Habituation for High Pitched Tinnitus

Hi there,

I've had tinnitus for only 3 weeks. I know that this is a very short period of time, but I'm noticing that my right ear is a lot louder and has a much higher pitch frequency in it. I can get through the day by staying busy, but at night it's almost like a dog whistle.

Like I said, I realize that this is the beginning stage of my tinnitus, but I was wondering if anyone out there has had this type of super high pitched tinnitus and been able to habituate?

Thanks

 

I've had high-pitched T for about 3 weeks as well, though mine feels balanced between my ears, it "sounds" like its coming from inside my head. I believe mine was somehow stress related, as I didn't have any recent acoustic trauma.

It's hard for me to say with confidence if it has gotten quieter, though it feels like it has - all the same I could simply be learning to ignore it. It seems like the general consensus is you need to give yourself up to a year to habituate, and even past that, habituation is still likely for most people. I'm confident. I was an anxious mess the first week, and that has mostly gone.

Have you spoken to a doctor, or an ENT/audiologist about it yet?

 

Thanks Jim. Yes, I went to the ER and had an examination and CT scan. All normal. I went to an audiologist yesterday and had a hearing test. He said that I was suffering from hearing loss, but I also feel like it's because the T is so loud that it's hard to hear things. Either way, he referred me to an ENT and wrote a recommendation that I get the Tinnitus masking hearing aids.

I guess I'm just struggling with sleep. This high pitched sound in my right ear is super loud and I'm not used to only sleeping 4 hours a night. I guess the bright side is that I can get some sleep, but the rest of the night I'm just laying there. It's tough, but I'm doing everything to stay positive.

 

Have you tried sleeping with white noise, or other sound generators to mask it while asleep?

 

Yep. I sleep with a white noise machine, a fan, and a take two Benadryl. Can only manage about 4-5 hours of sleep.

 

I have an EXTREMELY high pitched noise in both ears and its not maskable....I can stand on the side of the freewan and my tinnitus is still louder. Have I fully got use to it? Not really. You have to do your best to live with it. The noise is brutally loud and there is now way to avoid it.

I try to distract myself by doing various activities. I wash my cars at times and that is helpful, exercising for me is helpful. I do my martial arts and it helps me.

Distraction and less stress is key for me, when it comes to living with this LOUD DEMON 2 4-7...

 

Thanks @fishbone How have to copped with sleeping?

 

Hi Ben,
I MADE myself habituate ... https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/back-to-silence.7172/

 

Hey, I sympathise with you. It's horrible when you wake up through the night and have to listen to this noise, my stomach just churns with anxiety. I always find that a bath before bedtime with Epsom Salts or magnesium helps me. Hope your ears improve soon!

 

Thank you both. I've actually watched that video and I'm going to give it a try. It's just hard in the beginning because all I hear is a high pitched ringing. Just trying to staying positive.

 

I also have high-pitched tinnitus in both ears, and I also made myself habituate. I used a combination of mindfulness meditation and sheer, bullheaded determination - since my tinnitus is steadily getting louder, I figured habituating wasn't going to get any easier if I waited, so I just got on with it.

 

That's the best thing we can do!! X

 

@Kste Adams Oh really? Sorry to hear that! . Mine has sadly too! Have you habituated now?

 

me ☺<<<habituated

 

Keep in mind that if your T doesn't fade to silence, the T you will end up with in the long run will likely be completely different than the T you have during your first month. It will keep changing (often the change is for the better) for months to come.

 

If hyperacusis is included, then dealing with softening that condition is a good first step.

 

That's what I needed to hear. Thank you.

Again, that is what I needed to hear. Thanks again.

 

The majority of people I came into contact with on this site, had their T change compared to what it was during the first month. My T had certainly changed compared to what it used to be back in February.

 

Ben, I have much higher frequency and louder T on my left than on the right. It's always been like that for me. What's odd about that is that my hearing is actually better on my left side.

 

I wrote about my first tinnitus story before in which my T was a 10/10, but I didn't have the very loud pitch ring that I now have with my more recent acquired dental tinnitus which is 10/10. I did get habituation with my original T as it was a very loud buzz, but certainly not as high pitched as my present somatic tinnitus.

I'm going to have a difficult time with habituation with my high pitched T. I would guess that most don't have somatic T as loud as a car horn. That's makes life difficult. For those that do, like myself, we need love and support and this board is an excellent place for that. There is a poll here where close to half with T have never missed a day of work. If you have high pitched somatic T or very loud subjective T, then having a job outside of home is impossible.

How does one describe loud tinnitus. It's a car horn 24/7. Long term drug medication is not the answer. The effective properties often wear down for many and somatic sufferers could get louder T. Tapering is hard without increasing your T even more. Plus all the side effects including panic when trying to withdraw. While being on many of these meds, hyperacusis can be a real problem.

I'm not going to give up in finding some way of acceptance, but my plan A is now out the window. I will need a plan B, but I don't know exactly what that will involve yet. For those with mild or moderate T, God bless you. Be careful and never let your guard down by not using ear protection when needed.

 

Yes, have habituated. Once in a while I catch myself listening for it, but mostly I kinda hear it and don't hear it at the same time. Weird, isn't it?

 

Check out
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/it-does-get-better-time-is-cure.23315/
This is just the latest of the many testimonies you can find on this site saying that things improve over time, when that time is long enough.

 

Great point...

My high pitched T began soon after I started my driving career over 20 years ago... went to the doctor and the expected "nothing we can do" response...first 9 months were pure hell...while driving I couldn't listen to the radio because of the pain it caused...

I had no other option but to continue driving because this was the most money I've made and I loved it...slowly the intensity decreased to its present level and has not changed...

I habituated and didn't notice, driving a truck is mentally and physically exhausting and there was no time to dwell on it...

Now, I can not remember my life without my T...unmaskable around 11kHz and it is singing it's heart out as I post this and I'm in a complete state of relaxation...

 

I also have high pitched, intrusive tinnitus, probably related to moderate deafness in my upper ranges. I am in month seven, and I think - hope - I am finally beginning to habituate. I want to recommend a natural noise app I found that is helping me sleep. It's called "Rain, Rain," and it's free. Thank you all for your positive stories. They really do sustain me. Cheers!

 

@Sheamus

I know this is an old thread but I’ve only had this going on for about 2 weeks. Mine is high pitched as well and I love the Rain Rain app. The crickets are the best. With sleep meds and the app I’ve been able to get a few hours for the past few nights.

Has your t gone down in volume at all? How is the habituation going? At this point I’m still hoping all this stops but if not I need to be prepared. I’ve got a 5 year old to raise and I’m determined not to let this ruin his life.

 

Sorry to be responding a bit late responding, Stephanie. You are so new at this. Mine is still with me at 15 months, likely do to my deafness in the upper ranges.

Although I have been skeptical, I must admit those who predict tinnitus gets better over time have been right, for me anyways. I think it is a combination of longer periods of mild effect, compared to nine months ago, and less emotional distress when it spikes temporarily back up to a moderately severe level.

So, life goes on, and life is pretty darn good for me right now, despite tinnitus. So, enjoy your son, and try not to worry too much. There is a chance your tinnitus will resolve itself as it has for many others. And if not, it will get better. It just takes time.

Warm regards,
Jim