Does Most Tinnitus Remain as a Single Pitch or Not?

[three4rd]

Hi,

I'm still very new at all this. I've been hearing lots of folks here describe their tinnitus as having either multiple pitches, new pitches being added, changes to existing pitches, etc. Is this typical? Does most T begin with one pitch and then often add more? If one pitch, is it typically higher frequency? Is there any correlation between age of onset and the severity/types of T? Sorry...but...when I get any medical issue I try to do as exhaustive research as I can on it. This forum is obviously a great place to learn more.

Thanks for any info...

Keith

 

[Rubenslash]

Most people's T start with one single high pitched noise. It can worsen due to new noise exposure, age (hearing getting worse) or other factors such as medication, stress,..

Many people on this forum have multiple tones/pitches but I believe that it is in general rather uncommon. This forum attracts people with a more severe form of T. I know a couple of other people with T and they all have only 1 tone.

 

[glynis]

Hi Keith,
Tinnitus can change sound and strength and multiple tones or pulsitile.
Over time you get to know what sounds and strengths are normal for you as we are all different.
Anyone can get a spike ( increase in sound) for lots of reasons but in time reduces back to your normal base sound that you hear the most.
It's normal to have a few sounds and even different ones in each ear that does feel strange....lots of love glynis

 

[Elinor]

I can only speak for myself. I became aware of my T around the age of 11-12, probably developed it because I grew up with music (Mom's a musician). Mine started out as a single sound, a bilateral electric buzz. It got slightly louder after flights, colds and ear infections. This is however, my most stable sound.

With each flight I've taken I've developed additional unilateral tones that were very very faint. They have gradually become louder with colds and noise exposure, faster than my original sound. One of them now battling with my buzzing, when it comes to volume.

I have not experienced any change in pitch, but I know some people do.

 

[PaulBe]

Single pitch, but swirling up and down, in and out.

 

[Tweaker]

I can only say what my experience has been. I had a pure tone mild as a kid and teenager. In 2010 it got much louder and I had faint multiple tones in the background of the tonal T. Since 2010 those multiple tones have stregnthened and come to the forefront. The background tonal T is still there and becomes noticeable above the multpile tones only if I hold my ears or put in earplugs. I think the multiple tones have been there since 2010 but now dominate. The pitches remind me of the noisy electrical mixing equipment I used to work with. My tinnitus probably macthes the frequencies damaged by the work environment. At my support group, people have various types of tinnitus, some with tonal T. If you are worried about tonal T becoming multiple toned, it is not necessairly going to be case for everyone.

 

[Elliott.S]

I guess there's no general rule for T. Mine started as a single tone a decade ago, then it moved to some multi-pitch weird sounds, then went to some mono frequency. It also varies from one ear to another at times, although my left ear is 99 % the one which is suffering from T.