I'm Fine — Tinnitus Is Basically Not a Thing Anymore

[Tom Cnyc]

Hey all,

I haven't posted a success story here in many years, even though I've been doing well for a long time. Not sure why, but I want to share something positive now.

My tinnitus is gone most of the time. And it used to be awful. Louder than a teenager blasting terrible music just to annoy his parents. Now, when it's there, it's just a mild hiss. It took about three years to improve, and I've been fine for the last six.

I also had hyperacusis. That's 100 percent gone.

Now, the part everyone wants to know: how? Honestly, in my experience, tinnitus fades like a mythological god that only grants your wish once you no longer desire it. You have to stop caring about it, and eventually your brain will calm down. The same goes for hyperacusis.

Now for the part I really want to talk about. Tinnitus is a nervous system hyperarousal issue. You get stuck in fight-or-flight mode. And while it's helpful to connect with others and share experiences, be careful how much time you spend thinking about it. Visit places like this, Reddit, or Facebook groups when you need information, but don't live there. I promise it makes things worse.

I'm posting this now because I recently went through a serious concussion and had long-lasting dizziness. I'm still not back to one hundred percent, but I'm mostly there. During the worst of it, I was living in Reddit forums, constantly triggering my sympathetic nervous system, and making everything worse. It wasn't until I stopped re-traumatizing myself that the psychosocial aspects of my symptoms began to fade. This was the same pattern I experienced when I had tinnitus.

Seriously, I can't say this enough... get out of the house. Feel the sun. Wear earplugs when necessary, but don't fear sound. If you constantly live in fear, your brain will stay on high alert and keep the volume turned up on your tinnitus. And even if the volume doesn't go down, how much you notice it definitely will.

This is the message from everyone who has overcome it — Julian Cowan Hill, Dr. Nagler, and many others. You need to calm your nervous system, and peace will follow.

Look into bodywork.

Look into somatic tracking (this one is big).

Read The Way Out by Alan Gordon.

Listen to music every day, and slowly turn the volume up over time.

And most importantly, stop traumatizing yourself by reading horror stories. It does not help. Forums are often filled with the most miserable cases, and your brain will start to believe you are one of them. Neural circuit pain is real. Do not nocebo yourself out of healing.

You are going to be fine. I promise. And absolutely anyone who is suffering can reach out to me for support.

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Congratulations! Wishing you a long and happy life.

Just one small point that I think is important to mention:

If every one of us, man or woman, were to follow your advice and simply ignore the intrusive sound within and the pain inducing noise of the environment, let us suppose for a moment and suspend disbelief, then what would happen?

The collective of ENTs, audiologists, research grant committees, lobbyists, charities for the deaf and hearing impaired, and politicians pushing for better healthcare might all assume that because no one is speaking up about their suffering, there is no problem, or at least not a serious one.

I still remember the first time I heard the word "tinnitus." It was in the early nineties while I was in the hospital. A relative of mine, who worked in the medical field and was also an early internet enthusiast, had done some research and told me that back in either 1970 or 1980, I do not recall the exact date, there had been a major breakthrough in academic hearing research. That was when the field formally acknowledged "ringing in the ears" as a legitimate ailment and disability, and began using the term "tinnitus." From then on, it was officially recognized and given serious attention by researchers.

Why was I in the hospital?

Well, I will let you guess.

 

[sophia1688]

What caused your tinnitus?

 

[Tom Cnyc]

If every one of us, man or woman, were to follow your advice and simply ignore the intrusive sound within and the pain inducing noise of the environment, let us suppose for a moment and suspend disbelief, then what would happen?

You completely missed the point of what I wrote. But cool—spend as much time thinking about this as you'd like. There is no magic bullet for this, and all the science points to a hyperactive amygdala, as shown in fMRI studies. This is your nervous system caught in a negative feedback loop.

Reading horror stories on forums all day, including ones from people who actually got better but never came back to tell you, is only making things worse—not better.

Also, research grants are not awarded based on how many hours you spend on Reddit, dude.

What caused your tinnitus?

I have written about it extensively here—it's linked below my name and avatar. I had serious noise exposure for decades, and now, after dealing with tinnitus and hyperacusis for years, I can play drums without any flare-ups.

 

[SafeMusicFan]

A lot of what is written here resonates with my own tinnitus experience.

The more I read about it, think about "solving it," or look for supplements that might soothe the volume even just a little, the more tinnitus seems to become abrasive, both in volume and tone. One could argue the opposite—that the more abrasive it is, the more I'll look into it. That is also true. But essentially, that describes a loop.

On the other hand, the more often I am genuinely distracted—not trying to distract myself, but truly absorbed in something to the point where I do not even realize I am distracted—the more peaceful and less abrasive the tinnitus moments become. This effect tends to continue even after the distracting activity ends. When I am reminded of the tinnitus, it still seems smoother than usual, which makes it easier to get absorbed in a second activity, helping to maintain that effect.

Interestingly, moments of forced distraction have sometimes helped me move out of multi-day spikes. For example, if I had to engage in a long activity despite the spike, after many hours, I would come out of it noticing a reduction in intensity.

The difficult part is that when tinnitus is in an unstable phase, mornings often act like a reset button. It is common to have a stretch of one, two, or even three good days, only to wake up and find the tinnitus loud and demanding attention again. In those moments, my gut tells me not to make a big deal of it, but getting through those days can still be very hard.

Long story short, I do believe that trying to carry on with life as usual and not dwelling on the tinnitus is one of the best coping strategies. But during spikes, it is understandably a difficult strategy to apply.

Thank you for sharing your positive words!

 

[Tom Cnyc]

A lot of what is written here resonates with my own tinnitus experience.

The more I read about it, think about "solving it," or look for supplements that might soothe the volume even just a little, the more tinnitus seems to become abrasive, both in volume and tone. One could argue the opposite—that the more abrasive it is, the more I'll look into it. That is also true. But essentially, that describes a loop.

On the other hand, the more often I am genuinely distracted—not trying to distract myself, but truly absorbed in something to the point where I do not even realize I am distracted—the more peaceful and less abrasive the tinnitus moments become. This effect tends to continue even after the distracting activity ends. When I am reminded of the tinnitus, it still seems smoother than usual, which makes it easier to get absorbed in a second activity, helping to maintain that effect.

