MemberOh, brother if only it were in my head! So not only are you telling us how to live with our tinnitus, you are also telling us what we are actually feeling after an exposure? And you're calling US mentally unstable? LOL
When to Run for the Hills in Noisy Environments?
- Thread starter Flamingo1
- Start date
Flamingo, I'm trying to help you based on my previous experience. I'm not here trying to mock people, and the information I gave you explains many ways that the brain can cause problems related to our ears. There are cases of people going blind purely based on their mind convincing them of it, even though they were not medically blind. So, do not underestimate the effects of your thoughts. Our entire experience of reality is in our mind.
With that said, fullness could be due to any number of problems but the last thing on my list would be noise damage. 75 dB with earplugs will not do this and taking prednisone for that is very risky and I'm surprised a Dr prescribed it to you (this would put your exposure at around 55 dB).
Some more likely reasons:
• Compacted wax from using earplugs
• Fluid behind your eardrum
• A blocked Eustachian tube
• Anxiety/stress
From looking at your posts I'd say anxiety is very likely.
Have a read of this and do some further research on TTTS. I've written about this many times in the past because I had it too (I'll put some parts in bold):
Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome (TTTS) is probably not a familiar condition to most people. In fact, few people have ever heard of it.
The tensor tympani muscle, from which Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome gets its name, is one of the two tiny muscles in your middle ears. (The other is the stapedius muscle.)
The tensor tympani muscle reacts to sudden loud sounds—called the startle reflex. This startle reflex is made worse if you are particularly stressed or anxious. (1) The job of the tensor tympani muscle is to pull the tiny malleus (hammer) bone away from the eardrum (tympani), thus tensing the eardrum (hence its name tensor tympani). This reduces the volume of sounds that are transmitted to the inner ear, which helps protect the delicate inner ear structures from noise damage.
The tensor tympani muscle also has other functions. For example, it also contracts (tenses) immediately before you begin talking. This reduces the sound of your own voice so it doesn't "deafen" you. (1) It also tenses to reduce the volume of sounds produced when you chew your food. (2) (Aren't you glad it does this?)
The word "tonic" in this syndrome name describes the continuous or pulsing action of the tensor tympani muscle. Quite often the word "tonic" is omitted and people just refer to this syndrome as "Tensor Tympani Syndrome".
When everything is working properly, you aren't even aware you have two tensor tympani muscles working for you. Their actions are totally automatic. However, when something disturbs their normal functions, you may become painfully aware of their existence.
In numbers of people who have hyperacusis (where normal sounds are now abnormally loud), and who also typically have misophonia (where you have negative emotional reactions to certain specific sounds) increased (abnormal) activity develops in the tensor tympani muscle as part of the startle response to some sounds. This is called Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome.
"Tonic tensor tympani syndrome is an involuntary, anxiety-based condition where the reflex threshold for tensor tympani muscle activity is reduced, thus causing frequent spasms." (4)
Since TTTS is an involuntary reaction, some people with hyperacusis/misophonia don't actually even need to hear a loud sound in order to send their tensor tympani muscles into spasms. (2) This can happen when they just think about about specific sounds to which they have an aversion. Thus this condition is not really due to the hyperacusis as much as it is due to misophonia.
Misophonia frequently results in some degree of Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome. The good news is that when you successfully treat misophonia, typically the TTTS also goes away. (3)
If you have Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome you will experience one or more of the following symptoms. Typically, the worse your hyperacusis/misophonia, the more symptoms of TTTS you will exhibit. Also, you are more likely to have more TTTS symptoms if you have both tinnitus and hyperacusis.
Classic Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome symptoms include:
Pain: You may experience a sharp pain in your ear when the tensor tympani muscle tightens and stretches your eardrum, or you may experience a dull ache in your ear. You may also experience pain in your cheek, pain in your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) area or pain along the side of your neck due to irritation of the trigeminal nerve that activates the tensor tympani muscle. In addition, you may have a headache.
Numbness and/or burning sensation: Irritation of the trigeminal nerve can also lead to numbness and burning sensations in and around your ear, along your cheek, the side of your neck and in the temporomandibular joint area.
Tinnitus: This may sound like a series of clicks as your tensor tympani muscle rapidly contracts and relaxes.
Fluttering sensation: You may experience rhythmic sensations such as your eardrum fluttering. This occurs when the tensor tympani muscle continually and rhythmically contracts and relaxes.
