Amplified Frequencies. Does Anyone Else Have This Kind of Tinnitus?

I'm curious to know whether anyone else experiences tinnitus in the same way as me, as I've yet to see it described.

I have noise-induced hyperacusis and tinnitus. I do have some "traditional" tinnitus, i.e steady-frequency ringing in my ears (although different tones in each ear) - but this is only really noticeable in quiet environments. But the really bothersome form of tinnitus I have involves bands of frequencies of what I'm actually hearing being hugely amplified. Whether it's broadband noise, music 0r whatever, frequencies between G5 – C6 (783.99 – 1046.50 Hz) are accentuated and it's maddening, especially as I am a musician.

I had another setback this week, 7 years into this dreadful condition: another band of frequencies around 3000 Hz is now also amplified

Anyone share these symptoms?

 

Yes, I have what you describe and more. Mine isn't just amplified, but distorted. @3ri0w has it too https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hearing-distortion-recruitment-reactive-tinnitus.19449/

 

This is what mine has been like for the past three and a bit years. Right now it seems to have reduced quite a bit, though not gone.

 

@VRZ78 also has some symptoms along these lines I think along with a few others, a thread pops up every couple of months of someone describing it like you do, but it only gets a reply or two, so it doesn't get much awareness. @LowHumPulse was describing it recently I think too.

 

Thank you SilverSpiral and PaulBe, that's really good to know that I'm not the only one! Do you have measurable hearing loss? I guess this particular pathology makes sense in that our auditory systems are accentuating frequencies due to lost hair cells...

 

After the acoustic trauma incident, my hearing was in normal range, but the bad (heavy) ear did improve over the next few months (thresholds) compared to the first test. However despite taking supplements, and protecting my ears well, I developed SSNHL in the bad ear about a year later... so now I have a reverse ski slope frequency response in the bad ear, and low pitch roaring T. Still in treatment for the SSNHL, awaiting MRI to rule out a tumor or whatever, as if a tumor magically switched on to mess up my hearing the moment I have an acoustic trauma incident... can always hope.

 

I am hoping that treatments repairing hair cells and/or neuronal connections make speedy progress and that these will address our symptoms...

 

I had an over-amplification in the mid ranges that weirdly had dropped right down very recently. I only noticed a few days ago.

It may just be a natural thing but I have had a real issue with crappy speakers in my gym for a few months. They have the wrong amp and the speakers I do not think are wired up correctly, so they are really heavy in the mid ranges. It really hurt my ears so was constantly asking them to turn the music down - cue confusion as they didn't think it was loud.

Anyway, I was wondering whether the exposure had helped to lessen the amplification. I go 5 days a week, sometimes 6, for just over an hour each time.


It makes a kind of logic in my head, as we use exposure to pink noise for hyperacusis treatment.

Just a thought anyway, if having music altered in the frequencies that hurt our ears, at a low-ish volume can decrease sensitivity over time. Or was its just coincidence for me.

 

Interesting. This guy talks about treatments involving boosting or cutting certain frequencies of music based on a users hearing loss.

Pathophysiology-Based Treatments for Tinnitus

at around 33 mins.

 

Interesting he says that boosting the frequency made the patient's tinnitus worse. Advocates notching.

My tinnitus is certainly no better but the over-amplification element is. I have had this amplification since very early on. It could be coincidence but it's gone after a long time and I don't know of any other things of significance - although I did get a new car recently, way quieter and smoother to drive, less irritating noise and doesn't spike me after long journeys.

 

I think its the same with me lately. Its always been cyclical over 72 hours give or take, from normal hearing to needles being dragged down a piece of glass, and back again. This seems to have abated somewhat this last two months. I kind of equate it to being like something is building or filling up, then emptying out, then repeating.