Hearing Cricket Like Noises from External Sounds

Hi - I recently got tinnitus in my left ear that the ENT diagnosed as acoustic trauma induced.

The tinnitus has been slowly improving over the past couple of months.

But since last week I have been hearing cricket like noises whenever I hear external sounds like fans, fridges etc. These sounds feel like they are coming from my head or both of my ears this time? I'm not sure it's hard to tell.

I'm just freaking out because the ringing from my left ear has improved greatly since the night I got it and now this has happened.

I booked in to see the ENT again next week but was wondering if anyone has experience with this?

Thank you.

 

Hi,

This sounds a lot like what we refer to as "sound distortions" on the forum. It's not really clear what causes them, but it is probably a sign of hearing damage. I had a very similar experience to you right after my acoustic trauma, and it resolved completely after a few weeks, so it could definitely improve. It is a bit odd that it developed so late after onset though.

Wish you all the best,
Stacken

 

Yea this seems to be pretty common amongst the forum, myself included. Mine has changed, come and gone, and returned. I think it can be caused by both secondary noise traumas and over protecting the ears, so it's really difficult to pin-point exactly what could be causing it and how to alleviate it.

I feel like just gradually exposing myself to sound over time helped the first time. Now I'm dealing with it again after knocking a metal table leg over onto my hardwood floor, so I'm trying to figure out what steps to help ease it away this time.

 

I hear beeps, hums and sometimes cricket sounds over external noise. I think it's a combination of hyperacusis (some frequencies getting amplified around your tinnitus frequency) and recruitment (adjacent inner hair cells get 'recruited' to fire when you should be hearing a frequency you're missing due to hearing loss).

 

I am sorry you have this symptom. I suffer from same type of symptoms as a result of acoustic trauma caused by a rock concert. My left ear seems to be more affected. I had this type of symptom at first and then it seems like it has returned. I don´t know why.

This type of symptom seems to come and go because it was a bit better for some time. I hear a high pitch sound on top of certain external sounds and when the external sound stops, so does this other high pitch sound. Many sounds sound weird because of this, distorted. It is not only cricket like noise in my case but sometimes I would describe it as whistling sound or a bit electric sound. I have noticed that certain frequencies seem to trigger this symptom more. Like certain lower frequencies. Like traffic sound, shower sound, and even some white noise sounds.

Do you deal with hyperacusis?

 

Why do you think it can come on from overprotecting?

I’ve been having to wear protection 24/7 after a noxacusis setback. I’ve now developed a low frequency tinnitus that’s extremely draining. Sometimes if I take off my hearing protection, to get a break from it, I can hear what sounds like that noise in other low frequency sounds.

The only other thing I can think of is maybe I had some SSNHL in that ear and so I’m hearing it that way because of the loss. But since I’m protecting constantly and the volume of what set me back was not anywhere near acoustic trauma level it would seem strange.

 

I think the distortions are most likely generated in the brain and have nothing to do with the ears. I have hearing distortions and I get the cricket sound when I'm sleep deprived. I also sometimes have sounds sticking in my head, so I still hear them in background noise after they stopped, which can only be caused by the brain. I made 4 hearing tests by 4 different doctors who all said my hearing was fine, some said it's even quite good. I also had another test for the muscle response in the ear to sounds, it was also fine.

I also got an MRI which was also fine. But I abused benzos so I'm pretty sure it's from that, like some damage or change to the GABA system or excitotoxicity from withdrawals. I'm wondering if other people who have this have used benzodiazepines or other GABA drugs (like a lot of alcohol).

 

The same withdrawals can happen with Prednisone while in a high anxiety state. I believe that’s why I have mine.