1 Year with Tinnitus — Have Many Questions

I have had T for around 1 year and boy does it suck. Still reading scientific journals and learning about this condition. One of the most interesting article that I have read is published by Roland Schaette. The article is summed up by the author in this video:

Roland Schaette talks about tinnitus research...

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Now I would like to learn more about benefits of masking tinnitus, do you guys know any good studies about the science behind masking T and how it should be done?

 

I think its more of a case of what works for the individual. For example, when i go to sleep i can listen to the noise fine as its quite a soft hum/buzz. But sometimes when i watch tv i can faintly hear it during quite moments so i may put some purple noise on counteract that.

 

@zmogedra
Many people habituate to tinnitus in within a year zomgedra. I am just curious, do you listen to music through headphones or attend venues where loud music is played?
Michael

 

@Michael Leigh
Yeah last year was a roller coaster at one point I though I just got used to it but in autumn I got another ear infection and BAM can't recover from it. I talked to one ENT who also has tinnitus and reads scientific journals. She said that with masking you can modulate neurons SFR (spontaneous fire rate) so this got me interested and looking for studies about T masking.

I try not to go to load venues, when in need I use ear plug. Yeah right now I am trying to use my big studio type headphones for masking.

 

@zmogedra
If there is no underlying medical condition causing tinnitus, the usual reason for it getting worse is exposure to loud noise and also using headphones. This was the reason I asked. I don't agree with the advice that your ENT doctor has given you. If you use headphones to mask your tinnitus it is most likely to get worse in my opinion. Even when going to venues where loud music is played earplugs doesn't mean you are 100% safe.

Your tinnitus has got worse for a reason and I believe it is "loud sound" that has caused it and not an ear infection. I advise you to click on my "Avatar" and choose "started threads" I have written posts on Headphones and tinnitus, also tinnitus and clubs. I advise you to click on the link below and read the my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. It is long but, I feel if you follow some of the advice given you will start to feel better.

Use a sound machine at night and keep a way from headphones and find a better ENT doctor as in my opinion, she hasn't a clue about tinnitus. She may know about the anatomy of the Ear but knows nothing about tinnitus. The person to see about tinnitus is a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist, that specialises in treating tinnitus.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

@Michael Leigh
ENT didn't gave me anything... she just told me about the increased neuron activity which is the ringing in the ears and that masking can modulate this activity. She is the only one in my country that constantly reads news about tinnitus and she also said that she gets a lot of requests to review scientific papers for journals before publishing. It is sad that in my country there is no organisation or even a small department which could help and explain people how to live with Tinnitus.

I use big headphones at work, because I sit in an office with few other coworkers and there is no other way (at home I use speakers). My headphones are big closed type and I don't blast them all the way only just a little bit below my ringing as it is recommended on the internet. But I would like to read some scientific studies about masking volume level.

I don't think that my T got worse due to noise, because at the time when I noticed my T is worse, I haven't been to any loud venue or used headphones. And after 2~3 weeks I got an inner and outer ear infection on the same ear with T and boy oh boy I could bearly hear a thing. Sadly I still don't know how to measure my T if it is actually getting worse or only my perception is changing. I believe there is a lot of brain activity involved when considering T perception and it depends on which brain regions you are using at that moment in time.

Thank you, Michael, for such a long post, I will definitely read your links.

Best Regards,
From Lithuania

 

@zmogedra You are welcome zmogedra. I had the feeling you were either going to places where loud music is being played or listening to music through Headphones. It is your choice but I believe if you continue to listen to music or any other type of audio through your headphones your tinnitus will get louder. Sorry to sound so sobering.
I wish you well
Michael

Headphones and Tinnitus

The views on whether a person with tinnitus should listen to music through headphones are controversial. Some people show no adverse affects while others do even when the volume level is kept low.

As I have already mentioned we are all different so the only way a one can know is to experiment for themselves if they want to. In my opinion, when the tinnitus was caused by exposure to loud noise/music and it has become intrusive - by this I mean a person having to seek help at ENT, then they shouldn’t listen to music through headphones no matter how low the volume is set.

Most music has syncopation throughout its frequency range, so it’s constantly changing in pitch, rhythm and timbre. The beat of the music and volume can also change while listening. This evokes pleasure and can stir our emotions. This happens whether we listen to music loud or soft, although certain types of music does sound better played at a higher volume than others, and vice versa.

Once the Cochlear in the inner ear becomes damaged by noise exposure, it is much more sensitive to sound. This is one of the reasons hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound) is often experienced with noise-induced tinnitus. The wearing of WNGs (white noise generators) as part of TRT treatment can often cure the condition. I will be covering Hyperacusis and Habituation in more detail later on.

The organ of the Corti, which is attached to the Cochlea, has approximately 20,000 hair
cells. These hair cells move to the vibration of sound and are just one of the components in the auditory system that enable us to hear. Someone that already has a sensitive auditory system due to noise-induced tinnitus and listens to music through headphones at a low volume, risks irritating the Cochlear further; this can make the tinnitus louder and more intrusive.

In my opinion, it can be misleading when some health professionals tell tinnitus patients, listening to music through headphones is fine as long as long as the volume is kept low. These health professionals mean well and know a lot about the anatomy of the ear and therefore, it is not my intention to try and undermine their abilities or expertise. However, It must be said, that many of them have never experienced intrusive tinnitus. This leads me to say, one of my ENT consultant’s who is an Audiovestubular consultant, and someone that I have a lot of respect for, once told me that I know more about tinnitus than she/he. This person explained, for the simple reason they had never experienced it.

I have spoken to many people and corresponded with them by email and at Internet forums, complaining their tinnitus has become worse because after listening to music through headphones even though the volume was kept low.

My advice to anyone that has tinnitus that was caused by exposure to loud noise is not to listen to music through headphones, as the auditory system is more sensitive. However the choice is entirely up to them.