me with that in the past when I was first dealing with tinnitus & hyperacusis.

Over time, I began to re-introduce digital audio like pink and red noise and 'bright noise' on my iPhone via the background sounds function (accessible via the control panel when you swipe down if you have an iPhone). I actually found these sounds soothing, and they masking the tinnitus helped free up mental bandwidth to focus on other things than my suffering with this inescapable condition. If you have hyperacusis, sometimes sound therapy won't agree with you early on. But over time, I found a way to enjoy it. I play it at work to soothe my ears and nervous system in an office environment.

Smart people are researching this condition at Harvard and around the world. Read up on Eaton Peabody Labs and Dr. Susan Shore's bimodal stimulation device. This article gives me hope with regard to tinnitus and hyperacusis. I have normal hearing on paper but likely what's called hidden hearing loss - AKA cochlear synaptopathy. This company is working on a therapy for those of us with this auditory nerve damage but no discernible hearing loss on an audiogram. You should probably see an audiologist to confirm your diagnosis, but just don't sign up for any loudness discomfort level testing, which can be uncomfortable and worsen the condition.

Good luck. You're definitely not alone.

I appreciate you taking the time to write this. As I sit here in my own personal struggle, I've been reading through a lot of information, including all the recommended treatments. I've noted them down, including medications that others have reported success with, and I plan to share the entire list with my doctor.

I'm even considering surgery if it could help alleviate the hyperacusis or noxacusis.

 

[Robster]

I developed tinnitus from an MRI four years ago. Hopefully, yours will be temporary.

 

[ccpjc]

I developed tinnitus from an MRI four years ago. Hopefully, yours will be temporary.

I'm sorry you're going through a similar experience. I'm praying and hoping, but deep down, I know it's probably here to stay.

The doctor I spoke to right after my event said it might take up to three weeks to resolve. If it doesn't stop by then, it's most likely permanent. Three weeks will be up in three days.

 

[Mark F.]

I'm sorry you're going through a similar experience. I'm praying and hoping, but deep down, I know it's probably here to stay.

The doctor I spoke to right after my event said it might take up to three weeks to resolve. If it doesn't stop by then, it's most likely permanent. Three weeks will be up in three days.

Hang in there! There are so many stories of improvement, sometimes gradual and other times sudden, that happen over months or even years. One month is just the beginning of the journey. Think of this as a marathon, not a sprint.

The TPP formula (Time, Protection, Patience) is your best approach:

• Time: Allow plenty of time for things to resolve naturally. Healing can take a long time, so don't rush the process.
• Protection: Use earplugs or earmuffs in loud environments to safeguard your ears. The goal is to avoid any further trauma.
• Patience: Be patient with yourself and the process. Progress takes time, but improvement is possible.

Stay hopeful and take it one step at a time!

 

[Mark F.]

I appreciate you taking the time to write this. As I sit here in my own personal struggle, I've been reading through a lot of information, including all the recommended treatments. I've noted them down, including medications that others have reported success with, and I plan to share the entire list with my doctor.

I'm even considering surgery if it could help alleviate the hyperacusis or noxacusis.

Sir, with all due respect, you may want to stop. Stop researching surgeries. You experienced acoustic trauma, an injury caused by noise, during the MRI just a month ago.

Give your ears and psyche time to heal. Pursuing surgery so soon could potentially worsen your condition, leading to unimaginable levels of suffering. Please take it slow.

 

[ccpjc]

Sir, with all due respect, you may want to stop. Stop researching surgeries. You experienced acoustic trauma, an injury caused by noise, during the MRI just a month ago.

Give your ears and psyche time to heal. Pursuing surgery so soon could potentially worsen your condition, leading to unimaginable levels of suffering. Please take it slow.

I wish I could, but my life has turned into a kind of hell I never thought possible. I performed a TFI test and scored 90/100. I'm not sure I've seen anyone score that high before.

My tinnitus has gotten progressively worse over the past week. It's so loud that I hear it clearly on my left side, but when I plug my ears, I can tell it's actually radiating from my right side.