Interestingly, moments of forced distraction have sometimes helped me move out of multi-day spikes. For example, if I had to engage in a long activity despite the spike, after many hours, I would come out of it noticing a reduction in intensity.

The difficult part is that when tinnitus is in an unstable phase, mornings often act like a reset button. It is common to have a stretch of one, two, or even three good days, only to wake up and find the tinnitus loud and demanding attention again. In those moments, my gut tells me not to make a big deal of it, but getting through those days can still be very hard.

Long story short, I do believe that trying to carry on with life as usual and not dwelling on the tinnitus is one of the best coping strategies. But during spikes, it is understandably a difficult strategy to apply.

Thank you for sharing your positive words!

You have this experience because when you wake up, your body performs a kind of "systems check." Asking yourself, "How do I feel?" upon waking is something we all do every single day.

And quite literally, if you always search for your tinnitus when you wake up, you're creating a neural network that treats it as a vital life function. So, you look for it, find it, and get upset—which reinforces the network, because your emotional reaction tells your brain it is important.

This is the same reason people get "spikes" from things they only think will cause them. It's also why reading about what causes others to get spikes increases the chances that those things will trigger spikes for you.

And no, this doesn't mean you're crazy. It really is happening, because we are our brains. Our brains control every sensation we experience. Literally every sensation exists only in our minds. That also means understanding this can help us better navigate how to deal with it.

And no, your tinnitus may never completely go away. Mine didn't—but it isn't remotely comparable to how it once was. Most of the time, it's truly gone. Some of the time, it's there, but instead of being a ~1200 Hz EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE (okay, technically it's closer to a D), it's more like a soft tape hiss.

This is also why it's extremely unlikely that a treatment will be developed to directly fix tinnitus. They may eventually address the root cause, but once the neural network is formed, the brain tends to maintain it. It's similar to how a knee injury can still hurt for years after the tendon has physically healed. (Seriously, read Alan Gordon and John Sarno.)

There are a number of psychosocial conditions that cause real physical symptoms. Tinnitus just happens to be the one many of us collectively experience.

It's up to each person whether to take my advice or to think I'm a moron. But I'll say one thing for sure: reading about suffering all day is not doing anyone's nervous system any favors.

 

[DamagedJoe]

I am in a similar situation, with tones at 1220 Hz and 2020 Hz, and I also experience reactivity. My question is, has your reactivity improved? When did you stop using masking?

Thank you for sharing your success story.

 

[Joeseph Stope]

You completely missed the point of what I wrote. But cool—spend as much time thinking about this as you'd like. There is no magic bullet for this, and all the science points to a hyperactive amygdala, as shown in fMRI studies. This is your nervous system caught in a negative feedback loop.

Reading horror stories on forums all day, including ones from people who actually got better but never came back to tell you, is only making things worse—not better.

Also, research grants are not awarded based on how many hours you spend on Reddit, dude.

Your contribution is much appreciated. The time and effort you put into explaining your situation, and the depth you went into, makes for a very good and thoughtful read. Without a doubt, it will bring hope to many people on this forum.

However, there was one small part of your summary that left me a bit uncertain:

"Duh… @Tom Cnyc has found the cure for tinnitus and hyperacusis!"

A quick look at the hyperacusis section suggests it may not be that simple.

As for my own history, for what it is worth: I developed noise sensitivity as a teenager. When going to discos and other loud places, I used to wear earplugs—the old wax kind—and they worked fairly well. Still, during a noisy train ride, when the wheels screeched on the tracks, I would have to block my ears.

In my thirties, I had never heard the word "tinnitus," but I landed a good job with decent pay, and I got along well with my colleagues. One machine nearby was rather loud, and after two or three years, tinnitus developed. I believe it may have been caused by that prolonged noise exposure. However, a few months before it started, I also had a severe throat infection and took antibiotics, which might have played a role.

I tried many different doctors and therapies. Eventually, I gave Tinnitus Retraining Therapy a shot. It is often criticized here, but while it did not lower the tinnitus volume, it did push it into the background somehow. It also helped ease my hyperacusis. I had maybe fifteen good years.

But time moves on, and perhaps because of aging and the brain's plasticity, the tinnitus and hyperacusis eventually worsened again. They never went away completely, but they did make a comeback. I am no spring chicken anymore.

As the saying goes, different horses for different courses, different strokes for different folks. Browsing through the threads in the hyperacusis section, I was surprised by your recommendation for people to expose themselves to loud noise.

You wrote:
"Reading horror stories on forums all day, including ones from people who actually got better but never came back to tell you, is only making things worse—not better."

There is some truth to that. It makes me appreciate the medium level of tinnitus that I live with. But I also wonder—what if it were severe enough to drive me out of my mind? That is a scary thought.

And then this line:
"Also, research grants are not awarded based on how many hours you spend on Reddit, dude."

That made me smile. I remember the pre-internet days, wandering through the state library archives, searching for ENT and audiology research booklets—anything to show some movement in the field of hearing research. Today, everyone has endless material at their fingertips.

Passive reading may not change much, but a site like this—which requires a lot of active effort—can. The posters here help keep it going, each in their own way.

Signing off now. I just got a letter from the welfare office saying my first ENT appointment is scheduled for next month.

I was lucky to have health insurance back when my tinnitus first began.

Best regards,
Joseph Stope

 

[Tom Cnyc]

I am in a similar situation, with tones at 1220 Hz and 2020 Hz, and I also experience reactivity. My question is, has your reactivity improved? When did you stop using masking?

Thank you for sharing your success story.

Well, given that my tinnitus is gone most of the time, yes, it has improved.

I cannot stress this enough. I used to have to wear earplugs just to talk to my wife. My tinnitus was louder than my dishwasher, television, washer, dryer, and air conditioner all running at the same time in a 619 square foot New York City apartment.

It is your nervous system. Stop trying to treat isolated symptoms and start addressing your whole self.

What does that mean? Begin by sleeping eight hours each night. If you are stuck in fight or flight mode, then run. Seriously. It might seem obvious, but when you physically respond to the instinct to escape, it can reset your nervous system. That instinct often fades if you never act on it.

Most importantly, practice somatic tracking.

