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I believe we are more prone to damage and setbacks around noise when we are tense and in a state of fight or flight. I have noticed this pattern in myself. Reactive tinnitus can absolutely settle with time. Only time will tell. However, I would definitely recommend proper counselling or CBT to...

Agreed. And in the end, it doesn't really matter what term is used when talking about reactive tinnitus, and whether it is this or that. "Treatments" (not meds) available today, such as CBT, would be the same, no matter what you call it, or whether it is a subset of hyperacusis or not, @Paulie87.

Yes, sort of. They are related in one way or another. I do not get sudden discomfort or pain from loud noise either, only if I have had a flare in tense jaw or TMD issues. About concerts and similar events, unfortunately I can only tell you one thing: stay away. It is a gamble with very high...

Today’s struggle is tomorrow’s strength, today’s setback is tomorrow’s comeback. - Amit Kalantri -

@Nes, you've become more active again, which is good. I believe you being more bothered by tinnitus now is most likely due to two reasons: 1. Since your hyperacusis has gotten better, your perception and awareness of tinnitus are heightened. It does not necessarily mean your tinnitus has...

Honestly, I do not recall many details. I only remember having a more sensitive auditory system with more reactiveness. It was almost just as bad before the MRI, simply because of the increased anxiety, as it was afterward. The fear of the unknown and not knowing what is coming can elevate your...

It has been quite some time since I had my last MRI, but the setbacks afterward never lasted more than about six weeks with proper ear protection, if I remember correctly. I actually recommend taking a small dose of Diazepam before the MRI to calm yourself. That helped me a lot. Make sure you...

Sending you prayers, Meg 🙏 A new chapter in life is about to open. None of us can predict tomorrow, and what the future holds. But if it's one thing I've learnt throughout all these years, it's that things usually turn out better than what I fear. Let us know how it goes for you and your...

No stories like these are useless. They are important for the tinnitus community. I would also like to add that even if his case was not due to sound exposure or trauma, many of the same mechanisms are at play nevertheless.

First and foremost, I am really happy to hear that everything turned out okay with your baby. 🙏 As you said, tinnitus feeds on stress itself. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you to navigate this while being pregnant. About Treble Health, I am familiar with them through YouTube...

People can do whatever they want, @Sonia554, but complete masking at night, like you mentioned, is not something generally recommended. It’s also not advice that professionals in this field usually give their clients. Sound therapy, or whatever you prefer to call it, should not be used as a...

Just make sure you read what I actually wrote, @Escalado, and what part I didn’t agree with 😊. Anyway, there’s no point in taking over the OP’s thread any further. This is very much a trial-and-error area, @TemporaryTHope, but the general consensus among those who actually work with this is to...

You never know the plan. You never know what's going to happen. We are not even promised tomorrow. I just try to focus on one day at a time. - Morgan Wallen -

Unfortunately, when it comes to reactive tinnitus (and many forms of tinnitus, especially given the subjective component), there are no certain answers. No two people will experience it in exactly the same way. For those of us who have lived with this for quite some time, we know, at least to...

That’s why I wrote parts of what she wrote, @object16 😊 If you look at what I said, I was referring specifically to the nighttime advice where she mentioned that it’s completely fine to mask tinnitus entirely. That’s what I was talking about. This isn’t correct, and it’s not advice I’d suggest...

A great and insightful event, really well managed and executed 👏 A shoutout and a thank you to all the people behind Tinnitus Quest. Keep up the good work!

I have to speak up when parts of your last post simply aren’t true and when the advice isn’t good. If that annoys you, so be it.

Did you get this from ChatGPT as well? You should be a bit cautious about what you read and write, as some of the sources might be completely inaccurate. This could actually make people worse off, especially when it comes to masking at night. Who said this was a general rule? How did you come...

Looking forward to it, @Nick47 👍 I signed up a long time ago, and I encourage everyone who’s curious about Auricle, the technology, and the people behind it to sign up as well.

Yes, I completely agree with the idea that many cases transition over time from being ear-based to more centralized, including my own after the worsening I experienced in 2019. It’s great to hear about your work with Tinnitus Quest. They’re on such an important mission. I’ve been in touch...

I won’t deny that it’s difficult to navigate these setbacks, Nick. It’s mentally draining when they happen and while you’re in the middle of them. Feeling lonely with it, even around friends and family, certainly doesn’t make it easier. We both know there’s no way to truly understand this...

I agree about the comfort and positivity that come from reading success stories. Whatever supports healing is worthwhile. But many answers generated by AI bots are not always accurate. As a helpful tool, I’d say it’s perfectly fine to use. However, the part you mentioned about these symptoms...

To my personal knowledge, no. It’s actually very common for many people with bothersome tinnitus to experience the sensations you describe, along with Eustachian tube dysfunction. I’ve had this too during several periods. It’s much better these days.

I’m glad you’re doing better, great to hear! Fingers crossed it stays that way. I believe, however, that you rely too much on ChatGPT. It also collects answers from many unreliable sources online, so using it as guidance for everything won’t necessarily give you precise answers. Are muscles...

Sorry to hear about your recent accident @Nick47. I know that “back to square one” feeling — everything coming back with full force. At least it feels and seems that way. It’s often especially difficult to deal with when you replay the situation over and over, wondering why on earth you did it...

Since you’ve had a head injury, I suspect that vestibular and vertigo issues might be the main cause here. If these problems are properly examined and treated, you might see significant improvement in your other symptoms. You should seek help from an experienced neurochiropractor, preferably...