I'm reaching new lows I never thought I could. For the first time in my life, I feel completely hopeless. As I write this, I can't imagine living like this. It breaks me to even think about saying goodbye to my family and my life.

I've read the stories from people on here who got into clinical trials and found relief, and it crushes me to know that because of where I live, I'll never have that opportunity.

After my injury, I begged for steroids three times and was told no every time. I'm certain they could have helped, based on the stories of others who benefited from them.

I don't know how I can keep going. I feel like I can't survive this affliction. All I wanted was to rule out something bad in my head, not make things worse—and yet, that's exactly what happened.

 

[Mark F.]

I wish I could, but my life has turned into a kind of hell I never thought possible. I performed a TFI test and scored 90/100. I'm not sure I've seen anyone score that high before.

My tinnitus has gotten progressively worse over the past week. It's so loud that I hear it clearly on my left side, but when I plug my ears, I can tell it's actually radiating from my right side.

I'm reaching new lows I never thought I could. For the first time in my life, I feel completely hopeless. As I write this, I can't imagine living like this. It breaks me to even think about saying goodbye to my family and my life.

I've read the stories from people on here who got into clinical trials and found relief, and it crushes me to know that because of where I live, I'll never have that opportunity.

After my injury, I begged for steroids three times and was told no every time. I'm certain they could have helped, based on the stories of others who benefited from them.

I don't know how I can keep going. I feel like I can't survive this affliction. All I wanted was to rule out something bad in my head, not make things worse—and yet, that's exactly what happened.

I know this is really tough. Believe me, I understand. We all do.

Please do whatever you think is best for you. I truly hope things start to calm down, and I believe they can if you just give it some time.

Hang in there, for your family and for yourself. I am rooting for you!

 

[ccpjc]

I can't believe there's a new layer of hell to tinnitus. Yesterday, and continuing through today, my tinnitus has become reactive—but not just any type of reactive.

If I tense my muscles, it gets worse, even if it's just in my foot or hands. Any noise at all makes the tinnitus increase.

Please, please, please tell me this goes away. I'm crying and feeling like I'm about ready to give up on everything.

 

[ccpjc]

I've ruined my life. The life I knew—and know—is over.

My tinnitus has worsened. It has become extremely somatic and reactive. I couldn't imagine it could get worse, but I've been proven wrong.

How did I ruin my life? It started with an MRI exam I didn't need.

Then, I tried taking multiple supplements. Despite researching online and finding nothing suggesting they would interact, they seem to have had adverse effects. Now, I'm here, unable to manage even the basics of daily life without my tinnitus increasing in volume and intensity. This is pure hell. It feels catastrophic.

Please, Lord—if there is a Lord—hear my prayers. Please, stop this torment. Let me feel normal again. Let me be the partner, the father, the person I was before. Let me hear silence. Let me feel normal once more. Please, Lord, if you exist, hear my prayers.

 

[ccpjc]

Yesterday, my tinnitus was quiet, and my somatic and reactive symptoms were also low—it was incredible. Unfortunately, that changed when my 5-year-old let out a high-pitched laugh or scream. I felt my ear react to the sharp sound, and the ringing returned quickly afterward. It must have been easily 100 dB or more.

I quickly put in my earplugs to prevent further noise exposure, secluded myself in a quiet area, and took NAC a little while later. However, I've realized that NAC gives me brutal headaches. Despite its potential benefits, I've decided I won't take it anymore.

I don't want to be upset with my child for simply being a kid and having fun, but I feel deeply sad about what happened. Reading other people's experiences, I've seen similar incidents described as the turning point for their tinnitus worsening, which adds to my worry.

I didn't sleep much last night because the sounds kept me awake. My wife is trying to stay positive, reassuring me that this setback is temporary and that I can return to where I was yesterday. Still, as tinnitus sufferers, we know how impactful these moments are to live with.

I'm praying this is only a temporary setback. For now, I'm wearing earplugs at home to minimize further exposure.

 

[Varda]

Do you remember which antibiotics you were taking? Were you on them at the time you had the MRI?

There's a chance the antibiotics might have contributed to harm to your auditory system, in addition to the acoustic trauma. I'm not saying this in a "you shouldn't have" kind of way—it's just that this information could be helpful to others.