Feeling of fullness: You ear may feel "full" or blocked. As a result, you may frequently experience a popping sensation.
Muffled hearing: You may feel your hearing is fluctuating or is muffled although typically neither is true. Your hearing may also seem distorted.
Balance problems: You may have mild vertigo or "disordered" balance—often described as "swaying" like being on a boat. This may lead to feelings of nausea. (1)
In one study, "the most common symptoms were aural fullness (33.0%); headache (21.2%); disordered balance (20.3%); TMJ pain (20.0%); pain along the side of the neck (20.0%); tympanic flutter (19.1%); dull ache in ear (19.1%); sharp pain in ear (17.7%); "muffled" hearing (12.5%); and "distorted" hearing (11.0%)." (1)
In people with either hyperacusis, or both tinnitus and hyperacusis, the most common symptoms which developed or were made worse by exposure to loud/intolerable sounds were: "distorted" hearing 78.6%, "muffled" hearing 75.9%, dull ache in ear 74.0%, sharp pain in ear 66.7%, tympanic flutter 59.2% and aural fullness 53.3%. (1)
Other things to consider when determining whether you might have TTTS include: Are your symptoms constant as opposed to occurring relatively infrequently? Do your symptoms appear after you have exposed your ears to loud/ intolerable sounds. If you have TTTS symptoms all the time, are they made worse when you expose your ears to loud/intolerable sounds? (1)
If you answered yes to these above questions, this indicates that you likely have TTTS.
Here are several interesting findings related to Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome.
1. People with Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome typically ended up with their tinnitus and/or hyperacusis/misophonia as a result of exposure to loud sounds, whereas those people whose tinnitus/hyperacusis was not the result of exposure to loud sounds are unlikely to have TTTS.
2. The more severe your tinnitus and/or hyperacusis is, the more likely you are to have more/multiple symptoms of TTTS.
3. In people with Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome, there is a link between their emotional states and their resulting middle ear muscle contractions. Thus, if you form a negative emotional attachment to your tinnitus and/or hyperacusis, you may develop one or more TTTS symptoms. Conversely, if you don't let your tinnitus and/or hyperacusis become a problem to you (remain emotionally neutral towards them), you are unlikely to develop TTTS. In this sense, Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome is a psychosomatic condition.
4. If you believe that certain loud (to you) sounds have damaged your ears (when they haven't), you are setting yourself up for developing various TTTS symptoms. Conversely, if you treat such incidents as no big deal (no emotional involvement), you are unlikely to develop TTTS and will much more readily habituate to your tinnitus and hyperacusis if any develops.
This is borne out by the conclusions of researchers who concluded that "74.0% of hyperacusis patients with the symptom of dull ache in the ear and 66.7% of hyperacusis patients with the symptom of sharp pain in the ear reported these symptoms developed or were exacerbated by loud/intolerable sound exposure. These patients readily believe that their ears are no longer able to physically tolerate these sounds, or that these sounds are causing damage to their ears or hearing, and should be avoided. This unpleasant consequence of exposure to sounds perceived as intolerable and the threat of further exposure is likely to play a significant role in tinnitus escalation and the development, persistence and escalation of hyperacusis." (1)
If you have Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome, you need to realize that it does not harm your ears, even though you might swear that it is damaging your ears. This is because you perceive the sounds as louder than they really are. The truth is that moderate, everyday sounds do not harm your ears or cause hearing loss.
5. Effective hyperacusis and misophonia therapy reduces the frequency and severity of TTTS symptoms.
6. Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome symptoms "are subjective and can cause high levels of anxiety. This can lead to tinnitus escalation, the development and escalation of hyperacusis, and limit the efficacy of tinnitus/hyperacusis therapy." (1) In other words, the more you worry about your tinnitus, hyperacusis and resulting TTTS symptoms, the worse they get.
Therefore, if you have Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome, you need to seek effective treatment for your tinnitus, hyperacusis and misophonia. When you do that, there is a good chance that your TTTS will go away on its own.
—————————————————————————
If you want to understand more about the way our brain perceives sound, then do some research on psychoacoustics as well.
Some more info which is very relevant:
Phonophobia is a specific case of misophonia where people fear being exposed to a certain sound, often in the belief that it will damage the ear; make their tinnitus/hyperacusis worse; lead to uncontrollably high levels of anxiety. Phonophobia may develop in association with hyperacusis and tinnitus. Symptoms can range from mild through to severe to extreme.
