Cure for Hyperacusis??

You haven't ? What does it mean when you state your opinion, and then tell a person not to listen to others with an opposing opinion? Are you not simply stating that the opposing opinion is wrong? Maybe I'm confused here.

This is your quote:

"Be assured Hyperacusis can be completely cured and do not listen to anyone that tells you that it can't."

 

I wasn't anywhere disrespectful to you when I said that you should read up more on other people's symptoms in the Facebook hyperacusis groups.

Please stop the ad hominem attacks when reason is being presented to you.

 

I want nothing to do with you as I've seen the vulgar language that you have used in this forum and I will end it there. Goodbye.

 

Got cornered I see.

That's what you always do when people challenge your opinion which you parade as facts.

 

Michael, this thread is going south and I have no interest in it. I'm tired by those endless arguments which serve nothing. But I just want you to realize that you often use this sentence : "However, he/she is entitled to his/her opinion even if it's the wrong one".

 

@lymebite shared good resources. There's an effort to find a cure for H. Or at least, management. I just don't know when that will be but there are researchers looking for ways to help us.

But we have to help them, too. Please fill out this survey: http://hyperacusisresearch.org/hyperacusis-research-survey/. It'll take around 30 minutes of your time, but it's the least we can do to give researchers more information.

For now, keep stories like @yonkapin's in mind. If he got better, maybe you can, too.

 

With respect @Foncky I am not going to change the way that I write or express myself. If the administrators at Tinnitus Talk want to ban me for it then let them let them go ahead. I have habituated to my tinnitus long ago and my hyperacusis is completely cured.

I like you because you have always shown me respect and have manners. It was the way I was raised and it is something I admire in other human beings when I see it. I distance myself from those that I believe are not this way. So lets leave it at that. I am glad that you came on this thread as I have tried to PM you but notice that I am unable to. I want to ask how are you getting a long with the new treatment? Please PM as I'm keen to know.

All the best
Michael

 

Thanks for sharing research news/papers on H, It is good too see that their IS something being done for H.

I do believe that mine will get better or maybe go away completely in time because I have no other symptoms: no ear fullness, or burning/sharp pain and certainly no hearing distortion....my hearing has been perfect all along. I had a little ear fullness the first couple of months but it seems to have gone away now

 

I know this one: the money they require for the treatment(although the concept is good) including equipments and counsellings are atrocious. People won't have it if it stays that way. Yet most of trained doctors don't know a clue about what these symptoms all are or what they can do about it so they send us to somewhere that do a sound therapy. This helplessness is quite unpleasant to patients. More efforts should be put into the medical research(there are some but still not enough) to back the existing treatment up completely so that we can be supported in the costs some day or none. Why aren't there any definite answers with all the noise exposures the modern worlds experiencing? Does that mean that we are considering things too seriously? Recruitment effect, noise-induced incresed sensitivity to be brought down, neurosis or OCD, Anything?

 

I have two questions by the way..

1. Some people gets steroids injected through they eardrums... Even if it's just a plain hyperacusis and tinnitus. It might work well for the other ear-realated diseases but it still doesn't look good. What kind of nonsense is that? Have you ever heard of it?

2. For those who are well versed in TRT treatment(In theory): what are people with only hyperacusis supposed to set the volume of the noise?

 

Hi @victoria9273

I have known all along the reason many people are unable to get treatment for their tinnitus and hypercusis is because of the expense treatments like TRT cost. Where I reside I got the TRT for free and don't think I would have been able to afford it if I were living in another country where I would have to pay for it. Even then, there is no guarantee that this treatment will work for everyone but it's better than trying nothing.

It is unfortunate that after some people have had a hearing test and MRI scan, there is no referral to a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist for tinnitus treatment. Therefore, I believe it has something to do with cost these health professionals charge for their services. This isn't the case in the UK. Although TRT is not practiced at every hospital, the treatment is still available at the one I attend. Even when it's not available, a patient in most cases will get a referral to see a Hearing Therapist and some form of treatment will be provided if they are having problems habituating.

