Hyperacusis/TTTS — One Neurologist Says I Have Hyperacusis, Other Says Muscular Tinnitus

Hello,

I developed TTTS on 12/30/19. Recall going to bathroom in silence and could hear a thump, thump, thump noise in my left ear. Didn’t make much of it at the time and then was developing ear fullness. Then started to notice my ear would thump when I would finish my yawn, would thump if doors closed or if faucet turned on, when I scratch side of my head the ear would thump, and sounds coming from my phone sound distorted in left ear. Seems somewhat more amplified than the other ear.

I’ve seen two different neurotologists. One said it’s hyperacusis and the other muscular tinnitus.

Does anyone have any insight or personal experience on if this is a permanent thing or it takes time to go away? Going on 34 days now and seems like it’s getting worse in terms of inner ear reacting. Feedback is appreciated.

 

@tjajmich90
Hey mate, I'm sorry you're passing through it!

Did you had any noise exposure at that time?
I'll be honest with you, some symptoms in TTTS are so close to hyperacusis that is hard to say.

My suggestion is that for a while you should avoid noise exposure, using protection when u feel uncomfortable, also not using earbuds at all, give sometime resting your ears and see how it's going to go.
Be careful with the exams your doctors may ask to u, like a MRI can really make your problem 10 times worse.

What I'd do at you place beyong protecting my ears and giving it some rest, would be joining the TTTS Facebook group, it might give you more info about your situation, but in the end of the day, your main goal going to be the same; not making your situation worse.

Wish you a fast and good recovery

 

I have exactly that and I suspect is just one of the set of symptoms of hyperacusis. For me that goes on and off. When I scratch the side of my head and something thumps is because there is some sort of pressure in my ears or head. It is not like that all the time.

 

How long have you been dealing with this? Any triggers to your ear thumps aside from scratching head?

 

It got really severe in 2011 but hyperacusis was lurking before, I think. In 2011 it was just evident, so bad.

The thumping was not there at the beginning, I think it came up later on, maybe 2014 or 2015. It comes and goes and seems to be related to pressure inside ears or head, I don't know..

 

Mine started with slow thumping in my right ear about 3 years ago and happened only very rarely (about 3 or 4 times) during 2017-2018 when laying in bed. It was gone when waking up the next day.

Unfortunately ever since my distortion/hyperacusis incident late 2018/early 2019 it returned worse than ever with very fast thumping and has never really stopped for a single full day ever since...

For me the triggers can be sounds like you describe, but it also always starts a few minutes after going to bed or relaxing/sitting somewhere that is relatively silent. It starts slowly but then ramps up until it sounds like an car engine left idling down the street.

Only stops a while after standing up and moving around in my daily tasks or sitting in a relatively noisy room.

Curious things I've noticed that also stops it briefly is when I'm speaking or when turning my head from left to right...