Pre-existing tinnitus, misophonia and high levels of anxiety/depression are factors that can predispose towards the development of decreased sound tolerance. Hyperacusis may develop with a number of conditions affecting the auditory pathway (including acoustic shock injury, Meniere's Disease, otosclerosis, perilymph fistula, Bell's Palsy), psychiatric disorders, neurological injuries and disorders (including head injury, migraine), adverse reactions to some medications, autistic spectrum disorders, Lyme Disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
High frequency sounds tend to be tolerated less well. This can have a major impact on their lives, limiting their horizons and creating high levels of anxiety. Explaining such an abnormal reaction to sound to other people, including at times health professionals, is difficult and people with decreased sound tolerance often feel misunderstood, isolated and accused of malingering.
A detailed description of the peripheral (the outer, middle and inner ear) and central (the brain) auditory pathway is essential to understand how hyperacusis develops.
In the middle ear, the tensor tympani muscle and the stapedial muscle contract to tighten the middle ear bones (the ossicles) as a reaction to loud, potentially damaging sound. This provides protection to the inner ear from these loud sounds.
In many people with hyperacusis, an increased activity develops in the tensor tympani muscle in the middle ear as part of the startle response to some sounds. This lowered reflex threshold for tensor tympani contraction is activated by the perception/anticipation of loud sound, and is called tonic tensor tympani syndrome (TTTS). In some people with hyperacusis, the tensor tympani muscle can contract just by thinking about a loud sound. Following exposure to intolerable sounds, this contraction of the tensor tympani muscle tightens the ear drum, which can lead to the symptoms of ear pain/a fluttering sensation/a sensation of fullness in the ear (in the absence of any middle or inner ear pathology).
It does not harm the ear to experience TTTS, and even though the TTTS symptoms can seem as if the ear is being damaged by some sounds, this is not the case. Moderate, everyday sounds are quite safe and do not harm the ear or cause a hearing loss.
As part of the processing of sound in the brain, all sounds are evaluated subconsciously with regard to their meaning or importance to us. Sounds that are considered important (in either a positive or negative way) will be transmitted to the more conscious parts of our brain, while unimportant sounds remain "half heard". If the sound acquires a negative association, the limbic system becomes activated, inducing fear or irritation. The autonomic nervous system also becomes activated, provoking the "fight or flight" reaction. A subconscious classical conditioned reflex develops so that repetition of this sound enhances the activation of the limbic and autonomic systems. In people with significant hyperacusis, many sounds are evaluated in the subconscious as potentially threatening. This same mechanism occurs when people react negatively to their tinnitus sounds.
http://www.hyperacusis.net/other-factors/tensor-tympani-syndrome/
Also, read this:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23571302/
The more you read stuff like Bill's advice and anecdotes, the worse you will feel and the more you will feed your subconscious with all the fear and anxiety of everybody else. This is really important and I only recovered because I stopped reading forums and studies about tinnitus altogether for a long time while I got my life back on track. I knew I was getting worse and I also saw parallels with all the worst sufferers on here who seemed to be stuck or getting worse.
I also notice that the people who protect to everyday sounds, at all costs, are all still suffering or having other mental problems.
I wish there was a cure, but until there is, we need to know how to deal with what we have to make our lives liveable.
Phonophobia is a specific case of misophonia where people fear being exposed to a certain sound, often in the belief that it will damage the ear; make their tinnitus/hyperacusis worse; lead to uncontrollably high levels of anxiety. Phonophobia may develop in association with hyperacusis and tinnitus. Symptoms can range from mild through to severe to extreme.
Pre-existing tinnitus, misophonia and high levels of anxiety/depression are factors that can predispose towards the development of decreased sound tolerance. Hyperacusis may develop with a number of conditions affecting the auditory pathway (including acoustic shock injury, Meniere's Disease, otosclerosis, perilymph fistula, Bell's Palsy), psychiatric disorders, neurological injuries and disorders (including head injury, migraine), adverse reactions to some medications, autistic spectrum disorders, Lyme Disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
High frequency sounds tend to be tolerated less well. This can have a major impact on their lives, limiting their horizons and creating high levels of anxiety. Explaining such an abnormal reaction to sound to other people, including at times health professionals, is difficult and people with decreased sound tolerance often feel misunderstood, isolated and accused of malingering.
A detailed description of the peripheral (the outer, middle and inner ear) and central (the brain) auditory pathway is essential to understand how hyperacusis develops.
