Do Nightmares End? A Dog Yelped Into My Ear Resulting in Tinnitus & Hyperacusis

I'm a 56 overworked, stressed out guy whose coming to the end of the road. 5 years ago one of my dogs yelped into my ear resulting in tinnitus and hyperacusis. I was told I could do nothing. Like everyone I researched everything and I took everything, Gabapentin, Tegretol (killed the tinnitus)e tc, but nothing helped the hyperacusis... I wore earplugs in class (I'm a teacher) and in the street. Gradually I weaned myself off the meds and for a whole year I lived without plugs.

Until 2 months ago at a vets visit when a dog wouldn't stop yelping at the exact frequency I cannot tolerate. There was no escape. My hyperacusis went crazy, in both ears. The next day the same happened at a cafe. And then one of my dogs. I basically ended up breaking down in the street, overwhelmed. I've become so negative towards anything that can make noise. I hate people, I won't go near my dogs. I wont answer the phone. I dare not subject myself to hearing tests because I'm terrified of noise in my ears. I have had and still have building works next to my house and 70 dB drills going in and out of my walls every day between 8am and 8pm. It's a nightmare. I can't escape.

I started on Baclofen and Campral. I emailed about the Moses-Lang CD twice but no reply. Today, to cap it all I decided to try and lower the volume of my door intercom. Stupid, stupid. I didn't realise the buzzer was in the handset and as I spoke to a student she pressed the buzzer - oh my god... 10 mins my ear felt like it had shut down and although it's OK now the hyperacusis is so bad. I feel like I'm cursed. I immediately took. NAC, Magnesium, and 50mg or Prednisone and will continue it.

I know how hyperacusis works, I know my reaction, which is to destroy the cause of the noise, is only helping my brain to continue its negative association.

I can live with the tinnitus, it's mild but the hyperacusis is a different thing. It's like having a broken foot, and every day, just as the pain is subsiding and bones are healing someone comes along and stamps on it, rebreaking it and more pain - and nothing you can do to stop them, except hate them and become a version of yourself you also hate.

I think if the crap with the buzzer hadn't happened today I might have felt differently. The hyperacusis did seem to be diminishing, the tinnitus all but gone, I had managed to track down a CD pink noise in the UK and had set up a stereo in the quietest room in the house - I just had to order it. I had hope. Then the buzzer and in a worse place than before.

I cannot empty the world of people, I can only empty it of myself. I finally told my family how bad I am and they have persuaded me to go to the ENT. I'm a mess.

 

It's funny. I've been taking walks since I got tinnitus ("exercise is good!") and I realize that when I see someone walking towards me with a dog, I've been going to the other side of the street to avoid potential barking.

I also had an incident the other day where I walked past a mother and her child who, with no warning, started crying and screaming at the top of his lungs. For some reason, I didn't cover my (bad) ear - I don't know, I thought it would look peculiar or judgmental or whatever. But then my tinnitus spiked and I hated life for the rest of the day.

LESSON LEARNED: if some unexpected noise erupts out of nowhere, cover thy ear!

Fortunately, my tinnitus had de-spiked by the next morning, returning to its previous level of evil. Even in my own newness with all this, I've learned It Gets Better.

Going to an ENT seems like a good move.

Good luck.

 

"LESSON LEARNED: if some unexpected noise erupts out of nowhere, cover thy ear!"
That is so true. Most people feel ashamed or embarrassed to show that noise is too loud for them, and decide to play cool, as if it means nothing to them and it's no big deal. Afterwards though, they have to pay the price. And it's so bloody pointless, I mean, why on earth would you play cool for ANYBODY. If it's too loud, cover your ears. Always. No matter what, where, how or when.