Tinnitus Goes Reactive After 20 Years

[Makrohn]

I have had tinnitus for 22 years this spring, and I have been living OK with it for most of the time.
The last couple of months it has changed, and from what I read, it is now reactive. Some people will call this Hyperacusis, but to me it makes no difference what we call it.

Is it possible, after over 20 years of tinnitus that it suddenly changes like this and gets reactive?
I am suffering from bilateral severe hearing loss, so I am very careful with my hearing, but I do not or have not at any point been wearing ear muffs.

It does not hurt but when there is too much noise in a room, I feel overwhelmed and my T goes up in volume and in some cases stays there for some time. It is also a little different then my usual T, having more of a metallic type sound to it. It is really awful.

Additional info: The last 6 months I have been suffering from heavy anxiety and now depression. I have had 2 virus infections (not ear-related) and my sleep has not been good. I have at some points experienced a great reduction in my T for a day or two before it goes up again. In other words, I experience extreme variations in my T each and every day, and I wonder if it is connected to something or if it will get better.

Right now I am caught between suffering in silent rooms where all I hear is my T, or listening to sounds that makes my T go reactive. Any advice is very welcome.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I have had tinnitus for 22 years this spring, and I have been living OK with it for most of the time.
The last couple of months it has changed, and from what I read, it is now reactive. Some people will call this Hyperacusis, but to me it makes no difference what we call it.

Hi @Makrohn

You have written an interesting post that has me intrigued because you are a veteran to tinnitus and seeking help. It just goes to show this condition can affect anyone if it's severe enough even those that are well seasoned to it as you.
I believe there are a number of clues in your post that are possible causes for your tinnitus to change and become Reactive. Because you have many years experience with tinnitus, some of the things I'm going to mention I know that you will already know, so I'm not going to try and tell you how to "suck eggs". It is for the benefit of others that read this post and might find them helpful.

Tinnitus doesn't usually change without a reason and since you have hearing loss, it could have gotten worse so I advise you get a referral to ENT, so tests can be carried out on your auditory system. Have you been listening to music through headphones or attending places where loud music is played? Anxiety and depression can affect tinnitus so these are best reduced as much as possible. Medication may help so please have a word with your GP. If your tests at ENT show there is no underlying medical condition causing your tinnitus. A referral to a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist, that specialises in the treatment and management of tinnitus and hyperacusis is advised.

It is not a good idea to stay in a quiet room and listen to your tinnitus. Often this makes the brain focus more on the noise and it will appear to be louder and more intrusive. Similarly, I suggest using a sound machine at night keeping the volume low.

Your symptoms need investigation and this is best done with the health professionals that I have mentioned.

All the best
Michael

 

[Makrohn]

Thank you for your reply @Michael Leigh

The last 6 months I have met up with my ENT on two occasions, and I have seen my personal audiologist probably 4-5 times because I am looking into swapping out my current hearing aids. My hearing has not changed in this periode of time, and my ENT says my ears are all fine. Since I use hearing aids, I do not listen to music through headphones, and I VERY rarely attend places with loud music or noise like pubs/parties/concerts etc.

I have to say the change came after the anxiety kicked in, and it went "crazy" during my virus infections with all kinds of sounds and pitches. This has settled some what now, but still comes and goes at times. I have been trying to use my radio as sound enrichment in my everyday life, but sometimes I feel it is better to sit in silence since the T is so reactive at times. My anxiety is way better, but my depression is still pretty moderate, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Of course, at times when the T is very bad (like it is every other day) I cannot help to obsess over it and keep listening for it.

I am not able to use sound machine at night, since I can not hear much when my hearing aids are out. It would mean the volume had to be very loud for me to hear at all, surely causing my family a lot of disturbance.

Thanks!

 

[Michael Leigh]

HI @Makrohn

Thank you for the additional information. I realize that you are not able to use a sound machine at night, but I strongly advise you to refrain from being in quiet rooms and listening to your tinnitus. Your brain will make it louder and more intrusive as it has nothing else to focus on. You could try a dual purpose hearing aids. These are hearing aids with white noise generators built-in. That way you will have he benefit of having a hearing aid and also be able to hear gentle white noise as sound enrichment. Please consider this.

Another option is not using a radio for sound enrichment during the day. Just have low level background music playing such as classical is ideal or music of choice. Nature sounds playing at low level is also good. Sound Oasis, sound machines are particularly good. Model S-650 is popular.

