What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

Even before I got intrusive tinnitus, I enjoyed white noise from fans and later mechanical sound machines with small motors to modern digital models during sleep and in the daytime. I currently have two units by LectroFan in different rooms, which have a variety of white noise and fan sounds. I never tried to mask my tinnitus with a similar frequency of sound; I listen to whatever I like.

 

It just means it's never too early or too late. Some people report short-term improvement after a trauma and even improvements in audiograms. We aren't all the same. So don't panic. The odds are in your favor - protect against worsening. You mentioned something about six months, also.

I bought both a LectroFan and a Marpac Dohm Classic White Noise Sound Machine in 2018. At the time, my tinnitus wasn't severe, and neither device provided much relief for partial masking of my tinnitus even back then. However, in February 2022, when my tinnitus worsened significantly, I discovered some videos featuring continuous cricket and katydid sounds. These sounds helped to partially mask the tinnitus, though the level of relief varies depending on how intense my symptoms are. Sometimes, my tinnitus is worse than at other times, especially in the morning, even if it was less intense at bedtime.

 

Thank you! I'm glad to hear that.

Medical science needs more research to prevent deafness, reduce or eliminate tinnitus, and repair damaged hearing.

In the meantime, we can have hope. Tinnitus Talk is the main tinnitus discussion board. If tinnitus never significantly improved for the majority of the tens of millions who suffer from it, this website would be so overwhelmed that dozens, if not hundreds, more websites would be required to address the demand for help.

 

That's a good thought @Luman. If everyone who develops tinnitus were to suffer from it indefinitely, there would likely be a need for not only more websites like Tinnitus Talk, but also for more ENT doctors knowledgeable about habituation. Additionally, the condition would require greater attention in medicine, research, and the media.

I have to say, not only did your success story lift my spirits, but your responses to my questions in this thread did as well!

 

Again, I really hope you didn’t take that negatively. I’ve been reading a lot of your posts, and every time I see the yellow Schwarzenegger, I know it’s going to be something that scares me and makes me more anxious.

For example, in your last message, you said, "there is no magic 6 months formula or time period. It can happen in months, years, or never," which is technically true. However, someone who is new to tinnitus doesn’t want to read, "It is possible that you will NEVER habituate." This is a scary prospect.

What if you phrased it like this: "Don’t worry, MOST people do habituate, each in their own timeframe. Since your tinnitus is moderate, you most certainly will, sooner or later. A 6-9 month timeframe is common." You are still conveying the same message, but in a much more positive light. The people who never habituate or take years to do so are a small minority compared to everyone else.

That said, I apologize if I came across as offensive in any way. My intent wasn’t to offend you. While it's important to remain realistic and offer helpful advice, we also need to maintain a positive and encouraging attitude.

Typical tinnitus is high-pitched, and most people, including me, experience it that way — the typical "eeeeeee" sound.

Mine isn’t very loud, but its perception varies. The other day, I spent the afternoon playing board games at a shop, followed by dinner, and I completely forgot about it for half the day. However, I can often hear it over the TV.

When I walk down the street, sometimes I hear it over the traffic, and other times I don’t. If I play video games, it often fades away completely. Still, there are times when it bothers me. In those moments, playing white noise at even minimal volume is a relief because it drowns it out.

I’m currently working on a progress post in my thread now.

 

I'm just giving the facts and sharing my story, not downplaying it, but it should give a good incentive to protect yourself against further damage.

"Most" could be 51%. But those are typically mild or moderate cases who don't have much variability in their tinnitus. Variable severe and catastrophic tinnitus is a different story.

A key point I was trying to make in my first post is that habituation isn't always a forward progress. I started out habituated, dishabituated as my tinnitus slowly worsened over the years, and totally dishabituated when it turned severe and variable over 2 1/2 years ago. So, even if you habituate, don't take it for granted that you are out of the woods, and continue to use caution to protect your hearing. I've seen too many stories of people going to concerts or playing a musical instrument or such, and ending up in worse condition again. And as you get older, you also have age-related hearing loss working against you. I've seen posts from members who can't begin to mask their tinnitus because they lost too much hearing in those frequencies.

I used to be able to do it quite a few years back, but even by 2018, those devices didn't work well for me. So, it sounds like you are at a level that you should be ok.

 

See? I don't agree with the 51% figure. I believe the vast majority of people—more like 95%—do eventually habituate. When you mention the 51% statistic, it can scare people. But anyway, I'm not here to argue about numbers or anything else. I just wanted to share my thoughts, and I hope everyone feels better soon.

 

If your tinnitus is variable and severe, you may never habituate.

 

That was a misunderstanding. I don't think it's 51%, but you used the word "most," which could mean as little as 51%. I would bet the figure is significantly lower for severe variable tinnitus, though. Sure, the figure is much higher for mild/moderate cases, like I used to be years back.

 

Saying 51% is considered full habituation is ridiculous. If 75% of tinnitus isn’t bothersome, why would full habituation be defined at a lower number? Tinnitus statistics are about as meaningful as a wet fart—everything is just a guesstimate.

 

I don’t want to offend anyone, but I agree with you, @Furetto. Tinnitus sufferers come here for help and encouragement, and that’s why I appreciate @Luman’s responses to my questions so much. I really hope he’s right! For example, in this reply:

This gave me incredible encouragement and hope!

 

I agree. Keep in mind that what you read on the forum is often just the negative tip of the iceberg.