 

[lillieg]

some improvement is a good sign! seeing your previous posts, i know that day must have felt like heaven! NAC also gives me pretty severe headaches i've noticed, i'm sticking to just 600mg after a loud noise exposure to see if that helps. was taking 1200mg. keeping you in my thoughts and praying you continue to have better days!!

 

[ccpjc]

Do you remember which antibiotics you were taking? Were you on them at the time you had the MRI?

There's a chance the antibiotics might have contributed to harm to your auditory system, in addition to the acoustic trauma. I'm not saying this in a "you shouldn't have" kind of way—it's just that this information could be helpful to others.

I was taking Amoxicillin, and yes, I was on it during the MRI.

some improvement is a good sign! seeing your previous posts, i know that day must have felt like heaven! NAC also gives me pretty severe headaches i've noticed, i'm sticking to just 600mg after a loud noise exposure to see if that helps. was taking 1200mg. keeping you in my thoughts and praying you continue to have better days!!

Thank you. That day was bliss. However, I'm feeling pretty down right now. After my recent noise exposure and taking NAC two days ago, I'm struggling to see any hope for improvement.

 

[ccpjc]

This past Wednesday marked four weeks since my acoustic trauma, and today marks one month.

Today has been difficult, with the tinnitus as loud as ever. I feel hopeless about the possibility of recovery or even achieving habituation, especially because of the somatic and reactive nature of my tinnitus. It feels even worse knowing that some of this was caused by my own attempts to treat it. White noise, which used to be a source of comfort for so many years, now causes my tinnitus to spike and scream. Losing that has been deeply painful.

I have cried so much that I feel like I have lost the ability to cry, even though my body desperately needs the release.

I would do almost anything to go back one month and listen to my gut. Why didn't I? The regrets keep surging, constantly at the front of my mind, made worse by the relentless ringing.

I do not know how I will last. I do not know how I am going to go on. So many people here have been encouraging, and I deeply appreciate their help. But, like so many others on this journey, the hope of fading or silence feels just that—fading hope. My wife still has hope, and I know she is trying to stay strong for me. If she did not, I think she fears she might lose me.

It hurts to see on Reddit that $200 million was raised to bring back an extinct animal, while millions of people suffer from conditions like tinnitus. Imagine if tinnitus research had access to that kind of funding. Maybe we would be closer to, or even have achieved, an effective treatment. Instead, all I see are more failed and abandoned studies. Yet scientists in Japan have discovered how to regrow teeth. It is so frustrating.

I am so tired. I miss sleeping. I miss silence. I miss life. This is no longer living; it is just existing. I cannot believe how much I took for granted before this awful affliction. Some might say this is my wake-up call to enjoy life, but how?

Many people will say that I am only one month in, and I still have a long way to go. But it is so hard to see the horizon when it feels like I am in the middle of a storm, lost in the dark. I would love to come back here someday and write a success story, proving right all the people who encouraged me, prayed for me, and hoped for me. But for now, all I have is darkness and fear.

These are my thoughts, my emotions, my fears, and my guilt.

 

[Sonic17]

I've been living with tinnitus for nearly eight years. It started two weeks after I had an MRI for a neck injury. I'm still not sure if the tinnitus was caused by the MRI, the neck injury, or a combination of both.

Sleep is essential—do whatever it takes to get the rest you need. After that, focus on protecting your ears, finding distractions, getting outdoors, staying busy, and enjoying life!

 

[JD Walton]

I wanted to share that I have a similar story. (I am in my 30s.)

Over a year ago, a gun went off near my head, and since then, I have experienced nearly all the same symptoms you are describing. To make things even harder, my wife had a miscarriage the week after the incident. It was an incredibly stressful time.

I have three small children, and it was especially distressing because they are loud. My symptoms actually got worse over the first four to six months before they slowly started to improve. I dealt with extreme hyperacusis during that time.

My career is in audio engineering, so I was panicking, thinking I might never be able to work again. However, with a lot of prayer and support, I can say that over time, some symptoms have subsided, although others are permanent.