In the middle ear, the tensor tympani muscle and the stapedial muscle contract to tighten the middle ear bones (the ossicles) as a reaction to loud, potentially damaging sound. This provides protection to the inner ear from these loud sounds.
In many people with hyperacusis, an increased activity develops in the tensor tympani muscle in the middle ear as part of the startle response to some sounds. This lowered reflex threshold for tensor tympani contraction is activated by the perception/anticipation of loud sound, and is called tonic tensor tympani syndrome (TTTS). In some people with hyperacusis, the tensor tympani muscle can contract just by thinking about a loud sound. Following exposure to intolerable sounds, this contraction of the tensor tympani muscle tightens the ear drum, which can lead to the symptoms of ear pain/a fluttering sensation/a sensation of fullness in the ear (in the absence of any middle or inner ear pathology).
It does not harm the ear to experience TTTS, and even though the TTTS symptoms can seem as if the ear is being damaged by some sounds, this is not the case. Moderate, everyday sounds are quite safe and do not harm the ear or cause a hearing loss.
As part of the processing of sound in the brain, all sounds are evaluated subconsciously with regard to their meaning or importance to us. Sounds that are considered important (in either a positive or negative way) will be transmitted to the more conscious parts of our brain, while unimportant sounds remain "half heard". If the sound acquires a negative association, the limbic system becomes activated, inducing fear or irritation. The autonomic nervous system also becomes activated, provoking the "fight or flight" reaction. A subconscious classical conditioned reflex develops so that repetition of this sound enhances the activation of the limbic and autonomic systems. In people with significant hyperacusis, many sounds are evaluated in the subconscious as potentially threatening. This same mechanism occurs when people react negatively to their tinnitus sounds.
http://www.hyperacusis.net/other-factors/tensor-tympani-syndrome/
Also, read this:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23571302/
The more you read stuff like Bill's advice and anecdotes, the worse you will feel and the more you will feed your subconscious with all the fear and anxiety of everybody else. This is really important and I only recovered because I stopped reading forums and studies about tinnitus altogether for a long time while I got my life back on track. I knew I was getting worse and I also saw parallels with all the worst sufferers on here who seemed to be stuck or getting worse.
I also notice that the people who protect to everyday sounds, at all costs, are all still suffering or having other mental problems.
I wish there was a cure, but until there is, we need to know how to deal with what we have to make our lives liveable.
- May 9, 2017
- 929
- Tinnitus Since
- 2013
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Noise-induced
But for so many people it doesn't matter what they do, their lives won't become more liveable. I understand you want to help people but your recent posts are starting to sound like "your experience can't be real because it wasn't my experience, thus it must be due to your anxiety". It sounds like "the people that don't habituate are just anxious/stressed".
You think you see parallels with the worst sufferers but at least your tinnitus was stable for years. So many severe sufferers did exactly what people like you have recommended, don't protect against everyday noises, tough it out. Many people will benefit from your advice but it's important not to put all severe sufferers in the same box. Many of them are not struggling because of anxiety issues. You got better and that's great but it will not be the case for everyone.
Some people said that some people seem more likely to develop temporary and permanent spikes from what are generally seen as safe noise environments and the reaction to that by many was that it's fear-mongering.
We have several members on here whose tinnitus got permanently worse over and over again and it doesn't seem like they did anything out of the ordinary. Implying that their worsening conditions are due to mental health issues only, does not help to raise awareness for how debilitating tinnitus in itself can be.
That's not in the context of what I'm saying. Many new people come here and they do all the wrong things based on what they are reading here. I would never diminish the suffering that tinnitus can cause people, otherwise, I wouldn't have invested so much time and money.
I'm also not saying that other people's experiences aren't real, of course they are. However, I do believe there is a correlation between people who protect too much and the symptoms they often report. If you read the literature you will see that this is well documented.
It may help if more people who have been phonophobic, and overcame it, came forward and documented their stories.
Again, I know what a struggle tinnitus is and that we all have a unique case. I'm trying not to make blanket statements, but my comments here are particularly relevant to this thread, the OP, and other phonophobic readers who may recognise these patterns.
I'm about to answer an email to a person who is now afraid of people's voices because he fears conversation can damage his ears. These are not isolated cases and I strongly believe there is an epidemic of this kind of behaviour being created on this forum and it's helping no one.
