Is This Hyperacusis or Reactive Tinnitus?

Hi all,

I been under a lot of stress lately and noticed some odd things with my hearing. I have been definitely obsessing with my tinnitus, monitoring it, which I realize it is making it much worse.

I notice almost a glassy, echo sound, almost if you were to rub water on the rim of a wine glass and get that glassy tin sound, in my left ear. I notice the sound with simple movements, just as putting on a jacket or simply rubbing my hands. Not so much when listening music or tv. I also notice sometimes in my car when I talk, or others talk loudly, and I hear that glassy sound. It's usually stuff like wind, fans, or a sink running when this sound appears.

I have experienced this before, almost around this time of year, so I wonder if allergies are at play. The only time I remember this feeling really bad, was last July there was a thunderstorm and the barometric pressure dropped and my left ear went completely clogged and the echo was very loud for about an hour, than it returned normal. But i feel like my left ear is in the same state but at a subtle level.

To say the least I am very on edge. I had tinnitus since I was 10, and it has only gradually gotten worse. My years as a musician accelerated most of it. I'm going to be 34, I'm not sure how I can deal with these new surprises. I have always worried about it getting worse, and I am sure I am jacking up my anxiety level which is making everything ultra sensitive. I wouldn't say normal sounds appear very level, but I am very sensitive to sounds and hear every thing.

I am just feeling down right now, and could use some feedback from others. Because it's very difficult try to relate to other people on my personal life, who fortunately do not have this type of annoyance in their life.

Does this sound like hyperacusis?

 

That is an interesting one , one thing I guess we all know everybody Tinnitus is different - I was a musician too so I know all about noise-induced ....

I don't think what you have is Hyperacusis, I think if it was H you would know especially as it commonly comes with pain.

What you most likely have is some form of sound sensitivity, which, as I understand it is not exactly H but like sub form or rather - I don't think will last .

H is it's sub forms usual aren't foe life like T usually is.

Chill out and do not worry about it ( easier said than done I know)!

 

Hi Tommi,

Yeah, fortunately (and hopefully not), sounds aren't hurting or causing physical pain in the ear. I feel like I can hear everything and the gain has upped a notch. I am trying not to overprotect my ears in normal places I usually would go.

Thanks for the advice, I will try to chill out, haha.

 

Hehe ye good move, I also have a little H , but mine reacts to car breaks , but only at certain frequencies .

I do feel after 10 weeks it is starting to get better, hang in there and it will get better

 

Have the same thing, when certain cars brake, i hear this annoying screech that is not painful, but really startling. Also squeeky wheels from trolleys and certain bikes.. Really annoying
It's getting much better now after 6 months though

 

Oh yeah, I get this as well! I have to travel on public transport and it's been really challenging to say the least. I sometimes wonder whether I some sort of recruitment going on...

 

- Yep for me it's the metallic things that can make me startle!

For me buses are actually okay, because the engine drowns out the sound of those damn breaks!

 

IVe got exactly the same thing. The glassy sound you are describing and on top of that ambulance sirenes. The past months i only had it sometimes in the car and under the shower. But last week i worked for 3 days straight on my laptop. I noticed my ears were hurting because of the ventilator. It isnt even 80 decibel. And after Those 3 days i now hear the ambulance sirenes very very often. When i watch tv when i'm in the car when i'm storting. It is reacted by sound outside. Do you think it Will go away because it happend because of the ventilator ???

 

Hi Bekker, mine went away about a week after posting it. I did have it in the past, and I have a feeling it may be caused by taking OTC Prevacid for Gerd. I'm not 100% sure. But during that time I reduced my caffeine level which I don't think did anything, and then I stopped taking Prevacid. I noticed it stopped after doing so. I recently started taking OTC Prevacid every other day because my acid reflex was non-stop. I feel like when I take it it causes my hears to have increased sound sensitivity. I'm pretty sure it's the culprit, but still not 100% sure. I notice that when I am in a bad mood, anxious or depressed by ringing is also louder. So I am really not sure.

I have gotten that glassy thing a few times, mainly in the summer and it may just be allergies. It generally lasts a few weeks.

I am pretty sure yours is going to subside. I will tell you that being under stress or focusing on it constantly will make it worse. Also, I was starting to wear ear plugs constantly where ever I went and that probably didn't make it better either.

I would suggest just giving yourself up to two weeks and not over focusing on it and reduce your stress as much as you can. I thought caffeine was making me more nervous and Prevacid is known to cause anxiety, so I shutdown both of those.

I am pretty confident it will go away. I'm a mental nut, I think you will be just fine