Sorry to hear about your struggles. You should see a specialist as soon as possible. You mentioned that it all started after a head injury. I assume you’ve had an MRI of your head and possibly your neck? What other symptoms have you experienced since then?

Awful attitude by this guy. I’m sure, though, that it will calm down eventually. I’ve mentioned this in numerous posts on Tinnitus Talk before: healing of chronic or bothersome tinnitus is not linear, and it never will be. There will be ups and downs, spikes and setbacks. There will be tears...

Thanks for sharing your story @jhammi20. There is definitely a need for stories like yours in the community. And yes, there is ALWAYS hope. If you lose hope, there is no way forward. The medical route you took might not be the right one for everyone, as you pointed out. But sometimes it is...

Why couldn’t you be in an office now? If your tinnitus is very low for the majority of the day, then objectively there’s no reason you couldn’t work as normal. Working from home is great for a period of time, as it gives you more freedom. I did that myself for about a year during the...

You will get better, have faith in that. But it is also important to take this as a sign that you have sound-induced tinnitus. Getting tinnitus at such a young age, and knowing that you have been listening to a lot of music—probably loud at times—through earphones, is a warning. The chances of...

A full resolution with no tinnitus at all would feel close to a miracle at this point. No one knows what tomorrow will bring, though. Tomorrow is unknown, and anything can happen. There is also something important about being content with where you are. I believe most people here would be...

A somatic component of tinnitus is something the majority of people have to some degree, in addition to sound-induced tinnitus and so on. It’s very common. If your level is pretty much just audible at this point, the tinnitus should be of no nuisance whatsoever. If I were you, I’d spend my...

I’ve had several MRIs (four, if I recall correctly) between 2020 and 2024: brain, jaw, hip, and back. They were all loud, with the brain and jaw scans being by far the worst since they were head-first and lasted a long time. Both caused spikes for me. The first time I went through one, I had the...

Luckily, or unfortunately, five months is still a very short time for this kind of sound sensitivity and reactive tinnitus. There is plenty of time for you to improve. What will work best for you is almost impossible to know for sure, since this is very much a trial-and-error process...

It’s not uncommon at all. It’s probably due to an overactive tensor tympani muscle, as mentioned to @Sydnears. That is exactly what this muscle does. When functioning properly, it contracts to protect the ear from damage. When it becomes overactive and dysfunctional, it can react with...

Overactive tensor tympani.

This is probably an in-ear muscular or tensor tympani issue. I’ve had this myself several times. It usually shows up during periods of high stress and anxiety. I don’t have it these days.

There is no definite right or wrong with this. I used to go to movie theaters for about ten to fifteen years after I first got tinnitus, and I had no issues whatsoever. If you ask me today, I would not go. If you feel comfortable with it and do not have problems with the sound levels, you could...

I am putting myself out here again, and of course people are fully entitled to have different opinions, and many will. But in my view, and from my personal experience, there is no danger in letting it react. In fact, at some point you need to expose yourself to things like wind and rain simply...

What do you mean by “quiet environment”? Do you mean sitting in complete silence? I don’t agree with that. I’ve had reactive tinnitus for about six years now, and I am in a much better place. I’ve had counseling on and off since 2020, more than 25 sessions in total, though very rarely now. My...

Sure. This sounds a lot like how I was for a long time. I can still have bad periods where this may show up in some form, even six years down the road, but most of the time I’m good. Even in those periods, when I get those “Morse code” sounds or whatever you may call them on top of other...

There is a distinct difference between chronic and permanent. “Chronic” refers to a condition with long-lasting duration, while “permanent” implies it will last forever or cannot be reversed. Who used the term permanent? As I told you earlier, there are numerous success stories, both here and...

Exactly my point, many of us adapt and habituate. That is the nature of neuroplasticity, creating new neural pathways. I hope you get silence, as you wish for. Do not get me wrong. But being a perfectionist with tinnitus is not necessarily a good thing. It may lead to disappointments and make...

Sorry to hear you are having a difficult day with it. Healing is not linear, and there will always be harder days along the way. That is normal and human. After more than 20 years with tinnitus, I have been through countless ups and downs. I am not sure how much of my writing you have come...

I understand you, but I believe you might be doing yourself a big favor that could actually interfere with healing in the long run. Acceptance is the first step in recovery. Something like this was bound to happen at some point anyway. These things are part of living a normal life in the...

Unfortunately, this is the nature of tinnitus, and yes, I have experienced many such accidents. Usually, a spike after an incident like this can last anywhere from a few days to two or three weeks. You have to remind yourself that these things happen and are often unavoidable. Stopping life is...

Who said your ears were done? If the tinnitus is only just noticeable, you really shouldn’t be worrying about it in my opinion. That shows how differently we are set up as individuals. To me, this sounds like a level of tinnitus that shouldn’t be bothersome where you are now, but for you it...

Great news! Fading through habituation is real. If you are at a level of 1–2 out of 10 by now, that is very mild tinnitus, and it should become non-bothersome soon as it fades into the background. The way you described it earlier seemed quite a bit more intrusive. Mild tinnitus usually makes...

Stay off those boards, or wherever you’re reading those stories, whether it’s here or somewhere else. You said it yourself: your mood doesn’t improve when you read them. I’d say it actually has the opposite effect. Make sure you’re getting enough auditory input during the day and not staying in...