Learn to breathe into the sensation. Stop fighting your tinnitus. It is not a warship, it is a pool noodle. You are safe. Until you fully understand that, your body will keep sounding both a figurative and, in many ways, a literal alarm.

To keep the analogy going, the alarm will begin to turn off when your brain realizes there is no fire.

Look up The Steady Coach, who has a free channel that explains the psychosocial side of audiology, neurology, and vestibular issues. She is an audiologist and physical therapist who works with these conditions, and she understands them far better than I do.

Personally, psychedelics helped speed up my recovery when things were at their worst. Do with that information what you will. Your experience may be different.

Your contribution is much appreciated. The time and effort you put into explaining your situation, and the depth you went into, makes for a very good and thoughtful read. Without a doubt, it will bring hope to many people on this forum.

However, there was one small part of your summary that left me a bit uncertain:

"Duh… @Tom Cnyc has found the cure for tinnitus and hyperacusis!"

A quick look at the hyperacusis section suggests it may not be that simple.

As for my own history, for what it is worth: I developed noise sensitivity as a teenager. When going to discos and other loud places, I used to wear earplugs—the old wax kind—and they worked fairly well. Still, during a noisy train ride, when the wheels screeched on the tracks, I would have to block my ears.

In my thirties, I had never heard the word "tinnitus," but I landed a good job with decent pay, and I got along well with my colleagues. One machine nearby was rather loud, and after two or three years, tinnitus developed. I believe it may have been caused by that prolonged noise exposure. However, a few months before it started, I also had a severe throat infection and took antibiotics, which might have played a role.

I tried many different doctors and therapies. Eventually, I gave Tinnitus Retraining Therapy a shot. It is often criticized here, but while it did not lower the tinnitus volume, it did push it into the background somehow. It also helped ease my hyperacusis. I had maybe fifteen good years.

But time moves on, and perhaps because of aging and the brain's plasticity, the tinnitus and hyperacusis eventually worsened again. They never went away completely, but they did make a comeback. I am no spring chicken anymore.

As the saying goes, different horses for different courses, different strokes for different folks. Browsing through the threads in the hyperacusis section, I was surprised by your recommendation for people to expose themselves to loud noise.

You wrote:
"Reading horror stories on forums all day, including ones from people who actually got better but never came back to tell you, is only making things worse—not better."

There is some truth to that. It makes me appreciate the medium level of tinnitus that I live with. But I also wonder—what if it were severe enough to drive me out of my mind? That is a scary thought.

And then this line:
"Also, research grants are not awarded based on how many hours you spend on Reddit, dude."

That made me smile. I remember the pre-internet days, wandering through the state library archives, searching for ENT and audiology research booklets—anything to show some movement in the field of hearing research. Today, everyone has endless material at their fingertips.

Passive reading may not change much, but a site like this—which requires a lot of active effort—can. The posters here help keep it going, each in their own way.

Signing off now. I just got a letter from the welfare office saying my first ENT appointment is scheduled for next month.

I was lucky to have health insurance back when my tinnitus first began.

Best regards,
Joseph Stope

Yeah, dude, I said you missed the point because you came in to dump on a positive story with your lifelong negative one, encouraging people to spend more time in forums as if that actually helps.

You are literally the naysayer who keeps the nervous system dysfunction going.

I know nearly 10 people who have improved, and a few of them are from this site. I still talk to some of them now and then.

That is my point. The miserable minority creates a bias in forums that scares the hell out of people, when in reality, nearly everyone ends up being fine with time.

And no, forums are not what drives awareness. The medical establishment already knows what tinnitus is, how common it is, and how profitable a cure would be. It was not discovered in the 1970s when you just happened to get it, dude.

What forums are good for is cultivating test subjects for experimental treatments, and for discussing snake oil.

And no, that is not meant as an accusation toward the kind people who run this place, but it definitely applies to at least a few of the posters.

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Well, given that my tinnitus is gone most of the time, yes, it has improved.

I cannot stress this enough. I used to have to wear earplugs just to talk to my wife. My tinnitus was louder than my dishwasher, television, washer, dryer, and air conditioner all running at the same time in a 619 square foot New York City apartment.

It is your nervous system. Stop trying to treat isolated symptoms and start addressing your whole self.

What does that mean? Begin by sleeping eight hours each night. If you are stuck in fight or flight mode, then run. Seriously. It might seem obvious, but when you physically respond to the instinct to escape, it can reset your nervous system. That instinct often fades if you never act on it.

Most importantly, practice somatic tracking.

Learn to breathe into the sensation. Stop fighting your tinnitus. It is not a warship, it is a pool noodle. You are safe. Until you fully understand that, your body will keep sounding both a figurative and, in many ways, a literal alarm.

To keep the analogy going, the alarm will begin to turn off when your brain realizes there is no fire.

Look up The Steady Coach, who has a free channel that explains the psychosocial side of audiology, neurology, and vestibular issues. She is an audiologist and physical therapist who works with these conditions, and she understands them far better than I do.

Personally, psychedelics helped speed up my recovery when things were at their worst. Do with that information what you will. Your experience may be different.

Yeah, dude, I said you missed the point because you came in to dump on a positive story with your lifelong negative one, encouraging people to spend more time in forums as if that actually helps.

You are literally the naysayer who keeps the nervous system dysfunction going.

I know nearly 10 people who have improved, and a few of them are from this site. I still talk to some of them now and then.

That is my point. The miserable minority creates a bias in forums that scares the hell out of people, when in reality, nearly everyone ends up being fine with time.

And no, forums are not what drives awareness. The medical establishment already knows what tinnitus is, how common it is, and how profitable a cure would be. It was not discovered in the 1970s when you just happened to get it, dude.

What forums are good for is cultivating test subjects for experimental treatments, and for discussing snake oil.

And no, that is not meant as an accusation toward the kind people who run this place, but it definitely applies to at least a few of the posters.

You certainly present a strong argument.

But let's imagine you are giving advice or a talk to a group of people dealing with reactive tinnitus and hyperacusis:

"Everyone, try to forget your tinnitus and get on with your life. That starts with ignoring the spikes that unpleasant sounds can cause. Go out there and get involved again. Do you hear me?"