Initially, I could not listen to any music, not even classical or white noise, because my tinnitus was highly reactive and would spike. Thankfully, that is no longer the case most of the time. (A running faucet can still cause a spike, but it does not bother me because I know it is temporary.)

I also developed severe insomnia for several months. I was determined to avoid medication and decided to focus on areas I could control, such as improving my physical health. For instance, I started taking quiet walks outside, which helped.

I have read through most of the forums online, but I found they often caused me distress, especially the posts suggesting that tinnitus would only ever get worse. Here are a few things that helped me over the past year:

1. Limit time on forums – Try not to read forums habitually. If you find it hard to stay away, taking breaks can help reduce anxiety.
2. Read helpful resources – Around the six month mark, I read the TRT book by Jastreboff. While it did not directly help my tinnitus, it gave me a better understanding of how to calm my limbic (fight or flight) system and stop overreacting to the condition.
3. Use sleep aids – I started using a sleep mask with built-in speakers, specifically one from Manta Sleep. Playing low level nighttime sounds, like cicadas and crickets, worked well for masking my tinnitus. Now, I sleep normally about 90 percent of the time with it.
4. Try custom earplugs – An audiologist made me custom molds for ACS earplugs. I initially used the 10 or 17 decibel filters all the time. These helped me deal with hyperacusis, especially when I needed to be around my children. Over time, I stopped needing them except for loud environments.
5. Be patient – The biggest thing is to give it time. Time is the ultimate healer. If you can focus on getting through one day, one week, or one month, you are closer to feeling more like yourself again.

Does it still bother me? Yes, every day. But I can honestly say that 95 percent of my happiness has returned.

I really feel for you. It is tough and it is hard, but with time, there is hope. I hope some of this helps!

 

[ccpjc]

Another day, and the sounds persist. I say "sounds" in the plural now because I have discovered that I now have two types of tinnitus.

Tinnitus 1: This was caused by the MRI and then a loud noise exposure. It is contained to my right ear and seems to be a constant sound, but I cannot match it to any specific frequency.

Tinnitus 2: This began after I took supplements in an attempt to heal the inflammation and pressure in my right ear. Now, it has caused central tinnitus with somatic and reactive responses. This type changes pitch and frequency, almost like when adjusting frequencies while trying to match sounds on TinnitusPlay. It is so much worse than Tinnitus 1.

Everyday sounds that were once background noise now spike this tinnitus to an unbearable pitch: my fan (which I have used for years to help me sleep), the vents when the furnace runs, the shower fan—all of these trigger a severe reaction. It is quite literally hell.

I honestly do not know how to cope with this. These sounds spike my anxiety, keep me from sleeping, and disrupt my life. They are a constant focus.

Regret weighs heavily on me. I wish I could go back two weeks and not take the supplements. I wish I could go back one month and say no to the MRI. I wish, I hope, I pray that my body can heal. But it is unknown whether this is permanent and my new reality, or if there is still a chance for improvement.

Please, God, if there is a God, please—I have learned my lesson. Please heal me. Please take these afflictions away. Let me feel and hear silence again. Please stop this torment. God, if you are there, I pray to you: please, heal me and take these afflictions away.

 

[ccpjc]

Well, life just keeps throwing curveballs. Now I have tinnitus in my left ear.

This is Tinnitus 3. I assume it was caused by using the TinnitusPlay app to try and find my tone. I did not even follow the app instructions to use 50 percent volume. I kept it very low. I used the app hoping for relief with its various playback functions. Please, life, do not do this to me. Please, no.

Why am I so cursed? What did I do so wrong to deserve this? Why is this happening? I cannot even cry anymore. I am at my breaking point. I cannot hang on mentally. I feel like I am going to lose my mind. Why does tinnitus even exist?!

 

[ccpjc]

I'm pretty sure I'm one of the unluckiest people you'll ever meet.

Today, I went to Walmart and put in my earplugs. When I removed the right earplug, it created suction, and now my ear feels full and slightly painful. Of course, it had to be my right ear—the one with acoustic trauma. Just last week, I experienced a loud noise event without earplugs.

I feel like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. Life is so challenging right now.