Michael

 

[Makrohn]

@Michael Leigh

I will have a talk with my audiologist about dual purpose hearing aids, it could absolutely be something to consider.
And I will also look into sound machines... for now I have only been using my laptop and YouTube videos, but I cant say it provides me much relief. My T is hearable over most sounds, and as of lately it also spikes up to match the noise levels in my surroundings. But I guess I just have to start off with a very low level and then gradually increase it.

Thanks!

 

[Michael Leigh]

I will have a talk with my audiologist about dual purpose hearing aids, it could absolutely be something to consider

Sound enrichment takes time to get used to and it will allow your brain not to focus on the tinnitus as much. Please be patient and persist with it. Regarding dual purpose hearing aids. Your Audiologist may tell you they are not available or never heard of such a thing. This is not the case. My white noise generators have built-in hearing aids. I do not have hearing loss, so my Audiologist disabled the hearing aid part of the device, via the computer when I was fitted with the WNG.

Best of luck
Michael

 

[Gman]

Thank you for your reply @Michael Leigh
I have to say the change came after the anxiety kicked in, and it went "crazy" during my virus infections with all kinds of sounds and pitches. This has settled some what now, but still comes and goes at times. I have been trying to use my radio as sound enrichment in my everyday life, but sometimes I feel it is better to sit in silence since the T is so reactive at times. My anxiety is way better, but my depression is still pretty moderate, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Of course, at times when the T is very bad (like it is every other day) I cannot help to obsess over it and keep listening for it.

In a way you are lucky you had over 20years of stability with your T. I had 6 months before mine became unhinged mostly because of anxiety and stress.

Your emotional state can affect your T massively. It's not always about noise exposure. Anxiety, stress and panic attacks can be like someone turning your T up and can make it become unstable. Burnout and depression just add to it. It can take quite sometime to calm down in my experience. I'll be honest, I don't know how it can make it reactive or give you hyperacusis, but it affects your nervous system, so anything is possible. Noise can perhaps just add to already overloaded nerves, in this case your auditory ones. Just speculating of course, I don't know, but who does.

I would maybe suggest trying to improve your sleep for a start, whether that means with medication or naturally. Good quality sleep for me does wonders for my T. Also do what you can to reduce stress and concentrate on mindfulness to improve your overall frame of mind. Some people do yoga, although I haven't gotten around to it so can't say if it helps. There are mindfulness experts out there too but haven't any experience with that either.

I do find when I can de stress and relax, such as right now being on holiday, my T becomes much less. At the moment it is not as reactive to sound and my H has improved massively (weeks after suffering acoustic trauma).

I actually like to check in with my T and listen to it without background noise here and there, to see what it is up to. But I just listen without letting it get to me, just be impartial. I kind of think that is key - to not react to it at all, just be analytical about it.

 

[Makrohn]

Your emotional state can affect your T massively. It's not always about noise exposure. Anxiety, stress and panic attacks can be like someone turning your T up and can make it become unstable. Burnout and depression just add to it. It can take quite sometime to calm down in my experience. I'll be honest, I don't know how it can make it reactive or give you hyperacusis, but it affects your nervous system, so anything is possible. Noise can perhaps just add to already overloaded nerves, in this case your auditory ones. Just speculating of course, I don't know, but who does.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience!

I am very sure that my emotional state is to blame in all of this. During my years of living with T I have gotten to know how it reacts and how it behaves. After all of this stress/anxiety I had, my T just became very unstable, were some days could be like a bliss, and others (most) could be like living hell and I did not know if I would hold on to this world anymore. I have so many different sounds in my ears, and they all live their own life regardless of one another.. Some of them I accept and they do not bug me as much.. but others, like the ones that appeared after the anxiety and stress kicked in, I am having a really hard time to accept and function with. I am clinging to that hope, that once my depression gets better, my T will also be better, but its hard cause I really do believe I have a very severe type of T in addition to moderate/severe hearing loss.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I am very sure that my emotional state is to blame in all of this.

@Makrohn

Since you are sure of the cause of your tinnitus increase. If medication doesn't help you then I advise that you see Hearing Therapist for some counselling even if it's just for a short while. If you are unable to see a Hearing Therapist, then another type of therapist to help you deal with your emotional state, as things could get worse if this is not addressed.

Michael

 

[Makrohn]

@Michael Leigh

I have been dodging the medications (SRRi) cause I fear they would make my T go worse. The only thing I would use is Clonazepam, but I have also tried to avoid using it in fear of getting addicted.

Tomorrow I will travel to a 3 day Tinnitus course, meeting up with other sufferers in my country.
Looking forward to this, and hopefully I will get som input leading me in the right direction.
And absolutely, if this gets worse, I will be in need of proper treatment with a therapist.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I have been dodging the medications (SRRi) cause I fear they would make my T go worse. The only thing I would use is Clonazepam, but I have also tried to avoid using it in fear of getting addicted.