- May 9, 2017
- 929
- Tinnitus Since
- 2013
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Noise-induced
People like Bill Bauer or david c have never implied that sounds such as talking could permanently worsen tinnitus. However, those sounds can cause temporary spikes for people with pain hyperacusis.
I don't think people who are afraid of talking are in the same situation as people who are worried about going to a concert.
This is where there is some confusion and it's obvious that many of you are not aware of how people go on to develop phonophobia because of Bill's posts. They do. The person I'm talking about is one of many and this decent into chaos started after he became a regular here and followed the advice of certain members including Bill. When you have people taking prednisone for something that clearly wasn't dangerous, then it becomes highly likely that anxiety is involved. This pattern is repeated so often on here that I've lost count.
I have already clarified that this may not be the case for everyone and there could be a genetic factor or other comorbidities involved. However, in the context of this thread, it's evident that the dangers of overprotecting and the behaviour it can lead to needs to be highlighted and urgently.
@Ed209 I am not phonophobic to the extent your posts imply nor am I am anxious person. I am not afraid to have conversations with people (other than a coworker who's talking voice is so screamingly loud it sets off my tinnitus - but that warrants it's own thread) and I obviously am not afraid of music because I voluntarily sat in at a dinner where a band was playing for two hours straight!! Yes, I had ear plugs in both ears but the next day only experienced fullness in my left BAD ear. As far as TTTS goes, I am only experiencing two of the ten or so symptoms you listed : aural fullness and increased tinnitus in my left ear. There's no sharp pain, no fluttering, and no burning sensation - all of which are classic symptoms of TTTS.
The bottom line is that I have a compromised ear that cannot withstand normal sound thresholds due to previous noise-induced damage. Though < 80 decibels is not catastrophic for a healthy person, exposing myself to a constant level of 75 to 80 decibels for 2 hours straight with no ear breaks was not healthy for me. As for my ear plugs, they are musician's plugs and maybe not all that protective. It also could have been the brief unprotected exposure to loud music the next day in the department store. More than likely, it was the combination of the two.
The bottom line is that I have a compromised ear that cannot withstand normal sound thresholds due to previous noise-induced damage. Though < 80 decibels is not catastrophic for a healthy person, exposing myself to a constant level of 75 to 80 decibels for 2 hours straight with no ear breaks was not healthy for me. As for my ear plugs, they are musician's plugs and maybe not all that protective. It also could have been the brief unprotected exposure to loud music the next day in the department store. More than likely, it was the combination of the two.
I'm not saying you are at the extreme end of the spectrum, but for most people it starts with mild avoidance and fear towards safe sounds, and then escalates to full isolation, spikes to everything, and total misery. I'd say it's likely that you do have some degree of anxiety as it's hard not to with tinnitus.
Absolutely the right thing to do - loudness and duration are both key. You are following a sensible path by avoiding long periods of loud noise exposure. You are the best judge of what is best for your ears, not self-appointed "experts" on Tinnitus Talk.
I will cop to some anxiety as I am more conscious of my environment than I ever was before T, but I honestly don't think that is the cause of the aural fullness I am still feeling in my left ear this morning.
Again, I'm not making blanket statements here, but when I was early into this (first couple of years maybe) I used to get every symptom under the sun, and in retrospect, I look back and can see that I was far too obsessed with the environments I was in and my ears. My thoughts focused inwardly all the time, and I was constantly analysing what I was feeling and hearing, and I can see that my limbic system was most probably driving the bus and making everything worse for me.
This would tie in with Dr Rauschecker's research.
I think everyone is taking @Ed209 comments PERSONALLY.
They way I see it, he's talking to future readers of these threads more than any of you. And that's good. This site needs more healthy discourse. There is TOO MUCH FEAR here.
As I have mentioned, I previously basically beat tinnitus. I had BAD HYPERACUSIS, reactive, all that crap. LOUD TINNITUS. IT WENT AWAY. And I was going to concerts with earplugs during the time it did.
I'm dealing with a second bout of tinnitus, since Nov 1st. It started from an ear infection. Long and short, I had a throat infection for 8-10 days I didn't treat because I had an irrational fear of amoxicillin. It spread to my ear, which isn't shocking. I woke up in severe pain with my ear ringing loudly again and got meds. The ringing went down 80%!!!!!! IN ONE DAY! Unfortunately the last 20% comes and goes. I had near total silence Sat - Mon of this week. Yesterday I had "quiet room" tinnitus. Today is a bit worse than that, but I can work.
