Hyperacusis (from Microsuction) Driving Me Mad: Should I Try TRT? Is There Any Help?

So I am 3 months into my tinnitus but my hyperacusis developed a little later (2 months ago) due to microsuction I believe.

The tinnitus and hyperacusis was in the left ear for the majority of this time and was survivable but in the last 2 weeks, it pretty much crossed over to my other ear and the tinnitus sound now it feels internal - like an electric current is running between both ears - so not a singular ring in the ear. Not only do most sounds/vibrations now irritate my ears but the pitch of the tinnitus has developed in the last few weeks into this god awful high pitch, whirry, metallic rubbing, wine glassy type sound that just keeps reverberating more so depending on the sound the ear gets. It fluctuates in tone as if someone is going up and down ever so slightly on a pitch equalizer and as it is in the head it feels so present.

I've been protecting my ears as much as possible but it literally stopping me doing all activities now as i get a painful earache at the end of the day if I exposed too much. I think its because it works on vibration, therefore even walking and talking can aggravate it.

Do you think this will calm down? I just don't like the fact it's been months now and it's got to this stage.

I am feeling pretty helpless with this because if it were just a regular tinnitus I would be out and about, but because this reacts to everything I do (even typing now I get a sparkle sound in the ear) I feel it has got me cornered, especially with the earache I get. I am just indoors now and this goes against everything I would usually be doing.

Is there anything I can do to help this? TRT or just keep myself in silence?

 

HI @musicblue

You are in the early stages of noise induced tinnitus and this will take time to settle down and improve. This is something you must try to accept as the process can take up to 18 months and longer. Many people make good improvement within this time so try to be patient. Although microsuction can be loud and cause problems when the earwax hasn't been thoroughly loosened, by applying olive oil/eardrops 3 x a day in each ear for 7 to 10 days before removal, it probably brought out the hyperacusis which was already there, at low level as this condition often accompanies noise induced tinnitus. It is not unusual for hyperacusis to make itself known days, weeks or months after the onset of noise induced tinnitus.

There are a few things I'm going to suggest that I believe will help you. Please stop overusing hearing protection, as you risk making your auditory system more sensitive to sound. I cover this in more detail in my post: Hyperacusis, As I see it, in the link below. In addition to this, I advise you not to use any type of headphone, earbuds or headset to listen to audio even at low volume, as you risk making the tinnitus and hyperacusis worse. Your Avatar reads Musicblue. If you are in the music business or play an instrument in a band, such as guitar drums etc, my advice is to reduce their use and if possible stop playing for now, because loud music and noise induced tinnitus do not go well together.

Please click on the links below and take your time and read my posts. Start using sound enrichment during the day and at night. Keep the sound below the level of the tinnitus. More about this is explained in my posts.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

 

Thank you for your swift reply Michael. You always seems generous with your time and advice to others on here so I must applaud and thank you for this.

Re protecting ears. This is something I was not doing so much when this first came on ie in (streets, parks, sport) but I soon found I was getting extreme earache after these ventures and so I figured I needed to protect on these occasions. I thought I would be strengthening them back up but was finding I was getting set backs everytime, and to me these weren’t particularly loud ventures. My ears now currently very sensative to most sounds and groups of conversations. I don’t know if I should be resting them completely for now and then reintroduce them to sounds or do a bit of both. I always had a large amount of earwax in them which I’m sure was taking some of the reverbarations away but now they are clean I’m also convinced this is making everything more louder too.

You don’t have a time machine by any chance so I can go back 3 months and forget this ever happened?

 

Thank you for your kind comments Musicblue they are much appreciated.

I understand how you feel as I and many others with hyperacusis experienced the same thing as you. Try not to keep away from socialising although I know it's not easy. Use noise reducing earplugs when necessary and this will hopefully reduce your discomfort, just try not to become too dependant on them. Things will improve but it takes time.

This did make me smile. If I had a time machine I'd be the first to use it and go back before 1996 when the onset of my tinnitus started, as I'd be equipped with all the knowledge and not listen to music through headphones too loud. In fact I wouldn't use them at all! On a serious note: I have habituated although my tinnitus can still be problematic my life could be a lot worse. I don't look back and contemplate what if, and advise you to do the same. When the going gets rough, dust yourself down and focus on the positive things in your life because things could be worse. Remember: Our greatest glory is not in ever falling but getting up every time we fall...

 

Do you ever get a physical feeling with the tone you described? I also have a nails on chalkboard sound and I really feel like I can "feel" the noise - it tickles and makes me tense up.

 

Yep I have the same sound. Its an up and down screech (a semitone apart) that is high pitched. Like it cant make its mind up which pitch to cling onto.

 

When you mention the 18 month figure do you mean the symptoms go away or people get used to them?

 

The symptoms of tinnitus have been known to go away within 6 to 18 months perhaps longer. However, when they don't many people habituate (get used) to tinnitus within 18 months. This may or may not require treatment. It is different for hyperacusis. Hyperacusis can improve by itself over time within 18months or longer. It can get worse and become a persistent problem for some people. In these circumstances if the hyperacusis isn't treatment a person will often be affected by spikes in the tinnitus and become overly sensitive to sounds. They answer isn't to constantly be wearing hearing protection as some people do, as this often lowers the loudness threshold of the auditory system making the ears more sensitive to sound and the hyperacusis worse. If a person isn't careful, other symptoms can develop: Phonophobia and Misoph0nia that I have written about in my post: The complexities of tinnitus and hyperacusis in the link below.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/what-happens-in-trt-sessions.18195/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-complexities-of-tinnitus-and-hyperacusis.25733/