Got Tinnitus from Enjoying Life Too Much — Cranked Up the Music in Car for 40 Minutes

Hello everybody. I'm a 23-year-old uni student who got tinnitus 2 and a half months ago. I was a super productive person. As a university student I was also part time working as a programmer and I was teaching at my university. I was enjoying life.

Because of my good mood while travelling in my car for 40 minutes I turned up the music quite loud.

After I turned off the engine I heard a hissing/sizzling noise but I thought it would go away, well it didn't.

After 2 months it's still the same sizzling noise. I would say it's it moderate loudness. I can hear it almost always (over the TV, outdoors) except at loud places.

I'm really struggling. I completely lost my life and I don't know how I will continue to function. I feel like a dead person. Can't do anything which is productive only surviving day to day. The worst is that my tinnitus has been the same from the start so no change at all and I'm starting to feel that it will never change. I can't believe how stupid I was and cracked up that music... I never had a ringing only hissing.

Will it go away or improve, I wonder...

 

You have noise-induced tinnitus and it is likely to subside if you protect your ears. This may take years, though. Some people swear by not using headphones at all, look into that. I *personally* do not think headphones at super low volumes can hurt (it's the same sound waves after all), but other people have different opinions. I have not been using headphones for a while just in case.

I know the feeling of losing your life. I got tinnitus from a concert years ago, it was mild. Then I exacerbated it by using headphones at a high volume for a month or so. To top everything off, I then did a frequency sweep test and upped the volume at 16 kHz (I could not hear the tone, still could not hear it at max volume). That damaged my ears and now I have some 'hidden' hearing loss and about 5-7 tinnitus sounds in place of my previous one. I can't listen to music (it's distorted) and I can't sleep (beep beep, whooosh, eeee, etc., I hear some of them over absolutely anything). My tinnitus sounds react to noise and I also have high frequency sound hyperacusis - stuff like car brakes make me wince whereas before I wouldn't even hear them.

The takeaway is that you should try to relax, maybe take Melatonin or Valerian for sleep and try to occupy yourself during the day. It can get better, but if you let anxiety win, it can get worse.

 

It will get better. Try some Ativan and Turmeric.

 

Yep. You and everyone else here buddy.

 

I would slow your life down for a while, remember to breathe and not stress online - and less screen time and some time walking in nature to raise your energy vibrations 'vibes' - foot off the throttle for a while - good luck.