Auditory Fatigue

Auditory fatigue – While little data exists, we know of many patients who experience an increase in their tinnitus perception following periods where there are greater demands on their auditory system. The sound does not need to be loud; it can be a situation where there is competing noise present while trying to process auditory information. This creates a greater strain on the system and can cause the tinnitus perception to be worse. In these cases, it may be appropriate to limit hearing aid use to a certain number of hours per day.


Does anyone have this?

 

I guess this is similar to what i've experienced. When my T turned into a reactive one 3 weeks ago, i could not continue masking it before sleep. When i did that, it was almost like the T was creeping over the masker sounds and immediately after i took the masker off, the T was going back to it's original place. I saw that, and stopped masking it.

It was like the brain was trying to hear the T no matter what i do. This was 3 weeks ago.

Right now it's much less reactive compared to before, and i do not mask it. Embracing the T helped a great deal to the habituation.

 

I helped a friend set up Pandora on her computer a few days ago. Big mistake! She and I were talking and the music came on. The volume on her computer was beyond my comfort level, and my tinnitus went to a whole new level. The T that day was tolerable (5 out of 10) until I heard the music, but it's like my brain went into overdrive trying to compartmentalize all the sounds in the immediate environment. The T also developed a higher pitch. Just goes to show that no good deed shall go unpunished.

Three days later and I'm still dealing with the spike. It doesn't take much when you have reactive T on top of regular T. All that's required is auditory stimulation outside of the norm, or a sudden increase in volume.

 

@Cheza ...

Three days later and I'm still dealing with the spike. It doesn't take much when you have reactive T on top of regular T. All that's required is auditory stimulation outside of the norm, or a sudden increase in volume.

'I feel your pain'...I'm two weeks into a sort of "stage five" T & H, though it seems that it is actually mostly increased H as my "shock" of it all wears off a bit. A three hour speaker-phone call helping another TT member did it...Just goes to show that no good deed shall go unpunished.
Yeah, this was the case too in 2102 as well, almost identical. Helping the 'greater community' at a 3 hour meeting bringing to heel some corporate scumbags treading on people's rights, in a room with hard acoustics. Both times had no clue I was getting "damaged", permanently...Cruel is an understatement!

I am beginning to think that people who can get 'successive H' spikes or damage, are maybe more in danger from time exposure, even if at or close to "safe" sound levels, than quick hits of "louder" (but not too intense - no gunshots or the like!) sound, like a dropped plate on the kitchen tile floor, etc. Those "spike" the T for sure, but seem the leave H more or less alone...in my experience.

Thus a rough possible hypothesis would be:
- Loud sound (even of short duration) is more immediately dangerous for T.
- Exposure time (though not excessive volume) is more dangerous for H.

Not sure. Does this fit at all with your experience??? And yeah, I am pretty much 'marrying' H here as being a bed-fellow to Reactive T...or more accurately, what I call SRT (Sound Reactive T) to differentiate from T that goes up from eating spicy food, or whatever.

Don't see too much info on your "Profile/Info tab", but thanks for even putting something there!

Take care...Zimichael

 

Yes I understand this. My stable t turned into reactive T this year with severe H, all medical profession induced too.
I can cope with a one off bang, like china on china but going shopping with constant ambient noise makes T worse, H worse and is very tiring for my auditory system.

 

Danny Boy# I thought you were cured of H and T now

 

@Zimichael , Have you tried Keppra for your H ?

 

@RaZaH ... This is "off topic" *(Yes I know, I am pretty pushy about that, but it makes life searching specific info on TT pure hell if threads go all over the place - just look at the Retigabine thread for example!!! Having T/H is hard enough without having to spend hours of headaches sorting out one relevant post in pages of clutter, etc., etc.)

To answer your question: YES! Extensively reported...well guess where. In the "Keppra" thread!...Though unfortunately, due to what I mentioned above, there ended up being extensive Keppra discussions in a number of threads! So my info is scattered all over the bloody place - back in the miscellaneous mixed up annals of Keppra history.

In short, it was "a disaster".

Best, Zimichael

 

Well, I dont have H , just trying to be helpful. Point taken about the off topic-ness though

 

@Zimichael I've always been sensitive to loud noise, and even now won't attempt to mask the T because it's noise on top of noise. Fortunately, no hyperacusis per se, just a ramping up of the sensitivity.

I think you're on the mark with your hypothesis. Went to a Thanksgiving dinner last night, and all was well during dinner, with normal conversation. Then the host began washing dishes and utensils were clanking, then someone dropped a heavy pan on the tile floor.

I'm normally very mild-mannered, but I yelled, "Don't do that!" She apologized profusely, but it did spike the T and today it's elevated again.