Many of my posts on my started threads are about the way tinnitus can affect a person emotionally. Trying to deal with what you're going through without taking medication I don't think is a good idea. I know many people have concerns about SRRI medications but they are not as bad as some make out and they don't necessarily have to be taken long term. It is true some can increase the tinnitus but this is usually short term. Many people send me PMs about their concerns over medications. I tell them when this condition is loud and intrusive it can be seriously debilitating and one needs all the help they can get in this situation.

I have used antidepressants and in the passed and had no problems with them. I take Conazepam occasionally only when my tinnitus is severe. Please think again about taking something to help you through this patch and hopefully your depression will begin to subside.

Can antidepressants and other medications help tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a complex condition that comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. It can be: mild, moderate, severe or extremely severe. Because its intensity can vary considerably, it can be difficult to know what another person is going through. When it is mild or moderate, many people are able to habituate to it and carry on with their life doing everything that they want to and may not always need a referral to ENT or a hearing therapist for treatment.

Tinnitus starts to become a problem when it loud and intrusive. If this level of intensity is sustained for a period of time, life can become a very traumatic experience, especially for someone that is new to the condition. A person's once peaceful world has suddenly been invaded by an unwanted interloper, and it can seem there is no end to the nightmare that has befallen upon them. Insomnia, stress and anxiety are common conditions affecting such a person, which can often make the tinnitus, seem louder and more intrusive. Stress makes tinnitus worse and tinnitus makes stress worse. So, the more relaxed someone is the less intrusive the tinnitus will appear to be and often making life more tolerable.

If your GP suggests taking an antidepressant or a sleeping draft then I advise you to consider it. However, for various reasons some people are averse to taking medications, and when it comes to antidepressants or sleeping tablets they vehemently oppose the idea and prefer to deal with the problem without assistance from prescription drugs. Admirable as this might seem, coping with intrusive tinnitus isn't easy. The usual methods of keeping busy to distract one's attention from the noise or masking it with another sound so that it can't be heard often prove unsuccessful and at times exhausting, because tinnitus is quite resilient and will put up a fight.

Contrary to what some people believe, antidepressants or other medications to help cope with tinnitus, don't have to be taken long term and can act as a safety net, helping to prevent a person becoming too down. Remember, the less stressed and relaxed we are, the less intrusive the tinnitus will appear to be. This can go a long way in helping a person to habituate to the condition with time.

Some medications can make tinnitus more intrusive and this has been said about antidepressants. However, in many cases the effects are usually temporary. As we are all different it wouldn't be right to say everyone that takes AD will be adversely affected. My blood pressure medicine is listed as "can cause ringing in the ears". I haven't noticed any increase in my tinnitus and I have been taking it for quite some time.

Life can be problematic even at the best of times. With the added pressure of coping with intrusive tinnitus, my advice is to try and make things a easier on yourself. Talk to your doctor and if an antidepressant or other medications is advised then try it and give it time to work, at least six weeks.

Michael

 

[DebInAustralia]

I have had tinnitus for 22 years this spring, and I have been living OK with it for most of the time.
The last couple of months it has changed, and from what I read, it is now reactive. Some people will call this Hyperacusis, but to me it makes no difference what we call it.

Is it possible, after over 20 years of tinnitus that it suddenly changes like this and gets reactive?
I am suffering from bilateral severe hearing loss, so I am very careful with my hearing, but I do not or have not at any point been wearing ear muffs.

It does not hurt but when there is too much noise in a room, I feel overwhelmed and my T goes up in volume and in some cases stays there for some time. It is also a little different then my usual T, having more of a metallic type sound to it. It is really awful.

Additional info: The last 6 months I have been suffering from heavy anxiety and now depression. I have had 2 virus infections (not ear-related) and my sleep has not been good. I have at some points experienced a great reduction in my T for a day or two before it goes up again. In other words, I experience extreme variations in my T each and every day, and I wonder if it is connected to something or if it will get better.

Right now I am caught between suffering in silent rooms where all I hear is my T, or listening to sounds that makes my T go reactive. Any advice is very welcome.

You mention you have a hearing loss. Just wondering if you have had a repeat audiogram as the change in your t might be related to further loss?? Perhaps ask for an extended audiogram. It wasnt till I did this myself that i realised that my high pitched t (that had been missed on standard audio) was related to losses above 10000k.