Can I please have some hope and prayers? Please, anyone.

To top it off, my 5-year-old just came over and screamed in my ear. FML.

 

[ccpjc]

Life continues to throw punches, and I just do not know how to handle them. How I wish I could rewind time.

My youngest is currently being evaluated for ADHD.

My wife has a blood disorder that requires additional aggressive treatments.

And my eldest is being investigated for Tourette's. This one is the hardest to face right now. I cry at the thought of it. My eldest has so many years ahead of them, but they are showing incredible strength. When I look at them, I try not to cry. I just want to hold them, hug them, and tell them everything will be okay, but I am afraid I will break down, and if I do, I worry they will too.

As for me, my tinnitus rages on. Despite the words of encouragement, hopes, and prayers from so many, my light of hope feels very dim.

I am nearing 1.5 months since my acoustic trauma and three weeks since starting supplements that caused new tinnitus to emerge. This new tinnitus is far worse than the noise induced tinnitus I had before, as I have mentioned previously. Unfortunately, reading about others' successes with supplements on this very forum led me to try them, and they have worsened my condition.

I have had good discussions with my doctor. While she does not want to prescribe Clonazepam, she is willing to if I want to try it. She is also open to prescribing Anafranil if I decide to go that route. For now, I am holding off and waiting to see how things unfold.

2025 is proving to be a challenging year, and it is not even one month in. I no longer feel suicidal, but I do not have high hopes for a fulfilling life anymore either.

I am going to sign off for a while. I might check back periodically, and I hope I will return someday to write a success story. But for anyone reading this, whether you are religious and believe in higher powers or miracles, or you are not, I ask you to please keep my family in your thoughts. Life is incredibly challenging for us right now.

—Adam

 

[GSC]

Hang in there. You are still in the early stages. Usually 5 months will determine if it's long-lasting or not, and trust me you are still in the early processes of healing as the ear takes a long time to heal. My advise would go as follow because this is an acoustic trauma suffered from an mri, but do take this as a template that works best for you and make adjustments accordingly.

If NAC gives you headaches, I'd recommend Magnesium Glycinate, high absorption. At least 400mg a day but you can take more.
My old pattern used to be 200 in in the morning, 200 at night for stress-less sleeps, but I did take them after a noise that hurt my ear. Along with NAC. Whether placebo or not, they both worked for me - and I also suffered an awful acoustic trauma. A damaging one that left me with tinnitus of blaring tones, hyperacusis, reactive tinnitus, and trust me it has helped.

Get fitted earplugs and pulling them out slowly and carefully due to suction. Be sure to not become over reliant on them though because this will make the ear pain and reactive tinnitus worse. The thing about hyperacusis is you need to feed your ears sound in order to build tolerance, kind of like exposure therapy. What aides with this is listening to your instincts and keeping note what your reacts to. Do they tense innerly over the sound of a fork scraping plate, is the flush of a toilet too loud, does the high rush of a faucet pouring water affect it. Each time there is pain or a flex that you feel of your ear yourself is your ear telling you this is too much for me.

Eliminate the usage of headphones and earphones. Talk to people on speaker through your phone, with it away from your ear since you're an hyperacusis sufferer.

Ears can grow tired over long durations of noise or quickly with a space filled with a multitude of noise. Be vigilant with ear plugs in these areas. Because again, you know what your ears can feel, what your ears can handle and what they cannot.

Avoid loud every day noises in your home: be gentle with your plates, do not do housework with tools without ear plugs and over the ear protection etc. Listen to music at a reasonable volume.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I appreciate you taking the time to write this. As I sit here in my own personal struggle, I've been reading through a lot of information, including all the recommended treatments. I've noted them down, including medications that others have reported success with, and I plan to share the entire list with my doctor.

I'm even considering surgery if it could help alleviate the hyperacusis or noxacusis.

It's very interesting how you've approached the challenges of hyperacusis, especially since every case is unique. I particularly appreciate how you take time to relax with sound therapy, something I haven't done because I'm too anxious and always looking for answers from someone else, when in reality, the path forward is often personal.

I'm going to set aside time to learn to relax with sound therapy.

Thank you!