Treating Hyperacusis Using Principles of TRT by My Own

[LanaK]

I seem not to be able to be under guidance of any doctor here in my country to help me in dealing with hyperacusis.

As I already explained in other thread here, I developed hyperacusis one month after I got tinnitus (which I've had since february 2019), most probably because of attending one very noisy concert one week prior to tinnitus. I usually don't go to concerts nor do I listen to music through headphones. Actually I always prefered peaceful surrounding.

I visited GP and ENT, nobody gave me any directions what to do. Actually it seemed as they didn't know what I am talking about. I made a research, but it seems nobody here in my country can give me any guidance what to do. Finally I approached one doctor privately, ENT specialist and audiologist, who claims she uses TRT protocol (the only one in a state) , but I could see from her answers to me so far that she uses sound therapy (not sound generators) and some alternative techniques to reduce stress. I will go to her anyway, but I have to wait for appointment more than I month.

In the mean time I'd like to do »sound therapy« on my own as best as I can. I can't have ear noise generators, obviously.

Can somebody give me advice, what are the most quality pink noise CDs. I will be listening to them at work, via my computer speakers (not the best quality but only option). I spend most of my time at work sitting at the desk in front of computer so I think this could be the best time to listen to it. I can't listen to YouTube at work, so CD or USB device is the only option. I read that MP3 files lose too much of quality, especially at high frequencies, when my tinnitus is, so I'd prefer full format to make the best of it.

My second question is: how many hours is recommended to listen to it? At what volume? I read that it should be set a bit bellow the level of tinnitus. What about when tinnitus is low? (my fluctuates daily). I would hardly hear pink noise in that case. Is that OK in a case of hyperacusis?

Is listening pink noise on smart phone good too? I am listening to pink noise from Sound oasis app right now as that is the only option I have. I can use that while I am not at home too. How quality is that sound compared to full format?

Otherwise I have radio on all days, so I am not in silence. I hope to lower my hyperacusis as it is really hard to live with it.

I started to sleep with natural sounds on my Hi-Fispeakers (rain…) again, even if I prefer »peace« while sleeping, despite of my loud tinnitus. But hyperacusis is greater evil for me right now so I am willing to do anything.

I read about TRT as not being validate treatement but I am willing to try it as there is no other option available to date..

Sorry for my English, I hope I've made it clear enough.

 

[alex1975]

Your question seems to be a bit of a tough one and probably better answered by a professional. Perhaps in the meantime try using masking sounds, at slightly lower volume than your T until your appointment?

The onset of your T sounds similar to how mine started; a week after a loud event, in my case going to a club. So bizarre it didn't start right after I left the event...

Here is a link to a post I made a little bit ago, scroll down to Micheal Leigh's responce to me and read his links. They might be of help to you: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...treating-reactive-tinnitus.36677/#post-468050

 

[Juan]

I seem not to be able to be under guidance of any doctor here in my country to help me in dealing with hyperacusis.

As I already explained in other thread here, I developed hyperacusis one month after I got tinnitus (which I've had since february 2019), most probably because of attending one very noisy concert one week prior to tinnitus. I usually don't go to concerts nor do I listen to music through headphones. Actually I always prefered peaceful surrounding.

I visited GP and ENT, nobody gave me any directions what to do. Actually it seemed as they didn't know what I am talking about. I made a research, but it seems nobody here in my country can give me any guidance what to do. Finally I approached one doctor privately, ENT specialist and audiologist, who claims she uses TRT protocol (the only one in a state) , but I could see from her answers to me so far that she uses sound therapy (not sound generators) and some alternative techniques to reduce stress. I will go to her anyway, but I have to wait for appointment more than I month.

In the mean time I'd like to do »sound therapy« on my own as best as I can. I can't have ear noise generators, obviously.

Can somebody give me advice, what are the most quality pink noise CDs. I will be listening to them at work, via my computer speakers (not the best quality but only option). I spend most of my time at work sitting at the desk in front of computer so I think this could be the best time to listen to it. I can't listen to YouTube at work, so CD or USB device is the only option. I read that MP3 files lose too much of quality, especially at high frequencies, when my tinnitus is, so I'd prefer full format to make the best of it.

My second question is: how many hours is recommended to listen to it? At what volume? I read that it should be set a bit bellow the level of tinnitus. What about when tinnitus is low? (my fluctuates daily). I would hardly hear pink noise in that case. Is that OK in a case of hyperacusis?

Is listening pink noise on smart phone good too? I am listening to pink noise from Sound oasis app right now as that is the only option I have. I can use that while I am not at home too. How quality is that sound compared to full format?

Otherwise I have radio on all days, so I am not in silence. I hope to lower my hyperacusis as it is really hard to live with it.

I started to sleep with natural sounds on my Hi-Fispeakers (rain…) again, even if I prefer »peace« while sleeping, despite of my loud tinnitus. But hyperacusis is greater evil for me right now so I am willing to do anything.