Our mindset will definately impact on our t. I have my ups and downs with t, that I think is related (at least in part) to my mood. What are you doing to address your anxiety and depression?

Youve identified various contributing factors. I cant say which ones are responsible with any certainty, but I think they probably have all contributed to your current situation. I would definately get an audio though.

I had very reactive t for a little over 3 years. I received adipose derived stem cells in May last year. Whilst, it hasnt gotten rid of my t altogether, my reactive t has improved significantly, as has my hyperacusis. My spikes are also less frequent and more shortlived. My t is largely in the background, but this could be habituation.

 

[Makrohn]

You mention you have a hearing loss. Just wondering if you have had a repeat audiogram as the change in your t might be related to further loss?? Perhaps ask for an extended audiogram. It wasnt till I did this myself that i realised that my high pitched t (that had been missed on standard audio) was related to losses above 10000k.

Our mindset will definately impact on our t. I have my ups and downs with t, that I think is related (at least in part) to my mood. What are you doing to address your anxiety and depression?

Youve identified various contributing factors. I cant say which ones are responsible with any certainty, but I think they probably have all contributed to your current situation. I would definately get an audio though.

I had very reactive t for a little over 3 years. I received adipose derived stem cells in May last year. Whilst, it hasnt gotten rid of my t altogether, my reactive t has improved significantly, as has my hyperacusis. My spikes are also less frequent and more shortlived. My t is largely in the background, but this could be habituation.

Yes, as I wrote earlier I have visited my ENT and my audiologist many times the last 6 months and both my ears are healthy and hearing is stable. These new sound also do not seem to have any relation to my loss in regards of frequencies and pitch. I have like what I call the baseline T, the one I got 22 years ago, this is very stable, it rises from time to time, but always pretty much the same. Then I have 2-3 other sounds that come and go, but they are present 80% of the time. So, I am pretty sure this it something that has root in my emotions or how my body has been under stress the past 6 months. Of course I can not be sure, but I find no other reason to it. I am not stressed now a days, my resting pulse is perfect, but the depression is what takes up most of my mind... Thinking on how I can get through this, live a normal life etc. My sleep is also not very good.

Interesting with your stem cell treatment. Where did you go to get that? I am now in a position that I have to start trying different things for both my overall health but also in the hope that my T will be more tolerable than it is.

 

[fishbone]

I have had tinnitus for 22 years this spring, and I have been living OK with it for most of the time.
The last couple of months it has changed, and from what I read, it is now reactive. Some people will call this Hyperacusis, but to me it makes no difference what we call it.

Is it possible, after over 20 years of tinnitus that it suddenly changes like this and gets reactive?
I am suffering from bilateral severe hearing loss, so I am very careful with my hearing, but I do not or have not at any point been wearing ear muffs.

It does not hurt but when there is too much noise in a room, I feel overwhelmed and my T goes up in volume and in some cases stays there for some time. It is also a little different then my usual T, having more of a metallic type sound to it. It is really awful.

Additional info: The last 6 months I have been suffering from heavy anxiety and now depression. I have had 2 virus infections (not ear-related) and my sleep has not been good. I have at some points experienced a great reduction in my T for a day or two before it goes up again. In other words, I experience extreme variations in my T each and every day, and I wonder if it is connected to something or if it will get better.

Right now I am caught between suffering in silent rooms where all I hear is my T, or listening to sounds that makes my T go reactive. Any advice is very welcome.

The depression/heavy anxiety can do tons to the tinnitus. Listening for the tinnitus is also not going to be helpful. If you have any illnesses or issues, those can also cause the tinnitus to act up. Tinnitus will re-act for a reason, in my 30 years, there has never been a surprise for me with tinnitus. I either messed up and paid for it or else, the tinnitus has been constant and predictable for me.

 

[DebInAustralia]

Yes, as I wrote earlier I have visited my ENT and my audiologist many times the last 6 months and both my ears are healthy and hearing is stable. These new sound also do not seem to have any relation to my loss in regards of frequencies and pitch. I have like what I call the baseline T, the one I got 22 years ago, this is very stable, it rises from time to time, but always pretty much the same. Then I have 2-3 other sounds that come and go, but they are present 80% of the time. So, I am pretty sure this it something that has root in my emotions or how my body has been under stress the past 6 months. Of course I can not be sure, but I find no other reason to it. I am not stressed now a days, my resting pulse is perfect, but the depression is what takes up most of my mind... Thinking on how I can get through this, live a normal life etc. My sleep is also not very good.