I have no doubt that a good number of people would benefit from this kind of advice and might stop feeling miserable all the time. However, there is also a group for whom the noise of city life—especially in a place like New York City, with its sirens, honking horns, screeching brakes, and general chaos—could make their hyperacusis significantly worse, possibly even permanently.

Who would be the unlucky ones?

Unfortunately, they would only find out afterward. Hindsight is a powerful thing.

It would be ideal if ENT specialists could predict which individuals would be better off avoiding loud environments. I suspect that people with age-related tinnitus or those whose symptoms stem from pharmaceutical use or infections might handle noise exposure better. But for younger individuals or those in early middle age with noise-induced tinnitus, your well-intentioned advice could go either way.

I'm truly glad you were able to climb out of that prison.

 

[Kam75]

Hi @Tom Cnyc, thank you for sharing your story. It is always encouraging to hear from people who have managed to pull through tinnitus.

However, there are a few points you raised that I would like to comment on.

First, even if our condition has improved, we still need to be extremely cautious with music. After experiencing sound trauma, our ears may remain vulnerable for the rest of our lives. In my own case, two years ago I considered myself almost cured. Although my tinnitus was constant and intense, it no longer stopped me from living or sleeping properly. I even considered posting a success story. But unfortunately, my tinnitus, already very intense, has now reached a suicidal level. This decline began after I started attending parties again, even though I protected my ears. So we must be careful for life.

Second, I do not think people come to Tinnitus Talk specifically to read about those in extreme suffering. Personally, I come here seeking hope, yet sometimes I come across horrifying stories without even looking for them. I humbly admit that I occasionally vent my frustrations here. I fully understand that negative stories do not help our brains to recover, but this forum is a refuge for many of us who have lost nearly everything because of this condition—friends, social life, a partner, or even our work.

Third, the advice to sleep eight hours a night does not apply to those of us who are severely affected. My tinnitus wakes me up every 15 minutes, even with a cocktail of medications, and I often have nearly sleepless nights.

Fourth, the recommendation to stop focusing on tinnitus so the brain stops treating it as a threat is easier said than done. Personally, I hear at least five different types of sounds—dental drill, high-pitched siren, Morse code, and more. I can hear my tinnitus even in the noisy Paris Metro. It is unbearable. Not thinking about it or trying to stay positive feels nearly impossible.

In short, I'm truly glad that you have made it through, but I urge you to remain cautious. This condition can come back and hit you harder than you ever thought possible.

 

[BuzzyBee]

Personally, psychedelics helped speed up my recovery when things were at their worst.

You should have led with that.

Just kidding. Sort of. Glad you are doing well!

 

[DamagedJoe]

Well, given that my tinnitus is gone most of the time, yes, it has improved.

I cannot stress this enough. I used to have to wear earplugs just to talk to my wife. My tinnitus was louder than my dishwasher, television, washer, dryer, and air conditioner all running at the same time in a 619 square foot New York City apartment.

It is your nervous system. Stop trying to treat isolated symptoms and start addressing your whole self.

What does that mean? Begin by sleeping eight hours each night. If you are stuck in fight or flight mode, then run. Seriously. It might seem obvious, but when you physically respond to the instinct to escape, it can reset your nervous system. That instinct often fades if you never act on it.

Most importantly, practice somatic tracking.

Learn to breathe into the sensation. Stop fighting your tinnitus. It is not a warship, it is a pool noodle. You are safe. Until you fully understand that, your body will keep sounding both a figurative and, in many ways, a literal alarm.

To keep the analogy going, the alarm will begin to turn off when your brain realizes there is no fire.

Look up The Steady Coach, who has a free channel that explains the psychosocial side of audiology, neurology, and vestibular issues. She is an audiologist and physical therapist who works with these conditions, and she understands them far better than I do.

Personally, psychedelics helped speed up my recovery when things were at their worst. Do with that information what you will. Your experience may be different.

Yeah, dude, I said you missed the point because you came in to dump on a positive story with your lifelong negative one, encouraging people to spend more time in forums as if that actually helps.

You are literally the naysayer who keeps the nervous system dysfunction going.

I know nearly 10 people who have improved, and a few of them are from this site. I still talk to some of them now and then.

That is my point. The miserable minority creates a bias in forums that scares the hell out of people, when in reality, nearly everyone ends up being fine with time.

And no, forums are not what drives awareness. The medical establishment already knows what tinnitus is, how common it is, and how profitable a cure would be. It was not discovered in the 1970s when you just happened to get it, dude.

What forums are good for is cultivating test subjects for experimental treatments, and for discussing snake oil.

And no, that is not meant as an accusation toward the kind people who run this place, but it definitely applies to at least a few of the posters.

How was your hearing test?

 

[Uklawyer]

@Kam75, have you tried any guérisseurs or magnétiseurs? I am currently working with one.

 

[Kam75]

@Kam75, have you tried any guérisseurs or magnétiseurs? I am currently working with one.

Yes, I am so desperate that I feel like I have tried everything, including a guérisseur about four years ago.

He was someone who performed manipulations on my head, using very strong pressure with his thumbs, and prayed to Christian saints.

Obviously, it did not work. There is nothing rational about it—and I say that as an atheist.

As for magnetists, I have considered them, but I do not believe in what they do, so I am not sure if it is worth losing more money for nothing.

Has it brought you anything truly positive?

 

[Joeseph Stope]

I've been mulling this dialogue over in my mind.

Some patients benefit enormously from getting on with life and can handle loud environmental noises without much difficulty. Others, especially those with reactive tinnitus, may do fine until something like an ambulance passes by with its siren blaring. That happened to me just today as I was leaving my home.

Am I deeply upset about it? I used to be, but now I carry Peltor hearing protectors with me. I got them out of my bag in time and was able to put them on, blocking out the excessive decibels from the siren. This happens every day or two. Still, I wonder if I am doing the right thing. Should I be like everyone else and face the full blast of the siren, as Tom Cnyc and others suggest?

Kam75's story has me genuinely scared. What if I end up stuck in my room for the rest of my life, afraid to go outside?

So there is a contradiction here. One patient thrives by pushing through and trying to tune out the noise, while another ends up with louder tinnitus and increased sound sensitivity from doing the same.

