Do People with Tinnitus Have Lowered Threshold for Further Hearing Damage / Worsening of Tinnitus?

Hi all,

I hate to be repeating things, but I really just need help/answers.

Now that tinnitus started, I'm wondering if my overall 'damage threshold' has been reduced from 80 dB, or not. By this I mean that, more damage would occur at lower levels ie. 70 dB.

I seem to have gotten the idea that it has, but when talking to my SO she told me that in her mind, it makes more sense that the threshold has been increased, ie. that only higher than 80 dB will only cause damage.

I would like to know as I'm now, more than ever, wearing protection wherever I go, but maybe it's not helping. I do find that my tinnitus is reactive however, meaning a prolonged but normal dose of sound exposure will lead to more tinnitus (and since I'm new to this, I can only hope that 'spike' remains temporary as it usually has been the last few weeks/times).

Thanks everybody.

Kind regards and all the best,

Michael Barton

 

Listen to your body...

After reading this forum for over 20 months, I believe that many T sufferers' ears Have been compromised.

What is her reasoning that led her to this conclusion?

Check out the post below:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/learn-from-others-mistakes.29437/

 

Hi Michael,

I have often wondered whether a pre-existing hearing loss/auditory damage lowers our threshold for further damage. A stab in the dark here. I'd say yes.

I don't think you can generalise for all either as there will be variants that contribute to the potential for auditory damage ie genetics, lifestyle, age, maybe gender, etc

Audiogram? Any notches?

Do you think your t has become reactive as a result of wearing headphones? (I think reactive tinnitus = hyperacusis)

So, I don't think anyone can give you a definitive answer, which is frustrating when you are trying to navigate your auditory life, but like Bill said; listen to your body …

In addition, I'd consider taking nicotinamide riboside. It has been shown to be otoprotective pre and post noise exposures. There are some threads on this supplement on this forum.

Hope this helps.

 

Once your hearing is damaged, it will become easier to damage further than compared to someone who has never damaged there hearing. So yes, the threshold lowers. But I feel everyone's threshold is different and you can cautiously find out where your's is by following the spikes. Especially the long ones.

I suggest you continue to protect your hearing when you are out since yours is reactive. you can get plenty of noise exposure at home so that you don't develop hyperacusis from over protection. showers, doing the dishes, refrigerator, if they don't really spike your tinnitus, than that's come good nominal exposure to help balance out protecting when outside. A lot of people stop protecting when out and then encounter and unexpected noises and are in trouble. you can't predict when its gonna happen but your gonna be really glad you stayed protected.

You're still in very early days Michael. Keep protecting your hearing and continue to give it a chance to heal. if it doesn't then eventually your reactive tinnitus should be come more resilient and then you can see if you threshold to your tinnitus reacting increases or not.

But right now, play it safe if you can. preserving your baseline is like preserving your sanity.

 

And like walking a tightrope!!