Completely Cured of Hyperacusis: Planning to Go to a Shooting Range

I was an active member of Tinnitus Talk 4 years ago, and I still see familiar people here.

To see how I have suffered, I strongly recommend you look up my postings; they are quite dreadful.

Now I am entirely cured of hyperacusis, and I don't care whether I lose my hearing from loud noise. My hyperacusis surely was derived not only from noise exposure but also from anxiety and OCD caused by Adult ADHD. I'm about to take medications to treat my ADHD better, but everything has been fine.

I ventured into many things in life, such as storming on a grand piano and going to a loud venue. I didn't lose my hearing at all, and I don't have any sensations in my ear. Everything that happened in my life feels like a reverie or a dreamy nightmare. I even play bass guitar now, which is quite strong in low range, but I feel much more comfortable hearing low soothing sounds.

And now, I plan to go to a shooting range on a daily basis—maybe once a week. Shooting has always been my dream, especially since I've been pretty much into games recently. Again, I don't care if it affects my hearing at all, and I know it never will with the proper use of hearing protection for shooting. I'm quite looking forward to the loud noise and recoil produced by a gun.

Going to see baseball games is definitely on my list, too...

I want to help people here with the same problems as I have. Ask anything that you might want to know, and I will try to answer it faithfully.

 

I assume this post is just a lousy attempt at humor. These are absolutely idiotic thoughts. You don't care if it affects your hearing? OK...

 

I remember corresponding with you back in 2017 when you wrote your first post on Tinnitus Talk.

I am pleased that your hyperacusis has improved and you are in a much better place. Although I admire your optimism in wanting to enjoy your life to the full and regularly go to a shooting range wearing proper hearing protection, I think you should think very carefully about what you intend to do. I know you have suffered a lot, but I hope you don't regret saying, "I don't care if my hearing is affected at all."

Tinnitus and hyperacusis are not something to take lightly. This is the danger when a person habituates and believes they are cured and can do the things they intend to do. It doesn't matter if you wear the best hearing protection in the world; once a person develops tinnitus or hyperacusis from noise trauma, the auditory system is never quite the same. It is similar to cutting with a knife; the wound may heal, but a scar will always remain. In other words, your ears and auditory system will be more sensitive than before developing tinnitus.

If the external noise is loud enough, it will pass through your head and transfer to your inner ear by bone conduction, which could spike the tinnitus. If you are fortunate, the tinnitus might reduce within a short period of time, or it could increase to a new permanent level. In addition, the characteristics of your tinnitus as you once perceived it can change to what I have determined as variable tinnitus. This type of tinnitus is ruthless and very unforgiving. It is a more severe form of noise-induced tinnitus. Should your hyperacusis so return, it will likely be more severe than anything you previously experienced. Please believe me; I know of which I speak. I have counseled and corresponded with many people who have developed variable tinnitus with or without hyperacusis after they have habituated and suffered a second noise trauma, mainly because they thought they were cured.

I am not telling you this to frighten or stop what you want to do in life. My advice comes from the heart and is based on many years of experience with noise-induced tinnitus. People have contacted me in a highly emotional state, crying on the telephone because of the distress they are in with loud tinnitus and hyperacusis caused by exposure to loud noise. I advise you not to listen to audio through headphones, even at low volume. Some people do this and are fine for a while, but suddenly, their tinnitus returns with a vengeance and ferocity they didn't believe possible. Sorry to sound so sobering.

Please be careful,
Michael

Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

I have a huge respect for what you have gone through and for what you have been doing for Tinnitus Talk to help people and comfort us. Perhaps I was wrong to say, 'I don't care if my hearing is affected at all.' I'm sorry. It was highly disrespectful to everyone on Tinnitus Talk, and I somehow tried to bury my past and act as if nothing happened.

Now I feel like this is a serious issue; I never thought the way you suggested to me at all before. But I'll think twice. Your advice will be thoroughly respected and observed.

P.S.

I have looked up more detailed information and personal experiences, and you were absolutely right... Actually, someone who has been in the military even told me that the gun is ten times louder than you think and that hearing loss is bound to happen. I was tempted mainly because of the proximity of the shooting range to my home.

