How to Cope with Tinnitus After High-Frequency Hearing Loss?

[Sydnears]

I have been told that tinnitus associated with hearing loss is permanent.

I have bilateral high-frequency hearing loss and associated tinnitus. It has been 10 weeks now.

I am just looking for success stories from people who have hearing loss and have managed to habituate to their tinnitus to the point where it no longer affects their daily life in a negative way. I still have good hearing up to the mid frequencies, with moderate to severe loss at the higher frequencies.

I suppose I am just looking for some hope that things might improve. I am feeling very down at the moment. Thank you.

 

[SueX]

Hiya, I have high-frequency hearing loss. It is only mild, and I also have some brain issues, so at first I assumed my pulsatile tinnitus was caused only by those neurological problems. However, I went to see an excellent audiologist who very patiently explained that even if the brain issues are contributing to the tinnitus, the hearing loss is likely playing a role as well. The brain tries to compensate for the missing frequencies, which can also trigger or worsen tinnitus.

I followed her recommendation to try hearing aids, which serve two purposes: first, they provide slight amplification to help with the mild high-frequency hearing loss, and second, they generate background sound to partially mask the tinnitus.

They were expensive, and making the decision was difficult. At first, they hurt my ears and I wanted to throw them in the bin. But now, several weeks in, just as she predicted, the tinnitus has not disappeared, but my brain is hearing a richer sound environment and is less focused on the tinnitus.

It is not the most affordable solution by any means, but after going through about a dozen scans and seeing many different clinicians, I was desperate to try anything and everything possible.

 

[Chezten]

Hiya, I have high-frequency hearing loss. It is only mild, and I also have some brain issues, so at first I assumed my pulsatile tinnitus was caused only by those neurological problems. However, I went to see an excellent audiologist who very patiently explained that even if the brain issues are contributing to the tinnitus, the hearing loss is likely playing a role as well. The brain tries to compensate for the missing frequencies, which can also trigger or worsen tinnitus.

I followed her recommendation to try hearing aids, which serve two purposes: first, they provide slight amplification to help with the mild high-frequency hearing loss, and second, they generate background sound to partially mask the tinnitus.

They were expensive, and making the decision was difficult. At first, they hurt my ears and I wanted to throw them in the bin. But now, several weeks in, just as she predicted, the tinnitus has not disappeared, but my brain is hearing a richer sound environment and is less focused on the tinnitus.

It is not the most affordable solution by any means, but after going through about a dozen scans and seeing many different clinicians, I was desperate to try anything and everything possible.

Hi @SueX,

Just wondering how your hearing is going. Have they managed to stop the pulsatile sound?

I have similar issues.

There is a right-sided neurovascular conflict seen at the trigeminal root entry zone, caused by the ipsilateral superior cerebellar artery. And, like you, there is bilateral contact via AICA loops with the cisternal course of the facial and vestibulocochlear nerve complexes. However, this is commonly seen in most patients and is not usually considered clinically significant.

My tinnitus began eight years ago. I'm not sure if it started around the time I stopped taking an SSRI. It progressed into strange zapping sensations in my mouth, and then a clicking Morse code-like sound in my head upon waking.

It has now developed into full-blown pulsatile tinnitus, 24 hours a day, and often goes into spasms. My voice creates a metallic ringing sound that seems to synchronize with external sounds. I believe this is called somatosensory tinnitus.

Alongside this, I have a hissing noise in my left ear, and occasionally a musical whistling joins in.

I trialed a hearing aid for four weeks, but only noticed a slight improvement in my hyperacusis and sound sensitivity. I eventually returned it and received a refund of $8,000. Unfortunately, things now seem worse.

I hope you're continuing to improve. Any updates would be much appreciated.

 

[DimLeb]

Hi @SueX,

Just wondering how your hearing is going. Have they managed to stop the pulsatile sound?

I have similar issues.

There is a right-sided neurovascular conflict seen at the trigeminal root entry zone, caused by the ipsilateral superior cerebellar artery. And, like you, there is bilateral contact via AICA loops with the cisternal course of the facial and vestibulocochlear nerve complexes. However, this is commonly seen in most patients and is not usually considered clinically significant.

My tinnitus began eight years ago. I'm not sure if it started around the time I stopped taking an SSRI. It progressed into strange zapping sensations in my mouth, and then a clicking Morse code-like sound in my head upon waking.

It has now developed into full-blown pulsatile tinnitus, 24 hours a day, and often goes into spasms. My voice creates a metallic ringing sound that seems to synchronize with external sounds. I believe this is called somatosensory tinnitus.

Alongside this, I have a hissing noise in my left ear, and occasionally a musical whistling joins in.

I trialed a hearing aid for four weeks, but only noticed a slight improvement in my hyperacusis and sound sensitivity. I eventually returned it and received a refund of $8,000. Unfortunately, things now seem worse.

I hope you're continuing to improve. Any updates would be much appreciated.

I don't think I can help much, but I'd like to ask because it sounds similar to some episodes I've been experiencing. About the metallic ringing, do external sounds trigger it inside your ear, like with reactive tinnitus? For example, when you hear running water, other people's voices, music, and so on?