I imagine this must be a very worthwhile area for research. In fact, if ENT specialists and audiologists haven't explored this already, it is long overdue. The key question is: is there a way to predict, in advance, which patient is likely to benefit from habituating to the environment and which one would be better off leading a quieter, more sheltered life?

In my view, those who are older and have age-related hearing damage may be better suited to taking a quieter path. Younger people with noise-induced tinnitus might—just might—benefit more from adapting to their environment.

But the experts really should have figured this out by now.

@Kam75: I am truly sorry that you have to go through so much. All we need is a brilliant mind in medicine to uncover the connection between the synapses, the stereocilia, and the outer and inner hair cells, and how these trigger hyperacusis and reactive tinnitus.

 

[DamagedJoe]

Do you hear it at night when your ears are pressed against the pillow?

 

[Tom Cnyc]

You certainly present a strong argument.

But let's imagine you are giving advice or a talk to a group of people dealing with reactive tinnitus and hyperacusis:

"Everyone, try to forget your tinnitus and get on with your life. That starts with ignoring the spikes that unpleasant sounds can cause. Go out there and get involved again. Do you hear me?"

I have no doubt that a good number of people would benefit from this kind of advice and might stop feeling miserable all the time. However, there is also a group for whom the noise of city life—especially in a place like New York City, with its sirens, honking horns, screeching brakes, and general chaos—could make their hyperacusis significantly worse, possibly even permanently.

Who would be the unlucky ones?

Unfortunately, they would only find out afterward. Hindsight is a powerful thing.

It would be ideal if ENT specialists could predict which individuals would be better off avoiding loud environments. I suspect that people with age-related tinnitus or those whose symptoms stem from pharmaceutical use or infections might handle noise exposure better. But for younger individuals or those in early middle age with noise-induced tinnitus, your well-intentioned advice could go either way.

I'm truly glad you were able to climb out of that prison.

Dude, again — I've told everyone to feel free to reach out to me. I'm not going to write out a step-by-step guide to my recovery.

It took three years, as I've mentioned earlier in this thread.

It takes time to get back out there, but a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And that step is not toward your bed to read a forum full of stories from people who never got better.

Get custom-made earplugs with different filters and gradually reduce the level of protection over time. Start with 25 dB, then 15, then 9.

Begin with five minutes at a bar, then ten, then twenty. Go to a restaurant at 4 p.m., then try 5 p.m., then 6.

Before long, you might find yourself spending two days at a jam band event, having fun. At least, that's how it worked for me.

Whatever it is—just start.

How was your hearing test?

I have hearing loss. I have no hearing at all above 12 kHz. My standard hearing test looks mostly fine, but when using a frequency slider that tests across the full range, there are noticeable drops in certain frequencies in each ear.

I tend to speak loudly.

I have the kind of hearing you would expect from a musician who pushed it too far.

You should have led with that.

Just kidding. Sort of. Glad you are doing well!

It's controversial, but it's true. I posted here years ago about how MDMA completely silenced my tinnitus for several days afterward.

If you choose to go down that path, make sure to test your substances carefully.

Hi @Tom Cnyc, thank you for sharing your story. It is always encouraging to hear from people who have managed to pull through tinnitus.

However, there are a few points you raised that I would like to comment on.

First, even if our condition has improved, we still need to be extremely cautious with music. After experiencing sound trauma, our ears may remain vulnerable for the rest of our lives. In my own case, two years ago I considered myself almost cured. Although my tinnitus was constant and intense, it no longer stopped me from living or sleeping properly. I even considered posting a success story. But unfortunately, my tinnitus, already very intense, has now reached a suicidal level. This decline began after I started attending parties again, even though I protected my ears. So we must be careful for life.

Second, I do not think people come to Tinnitus Talk specifically to read about those in extreme suffering. Personally, I come here seeking hope, yet sometimes I come across horrifying stories without even looking for them. I humbly admit that I occasionally vent my frustrations here. I fully understand that negative stories do not help our brains to recover, but this forum is a refuge for many of us who have lost nearly everything because of this condition—friends, social life, a partner, or even our work.

Third, the advice to sleep eight hours a night does not apply to those of us who are severely affected. My tinnitus wakes me up every 15 minutes, even with a cocktail of medications, and I often have nearly sleepless nights.

Fourth, the recommendation to stop focusing on tinnitus so the brain stops treating it as a threat is easier said than done. Personally, I hear at least five different types of sounds—dental drill, high-pitched siren, Morse code, and more. I can hear my tinnitus even in the noisy Paris Metro. It is unbearable. Not thinking about it or trying to stay positive feels nearly impossible.

In short, I'm truly glad that you have made it through, but I urge you to remain cautious. This condition can come back and hit you harder than you ever thought possible.

I have been there. Seriously.

And I just went through it again after a serious brain injury.

Do you hear it at night when your ears are pressed against the pillow?

A mild tape hiss.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

Hi @Tom Cnyc, thank you for sharing your story. It is always encouraging to hear from people who have managed to pull through tinnitus.

However, there are a few points you raised that I would like to comment on.

First, even if our condition has improved, we still need to be extremely cautious with music. After experiencing sound trauma, our ears may remain vulnerable for the rest of our lives. In my own case, two years ago I considered myself almost cured. Although my tinnitus was constant and intense, it no longer stopped me from living or sleeping properly. I even considered posting a success story. But unfortunately, my tinnitus, already very intense, has now reached a suicidal level. This decline began after I started attending parties again, even though I protected my ears. So we must be careful for life.

Second, I do not think people come to Tinnitus Talk specifically to read about those in extreme suffering. Personally, I come here seeking hope, yet sometimes I come across horrifying stories without even looking for them. I humbly admit that I occasionally vent my frustrations here. I fully understand that negative stories do not help our brains to recover, but this forum is a refuge for many of us who have lost nearly everything because of this condition—friends, social life, a partner, or even our work.

Third, the advice to sleep eight hours a night does not apply to those of us who are severely affected. My tinnitus wakes me up every 15 minutes, even with a cocktail of medications, and I often have nearly sleepless nights.

Fourth, the recommendation to stop focusing on tinnitus so the brain stops treating it as a threat is easier said than done. Personally, I hear at least five different types of sounds—dental drill, high-pitched siren, Morse code, and more. I can hear my tinnitus even in the noisy Paris Metro. It is unbearable. Not thinking about it or trying to stay positive feels nearly impossible.