The irony of the situation is, if I wasn't so afraid of a short term spike from amoxicillin, I'd not have this 5 month long issue at all.
They way I see it, he's talking to future readers of these threads more than any of you. And that's good. This site needs more healthy discourse. There is TOO MUCH FEAR here.
As I have mentioned, I previously basically beat tinnitus. I had BAD HYPERACUSIS, reactive, all that crap. LOUD TINNITUS. IT WENT AWAY. And I was going to concerts with earplugs during the time it did.
I'm dealing with a second bout of tinnitus, since Nov 1st. It started from an ear infection. Long and short, I had a throat infection for 8-10 days I didn't treat because I had an irrational fear of amoxicillin. It spread to my ear, which isn't shocking. I woke up in severe pain with my ear ringing loudly again and got meds. The ringing went down 80%!!!!!! IN ONE DAY! Unfortunately the last 20% comes and goes. I had near total silence Sat - Mon of this week. Yesterday I had "quiet room" tinnitus. Today is a bit worse than that, but I can work.
The irony of the situation is, if I wasn't so afraid of a short term spike from amoxicillin, I'd not have this 5 month long issue at all.
Very much so. 20+ years of no hearing protection and at least 2 concerts a month, years of rehearsals, daily practicing at high volumes.
Followed by one VERY irresponsible promoter that blasted the volume to a point it hurt, and I was too dumb to leave.
BTW, when I say "I was going to concerts during the time it went away" - I mean during the healing process also. Not just during the remission period.
My remission period was basically a soft hiss that turned into a loud hiss if I got shit sleep for 3 consecutive nights. It would go back to a soft hiss after 2 nights of good sleep. It bothered me maybe 1-2 days every 6-8 weeks and I had zero fear response to it ever.
What you're telling people is arrogant, irresponsible and dangerous. I know for a fact that my tinnitus has gotten significantly worse because I stopped being hypervigilant for a few months and decided to try and live a semi-normal existence by not letting it control my life. Now I'm paying the price for letting my guard down. It has gone from just being exhausting and draining to now being at a level where it's soul crushing.
Once your ears are injured all bets are off as to what constitutes a "safe" noise level. Being "paranoid" about further damage to my ears at least kept it at a manageable level for a few years.
-10 to -20 to 8 kHz. Not sure above. I have 'good' hearing according to an audiologist. My wife doesn't always agree with that though.
My tinnitus is at 2350 Hz. I'm sure there is good damage there.
I'm 36 years old. You?
I think that's another consideration in these volume debates.
If I was older I'd prob just stay in and enjoy the quiet. But at 36 it's near impossible to do so and not miss life.
Does it mean I let my guard down when someone in a hallway put garbage down a chute and I didn't cover my hears? I have not had 'relief' since and it's spiking quite often or has some tinkering sound - I would consider it still fluctuating but still.
The spiking/intensity is so awful. I wish I could have something like Allan - I wish everyone could. But, why do some of us have it so high pitched and intense? Is there anyone on here who has it so high pitched/high frequency and intense - is this considered spiking - or just 'volume increase' is spiking? - anyway, is there anyone with their tinnitus like this where they are just 'relaxing and dealing with it?'
Some people on Reddit with tinnitus claim they have habituated after months/years and their tinnitus is (still) really loud and almost nothing masks it. I am not sure if they are telling the truth but it seems to me that it would be very hard to get used to that. I could understand (maybe) if it fluctuated and it only did that sometimes - but, when it's often and/or you don't know when it will calm down, I think that is very extreme to get 'used to it' or habituate to that.
Also, how do you avoid 'loud noises?' Wear plugs or muffs all the time? This thread or others are full of discussions and t sufferers saying you should protect from obvious loud noise environments but not 'over protect' or overdo it, lest you 'develop' hyperacusis or become ultra-sensitive to loud sounds/noise, right? I just want to avoid further hearing loss/hearing/ear damage and worsening the tinnitus (that it is now). How does one do that? :-(
It's been a gradual acceptance of the fact that my life has been permanently altered in much the same way it would be if I'd suffered a more obvious catastrophic physical injury. I finally had to shut myself off from everything because I never know when a noise that's loud enough to cause further damage will occur. It's awful but that's the reality of this condition for me. ANYTHING that makes it worse at this point will push it into into an area that is no longer manageable. A few months ago I needed to go to the post office. It is 6 blocks away. I deliberately waited until a Saturday afternoon so that the traffic noise would be less of an issue. 2 minutes into my walk a group of ridiculously loud Harley Davidson riders came up the hill and blew my hearing out again, even with ear plugs. I just keep walking because I knew the damage was done. Sure enough the next day a MAJOR spike started that has lasted ever since and is probably permanent. As awful as it is being holed up in my house is still better than the alternative although even that's not a guarantee. A few weeks ago my neighbor decided it would be a good idea to remove all the trees surrounding our properties. 6 hours of nonstop chainsaw and again another spike. Fuck life.
