Is Noise-Induced Tinnitus the Worst, Most Irreversible Type?

[kit1048]

Hey All,

I have heard many different theories but I wanted to get your input. Is noise induced tinnitus the hardest type of tinnitus to see improvements with?

I got tinnitus a little over four months ago. I got it from years of earbud usage (so many regrets).

Anyway, my hyperacusis has gone away almost completely and the pain in my ears, head, and neck have as well. I do have eye floaters and some facial twitching as well (bonuses haha).

But regarding my tinnitus, it fluctuates depending on its mood. It's like a teenager...I have had it sound so low that it's at like a level 1 or 2. I've also had it so loud that it is at a 7 or 8. I always thought that the 1-2 sounding days were proof that it was improving, but some posts I have seen on here suggest otherwise. Some say noise induced is kind of a death sentence and it is the least likely to fade. I just wanted to get some thoughts.

Oh also, does caffeine send any one else's tinnitus through the roof. On days that I drink coffee (only once a week or so) I might as well pull an all-nighter because I won't be sleeping. Funny enough, I had some wine (I haven't had any alcohol since I got tinnitus for fear of a spike) for the first time last week and it didn't have the same terrible effect. Which is strange...anyone have insight on this?

Thanks

 

[Tinniger]

Nobody knows...

The entirety of tinnitus experts do not seem to distinguish between noise-induced and other tinnitus...

 

[JuneStar]

and a one time acoustic shock trauma is different than long term noise induced trauma.

 

[dpdx]

Hey All,

I have heard many different theories but I wanted to get your input. Is noise induced tinnitus the hardest type of tinnitus to see improvements with?

I got tinnitus a little over four months ago. I got it from years of earbud usage (so many regrets).

Anyway, my hyperacusis has gone away almost completely and the pain in my ears, head, and neck have as well. I do have eye floaters and some facial twitching as well (bonuses haha).

But regarding my tinnitus, it fluctuates depending on its mood. It's like a teenager...I have had it sound so low that it's at like a level 1 or 2. I've also had it so loud that it is at a 7 or 8. I always thought that the 1-2 sounding days were proof that it was improving, but some posts I have seen on here suggest otherwise. Some say noise induced is kind of a death sentence and it is the least likely to fade. I just wanted to get some thoughts.

Oh also, does caffeine send any one else's tinnitus through the roof. On days that I drink coffee (only once a week or so) I might as well pull an all-nighter because I won't be sleeping. Funny enough, I had some wine (I haven't had any alcohol since I got tinnitus for fear of a spike) for the first time last week and it didn't have the same terrible effect. Which is strange...anyone have insight on this?

Thanks

its permanent, fading happens 1-8 months after that it will stay the same loudness.

 

[coffee_girl]

Apparently it is, but there are people on the forum who didn't get noise induced and they have really bad symptoms/spikes, things i never have...my t is the same no matter if a dog barked at me, or i slam cabinets all day long.

 

[Jack Straw]

Apparently it is, but there are people on the forum who didn't get noise induced and they have really bad symptoms/spikes, things i never have...my t is the same no matter if a dog barked at me, or i slam cabinets all day long.

After your second acoustic trauma can you still only hear it in complete silence or do you hear it all the time now?

 

[coffee_girl]

After your second acoustic trauma can you still only hear it in complete silence or do you hear it all the time now?

I had 3 loud noise exposures (random band playing in restaurant, tire explosion)...afterwards my T had an increase but i wasn't sure if it was increased by my anxiety or by a spike...i never had a real noticeable spike before. The only "spike" i get is when i drink coffee...about half an hour later...my t is a tad louder...this is the same sound i had from the exposures...but i also drink a lot of coffee every day so i never know if i my spikes are from coffee or from noise trauma.

Either way, my T is very quiet and i don't hear it almost at all except when laying in bed...no sounds in room. These days my T has decreased in volume about 90% from how it was the first year.

So for those suffering from noise exposure...don't be so quick to assume the worst! Everybody is different. Just saying.

 

[Sash]

I think my ears were already weak due to noise exposure then cleaning my ears with a match just triggered tinnitus around 8 months ago. Suffered a few spikes and tinnitus gradually has got louder. I noticed other sounds than music causes spikes.

Once you tinnitus the likelihood of it fading depends on multiple of factors and not due to the cause.

I am resigned to the fact Tinnitus will not disappear and probably not fade. Just need to make sure it doesn't get worse and thats' the difficult part as noise is everywhere and unexpected. Anything can trigger spikes. I am still trying to work out exactly that and manage it.

 

[PDodge]

I honestly would try to not put a time limit on things. My T was pretty horrific for like 1.5 years, then it became softer. It still spikes, it still annoys me, but it way less brutal then it was.

 

[Contrast]

support hearing loss bio-tech research or tinnitus research. literally help your cause or you are hurting your own cause.

 

[Manny]

its permanent, fading happens 1-8 months after that it will stay the same loudness.

The chances of it going away for seem to decrease with time, but there are people who have it go away after years.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I can see how long term noise exposure might cause the most hearing damage. However, keep in mind that T often develops when the hearing loss occurs too fast. In this light, your type of trauma caused gradual hearing loss, and so was not the worst that can happen, as far as T is concerned.

If the monthly trend is for T to fade (i.e., every month the number of loud days seems to diminish, and the number of quieter days is slowly falling), then you are in a great shape.

To answer your question, the worst type of T is the one that is relentlessly at the same level for over three months. That is a scary type of T to have, and I have never read about anyone (with this type of T) reporting that their T had eventually faded.

 

[Smartone202]

I always thought that the 1-2 sounding days were proof that it was improving

You and me both. Not the case. Similar T here. Yesterday I was at a 3. Today I'm at a 7 or 8