Can Mild Tinnitus Remain Mild?

The title says it all.

I am not talking about standing next to a massive speaker for whole night or blasting your ears with headphones at max volume.

I am talking about ,,usual" stuff, like not wearing earplugs at cinema (it's just weird, I can't imagine doing that).

Also, is there anything more to tinnitus development which we know about? Noise-induced tinnitus is usually sign of hearing loss to some extent, but that doesn't explain people who are nearly deaf and don't experience tinnitus or people with almost perfect audiogram who suffer from moderate tinnitus.

Also, I'm sorry for making so much new posts. I am very new to this thing, and I really go through emotional rollercoaster.

 

My tinnitus remained mild for 18 years. I developed tinnitus from taking just one pill of an antibacterial drug called Vioxx (which has been taken off the market). Just this year I've been experiencing unbearably loud spikes in my left ear. ENT, Primary Care, Audiologist doctors have been no help!

 

Tinnitus always seems to get worse with time. The ear is damaged so it will continue to get more damaged, not less damaged. I think those who think their tinnitus has gotten quieter, have just gotten more used to it!

 

More likely it will get worse with time, any additional acoustic trauma will make it worse. After 9 years my tinnitus transformed from being able to hear it only in silence to severe blasting sound that's even hurting my brain physically (headache + head burning sensation)

Enjoy the time when it's mild because it can end any day, one mistake and you pay for it your whole life. Like I am.

 

Then again, I know of people who had an episode when they were younger and did not struggle with it later in life. You can also research stories on the forum of people who had noise induced tinnitus for a time and it gradually subsided. We are on the cusp of several medical treatments with regenerative medicine. Any one of these can potentially help with tinnitus.

 

I know two people whose tinnitus did not worsen (yet). It stayed the same (and possibly improved a bit) for respectively 11 and 14 years. Ear infection and acoustic trauma as causes.

 

I got it when I was 13, now I'm 22. Young enough.

 

An episode can improve. But chronic tinnitus won't. And we aren't on the cusp of any medical treatments which will help tinnitus.

That's just giving false hope which is worthless. The truth is every few years there's something around the corner. But that day never comes. The truth is if your ear's damaged, it's damaged for good. And no medicine is going to fix that. It's too intricate.

 

@kamil1364

I have friends who have had the same level tinnitus pretty much their whole lives. One was 6 when he developed it after numerous ear infections - he is now 37 and has had no change in it whatsoever. He plays guitar, listens to music loud, rides motorbikes etc.

Obviously I would never recommend doing any of those things as we all know they can ultimately worsen what we already have. But my point is people shouldn't lump everyone into the same category. Yes, some people's tinnitus will worsen, but not everybody's does.

My grandad is 83 and has had tinnitus since he was 20 from being in the army. His hasn't change a bit. It's still mild.

However, I do agree that once our ears have been damaged, it's easier to damage them further, so I would always take precautions when going places that might be a little too loud - like the cinema.

Let's face it, wearing ear protection might be inconvenient or annoying at times, but tinnitus is far, far worse.

Steph

 

No, it is not a fact that tinnitus gets worse for most. I would say the contrary is true.

It is also not a fact that there are no solutions on the horizon that could potentially work for many.

 

Cinemas can be well in excess of 85 dB nowadays. That's enough to damage hearing after 2 hours.

Depends on the movie, but I would always take earplugs to the cinema. Same for a loud restaurant or bar, and obviously concerts once they start up again.

 

Makes no sense. He is playing with fire.

 

He is the sort of person who literally wouldn't give a shit it got louder. Even when he has spikes, he doesn't care. Just shrugs it off and gets on with his day... I wish I could do that, but I can't. Even a mild spike drives me insane.

 

One of the two people I mentioned above is the same. I know that after his onset he did things considered extremely dangerous even for a person without impairments. I honestly do not know how he even survived so long, considering how fucking crazy he is. But still there he is, and rocking.

 

Haha! I loved reading that. Bloody good on him!