Michael

 

@victoria9273

I know someone that tried the steroids through the eardrums and it cost him around £6000 five years ago and done nothing. That is not to say it wouldn't work for you. Regarding the white noise generators as part of TRT for hyperacusis. The WNG will also treat the tinnitus more is explained in my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. The WNGs volume should be set just below the tinnitus at all times. There should be no attempt to mask or cover up the tinnitus so it can't be heard. At night, they shouldn't be worn while asleep. A sound machine should be used by the bedside for sound enrichment until morning.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

What kind of nonesense is it? The kind that is attempting to reduce swelling in an effort to help with hearing loss and/or pressure on the auditory nerve. It is also helpful for individuals whose bodies poorly absorb or react to steroids since only a minimal amount enters the bloodstream versus oral steroids.

I have never read of anyone receiving intratympanic steroid injections for hyperacusis alone, usually it seems to be used for sudden hearing loss.

I underwent intratympanic injections, which were fully covered by my insurance. There was only a little discomfort during the few seconds it took to inject the steroid, but overall a mild procedure compared to others that I’ve endured. While I did not recover my hearing, I think they did help a bit and if anything they may have prevented further decline.

But whether it’s steroid injections or TRT, it’s difficult to ascertain whether it’s the procedure or simply the passage of time that makes a difference.

 

I'm sorry for not being considerate. The steroid injection is quite a common one for sudden sensorineural hearing loss with fairly good effect(and thank you for your explanation) but I think it's not so with common tinnitus and hyperacusis.

 

No need to apologize, I did not think you were inconsiderate! And you’re absolutely right, I think it’s not common to do steroid injections without hearing loss. But I did read a study (sorry, can’t find the link now) where intratympanic injections did help with the perception of tinnitus for patients without hearing loss.

 

I am new to tinnitus but as I have just gotten it, I have looked up information on it and many sites I go to list TRT as a cure for H (but not for T). It sounds like H is able to be cured but that T isn't. Even if it doesn't work for 1%, that is still a cure. I don't think any cure is guaranteed but we should still try. Removing stress is good advice, probably even more so if you are 1% and don't know which way to move forward in life.

 

Hi @Red

I have had TRT twice in the 21 years having tinnitus. The first time was for two years. It reduced to a very low level and at times never heard it and was quite manageable. My hyperacusis was completely cured and had remained this way till this day. In 2008 I had a second noise trauma. I had TRT for another 2 years. It helped but wasn't as successful as the first time. My hyperacusis did not return.

You are new to tinnitus and many people do habituate within 6 months to a year. If you decide to try TRT leave it for at least 6 months. Please click on the links below and read my tinnitus articles that you might find helpful.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

Where are you getting these numbers? Can you please post a link?

 

I'm not getting the numbers from anywhere. It is from the post I quoted and was entirely anecdotal.

 

I do apologise for my negative comments, Michael Leigh. I didn't give a proper thought about it and just went posting. I know there are good doctors and auditologist in the field that helps those with the condition and still there are people suffering just like I did and that they can possibly affected to any comments in this forum like the one I wrote above. I would have deleted it if I could but well... Let's set an example of it and keep going just like we've been doing.

It's very good that the UK can provide TRT treatment and does it right in your region. It always makes me sad to read people's writings about paying the huge amount of money and in return getting improper treatments. At least it's lucky that your posts tells us what a good TRT should be like.

 

On the contrary @victoria9273 I didn't think your post was negative at all. You wrote honestly and expressed things as they are and how you see them and I think that was the right thing to do. I don't believe in sugar coating things to make others feel good about themselves. Yes, there are good doctors and healthcare professionals out there. However, it's unfortunate in some parts of this world, depending on how deep one's pockets are will determine the type of treatment they will be able to get which I think is very sad.

Michael

 

Yeah if you have the funds there a lot of "cures" out there. You could combine TRT, Neuromonics, and Tinnitus Miracle. Of course they are all have great reviews online, I'm sure they are all legit. I think the main thing is, don't be afraid to open your wallet and fork over a lot of cash, these people are all in place to help you, don't even question it, no need to be negative.

