Why Does Tinnitus Spike During the Night and Go Way Down After Being Awake a While?

Hello,

I have had tinnitus for the last 20 months. It is not hearing loss based or acoustic trauma induced. I think it is hormonal as I am menopausal.

It started out unilaterally and became bilateral just within the last few months.

My question is this: In the evening when I start to relax it starts going up in volume and although I can get to sleep, when I awake in the night it is REALLY loud, and when I get up in the morning, it is loud and then settles down as I wake up and eventually, pretty much retreats to a bare minimum thru the day... then the process starts all over in the evening.

Why is this?

If it matters, it is a constant high frequency hiss that is sometimes static-y. I do not sleep with any noise generators, as I prefer silence. But I have slept with them and the process is the same.

Thank you.

 

This is not all that uncommon, many folks have louder ringing when waking up. Tinnitus has no set patterns, on how it will react and WHAT it might re-act to.

 

I think there is not an universal pattern of tinnitus for everyone, so for some it is better in the morning, for others in the evening... there are no patterns. It is quite random.

 

Thank you both. That helps normalize this experience for me.

Sometimes is it indeed spiking throughout the day and strangely enough, red wine makes it go far away... only for a few hours.

I am guessing alcohol affects everyone differently... I only drink about 12-16 ounces of low alcohol red wine a day.

What do you guys think about alcohol and why it would reduce tinnitus for a while?

Thank you.

 

Be thankful you get some good moments. I too have a pattern; good, mild, bad. It's a rollercoaster ride with no end. I'm thankful we're alive. Many people died with COVID-19.

Try relaxing. It gets better with time.

 

Rajin, did you read into my query an ungrateful heart or high anxiety? Because gratitude happens to be the most powerful force in the universe and I lean on it every moment. As far as relaxing... well... I have good days and bad, good moments and bad, just like anyone else with this condition. How are you doing?

 

I have the opposite. I wake up and it’s quieter and it just progressively gets worse and worse during the day. Sometimes I can make it to the afternoon and it is still barely audible. Sometimes it starts roaring by 10 AM. But if I wake up in the middle of the night it’s quite permanent even with sound machines on.