I believe that around 80% of users are simply lurking, and those who post are usually the ones going through a period of suffering. Once they start feeling better, they tend to disappear because they're tired of talking about tinnitus. I know this because that’s exactly what I did when I healed the first time!

As a result, we’re left with a small minority of people posting during the worst moments of their journey (or those with severe, unfortunate cases that are exceptions rather than the rule—these individuals have my deepest sympathy). The truth is, the vast majority improve and eventually forget about it! I feel guilty for not writing a success story to encourage others when I recovered.

I’ve made a vow that if I heal again, I will actively volunteer on Tinnitus Talk and continue offering support to help others!

 

The simple answer to the question, "What's the longest habituation can take?" is like asking, "How long is a piece of string?"

The answer is: it depends on the nature of your tinnitus.

If your tinnitus is mild and monotonal, it likely won’t bother you after six months. Your brain becomes bored with it, and over time, it manages to ignore it more and more. This is a relatively easy and winnable situation.

If you have a few tones or noises that vary a bit, habituation may take longer—perhaps two to three years. As long as you don’t experience a significant worsening, your brain will eventually learn to tune it out, and with some moderate adjustments, you’ll be okay.

If you have numerous tones and noises that vary greatly, then, as I mentioned in post #38, you may never fully habituate. In that case, you might hear phrases from ENTs or audiologists about habituating to the "concept" of tinnitus. In other words, you won’t habituate in the traditional sense of your brain completely ignoring the tinnitus. Instead, you’ll need to adjust and accept its variable nature, never fully able to “not hear it” or “tune it out.” This is much more challenging and can significantly impact your quality of life. For further examples, see the suicide thread.

I think most people on Tinnitus Talk are in the "approaching moderate" stage of tinnitus.

Mild cases usually don’t stick around. Moderate cases tend to improve after two to three years, and I believe they make up the majority of posters on Tinnitus Talk.

Severe cases tend to stick around the longest. These individuals may eventually leave after several years, realizing that they are not going to get better—either in terms of their tinnitus or through achieving true habituation.

Of course, you’re free to believe whatever resonates with you.

 

You are already helping others—me, for example! Thank you for that.

It would be wonderful if you wrote your success story one day, or if we could both share our success stories, as you mentioned in your thread, "From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums." You express your thoughts beautifully, using positive and encouraging language.

Thank you, @Jupiterman, for your post! I find your thoughts both interesting and easy to understand. I also believe your post contains a sense of positivity and encouragement. For example, if I were a moderate case, still suffering from tinnitus after seven months and feeling like I'm on a roller coaster with it, there would be hope for me! As you mentioned, improvement in such cases can often take one, two, or even three years.

The difficult part is figuring out how to persevere, maintain a somewhat normal life, go to work, and still be there for my loved ones.

 

You must not have actually read the posts prior to yours. The 51% figure had nothing to do with a percentage of habituation or percentage of tinnitus. It was a minimum percentage of people you need to meet the definition of "most." Of course, the poster then tried to change it to "vast majority," which I disagree with for people with severe tinnitus.

But 75% of tinnitus, meaning only a 25% drop, would be a minimal difference. I would need about a -20 dB drop for my tinnitus not to be bothersome (or at least much less bothersome than it is now). -20 dB is a 90% reduction. A -12 dB drop is a 75% reduction, which would still be nice.

@Jupiterman is correct, but I will add again that you can be habituated from the start of mild tinnitus and later dishabituate as it worsens.

 

Habituation to tinnitus can occur at varying levels, but its severity is determined by how the individual perceives it, not by the actual sound itself. Some people may experience mid-level volume sounds and perceive them as severe, while others may perceive similar sounds as mild. The severity of tinnitus is not based on the volume of the sound, but rather on how it impacts the individual.

 

@Lipshitz, I knew straight away on reading your post that you are a mild-to-moderate case, most likely nearer to mild.

To confirm this, I read many of your postings and came across this, what you posted on 6th April 2024:

"my Tinnitus doesn't effect my life at all so I don't ever complain about it"

This is typical rhetoric from someone who doesn't fully understand how loud tinnitus can be. It's also almost meaningless and comes across as patronizing.

Have you ever been to a metal concert and thought it was quiet? I doubt it.

I'm glad your case is mild, and I hope it stays that way.

However, telling people that something potentially life-disabling is merely a matter of "perception" is not helpful.

 

First, you missed the point of what "51%" was referring to, but you are also incorrect about the above. Tinnitus isn't an external sound that you're hearing with your ears; it's something you perceive in your brain. The intensity of it makes all the difference. It sounds like you've bought into the psychological argument promoted by Jastreboff TRT advocates when you talk about "impact."

Regarding "impact," for example, a person's reaction to tinnitus is different from tinnitus itself. Tinnitus can cause anxiety or depression, but those are separate conditions— they are not tinnitus itself. More severe cases of tinnitus are characterized by loud, variable, multiple tones that can be heard over everything, making it impossible to mask.

As @Jupiterman mentioned, you've talked about your mild, stable tinnitus, so of course you don't understand what severe tinnitus is like. I didn’t even bother reading tinnitus forums when mine was mild, like yours is now, so I know where you're coming from. The volume was much lower back then, and I could ignore it most of the time—just as you're able to do now. However, I didn’t come here to spread misinformation by suggesting to those with severe tinnitus that it's merely a psychological condition.

Regarding your comment, "my Tinnitus doesn't effect (sic) my life at all so I don't ever complain about it".

That's just one of many that show you don't have severe tinnitus and don't understand it. Just hope you stay mild and you never have to discover what severe tinnitus is really like, as many of us have.