 

Not all cases are the same. People can get hyperacusis from injuries, noise exposure etc. Not to mention now everyone has H that causes everything to be louder some people have it with only pain. I personally get both but I get more pain than anything.

It's much like Tinnitus where many people have it but it can be induced because of noise, medicine, injury etc. It can last for a life time or it can last for a short amount of time. Some people fine relief in their Tinnitus with some medicines and some don't.

It goes to show the complexity of these problems.

 

I was wondering if you could give an explanation of what "habituation" means to yourself? To me, it means being able to live a normal life (pretty much as before tinnitus). That includes going to bed without having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, as well as being able to fully concentrate at work (the same type of work I was engaged in before I developed tinnitus). All of it without the use of "crutches" (e.g. sleep aids, anxiety medication).

Based on these screenshots, it would seem you have a different definition of habituation (given that you had to give up writing a lengthy post, as well as the fact that you resort to having to use clonazepam):





Why would you be "feeling down" if you are habituated? I don't get that...

EDIT: apparently another member (@Red) had the same question when those screenshots were captured...

 

You must have gone to a lot of trouble searching my posts, in order to find any discrepancy or contradiction in my writing about tinnitus, hyperacusis or habituation. You could have simply asked me or sent a PM with a request without going to such lengths. Or was your intention to cause me some embarrassment on the forum for everyone else to see? I believe this was your intention since you don't even have the good manners and courtesy to address me by name when asking a question.

If you are comfortable with your definition of habituation then that's fine continue with that. When I relate habituation to my tinnitus it means to live with it. No two people experience tinnitus the same. My tinnitus is variable. From complete silence, mild, moderate and severe. I take medication (clonazepam) when the need arises and I'm quite comfortable with that. I also wear white noise generators and use a sound machine at night. I sleep peacefully and rarely does my tinnitus prevent me from sleeping. I can go about my day doing all the things that I want to do. I am an avid reader and an Audiophile. If my tinnitus is intrusive then I'm unable to read or do any serious listening to music through my HI-FI. This doesn't mean I haven't habituated.

When I wrote my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. It took me many months to write and I gave up quite a few times whilst writing it, because my tinnitus at times was very severe. However, I never gave up and eventually finished it. Ask any tinnitus veteran and there are many in this forum. They will tell you even though they have habituated their tinnitus will still ramp up (spike) at times. Because of their experience and positivity, they are able to cope with it using some of the methods I've described. That's what habituating to tinnitus is. Living the best life that you can and not allowing this condition to get the better of you. It doesn't mean you will never have negative thoughts or feel occasionally down.

I have the belief: Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

My post below also explains my thoughts on habituation which can be found on my "started threads"

The habituation process.

Habituation is frequently talked about in tinnitus forums and probably comes in at second place to the popular question: when will a cure be found? It seems some people have become quite taken with this word and believe it is the most important thing to strive for when dealing with this condition. Everyone wants to habituate as soon as possible and carry on living their life doing everything that they want to and putting tinnitus firmly behind them.

I can honestly say that I see nothing wrong with that, but wanting something in the speed that we would like it isn’t always achievable, especially with something like tinnitus. A few people that have had tinnitus for a while, have contacted me to discuss just that. They have concerns about the length of time it’s taking to habituate. Similarly, I have heard from those new to this condition that want the habitation process to start as quickly as possible. Both groups tell me they are doing all the right things but it seems patience is giving way to despondency and despair and some are starting to believe habituation might never happen for them.

It is of little comfort to these people when they hear family and friends say, tinnitus is just a minor irritant and something that can easily be ignored. Occasionally, it might be intrusive but this is never more than temporary and they are still able to carry on with their life unperturbed. I often sense the frustration a person is under when they are relaying this to me. Whether I’m talking to them on the telephone, private messenger or answering an email. It is then that I’m often asked: why is it that the habituation process doesn’t seem to be happening for them?

