Deletion of Acoustic Memory

[1MW]

In one ear I have 10 dB hearing loss from 20 Hz to 300 Hz and 80 dB hearing loss at 500 Hz and a complete hearing loss after 500 Hz.

I have cochlear origin problem; the cochlear hair cells don't work/are dead. It has been confirmed with OAEs & audiograms.

This was found when I was 4 years old and maybe was at birth or from mumps that I had when I was 1 year old.

The other ear has NO tinnitus and NO hyperacusis. Sometimes I experience tinnitus (maybe once every six months for 1 minute) but that tinnitus is about 500 Hz and it is very low. I never get tinnitus in that ear in the frequencies that I can't hear (>500 Hz).

I believe the reason I'm not getting tinnitus in the ear is that I have not developed acoustic memory in that ear in frequencies > 500 Hz.

In the other ear I have normal hearing (I have had SSNHL in that ear) and I have tinnitus & hyperacusis.

But if I wear earmuffs for a long time and I'm in a totally silent room, the tinnitus lowers and sometimes stops completely.

It is known that if you do not provide stimulation to ears for a long time, the acoustic memory deteriorates.

So one possible treatment for tinnitus is to avoid every sound (low & high) for a long time to allow acoustic memory deletion or to make special earmuffs the block the frequencies that have tinnitus to allow deletion of acoustic memory in those frequencies.

Residual inhibition treatments give temporary relief but in the long term cause worse tinnitus because it enhances the acoustic memory in problematic frequencies.

Most people who have very high frequency tinnitus > 14 kHz, the chances of tinnitus stopping completely are very high because with presbycusis these frequencies are lost and with them loss of acoustic memory of these frequencies happen.

 

[cspc]

But if I wear earmuffs for a long time and I'm in a totally silent room, the tinnitus lowers and sometimes stops completely.

I experienced this too. In March, I would wear my earplugs for 3 - 4 hours in a silent room to give my ears a complete break from sound. It made my tinnitus silence completely and my ears after the break were refreshed.

 

[cspc]

Most people who have very high frequency tinnitus > 14 kHz, the chances of tinnitus stopping completely are very high because with presbycusis these frequencies are lost and with them loss of acoustic memory of these frequencies happen.

Do ear muffs work for all frequencies? I know from my experience that ear plugs 27NRR work only for the frequencies they protect against which are < 8KHz. But I wouldn't recommend putting on earplugs for a long time because of bacterial/fungal infection you can get from them.

 

[Contrast]

there is no scientific evidence to suggest anything you just posted about "deleting acoustic memories"

 

[Wolfears]

Residual inhibition treatments give temporary relief but in the long term cause worse tinnitus because it enhances the acoustic memory in problematic frequencies .

Do you have any sources for this claim, aside from your own opinion?
I'm not saying you are wrong, but I would like to read up on it if there are any studies on this one.