Mine fits this description, PeteJ. Mine is really high pitched like a dentist drill and it fills my brain. Alongside this, I have a low drone in my left ear and a mid to high pitch pure-tone in my right ear and underneath all this, I have various hissing noises. I also get electrical like zaps in my brain but this is less common now. It's a complete cacophony of noise all mixed together and I can hear it over pretty much everything. For example, if I stood next to a motorway (highway), or in a bar, I'd still hear mine clearly.
One of the most important things you can do immediately after onset is to try and sort out the anxiety and depression that it brings on. I know how you feel buddy, but you've just gotta hang in there. You're certainly not alone here.
Geez, man. I don't know what to say in response. My eyes are watering. I am not making this up. You are tougher than I am. Many others here are.
This is killing me. I have people here who understand emphasizing the impact of stress and anxiety and I have GPs and counsellors who don't understand talking to me about stress and anxiety.
I think they are a factor but I know that I can sit here relaxed and a spike can happen or happen seemingly after being exposed to a loud sound. I don't know what to do.
Geezus.
That is why I ask in general, how do we avoid these random events?
My theory is that our hearing systems are damaged and they desperately need to be repaired. That will target the tinnitus. I really believe that.
The brain is messed up because the hearing system is too damaged. We are not built to self-repair and phantom sounds in the head is the result.
It was killing me too, Pete. Tinnitus is a vile condition and I wish we could eradicate it from the planet, but until that happens, life goes on. I made adjustments to my life that was far from easy and involved some incredibly hard decisions. I decided to quit my band and music was/is my life; I spent most of my existence making music and then the rug was pulled from underneath me at age 32. It was one of the most difficult times of my life, but I believe my past helped me regain control and get me through the storm. It's a long story that's already on here, but when I was 19 I had major surgery on my chest that went wrong and nearly killed me, I had many complications that last to this day, and even just thinking about it is too much to bear sometimes. I went through absolute hell but ultimately came through it, so when my existing mild tinnitus became the beast it is now when I was 32 I already had experience of feeling hopeless and like my life was over, already. Even though it wiped me out and brought me to my knees, I eventually started to climb out of the hole I was in and I partly accredit my history for this. I learned many coping methods and I guess my brain just prepared for another battle.
Give yourself time buddy, that's the greatest healer there is, time. And also acceptance; you have to accept that this is your life now (although it could still fade in your case), otherwise you will crack up. I found once I accepted it and dropped all the guilt I had it was like the sun came up and my brain just said: "fuck the noise."
JohnFox
Member
- Mar 12, 2019
- 253
- Tinnitus Since
- 02/2019
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Unknown. Sudden loss of 100% hearing R ear with Tinnitus
For me, that's easier said than done. I am afraid I might 'crack up.' I also had several other hardships but this beats them all, obviously.
I have few friends, a limited family (not many close relatives left) and several other issues/problems but this is just making those appear minor if you know what I mean?
I was also interested in music and I have a couple of guitars - I wanted to learn guitar and always planned on resuming 'lessons' but I will probably give up on that, now. I will probably sell the electric at some point as I will need money (if I'm still here). I also liked listening to music like many here and that passion has subsided because I obviously feel like that will either worsen t or my pleasure for it will be interrupted by the t. I tried music as a masker and it didn't work for me. I know many musicians have 'acquired t' and live/with it but I often wonder if it's usually mild because I don't know how many with severe t would still make/produce music - especially rock musicians. Anyway, I agree, the t affliction needs to be cured - the scientific/hearing/medical community should make this a priority and should acknowledge that there are sufferers and it shouldn't matter if we are not the (mild) majority because curing it probably means curing/restoring hearing loss in general opens up a new world to many people, not just those who suffer from T.
There might be more to curing t but I think it would be an interesting step and would like to see whether it is a major factor as I believe it to be.
I'm on prednisone and my left ear still feels full! No improvement. Does that mean it's not working??
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