Interesting with your stem cell treatment. Where did you go to get that? I am now in a position that I have to start trying different things for both my overall health but also in the hope that my T will be more tolerable than it is.

i asked of youd had an extended audio up to 20k?

cbt mindfulness?

acrn?

mcquarie stem cell clinic nsw australia

 

[Makrohn]

i asked of youd had an extended audio up to 20k?

cbt mindfulness?

acrn?

mcquarie stem cell clinic nsw australia

Oh, no I have not have extended audio. But do you think it is worth it? My 2 new T is about 250Hz and 900Hz.

I have not tried either of them, acrn or cbt mindfulness. This is something I have to look into, thanks!

 

[Darkener]

Right now I am caught between suffering in silent rooms where all I hear is my T, or listening to sounds that makes my T go reactive. Any advice is very welcome.

I cannot listen to silence either as my tinnitus is maddeningly screechy (normally just in the left, but since an infection, also in the right), and music does not mask it. What I find is that when I listen to rain sounds (I have an Alexa that provides this) at a moderate level it is masked. My ENT said if you try and mask it with something loud the T will try to compete and go up in level. If you listen to something quiet it tends to go down. Try it at a really low volume and gradually increase if you need to (sorry if this has already been suggested).

 

[Michael Leigh]

If you listen to something quiet it tends to go down. Try it at a really low volume and gradually increase if you need to (sorry if this has also been suggested).

You absolutely right @Darkener. Tinnitus should never be masked as this will only make it more intrusive over time. It is much better to set the level of "sound enrichment" slightly below the tinnitus. Sound enrichment should also be used at night, but in Makrohn's case this won't work. When we are asleep, the brain and auditory system never switch off. If the brain hears silence, it has the ability to turn up it's internal gain rather like a volume control on a radio. In doing so, it will also increase its background activity at the same time, increasing the tinnitus too and it will become louder and more intrusive during waking hours.

Sound enrichment during the night, supplies the brain and auditory system with sound and therefore, the brain is less likely to turn up its background activity and thus the tinnitus is not likely to increase. In many cases using sound enrichment at night helps to suppress the tinnitus over time. Sound enrichment at night takes time to get used to. Unfortunately, some people do not have the patience and give up too easily saying they are unable to adjust to it.

Michael

 

[Tinker Bell]

I'm sorry if you already answered this in your posts, but how old are your hearing aids? It's possible you may need new ones. I have a family member with hearing aids, and she said they start to not work as well after three or four years. If that's contributing to your T seeming worse, newer aids might help.

 

[Makrohn]

I'm sorry if you already answered this in your posts, but how old are your hearing aids? It's possible you may need new ones. I have a family member with hearing aids, and she said they start to not work as well after three or four years. If that's contributing to your T seeming worse, newer aids might help.

Thank you for your thoughts @Tinker Bell, and yes, I am on top of that also.
The reason for me visiting my audiologist several times over the past 6 months is that I want to replace my old HA with new ones. I have tried out a variety of types but none of them have done anything for my T.

I feel lik this new T is completely different from my usual T. I have all the sounds at the same time, but the T I got first, 22 years ago, is like a stable hiss and a very high pitch tone to it... I have pretty much habituated to this. The new sounds are more like pure tones in different frequencies and they fluctuate A LOT during the day. Then all of a sudden I felt the sounds being reactive to outer sound. I have never experienced anything like this for my 22 years of T so I would say I know my T pretty well. The variations I have in my T is just... crazy.

 

[Makrohn]

A short update; Things are pretty much the same, and my T is definitely reacting to noise or sounds. In the morning when I wake up, it is back on base level, but the soon as sound is introduced it starts reacting. The same goes if I sit in a quiet room for a while, the T goes down. My ear also feels kinda full/stuffed, like I have cotton in my ears and sound is not getting through. My ears are clear, checked by ENT.

The reactive sound is like someone playing with their fingertips on top of a glass....kinda...

I am feeling like this is a hyperactivity in my audio cortex or something. Could it be related to something I have been through lately, like the flu or fatigue? Hoping it will settle down... and I am trying to use sound enrichment though the day as much as possible.

 

[SilverSpiral]

A short update; Things are pretty much the same, and my T is definitely reacting to noise or sounds. In the morning when I wake up, it is back on base level, but the soon as sound is introduced it starts reacting. The same goes if I sit in a quiet room for a while, the T goes down. My ear also feels kinda full/stuffed, like I have cotton in my ears and sound is not getting through. My ears are clear, checked by ENT.

The reactive sound is like someone playing with their fingertips on top of a glass....kinda...

Sounds similar to https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hearing-distortion-recruitment-reactive-tinnitus.19449/