In short, I'm truly glad that you have made it through, but I urge you to remain cautious. This condition can come back and hit you harder than you ever thought possible.

I feel for you, man.

Ultimately, when you say you come to forums looking for hope, I get it. That is the whole point.

But I am a good example. I got better, and I waited six years before saying so.

Most people never come back to say they improved. That is why it is so rare to find hope here.

And more than that—my post was meant to inspire hope. Yet you came and said, "Do not take the hope. You can get worse like me if you try to live a normal life." You even went as far as to mention suicidal thoughts because of it.

I feel for you. But you are exactly why I believe these forums can take a toll on your nervous system.

 

[Strife_84]

My tinnitus and hyperacusis were basically gone as well. It has been over a year since I even noticed either of them.

Then I developed a false sense of security. I went to a club with my friends, wearing earplugs the entire time, and now I have been dealing with a month-long spike in tinnitus, ear pain, a feeling of fullness, nausea, fatigue, depression, and more. It has been a terrible month overall, although I am feeling a bit better than I did a few weeks ago.

I would strongly suggest avoiding risks like attending events, clubs, or concerts, even with earplugs. This is not a condition to take lightly. I finally learned that the hard way. A false sense of security is your worst enemy when living with something like this.

But it is great that your situation has improved. This condition is incredibly taxing, both mentally and physically. I am always glad when someone is able to return to a more normal life.

 

[Kam75]

Kam75's story has me genuinely scared. What if I end up stuck in my room for the rest of my life, afraid to go outside?

Unfortunately, this is the case for me. I have been living in complete isolation at home since my condition worsened two years ago.

I only go out to do the shopping and to the office one or two days a week. Fortunately, I am able to work from home. Otherwise, I would no longer be able to work due to the fatigue caused by lack of sleep.

I feel like I am missing out on the best years of my life. It is impossible for me to meet someone, because there is music in every social setting. It affects me deeply on an emotional level, but I feel like this is my fate.

 

[wiektor]

Hey all,

I haven't posted a success story here in many years, even though I've been doing well for a long time. Not sure why, but I want to share something positive now.

My tinnitus is gone most of the time. And it used to be awful. Louder than a teenager blasting terrible music just to annoy his parents. Now, when it's there, it's just a mild hiss. It took about three years to improve, and I've been fine for the last six.

I also had hyperacusis. That's 100 percent gone.

Now, the part everyone wants to know: how? Honestly, in my experience, tinnitus fades like a mythological god that only grants your wish once you no longer desire it. You have to stop caring about it, and eventually your brain will calm down. The same goes for hyperacusis.

Now for the part I really want to talk about. Tinnitus is a nervous system hyperarousal issue. You get stuck in fight-or-flight mode. And while it's helpful to connect with others and share experiences, be careful how much time you spend thinking about it. Visit places like this, Reddit, or Facebook groups when you need information, but don't live there. I promise it makes things worse.

I'm posting this now because I recently went through a serious concussion and had long-lasting dizziness. I'm still not back to one hundred percent, but I'm mostly there. During the worst of it, I was living in Reddit forums, constantly triggering my sympathetic nervous system, and making everything worse. It wasn't until I stopped re-traumatizing myself that the psychosocial aspects of my symptoms began to fade. This was the same pattern I experienced when I had tinnitus.

Seriously, I can't say this enough... get out of the house. Feel the sun. Wear earplugs when necessary, but don't fear sound. If you constantly live in fear, your brain will stay on high alert and keep the volume turned up on your tinnitus. And even if the volume doesn't go down, how much you notice it definitely will.

This is the message from everyone who has overcome it — Julian Cowan Hill, Dr. Nagler, and many others. You need to calm your nervous system, and peace will follow.

Look into bodywork.

Look into somatic tracking (this one is big).

Read The Way Out by Alan Gordon.

Listen to music every day, and slowly turn the volume up over time.

And most importantly, stop traumatizing yourself by reading horror stories. It does not help. Forums are often filled with the most miserable cases, and your brain will start to believe you are one of them. Neural circuit pain is real. Do not nocebo yourself out of healing.

You are going to be fine. I promise. And absolutely anyone who is suffering can reach out to me for support.

When I was doom-scrolling this forum, a few of your posts were the ones that gave me a tiny bit of hope. Thank you for that!

I'm glad to be on the same side as you, man. I survived extreme hyperacusis (though I still have blaring tinnitus), and life moved on.

The only real change in my life is that I need to be cautious at parties and concerts. I always carry 3M 31 dB foam earplugs now, and I still have a great time.

That hasn't stopped me from seeing my favorite bands perform in stadiums, and it didn't stop me from enjoying a wild five-day trip to Ibiza last summer.

I also want to back you up on something: this forum is not the best place for people struggling with depression, anxiety, OCD, or any other mental health challenges. It can easily make things worse.

If you are reading this thread and happen to be one of the thousands who just lurk here, consider stepping away while you still can. Trust the people who care about you, not strangers on the internet. Spend enough time here, and there is a real chance you will develop severe health anxiety.

Everyone's story is going to be very different.

Wishing everyone their own success story one day. And thank you, @Tom Cnyc, for coming back—again—with honest and encouraging words for the community.

Take care of your ears, folks. Just do it wisely!

 

[Tom Cnyc]

I also want to back you up on something: this forum is not the best place for people struggling with depression, anxiety, OCD, or any other mental health challenges. It can easily make things worse.

If you are reading this thread and happen to be one of the thousands who just lurk here, consider stepping away while you still can. Trust the people who care about you, not strangers on the internet. Spend enough time here, and there is a real chance you will develop severe health anxiety.

Everyone's story is going to be very different.

Wishing everyone their own success story one day. And thank you, @Tom Cnyc, for coming back—again—with honest and encouraging words for the community.

Take care of your ears, folks. Just do it wisely!

Exactly. You just described the type of people who visit forums more than two or three times.

My tinnitus and hyperacusis were basically gone as well. It has been over a year since I even noticed either of them.

Then I developed a false sense of security. I went to a club with my friends, wearing earplugs the entire time, and now I have been dealing with a month-long spike in tinnitus, ear pain, a feeling of fullness, nausea, fatigue, depression, and more. It has been a terrible month overall, although I am feeling a bit better than I did a few weeks ago.