Phew... I may have made myself look idiotic, but I will never regret visiting Tinnitus Talk after a long while and writing this post. Thank you for saving my life, @MindOverMatter and @Michael Leigh.

Well! Not literally, but I have lived my past three years thinking that I need some shock therapy on my mentality because I was always afraid of things. I believed that shooting wouldn't do me any harm, but now that you mention it, it could pose a threat to my hearing.

I know that you worry about me and others who had and have severe issues with hyperacusis/tinnitus. I will reconsider. I'm sorry I said something disrespectful to the community.

 

You can go right back to how you were, if not even worse than before. People on Tinnitus Talk have also damaged their hearing at shooting ranges and concerts even with hearing protection. Your life is your own, and you can take whatever risks you see fit, but you may have to live with the consequences.

 

Thank you for your kind words @victoria9273. I am pleased that you considered your previous comments and made the right decision about exposure to loud noise and tinnitus. Tinnitus and hyperacusis can be very debilitating conditions when they become severe.

Now that you have habituated, you can still enjoy an active life doing many things without exposure to loud noise.

Take care, and I wish you well,
Michael

 

Yeah, you can. Just be at peace if you make it worse and get tinnitus.

 

I managed to do this 12 days ago.

I wasn't really habituated—tinnitus annoyed me for large parts of the day, but in some situations and environments, I could forget about it.

I still can't believe what I did.

I went out without my earplugs. I rarely go out, and my sound sensitivity was good as long as the frequencies weren't too high, so the earplugs weren't really on my mind.

I didn't know we would end up at a loud venue, but it happened, and when I checked the dB meter on my watch I, instead of leave the place (or going further back), I looked for a napkin to make a pair of earplugs out of that (idiot...). I then stayed at a venue for almost an hour (it felt shorter) when I told my friend I needed to go, thinking about my ears.

But it was too late. My tinnitus overall spiked, and the right ear tinnitus, which has been relatively mild, is more present. I also likely acquired some hearing loss since some sounds are different. For example, plastic packaging has a slightly duller (less crisp) sound, and birds sound more distant.

I regret myself immensely. I can't understand why I wasn't more careful. The situation where I wanted to be with my friends clouded my judgement. So, I guess we can't be reminded enough about this. Always carry earplugs with you or leave if it's too loud. A dB meter on your phone or smartwatch is good to check.

I'm devastated...

 

Do not blame yourself because I don't think you did anything wrong. You just didn't know that a person's auditory system is more sensitive after they have suffered a noise trauma and developed tinnitus with or without hyperacusis.

I would like to give you some advice and suggest you consider it. As I have said many times, the advice I give at Tinnitus Talk is not absolute because we are all different. Please see it as information that I am providing based on personal experience and people I have corresponded with and counseled who have noise-induced tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Habituation to noise-induced tinnitus can have different meanings for different people. Some believe that when a person habituates to this type of tinnitus, they shouldn't hear it. Some also think they should be able to do everything they did before developing tinnitus. An example is going to clubs and concerts where loud music is played and how wearing earplugs should make it safe, or providing the volume is kept low when listening to audio through headphones, the tinnitus shouldn't get worse.

I disagree with some of the above. Please go to my started threads and read The Habituation Process and How to Habituate to Tinnitus. I don't believe it's a good idea to trust sound level meters or noise-reducing earplugs. I have explained my reasons in my thread, Hyperacusis, As I See It.

I think you should go to ENT to have your hearing checked and your auditory system examined. Then, try to see an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus and hyperacusis management. There are various treatments available, so don't give up hope.

Speak to your GP/PCP and explain how you feel so that a treatment plan can be implemented.

Best of luck,
Michael

 

Thanks. But actually, I kind of knew... That's why I feel this bottomless remorse.

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

Talk to your doctor and get some treatment.

Try not to worry too much.

 

Sorry, what is GP/PCP in this case?

 

No problem.

GP is a General Practitioner who practices general medicine in the UK. PCP is a Primary Care Physician, or Primary Care Provider, who practices general medicine in the USA.

They are both doctors and mean the same thing.

Michael

 

FFS!

 

You've been given a gift. Don't squander it.

 

How was your healing timeline?

Thanks.