Just goes to show how different we all are. I really wish I wasn't bothered by the sound, and I tell myself that I'm not, but some days, I definitely am. It also depends on my mood. I can have a super quiet tinnitus day, but if I'm in a bad or low mood, the sound annoys me. But I can have louder tinnitus and because I'm in a good mood, I don't even really notice it unless I look for it.

How long have you had tinnitus for?

 

I am in my 5th week. I am still wrecked, but trying to get my shit together :/

 

I developed tinnitus back in April last year. Like most people, to begin with I was a complete mess. Accepting that a sound is probably here to stay with you forever is pretty soul destroying. However, it does become easier - no less annoying, but definitely easier when it comes to emotional side of dealing with tinnitus.

I would happily say now, that I only have maybe one or two days out of the week where I’m a bit disgruntled by my tinnitus. Most days I can get on with life without thinking about it.

If it helps, I went from having tinnitus so loud that I could hear it over traffic and waves crashing on the beach, to having 1 maybe 2 out of 10 tinnitus 90% of the time.

 

Week 5 or 6 seems to be around the worst time. Curiously it's the same length of time after a bereavement when the emotions can hit the hardest. I guess because the reality of the new situation has truly sunk in, and you fully understand your new situation is not likely to change any time soon.

However it does get better. Not just subjectively, but objectively better for most people. And you're in the right place for great advice and support from those of us who've been through it.

 

Wow, this is great. I am very happy to read about your progresses. I am sure that more improvements are around the corner for you

 

Thank you for your nice words. Incidentally I think that last night and today (so far) have been among the mildest since the onset. It gives me a bit of hope.

 

No it's not a fact. But it's very likely it will get worse. And absolutely nothing is on the horizon to help. And kidding people of the contrary does nothing to help people in the long run. AM-101, the machine (Lenire) people were buying a few months ago, they always turn out to be an empty box. Look for things from 20 years ago and you'll find posts by optimistic people saying the same thing. People profit from tinnitus whether it's supplements, drugs, books or things on the horizon. And in 5 years' time those things on the horizon would have turned to shit, and guess what! Something else will be on the horizon. It's just a game.

 

FX-322 is in clinical trials. And has already had some success. So let’s hope rather than just think there will never be anything to help.

They probably thought that about many conditions until a breakthrough happened.

 

I just don't see how you got there, neither anecdotal nor empirical. (Keep in mind that the vast majority of tinnitus sufferers are not on this forum.)

 

I've been online long enough to see probably 10 things that showed positive results. But nothing ever materialises to a cure. In 10 years' time people will be having this exact same conversation. One person saying a cure won't be found, and another saying things are on the horizon. The ear is so tiny and intricate.

 

No, it's not a rule that it'll get worse. You do get that impression from being on this site though because people whose tinnitus went away no longer post and have moved on with their lives. If you dropped in on an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting everyday you would think moderate drinking always leads to full-blown alcoholism, but that's not the case for the majority of people.

 

Got it when I was 13 basically went away or I got used to it one. Now 22 was prescribed BuSpar for anxiety took for less than a week and it has made it extremely worse. I stopped the meds a week ago today.

 

@BobDigi this is far from a game! Let's hope there is real progress made towards a treatment or a cure. How else can one survive without HOPE! There will always be people with snake oil and I hope there is a place in hell for them.

 

I read what you wrote about your friend. I guess some people are lucky?

 

I have to admit that I cringe at some of the stuff he does. I'm so protective of my ears, that I can't understand why when you have tinnitus, you would be so careless.

I would never advise anyone to do what he does.

And yes, some people are lucky and some aren't. I would say with my health that I've been unlucky, but then again to others who have it worse, I'm probably seen as lucky? It's all about perspective I guess.

Anyway, whatever your tinnitus is like, I hope you're doing as okay as we can be with this horrid condition?

Steph

 

A friend of mine has had tinnitus for as long as she can remember, likely due to loud noise from her stepdad's band.

Throughout years of public transport, concerts, her transition, etc, it has not spiked. It seems pretty mild. She says that it made concentrating on tests and exams a bit difficult and she sleeps a fan on. Aside from that, no impact on her quality of life.

If only we could all be so lucky.