I would strongly suggest avoiding risks like attending events, clubs, or concerts, even with earplugs. This is not a condition to take lightly. I finally learned that the hard way. A false sense of security is your worst enemy when living with something like this.

But it is great that your situation has improved. This condition is incredibly taxing, both mentally and physically. I am always glad when someone is able to return to a more normal life.

More negativity. Honestly, moderators should lock comments on success stories.

As a musician, all my friends have various levels of hearing issues. Most went through an acute phase and are now doing fine.

Yet this forum would have people believe that nobody gets better.

The entire music world has recovered. Your favorite artist has dealt with this. Their entire team as well. They still work, go out, and enjoy life.

Look into Andy Timmons, Paul Gilbert, and Jody Wisternoff.

Honestly, you didn't damage your ears in a club while wearing properly fitted earplugs.

Most clubs reach around 110 dB. Ninety decibels didn't cause this. A nervous system stuck in high alert did.

A deer freezes in the headlights when it should run. Don't be the deer.

Your month-long spike will end. My tinnitus came back at least three times after it first went away.

You need to let go of the fear. That is what makes it stay when it returns. In psychosocial nervous system disorders like tinnitus, there is a term for this: "extinction bursts." Your brain will test the neural network several times before it decides to trim it as unnecessary. Remember, it has been taught that this response is important for your protection.

By the way, you can't just fix tinnitus, persistent dizziness, fibromyalgia, or similar conditions with a symptom-based approach. It requires a holistic one. You need to address how your body responds to stress. I promise, you likely have poor vagal tone.

I know this because I have dealt with these issues, and I know how you feel.

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Unfortunately, this is the case for me. I have been living in complete isolation at home since my condition worsened two years ago.

I only go out to do the shopping and to the office one or two days a week. Fortunately, I am able to work from home. Otherwise, I would no longer be able to work due to the fatigue caused by lack of sleep.

I feel like I am missing out on the best years of my life. It is impossible for me to meet someone, because there is music in every social setting. It affects me deeply on an emotional level, but I feel like this is my fate.

So sorry to see you in this state. Maybe my experience can shed some light on the situation, but above all, you should find a good ENT or audiologist with experience in treating tinnitus and hyperacusis. There must be someone in Paris. Perhaps Frédéric, the super intelligent red haired guy who posts here, can help?

Back when I first got tinnitus, the week before Easter in 1992, I was running around like a headless chicken, trying all sorts of therapies. I remember how tinnitus used to dominate my day. I could fall asleep at night, but the moment I woke up, my first thought was, "Oh no, not another day of this." You might find this amusing, but the first bit of relief I used to get was when I went to pee. The sound of the water provided some masking.

My lucky break was Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. It is not for everyone. They say it has to be combined with counseling, but my ENT was a German doctor. Although I could speak German fairly well, there was no deep emotional therapy involved, just simple and practical advice.

The therapy involved wearing white noise generators. You start slowly, perhaps 20 minutes on the first day, and then gradually increase the duration until you are wearing them throughout your waking hours. You remove them at night to sleep.

Wearing white noise generators over the ears means you cannot use earplugs, so you are exposed to traffic and other environmental sounds. In my case, I came to believe that because your hearing is already engaged by the white noise, the impact of additional sounds, such as a bus passing by, is less intense than if your ears had been processing complete silence. That is just my personal theory.

But one important rule of the therapy is that the volume of the white noise must be lower than the volume of your tinnitus. In the quiet of the morning, you should be able to hear both. As the day progresses, with more ambient noise from people, birds, and general activity, the white noise becomes inaudible. But the rule is, "Set it and forget it."

There is a lot of common sense in this approach. The overall goal, especially for hyperacusis, is to gradually become accustomed to the normal sounds of daily life, not to extremely loud noises, just regular everyday background sounds.

So in a strange way, the journey becomes the destination.

There are also many useful tips to be aware of. For example, avoid foods like pizza that contain herbs such as basil, parsley, or bay leaves, because they contain salicylates, which are similar to those found in Aspirin.

 

[DamagedJoe]

I want to believe you so badly. I am seven months in, and it is very, very hard for me. My hope is fading that I can improve

 

[Strife_84]

I want to believe you so badly. I am seven months in, and it is very, very hard for me. My hope is fading that I can improve

It took me four to five years to feel "normal" again. Don't give up.

But recently, I made a mistake and went to a nightclub. Even though I wore earplugs, I experienced a terrible spike that is still ongoing. A normal life no longer feels like a possibility for me.

Good for those who recover completely.

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Duh… me again. I was shooed out of the library yesterday while I was in the middle of delivering my saga on one of the computers. That might have been a good thing, though, as it gave me a day to mull everything over. And really, when I think about the entire ongoing tinnitus experience in retrospect, I find myself asking: What was that all about?

Just to get back up to speed. As a teenager, I developed sensitive hearing. This might have been due to noise exposure — firecrackers and similar things — but it could also have been related to the lung troubles I had, including bronchitis and asthma. I took all sorts of pharmaceuticals and antibiotics during that time.

As I mentioned before, in my late 30s, while working in a loud environment, I woke up one morning to a very faint high-pitched sound. The next day, the same thing happened, and it gradually got louder as the week went on. That was the beginning of my frantic race from one doctor to the next.

And yes, after a few years, I stumbled upon Tinnitus Retraining Therapy — or perhaps it stumbled upon me, which is another story. I benefited from it greatly. Even though the tinnitus remained, I learned how to push it into the background. It only became an issue when I was exposed to loud noise, as I have reactive tinnitus. Other triggers included herbs that contain salicylates, such as basil, thyme, and rosemary, as well as the flu, a cold, or alcohol. Alcohol would raise the volume slightly, but I still enjoyed a glass of wine on occasion.

Now, one or two decades later, my tinnitus has once again become a problem. The tone has taken on a harsher quality. I now carry 3M Peltor hearing protectors with me to shield against screaming children, chainsaws, loud motorbikes, and so on.

But here is the kicker — Tinnitus Retraining Therapy dates back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. That was more than twenty years ago. Since then, scientists have significantly expanded their understanding. They still have not found a cure, though.