I read about TRT as not being validate treatement but I am willing to try it as there is no other option available to date..

Sorry for my English, I hope I've made it clear enough.

Basically you have to listen to your body and use a trial and error strategy. If you have problems with tinnitus or noise sensitivity, try to listen to sound setting a volume that is ok for you, and see how your hearing reacts. Try to be surrounded by sound, and also music.

The brain processes sound in a different way when you have to understand something (speech), or when there are just background sounds, or when you listen to instrumental music. Try for yourself..

 

[LanaK]

Your question seems to be a bit of a tough one and probably better answered by a professional. Perhaps in the meantime try using masking sounds, at slightly lower volume than your T until your appointment?

The onset of your T sounds similar to how mine started; a week after a loud event, in my case going to a club. So bizarre it didn't start right after I left the event...

Here is a link to a post I made a little bit ago, scroll down to Micheal Leigh's responce to me and read his links. They might be of help to you: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...treating-reactive-tinnitus.36677/#post-468050

Alex,
thanks for your reply.
I can see you have T (and H?) since january, almost the same as I do. How are you now? Any better? What about hyperacusis?

I read your post you referred me to, and Michael Leigh's reply and his posts too. Thanks.

In mean time I had an appointment with ENT and audiolog specialist. Basicaly she recomended listening to natural sounds, put just bellow my tinitus, just like you and Michael said. The hack is, I find it very irritating playing natual sounds, be it rain, crickets etc because of too much high frequency tones in it. So I prefer pink noise. Sometimes when my ears are less irritated I play rain for say one hour and then pink noise for rest of the time, app. 6-8 hours at day time at work and the during the night. And I have radio on all day, on very very low volume, just for background.

My T is high pithed like yours (8 kHz), I hear it in my whole head except on my better days when I hear it mostly in left ear (which is great, but rare). MML is 50 Dbs, which I don9t know what it means as I have almost normal hearing for my ages except in left ear at 8kHz, where I have modearate hearing loss (-45 Dbs).
As far as H goes, my LDL goes from 95 to 65 Dbs in left ear and from 95 to 80 in right (better in low frequencies). I find it very hard to hear high pitched sounds, like women's speaking, birds, running water, cutlery, dishes, laughing, even my own voice sometimes. Sometimes even music on radio, especialy in a car become so high pithed that I can't listen to it at all (high frequencies are exegerated, pronounced, louder... it sounds like someone is playing very high tones with guitare directly on my nerves ). Last week I developed something like TTTS too (flattering muscle in my left ear).

I am listenig to pink noise for almost 2 months now but I see no improvements so far... there are some ups some days, but then it worsenes again for no aparent reason. I avoid loud places, but everydays's life is unpredictable, I work next to very busy street, I commute on highway daily for 1 hour, at work it can be very loud sometimes too, doors slamming etc.... so all this might contribute to some worsening too sometimes.... maybe.


I wish you all the best.

 

[LanaK]

Basically you have to listen to your body and use a trial and error strategy. If you have problems with tinnitus or noise sensitivity, try to listen to sound setting a volume that is ok for you, and see how your hearing reacts. Try to be surrounded by sound, and also music.

The brain processes sound in a different way when you have to understand something (speech), or when there are just background sounds, or when you listen to instrumental music. Try for yourself..

Thanks for you reply. I think I am doing what you recomneded, or at least trying to do.
I listen to what suit me at certain time, it is not the same always as my T and H is not the same always too. But I always have background noises on.

I think I made mistake last week, it was feeling like I was a bit better with H and I put a music a bit louder (some 45 Dbs for not too long and also I was not very careful with clutery, it hurted but I thought that maybe I will get used to it that way... mistake! My H is again up to previous level. Or - maybe it was due to a very stressfull event last week which I wasn't able to overcome as quickly as I wished....

Who knows. That's why treating H is so hard, we have to rely a lot of times on trial and error as you put it nicely.

 

[Juan]

I think I made mistake last week, it was feeling like I was a bit better with H and I put a music a bit louder (some 45 Dbs for not too long and also I was not very careful with clutery, it hurted but I thought that maybe I will get used to it that way... mistake! My H is again up to previous level. Or - maybe it was due to a very stressfull event last week which I wasn't able to overcome as quickly as I wished....

I think you are misunderstanding the messages your body sends you. This happened to me as well, exactly what you are saying, but those sounds cannot harm you, they are only annoying (and even so they may trigger some pressure, headache, T). However, the only sounds that can harm your hearing are objectively loud sounds that would bother anyone, 85 dbs +.

I would say that if your hyperacusis now is very severe you have to be careful with 65 + sounds and all kinds of impulse noise (in a way cluttery, dishes are a sort of "impulse" noise because there is dynamic range and volumen goes up fast) because these sounds can trigger symptoms and get you thinking or annoyed.

