Is Healing Possible?

I have read the research that shows that spontaneous recovery from t is quite common, though it can take months. For some, this never happens. I have read on this blog about posts that say the ear never heals. Once the hairs are damaged, that's it. And I would tend to agree in a strict sense. As I have been thinking about this idea of healing since I injured my ear from noise, I am reminded of my back injury.

In fall of 2015, I herniated three discs in my lower back. It was painful! My lower back aches and I had bad sciatica. I felt vibrations in my leg as though my cell phone was on vibrate. When I turned side to side in daily movements, it felt like my spine was going to pop. I went to my PCP who is an internist, then to a spinal orthopedic surgeon, followed by a neurosurgeon, and then pain management for injections. All these doctors, as well as my research, said that discs don't heal. They are avascular, meaning there is no blood supply to repair them. The neurosurgeon said a disc bulge/herniation was like toothpaste coming out of the tube. Once it's out it can't be put back in. But within 18 months, I was feeling 99% better. No pain. No sciatica. Of course, I don't lift heavy objects, I bend at my knees, and I try to avoid twisting. I don't do stupid things to reinjure my back. But it did heal. It got better. The pain went away. I wonder if that's how t "heals." With my back, my body adjusted to the changed mechanical condition of my spine. I think the brain may also do the same thing, regardless of the "mechanical" hair damage in our ears.

 

tinnitus preception may be related to GABA and other unknown factors and not just hearing loss and that may explain tinnitus fades in some individuals (and comes back months/years later)

 

Nope

 

That depends on your root cause, doesn't it?
We do know of root causes that don't heal. Hearing loss doesn't heal (unless it's a temporary threshold shift). If you're lucky and have a root cause that heals (for example, and infection), then it's pretty common for T to "heal" along with the root cause.

 

a temporary threshold shift does not make a full recover. pure tonal audiometry be damned

 

From what I know, noise induced T has the absolute worst synopsis

 

I think you mean prognosis, and no it's not the absolute worse prognosis.
There are many other ear conditions that have as poor (or poorer) prognoses: some drug induced T (for example, cancer drugs), otosclerosis (especially with cochlea involvement), Meniere's disease, acoustic neuroma... there's quite a few!
Yes NIHL & T is bad, but many other root causes aren't any better.

 

Or your brain heals since that is the most likely thing and one that you have control over. Habituation can be seen in fMRI (or more directly as non habituated chronic T CAN be seen) It's the same thing with chronic pain. Your brain has learned the pain isn't threatening you... and this you have quite literally tuned it out.

 

Lol...that is so embarrassing....yeah i meant prognosis...eek!