I benefited from TRT when I was younger. Tom Cnyc also found his method very helpful. But by exposing yourself to everyday noise — which inevitably includes the occasional loud event — you may eventually find yourself back on Tinnitus Talk, typing up your experiences once again.

Scientists now believe that the problem may not lie solely in the damage to inner or outer hair cells. The issue might be with the synapses — or perhaps the stereocilia? I am not entirely sure. But you might choose to follow the path of Tom Cnyc and move on with the main event — after all, you are only young once.

As for me, I found a way to live with the condition. I did enjoy the relief TRT brought me, but I lived a bit like a mouse, avoiding bars and other noisy places.

Every day, I still hope for the magic bullet — something that will make my tinnitus more tolerable and reduce my hyperacusis. Maybe one day, a breakthrough will come, something that can repair the stereocilia, or restore inner and outer hair cells, or fix the synapses.

Long story, not much content.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I will go ask @Hazel, @Markku or @Nick47 and get back to you.

 

[Uklawyer]

Yes, I am so desperate that I feel like I have tried everything, including a guérisseur about four years ago.

He was someone who performed manipulations on my head, using very strong pressure with his thumbs, and prayed to Christian saints.

Obviously, it did not work. There is nothing rational about it—and I say that as an atheist.

As for magnetists, I have considered them, but I do not believe in what they do, so I am not sure if it is worth losing more money for nothing.

Has it brought you anything truly positive?

I don't know for sure. I use someone who works remotely. She saw the tinnitus and even identified which ear was worse. She says it is getting better and that it will eventually go away. It is definitely better than it was.

What about this guy? He does not charge unless you feel that it has helped. He has some testimonials on his website specifically for tinnitus.

https://www.guerisseur-magnetiseur.eu/temoignages/

Best wishes.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

So sorry to see you in this state. Maybe my experience can shed some light on the situation, but above all, you should find a good ENT or audiologist with experience in treating tinnitus and hyperacusis. There must be someone in Paris. Perhaps Frédéric, the super intelligent red haired guy who posts here, can help?

Back when I first got tinnitus, the week before Easter in 1992, I was running around like a headless chicken, trying all sorts of therapies. I remember how tinnitus used to dominate my day. I could fall asleep at night, but the moment I woke up, my first thought was, "Oh no, not another day of this." You might find this amusing, but the first bit of relief I used to get was when I went to pee. The sound of the water provided some masking.

My lucky break was Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. It is not for everyone. They say it has to be combined with counseling, but my ENT was a German doctor. Although I could speak German fairly well, there was no deep emotional therapy involved, just simple and practical advice.

The therapy involved wearing white noise generators. You start slowly, perhaps 20 minutes on the first day, and then gradually increase the duration until you are wearing them throughout your waking hours. You remove them at night to sleep.

Wearing white noise generators over the ears means you cannot use earplugs, so you are exposed to traffic and other environmental sounds. In my case, I came to believe that because your hearing is already engaged by the white noise, the impact of additional sounds, such as a bus passing by, is less intense than if your ears had been processing complete silence. That is just my personal theory.

But one important rule of the therapy is that the volume of the white noise must be lower than the volume of your tinnitus. In the quiet of the morning, you should be able to hear both. As the day progresses, with more ambient noise from people, birds, and general activity, the white noise becomes inaudible. But the rule is, "Set it and forget it."

There is a lot of common sense in this approach. The overall goal, especially for hyperacusis, is to gradually become accustomed to the normal sounds of daily life, not to extremely loud noises, just regular everyday background sounds.

So in a strange way, the journey becomes the destination.

There are also many useful tips to be aware of. For example, avoid foods like pizza that contain herbs such as basil, parsley, or bay leaves, because they contain salicylates, which are similar to those found in Aspirin.

What helped you was exposure therapy, which is exactly what I am recommending and what you are dismissing. What is not helping you, or anyone else reading this, is believing that pizza will make your ears ring. I mean, maybe it will if you convince yourself of that.

Salicylates are only ototoxic at extremely high doses — around 8 grams per day of Aspirin. To get that amount from something like oregano, you would have to ingest pounds of it daily, not just a sprinkle on a slice of pizza.

You are actually making my point for me about the fear-mongering that exists in these spaces. Fear absolutely can put your nervous system into sympathetic overdrive. And that, in turn, will perpetuate your tinnitus issues.

By your own admission, what helps reduce your symptoms is consistently increasing your exposure slightly into your discomfort zone and allowing your brain to learn that normal sounds are safe. Nobody should be around extremely loud noise without protection. But with proper protection, even those loud environments are reduced to the level of normal sounds.

I want to believe you so badly. I am seven months in, and it is very, very hard for me. My hope is fading that I can improve

Seven months is nothing. It took me fourteen months before I started to feel better. You will know it is starting when your sleep begins to return to normal.

Let me guess — you are waking up around 2:30 a.m. and struggling to fall back asleep?

 

[Sodlin]

A lot of what is written here resonates with my own tinnitus experience.

The more I read about it, think about "solving it," or look for supplements that might soothe the volume even just a little, the more tinnitus seems to become abrasive, both in volume and tone. One could argue the opposite—that the more abrasive it is, the more I'll look into it. That is also true. But essentially, that describes a loop.

On the other hand, the more often I am genuinely distracted—not trying to distract myself, but truly absorbed in something to the point where I do not even realize I am distracted—the more peaceful and less abrasive the tinnitus moments become. This effect tends to continue even after the distracting activity ends. When I am reminded of the tinnitus, it still seems smoother than usual, which makes it easier to get absorbed in a second activity, helping to maintain that effect.

Interestingly, moments of forced distraction have sometimes helped me move out of multi-day spikes. For example, if I had to engage in a long activity despite the spike, after many hours, I would come out of it noticing a reduction in intensity.

The difficult part is that when tinnitus is in an unstable phase, mornings often act like a reset button. It is common to have a stretch of one, two, or even three good days, only to wake up and find the tinnitus loud and demanding attention again. In those moments, my gut tells me not to make a big deal of it, but getting through those days can still be very hard.

Long story short, I do believe that trying to carry on with life as usual and not dwelling on the tinnitus is one of the best coping strategies. But during spikes, it is understandably a difficult strategy to apply.

Thank you for sharing your positive words!

I completely agree with this and actually experience something very similar myself.