Tinnitus Stopped Suddenly for 1.5 Hours

[Gill Hayes]

Hi Dr Nagler,

I hope you are well and your recent 'spike' has settled down.

Dr Nagler I would appreciate your opinion on something. I'm 4 months in with tinnitus and it is improving week on week, which is great ! I have the occasional 'spike' but overall it seems to be settling down very well - I hardly notice it much of the time these days.
However, something weired happened this morning (for the second time since onset). I woke up at about 5:30am and was kind of 'twilighting', I was aware of my tinnitus but it was not bothersome. But then it just stopped, suddenly like a switch had been flicked. It stopped so suddenly it made me jump ! It was gone for about an hour and a half then it crept back in again.

Is this part of the habituation process and perfectly normal ? Should I see this as a good sign ?

Gill.

 

[Dr. Nagler]

Is this part of the habituation process and perfectly normal ? Should I see this as a good sign ?

Gill, what you describe as a "weird" occurrence is not part of the habituation process. I can just happen, and nobody really knows why.

On the other hand the fact that you are improving overall week by week to the point where you "hardly notice it much of the time these days" and that when you do happen to be aware of your tinnitus, it is for the most part "not bothersome" is very much a part of the habituation process, and in my opinion you should see it as a good sign indeed.

stephen nagler