As a "therapy", you have to listen to sounds, I recommend an analog radio, white noise, music, whatever it suits you, until you feel better and can be ok with sounds around 80 dbs. It is also important to eat well (no junk food) and do a bit of exercise.

In my case I have never returned to normal, after many years with hyperacusis, and have lost some hearing, but I can do more things now, be in many places where I couldnt go when hyperacusis was really bad. I always tried to live my life as normally as possible.

 

[LanaK]

However, the only sounds that can harm your hearing are objectively loud sounds that would bother anyone, 85 dbs +.

Do you think that sounds up to 85 Dbs can therefore only spike hyperacusis, but can not do any permanent damage? I read some other opinions too in this regard saying that once ears had been damaged, they are more sensitive than healthy ones and therefore can be damaged more quickly....

In any case, I think it is almost impossible to avoid all sound that we percive as too loud, life is just unpredictable. E.g yesterday I had a lunch break, I had to cross main city street, cars and trucks passing by, I don't plug my ears in such occasions, its lasts say few mintues, then I went to restaurant, full of people as it is lunch time, dishes, talks ... I can't eat with plugged ears (anyone who tried it knows how it feels eating with plugs in), after that I wanted to have a coffee in a nice coffe bar which seemed quiete enough, suddenly few people came in, they were literaly screaming not talking to each other... I left immediately as it was to much for my ears... I go in a cafe or restaurant one to two times a week only.... but I cross this very busy road once a day. And I also drive in a highway for and hour daily without plugs in.

What I dont't know is if such things are preventing me from healing?
As I told already I don't go to loud places where music is playing at all.

Also, I am having MRI next week, I found the quietiest possible MRI scan in my country (Toshiba Vantage titan 1,5 T), which can anyway goes up to 106 Dbs . I will be having ear plugs 3M with 37 Db reduction and additional protection, but I am still not sure if it can harm me. Reading your words it is not likely as it will not reach 85 Dbs, but...?

In my case I have never returned to normal, after many years with hyperacusis, and have lost some hearing, but I can do more things now, be in many places where I couldnt go when hyperacusis was really bad. I always tried to live my life as normally as possible.

You are saying you can go to many places now... can you elaborate this a bit more ? restaurants? cinema? bars? with or wihout plugs?
I am also trying to live as normal as possible, but even the things I described above are not "normal" for me anymore.... I wish I could do at least such things again without trouble...

Thanks a lot, very appreciated.

 

[Juan]

Do you think that sounds up to 85 Dbs can therefore only spike hyperacusis, but can not do any permanent damage? I read some other opinions too in this regard saying that once ears had been damaged, they are more sensitive than healthy ones and therefore can be damaged more quickly....

In any case, I think it is almost impossible to avoid all sound that we percive as too loud, life is just unpredictable. E.g yesterday I had a lunch break, I had to cross main city street, cars and trucks passing by, I don't plug my ears in such occasions, its lasts say few mintues, then I went to restaurant, full of people as it is lunch time, dishes, talks ... I can't eat with plugged ears (anyone who tried it knows how it feels eating with plugs in), after that I wanted to have a coffee in a nice coffe bar which seemed quiete enough, suddenly few people came in, they were literaly screaming not talking to each other... I left immediately as it was to much for my ears... I go in a cafe or restaurant one to two times a week only.... but I cross this very busy road once a day. And I also drive in a highway for and hour daily without plugs in.

What I dont't know is if such things are preventing me from healing?
As I told already I don't go to loud places where music is playing at all.

Also, I am having MRI next week, I found the quietiest possible MRI scan in my country (Toshiba Vantage titan 1,5 T), which can anyway goes up to 106 Dbs . I will be having ear plugs 3M with 37 Db reduction and additional protection, but I am still not sure if it can harm me. Reading your words it is not likely as it will not reach 85 Dbs, but...?



You are saying you can go to many places now... can you elaborate this a bit more ? restaurants? cinema? bars? with or wihout plugs?
I am also trying to live as normal as possible, but even the things I described above are not "normal" for me anymore.... I wish I could do at least such things again without trouble...

Thanks a lot, very appreciated.

I can go to some restaurants, carefully chosen, without earplugs. I cannot be around traffic without earplugs, peak sounds like car horns totally kill my ears.

I think your hearing problems are mild. With severe hyperacusis it is impossible to be ok around traffic.

My personal opinion is that it makes a difference to try to live a healthier lifestyle, be careful with loud sound etc.. but this is just impossible to do at all times, so you can sort of delay the effects of T or H, but in the end, in the long run, no matter what you do, your hearing can worsen, and symptoms can change, because T or H are just symptoms of something going wrong, and the bottom line is that nowadays nobody in this world knows for sure what is causing T or H (except for very clear cases with a very obvious physical origin, like some neck injury, jaw problems, stuff like that, very obvious). When T or H are caused by a noise injury.. then doctors and the medical community are at a loss, dont know what to say, anything about treatment or how to fix this.