Tinnitus Reacting to Noise = Hyperacusis?

[dorje]

Hi guys,
I have a question.

My tinnitus reacts to the noise, when I'm in the quiet place it goes down, and when I'm somewhere noisy it goes up. It's quite common. But in my case it's kind of strange.

For example, when I wake up my tinnitus is very quiet and then when I go to work it develops during the day. And when I come back home to the quiet - it settles down again, sometimes to very low level. Or like yesterday - I spent the night out with my friends in a pub, full of people, very noisy plus loud music and I could hear my T over it. But when I got back home, it was usual level again.

So I wonder - does it mean I have hyperacusis or my reacting to noise tinnitus = hyperacusis?

 

[Contrast]

So I wonder - does it mean I have hyperacusis or my reacting to noise tinnitus = hyperacusis?

Yes it most likely is mild form hyperacusis. I am in a similar situation as you.
It's really depressing how all my favorite music is now ruined I also have hearing difficulties in noisy environments.

 

[BuzzyBee]

Nobody has the answer. Sorry.

 

[BuzzyBee]

I apologize. My answer was rude. Here are some links that might help you out. Long story short, there's debate here as to whether it's reactive tinnitus or hyperacusis and different doctors say different things. For some people it goes away, for some it seems to get worse.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/if-reactive-tinnitus-doesnt-exist-then-what-is-it.24126/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/reactive-tinnitus-or-hyperacusis-unsure.25736/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/reactive-tinnitus-—-removal-of-reactivity-is-it-possible.26252/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/reactive-tinnitus-high-pitched.26597/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/reactive-and-constant-tinnitus.24230/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/reactive-tinnitus-and-trt-tinnitus-retraining-therapy.25327/

 

[dorje]

I apologize. My answer was rude. Here are some links that might help you out. Long story short, there's debate here as to whether it's reactive tinnitus or hyperacusis and different doctors say different things.

No, you weren't being rude, come You just gave me straight answer, thank you But maybe it's better it happened this way, and then you gave me all those links I appreciate that. I wasn't aware it was called "reactive tinnitus". All this information and links are super useful to me.

I really don't know what to think about my T. At the beginning, based on what my GP told me (still waiting for my ENT appointment), I thought I had ETD. It's second month I'm on nasal spray and generally I think I'm getting better. Now I'm aware and 100% sure that my T reacts to noise, which is probably H as well. Good thing is that in a quiet place it goes down a lot, for example when I woke up today morning my T was super quiet, then during and after work was kind of bad, then it settled down and now, after 2 hours sleep is super quiet as well. Weird. Anyway, thanks again @BuzzyBee

 

[BuzzyBee]

At the beginning, based on what my GP told me (still waiting for my ENT appointment), I thought I had ETD. It's second month I'm on nasal spray and generally I think I'm getting better. Now I'm aware and 100% sure that my T reacts to noise, which is probably H as well. Good thing is that in a quiet place it goes down a lot, for example when I woke up today morning my T was super quiet, then during and after work was kind of bad, then it settled down and now, after 2 hours sleep is super quiet as well. Weird. Anyway, thanks again @BuzzyBee

I hope yours get better. Please come back and let us know what your ENT says! I'm going to see a new audiologist next week so I will do the same.

Based on what I've read, true reactive tinnitus is tinnitus that stays elevated for a day or two after noise exposure. Mine stays elevated for 30 minutes to an hour or so, then goes back to baseline. It also reacts to things other than sound like certain movements or blood sugar, so it's hard to say whether it's just a particularly annoying type of tinnitus or an atypical hyperacusis/tinnitus combo that doesn't involve pain from loud noises.

 

[dorje]

I hope yours get better. Please come back and let us know what your ENT says! I'm going to see a new audiologist next week so I will do the same.

Based on what I've read, true reactive tinnitus is tinnitus that stays elevated for a day or two after noise exposure. Mine stays elevated for 30 minutes to an hour or so, then goes back to baseline. It also reacts to things other than sound like certain movements or blood sugar, so it's hard to say whether it's just a particularly annoying type of tinnitus or an atypical hyperacusis/tinnitus combo that doesn't involve pain from loud noises.

I hope yours will get better too. I'll let you know what my ENT say, no problem. Looks like mine and yours T are kind of simillar. Mine also doesn't take much time to return to baseline and I noticed that too, that sometimes, but not always, gets higher after eating sweets. I used to get spikes after showers and coffee, but strangely no more. And my T only gets higher when I'm exposed to loud noise like 60 dB like when I'm at work or outside hearing car traffic, but when I watch news or movies at normal level of volume, nothing major happens.

Actually I was getting better before, but one week ago I had acoustic trauma from huge noise a lot of metal trays banging to metal surface just next to me. Spike was only like 24 hours, but then I noticed my T is a bit more sensitive then before.

Anyway, compared what I was like in November, when firstly got my T, I'm in much better place. My T reduced its level of noise and it's not so bothering. Admittedly now I'm a bit more worried knowing that I have this reactive T or combo of T/H, but I still have hope I'll be able to cure it somehow.

I guess it's the same story like normal T, that the cause of this reactive T or T/H combo is unknown, right?