Alterations in Auditory Brain Stem Response Distinguish Occasional and Constant Tinnitus

We should now be able to tell whether tinnitus is "permanent or transient", without resorting to a vague time threshold ("if you've had this for X months, it's likely to be permanent").

Also, this could be a scientific way to measure whether someone suffers from (certain kinds of) tinnitus or not, which has ramifications in terms of disability claims and other support options.

Alterations in auditory brain stem response distinguish occasional and constant tinnitus

 

I didn't find a definition of occasional tinnitus in the paper. Is this a well known term? What does a person with occasional tinnitus experience?

 

This is both depressing for someone like me with recent constant tinnitus, but also important. I hope more research comes from this. Like many here, I believe a better understanding of the "mechanics" behind tinnitus is necessary for treatment / cures to be found.

 

There are people who only experience tinnitus occasionally. Most of us would occasionally experience tinnitus when coming back from a loud event (party/concert/etc). Some people would say they experience tinnitus in the morning and then it dissipates after a few hours, others would say it happens after they eat something, or after their body is in a certain position, when traveling in airplanes or through mountains, etc... those are occasional sufferers, i.e. their tinnitus does disappear after a while.

 

Very close friend of mine will get 2-3 minutes of ringing when he doesn't eat before he plays sports on Sunday mornings. It lets him know he's hungry.

 

I would get occasional tinnitus prior my chronic tinnitus. It would happen maybe every 6 months or so and last for 10 seconds.

 

"More frequent occasional tinnitus increase the odds of transitioning to constant tinnitus."​

This matches my experience. Before my tinnitus became increased in severity, I had increasingly frequent bouts of "occasional tinnitus."

 

I have had constant tinnitus in my brain since 14 years ago.

Since 1 year ago I also have occasional tinnitus in my right ear. It can be there for hours and suddenly disappear (or at least get lower in volume so that I can’t hear it). Some days are really good and some really bad.

What’s strange is that I can modulate the sound in the right ear by pressing/putting a finger in the ear. When pressing I can make it disappear, but as soon as I take the finger away the sound returns. I don’t know what started the sound in my right ear.

 

Me too. I guess that is how the brain is supposed to work...

 

I had this too. I'd hear one high pitch sound for like 5 seconds but it only happened at night time and once every couple months or so. I did have mild hyperacusis at the same time too but in the other ear lol.

I now have constant tinnitus in the hyperacusis ear and that other one did get worse.

 

Hey @Erik.Swe - Just wondering, would you classify this as intermittent/fluctuating instead of occasional, since it keeps reoccurring. I have good/bad days too in my right ear and considered it fluctuating.

 

From what I have read it is like a spasm or something.

 

Yes, maybe intermittent is a better description of my tinnitus. But since there are good and bad periods, I wonder what the reason is. Why can’t it just stay good all the time? And why can I make it quiet by putting a finger in the ear canal?

 

@Erik.Swe - I can't rightly explain why it gets quiet when you put your finger in your ear. Is your tinnitus objective by chance?

I wish I knew why it comes and goes. Mine flips when I'm asleep. An osteopath I spoke with wonders if it has to do with poor cerebrospinal fluid or blood flow during deep sleep brain cleansing leading to inflammation, caused perhaps by cervical issues, neck muscle tension, or poor sleep posture.

 

I don’t think it’s objective tinnitus in my case since it’s not pulsatile. My tinnitus is constant beep at 1590 Hz. Yes, tinnitus can act really strange.