Tinnitus Quiet But Gets Much Louder When Exposed to Every Noise? Anyone Know Why or Can Help?

[sanj100]

Hi guys.

I have a form low frequency tinnitus (sounds like static noise) and have had it for about 6 weeks. I suspect it is due to conductive hearing loss as I've had two of my ear hearing bones removed due to surgery.

Now, the thing with my tinnitus is that it is very quiet when I am in quiet surroundings getting on with work (e.g. in my room) but as soon as I go downstairs and talk to people and watch TV or if I go to the shop and am around car noises, people chatting and every day noise I notice that when I go back into the quiet room my tinnitus is a lot louder. There are also many times when the tinnitus feels like its competing with the surrounding noises. So as I am around a noisy environment I can hear my tinnitus above things even though before I could barely hear it in a quiet room.

Also, it's worth noting that even before I had the tinnitus I was a long sufferer of general anxiety disorder and OCD and was quite sensitive to sound but only at night. Hated car noises at night so wore earplugs.

Now it seems I am annoyed by other loud noises like forks banging on plates when people are eating but fine with most other noises.

Could this all be in my head? Or could there be a real reason for this? Will this get better with time?

Look forward to your replies.

I really hope someone can help me with this.

 

[Kolisar]

Hello @sanj100.

I am not a doctor, so anything I say is just a guess based on what I have read here and on the internet (and we all know that everything on the internet is true and 100% accurate ).

From what I understand, sensitivity to sounds (or certain sounds is referred to as hyperacusis.

One of our members @Michael Leigh has a number of interesting posts, including discussing hyperacusis, if you have not already, I recommend reading them.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/answers-to-hyperacusis-and-habituation.12058/

Hopefully those articles will provide some answers.

Could this all be in my head? Or could there be a real reason for this? Will this get better with time?

Now, for some additional, hopeful, information.

@billie48 wrote his success story demonstrating how positivity helped him habituate with both tinnitus and hyperacusis.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

@Bill Bauer wrote the following post discussing studies that show a fairly high recovery rate from tinnitus ( https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/ )

I wish you luck, I hope you find the answers you are seeking, and I hope that you condition improves. Please keep us updated on your progress.

 

[sanj100]

This is all interesting. Could hyperacusis be the cause of my tinnitus getting louder around loud sounds and being quiet when I'm in silence? I am only sensative to some sounds like forks scraping against a plate or things clanging but I thought most people are the same? As a lot of people react negatively to that sort of stuff...

Hello @sanj100.

I am not a doctor, so anything I say is just a guess based on what I have read here and on the internet (and we all know that everything on the internet is true and 100% accurate ).

From what I understand, sensitivity to sounds (or certain sounds is referred to as hyperacusis.

One of our members @Michael Leigh has a number of interesting posts, including discussing hyperacusis, if you have not already, I recommend reading them.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/answers-to-hyperacusis-and-habituation.12058/

Hopefully those articles will provide some answers.

Hello @sanj100.

I am not a doctor, so anything I say is just a guess based on what I have read here and on the internet (and we all know that everything on the internet is true and 100% accurate ).

From what I understand, sensitivity to sounds (or certain sounds is referred to as hyperacusis.

One of our members @Michael Leigh has a number of interesting posts, including discussing hyperacusis, if you have not already, I recommend reading them.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/answers-to-hyperacusis-and-habituation.12058/

Hopefully those articles will provide some answers.





Now, for some additional, hopeful, information.

@billie48 wrote his success story demonstrating how positivity helped him habituate with both tinnitus and hyperacusis.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

@Bill Bauer wrote the following post discussing studies that show a fairly high recovery rate from tinnitus ( https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/ )

I wish you luck, I hope you find the answers you are seeking, and I hope that you condition improves. Please keep us updated on your progress.

Now, for some additional, hopeful, information.

@billie48 wrote his success story demonstrating how positivity helped him habituate with both tinnitus and hyperacusis.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

@Bill Bauer wrote the following post discussing studies that show a fairly high recovery rate from tinnitus ( https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/ )

I wish you luck, I hope you find the answers you are seeking, and I hope that you condition improves. Please keep us updated on your progress.

 

[Raphael7713]

This is all interesting. Could hyperacusis be the cause of my tinnitus getting louder around loud sounds and being quiet when I'm in silence? I am only sensative to some sounds like forks scraping against a plate or things clanging but I thought most people are the same? As a lot of people react negatively to that sort of stuff...

We can assume this is reactive tinnitus. If reactive tinnitus is a form of hyperacusis or not, I do not know. But Im starting to think it is a form of hyperacusis/sensitivity. I got a mail from Julian Cowan Hill describing my reactive tinnitus as "hyper activity" or "hyper sensitivity" and that we should find a way to settle down and calm the nervous system down in order for our RT to drop/disappear.

 

[Kolisar]

Could hyperacusis be the cause of my tinnitus getting louder around loud sounds and being quiet when I'm in silence?

It is possible. Everyone experiences tinnitus differently. I, fortunately, do not suffer from hyperacusis, so I cannot comment from personal experience. I am hoping that when others read your post someone who's experience is more similar to yours will be able to provide better information and answer your questions.

 

[sanj100]

It is possible. Everyone experiences tinnitus differently. I, fortunately, do not suffer from hyperacusis, so I cannot comment from personal experience. I am hoping that when others read your post someone who's experience is more similar to yours will be able to provide better information and answer your questions.

I really appreciate that. I am just trying to get to the bottom of whether this "reactive tinnitus" people are talking about is actually hyperacusis. Hopefully someone on this forum can shed some light on this and then I can go about doing the treatments for mild hyperacusis.

 

[Philly Pete]

I am also new to Tinnitus and am experiencing something similar. In complete quiet the T can (sometimes) seem pretty mild. I find that once I start watching TV or listening to music it starts ramping up and sort of competing as you say. Certain noises will make it go nuts, like a vacuum or hair dryer. But it's not all noises. Some everyday activities like going to the grocery store will have it fading into the background.

I don't think this is hyperacusis. I do find that certain loud noises or even voices will grate on me more than they used to, but I think people with true hyperacusis would describe a more constant and debilitating intolerance to any noise. I don't know about you, but that's not what I have.

I'm confused and still trying to figure things out and get a grip on what is happening in my ears and my brain, but wanted to respond since I know what you are talking about.

 

[Philly Pete]

Also adding that this 'reactiveness', or whatever it is, can make it frustrating to try to use sound machines or apps for white noise etc, as I find that most of the sounds hurt more than help. Water sounds tend to be soothing, and I ordered a little desk fountain that I hope will be helpful.