Answering such a question isn’t easy because there is no single answer that I can provide but I will say this. Tinnitus is a common condition that comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. It can be very troublesome especially in the early stages of onset, but gradually this gives way and the condition settles down and in time many manage to cope with it when it’s mild or moderate. Sometimes this may involve treatment via a hearing therapist or a person achieves this naturally without being referred to a clinic.

It should be noted that tinnitus can be a complex condition, depending on how loud and intrusive it is for the individual? So what I’ve just outlined won’t apply to everyone. There are other factors that also come into play. A person’s make-up or rather their outlook on life. Whether they are positive or negative thinking can help or delay the habitation process. In addition to this, stress and anxiety are often associated with tinnitus and a person might be taking medication such as an antidepressant to help cope with it. There are a myriad of scenarios that I could relay to you on how tinnitus can affect someone’s quality of life, their well-being and the habituation process. For now I will say this:

When a person habituates to tinnitus it means they are able cope with it but this doesn’t mean they will never hear it. Although some people habituate to a level where the tinnitus is rarely heard or stays at a very low level. Whether the tinnitus is silent for periods of time or remains low, mild, moderate or is occasionally intrusive, it doesn’t really matter, because it all means the same thing. When habituation is reached a person will know, because whatever the level it will not bother you. However, like everything there are exceptions and tinnitus is no different. I believe there are some limitations to habituation. As I have previously said the condition comes in many forms and intensities. Some people have variable tinnitus that can fluctuate from silent, mild, moderate and severe. When it is loud and intrusive (severe) and this level is sustained for long periods it can become very debilitating and a person might have to take medication to cope with it, which is usually supplied by their doctor. This level of sustained intrusiveness shouldn’t be confused with a tinnitus spike, which usually returns to baseline within a short period of time.

I want to say that I believe habituation is achievable for most people with time. In some instances a person might need the professional help of a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist, as there are a variety of treatment options available to help one in the habituation process. One should also try to be realistic. There are some people that will accept nothing less than a complete cure from their tinnitus and this is unfortunate, because they could waste a lot of time being miserable.

I have corresponded with people that have said, their tinnitus is very low and is only heard occasionally or in a quiet room, at night for instance. Yet these people are not satisfied because they want a complete cure and will deliberately seek out quiet surroundings to monitor their tinnitus, checking to see if it has increased or not. It’s as if they have become obsessed with this condition and to the point where is starts to affect their relationship with those that are close to them, and I don’t think this is healthy.

In summing up I want to say one last thing. Those that are having treatment with a Hearing Therapist, Audiologist, or finding that their tinnitus is becoming less intrusive and they are in the habituation process. Try not to read negative posts or associate with negative thinking people who are not in the same place that you are, as their beliefs can prevent your advancement, if you are not careful.

I wish you well
Michael

PS: further reading on habituation:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/answers-to-hyperacusis-and-habituation.12058/

 

Given your description, I think your definition of habituation is what most people call surviving with tinnitus.

 

You are entitled to your opinion and I to mine.
Michael

 

Great! But, I "just" think it might make sense to clarify (to other members) that what you consider having TRT with very good results...

...still includes you:

• using masking
• using clonazepam
• having trouble writing a long post
• using Tiex therapy
• using St. John's Wort

And to me (possibly others), I don't think they would equate that with "very good results". It's a bit like saying the car repair shop was excellent but I still need to take the bus once a week because my car won't start.

 

This is the last time I will be responding to your post. I am here to help people and so far I haven't had any complaints. I also help people that email me and do counselling on the telephone.

All the best
Michael

 

Well... that's kind of what I am worried about because you shouldn't be involved in counselling: I don't really think your understanding of tinnitus comes close to being able to help someone else when you don't even know what it means to have habituated:

• "make or become accustomed or used to something"
• "used to something, especially something unpleasant"

(source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/habituated)

And from your (numerous) posts, I can tell that you are definitely not accustomed to your tinnitus.