I live a fairly secluded and quiet life, but unless you live like a total hermit and never go out, there's no way to avoid loud sounds. Last week I was walking my dog. Just as I passed a neighbor's house, he was in the driveway and honked his horn, and the person driving by beside me honked theirs in response. So I got blasted on both sides. It really makes me wonder if the Universe is just out to get me sometimes.

 

This about sums up my life except for hit-and-run trips to town for food and library for books.

Good that you can attend a dinner with presumably more than one person...which is about my safe limit, IF they talk quietly. Sigh! Unbelievable how much this condition can screw up a life.

Take care. Zimichael

 

Yeah my ears by the end of the day are done, I can hardly flick the light switch. I've been trying some masking and it is a nightmare so far. A couple of hours and it feels like I'm getting something sharp shoved in my ears. I have a tough time believing that desensitizing the auditory system is real. It seems to be the other way around, my ears are more sensitive the more and longer I expose them. I don't know wtf is right.

I've been considering in ear noise gens, but I'm unsure. Something has to make this a bit better, the tinnitus is enough on its own for f//k sake.

 

Hi@Telis,
Do you have white noise generators ?....lots of love glynis

 

I got this definitaly


This question was part of a T questionaire i filled in for a TRT group session. Too many sound sources in a room stress my hearing. Long day exposures too. I mostly ache for a bit silence after longer exposures or a working day ( a just do-able desk job for my H level, about level 3). Like i ran on heavy or sore feet the whole day i want to have my moment of... aahhh some blisfull sitting and resting my feet you know, a bit of silence for my ears. I guess some of the fatigue isn't pure auditory, but also adrenal since our conditions are pretty distressing.

Recently, most weekends i just stay in; hardly leave home in a weeknight. When i don't come out the whole weekend i tend to find this aggravates my H also. So i try to enrich myself a bit then(very controlled). Go on walks now and then into the more quiet parks, woods (hard to find in Flemish belgium sometimes) Most city parks are just loud childrens playgrounds : ( (i don't hate em to be clear here)
Sound enrichment is a very hard balancing act when you have more troubelsome H and sound reactive T. So when i think at work... this is it, i need to quit... the other day i think, keep going. Meanwhile i have to watch out for adrenal exhaustion.
A TRT clinician even told me that white noise generators(the wearable ones) would only aggravate me more in my current state. I had to work on my anxiety, stress levels first and use sound enrichment with sounds that are soothing before i would think about wearable devices with white noise. I hate white noise anyway (even before i had T) ... and prefer nature sounds ( a gentle stream, a fountain for ex, mild shower)

Resting my ears doesn't neccesarely mean complete silence ... But it have too be peacefull noises, like a gentle stream in nature, or mild wind blowing trough trees.

@ zimichael ... and yeah, as hard as H's auditory and physical effects can be, that social isolation is even harder at times. I can go outside but hardly do the fun things (visiting bars, restos, being fearless or not feel hunted by blasts of sound)

@ cheza

The world is not after you, the world is just a loud place and people are loud animals with loud machines. H tends to show you that constantly in your face. Many wild animals (and some domesticated like horses, dogs, chikens too) get really anxious at new years eve due fireworks.

I wish you all the strenght you need.

 

Hi Glynis, not yet. I'm not really sure what to look for, where to look etc. I guess I go to my closest hearing center? Any advise? I'm thinking something with another sound besides white noise maybe. My T seems to slice through almost anything including White noise. I hope there is something I can trail. Better yet, something I can buy that gives me some lasting relief.

 

Hi Telis,
Your local hearing centre should be able help and yes ask to try them out as they cost a lot of money. .lots of love glynis

 

Wearing white noise generators alone will not help unfortunately. Tinnitus counseling is also required which is a vital part of TRT. A hearing therapsist trained in TRTcounseling, will be able to help take away and demystify the negative thinking that many people have with tinnitus or hyperacusis due to the stress they have been put through with these conditions. The treatment can last up to 2 years for most people. The reason I am mentioning this, is because white noise generators are expensive, and unless a person has counseling it will be a waste of money and they won't work. Sorry to sound so sobering.

 

A few days after my hearing went about 2 months ago I became fatigued all the time. I still feel fatigued till this day and although I've gotten used to it now, it can be pretty annoying even when I get more than a full nights rest. I think our auditory system is always working, maybe even when we're sleeping it's still in use, protecting us from any noises that might of danger to our selves.

 

@Michael Leigh,
I totally agree with you on needing counselling with white noise generators but unfortunately it's not always offered or given.
Think it must be what is available at your hospital .
For stoke on Trent, you are given a tick chart on how tinnitus makes you feel and then given maskers with a little bit of information how to use them and a follow up 6 weeks
Later and another tick chart to see if they are helping and that's it,no counselling.

For other countries that don't have the NHS It will be what their insurance covers and what they have to pay for and who they see.

Would like to hear how people go on in other countries rearding tinnitus treatment and if it's easy or hard to get white noise generators with counselling ....lots of love glynis