An Annoying Thing That Comes Along with Tinnitus, Does This Happen to Anyone Else?

So tinnitus is bad enough, but I'm dealing with it really good for the most part. What is annoying is that sometimes I can hear a sound that actually has a source. And in my mind I think it's my tinnitus spiking up, which raises my stress levels and anxiety and every sound I hear i interpret it as my tinnitus and it's like I'm imagining a spike when really there is nothing.

Like yesterday I was in the bathroom. The ventilation started to make weird and quite louder sounds, I started to panic thinking it was my tinnitus. Even tho I left the bathroom and the sound disappeared that should be evidence enough that the sound actually is generated in the freaking bathroom. Still I think it's from my head and every sound I hear elsewhere I think it's my tinnitus. I even ask my friends "Guys do you hear that or is it just me?"

Anyone in the same boat?

 

Yes, to all of it.

I can't tell external high frequency buzzing apart from internal.

 

Same here. I feel like what hearing I do have is hyper focused so I notice ambient noise more than before.

 

I have experienced all what you've mentioned. This is not uncommon with noise induced tinnitus or other types not associated with noise. Try not to pay attention to it as you will be giving it importance. As you habituate it will become less significant to you and your stress levels will reduce. Try some relaxation exercises that can be very beneficial and help you to have a more positive outlook on your situation.

Michael

 

This time of year there is so much crazy high-frequency sound in my environment from crickets, locusts and wind blowing through drying leaves, that I'm never really sure what's inside my head and what's not. Add to that the constant water-trickle sound from the fountain I have in my office room....

I just don't make the distinction. Background sounds, whether tinnitus or external, are a distraction. When I notice that I'm distracted, I try to just refocus on the task at hand.... as many times per minute as necessary

 

Today I'm feeling really down. The thing is I don't know if my imagination/stress is playing with me, or it's actually a worsening. First of all, we have everything I explained at the top of this thread.

Secondly: Near my apartment we have a building that has a ventilation that leaves a loud "DUUUUUUU" sound, everyone can hear it. When I passed that building yesterday we had the normal "DUUUU" sound as usual and I could hear a loud "EEEEEE" too. I wasn't sure if it was another sound generated from the ventilation or if it was my reactive tinnitus reacting to the "DUUUU" sound. Today I passed the building with my friends and I asked them if they could also here the loud "EEEEE" which they all said no......and I started to panic inside and feel really depressed. I don't know if they heard the EEE sound and counted it as one with the DUUU sound, or i'm actually hearing this ALONE...

So im feeling really bad.

 

everything is in your head literally man. start concentrating on something else and you will be ok. it may take some time but you wo;; get there

e

 

what is the name of this effect? It seems very common and I only have it in one ear.

 

Are you referring to reactive tinnitus? I have it...but in this particular case I dont know if its RT or simply all made up by my stress/anxiety/brain

 

Im pretty sure reactive tinnitus isn't really a thing. A bunch of audiologists on Reddit said it's not.

 

You can insert ear plugs, or put on Peltor muffs, and you will know whether the sound is internal or external right away.

 

That gets a lot trickier when you have reactive tinnitus. Because sound creates sound in that case. If its a "ordinary" T then you are right, that one works.

Whatever it's called there are people (like me) that has tinnitus that actually reacts to other external sounds. Maybe not ALL external sounds, but they do. Some people say this is a form of hyperacusis. I emailed Julian Cowan Hill about this and he said it's hyper activity of the brain/nervous system.

 

Just the other day I heard a sonar sound driving and asked the guy riding with me if he heard it and he looked at me like I was crazy.

 

Unfortunately I suffer from this phonemenon. For example when a car passes by I can hear bird chirpings above the sound of the engine. This seems to soften when I stay for days isolated in my place. As long as I expose myself to the city's noise it flares up. For me this is worse then my actual tinnitus.

 

Yes, I do ask "do you hear that sound" more frequently after having T, because every time I suddenly hear a ringing, buzzing, or humming sound my reflex thought is that, it is a new tinnitus sound.

A couple of weeks ago I was at a friends house, we sat in the living room talking with no tv or radio on, suddenly I heard this faint ringing noise and I asked my friend if she also heard it, and luckily she said yes we wondered what it could be for a few second before realizing it was her dvd player which was turned on, that made that sound, Pheww!

I don't stress over it.....only for the 2-3 seconds where I think it is a new tinnitus sound, and when I find it is not I cant help but laugh a little at myself

 

But in my case my friends didnt hear it! And it was loud. Imagine my panic.

 

Anyone had an experience with almost like a heart beat in the middle of the head ? It's not synced with heart beat it is very bothersome in the middle of night. Specially since I have sleeping issues. Waking up every hour after 330 am until 830 am ... it's not a Morse code but kinda close this is followed by a noise sounding like the oven being on ... been driving me mad.it not in my ears. Oh I have other delightful sounds.

 

I might be misinterpreting what is gong on here so do accept my apologies. one thing I have noticed lately is that relatively high pitched sounds even at moderate levels seem to be intensified, particularly if they are on my right side and it is a recent phenomenon which I became aware of last week. following exposure to these sounds, even for a brief moment results in a horrendous flare up of T and even though I have taken steps to try to minimize the impact on trying to get good night sleep, I am having setbacks and its quite discouraging!!! another thing to add to my shopping list when I eventually get seeing the ENT surgeon.