What Type of Tinnitus Do I Have? (Possible Hyperacusis)

[Sebastian Nadal]

My tinnitus spikes whenever I go to MY computer (I put caps because it's only my computer that does that, not any other computer), I've had it for around 2 weeks, I can find the date if I remember when I went to a walk-in clinic, but it's been around less than 2 weeks probably. My tinnitus is in both of my ears; throughout the day I can barely notice it, like if I'm in the bathroom I can't really hear it. The only time my tinnitus "activates" is when I'm trying to go to sleep, or if I go to MY computer. My tinnitus SPIKES whenever I go use my computer. Other than that, my tinnitus hardly affects me.

Oh, and hello, my name is Sebastian, I'm a sophomore in high school.

 

[jeanoroid]

What do you hear when you sit by your computer? Is is perfectly quiet?
Is it in a very deadened corner?

 

[glynis]

A warm welcome to the forum Sebastian.
Computers and mobile phones can spike tinnitus for some people and best limit your time on them.
For phones hands free settings is best if on the phone a while.....lots of love Glynis

 

[billie48]

Perhaps try masking your T while you are trying to understand why something trigger your T. Try these if you haven't yet:

1) Mask at bed time so you can sleep better. Find whatever sounds/music that are soothing to you. You can use a sound machine or sound pillow for this, or a computer with speakers.

2) If you need masking on the go, try load an ipod with nature sounds or music using itune. If you have a smart phone, you can download free APPs for soothing or T-masking sounds. There are lots of choices.

3) If you have computer and speakers, you can try these excellent masking sounds too:
TT's audio player: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/audioplayer/
or this online sound library, particularly the self-mix nature sounds: http://mynoise.net/
or download free sound generator 'aire freshener': http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html
or search youtube with words like 'tinnitus masking sounds', 'white noise', 'rain sound' etc.

 

[Sebastian Nadal]

What do you hear when you sit by your computer? Is is perfectly quiet?
Is it in a very deadened corner?

It isn't perfectly quiet. I hear a low sound high pitched ring. It aggravates my tinnitus. My friend who I assume does not have Tinnitus says he can also hear my computer making a high pitch noise.

 

[Sebastian Nadal]

Perhaps try masking your T while you are trying to understand why something trigger your T. Try these if you haven't yet:

1) Mask at bed time so you can sleep better. Find whatever sounds/music that are soothing to you. You can use a sound machine or sound pillow for this, or a computer with speakers.

2) If you need masking on the go, try load an ipod with nature sounds or music using itune. If you have a smart phone, you can download free APPs for soothing or T-masking sounds. There are lots of choices.

3) If you have computer and speakers, you can try these excellent masking sounds too:
TT's audio player: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/audioplayer/
or this online sound library, particularly the self-mix nature sounds: http://mynoise.net/
or download free sound generator 'aire freshener': http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html
or search youtube with words like 'tinnitus masking sounds', 'white noise', 'rain sound' etc.

Thanks for the advice; however it seems my Tinnitus doesn't really interfere with my sleep haha.

 

[Sebastian Nadal]

Oh yeah, this might sound weird but sometimes when I sit down and use the toilet, the tinnitus shifts to my head.

 

[jeanoroid]

Have you tried earplugs when you sit at the computer? Might be an interesting trial..
Not sure what "shifts to my head" means. That's where my T lives..
Try the earplugs there too.

 

[Karl28]

Maybe its something in your PC
like a graphics card making coil whine

 

[Cityjohn]

Dear Sebastian,

It is possible for tinnitus to become louder when you hear certain sounds. My girlfriend gets frustrated very quickly when I play a sound that helps me with my tinnitus... because it makes hers worse.

If your tinnitus changes with the position of your body and head it could indicate that it is caused by blood flow to the head and ears. Try to see if you can make it go away and come back by changing by standing, sitting and laying down.
If you can then you can notify your physician of that.

 

[Sebastian Nadal]

Maybe its something in your PC
like a graphics card making coil whine

I think it's my power supply and motherboard; gonna replace it soon.

Dear Sebastian,

It is possible for tinnitus to become louder when you hear certain sounds. My girlfriend gets frustrated very quickly when I play a sound that helps me with my tinnitus... because it makes hers worse.

If your tinnitus changes with the position of your body and head it could indicate that it is caused by blood flow to the head and ears. Try to see if you can make it go away and come back by changing by standing, sitting and laying down.
If you can then you can notify your physician of that.

Yep, if I'm in the bathroom sitting down, it'll shift to my head, but the moment I stand up and move around it goes back to the ears.

 

[Sebastian Nadal]

Have you tried earplugs when you sit at the computer? Might be an interesting trial..
Not sure what "shifts to my head" means. That's where my T lives..
Try the earplugs there too.

My tinnitus is usually from my ears, but if im in the bathroom sitting down, the tinnitus will shift to my head.

 

[jeanoroid]

My tinnitus is usually from my ears, but if im in the bathroom sitting down, the tinnitus will shift to my head.

Small rooms do weird stuff to T. Bathroom fans too.

 

[Hariz Nonis]

Small rooms do weird stuff to T.

This. Sometimes I don't even feel like going to the toilet, or a room with all the windows and door closed with no noise at all(fan switched off and everything) because it feels like the T goes to my head. Thing is, there is no change in my body position from standing to sitting or vice versa.

 

[jeanoroid]

This. Sometimes I don't even feel like going to the toilet, or a room with all the windows and door closed with no noise at all(fan switched off and everything) because it feels like the T goes to my head. Thing is, there is no change in my body position from standing to sitting or vice versa.

They say a deadened, perfectly quiet room will give everyone a slight ring in the ears.
A bit of DNA from the days when humans all lived outdoors. If the forest went dead silent, that signaled danger. Then the brain sets off the the "alarm".

 

[Hariz Nonis]

@jeanoroid that is really interesting. Never knew something like that could happen to all humans

 

[jeanoroid]

@jeanoroid that is really interesting. Never knew something like that could happen to all humans

I imagine it's associated w a perfectly normal re-action, just gone haywire. And in that case it should give us hope that there is a map to fix this wretched problem..