Is This Normal for Noise-Induced Tinnitus or Could It Be Something Else?

I first noticed my tinnitus about a year ago, left ear only. I saw a doctor and did hearing tests. No hearing loss. Asked the doctor if this could have been caused by headphones, he said no because there was no hearing loss. I was stupid enough to believe him and continued to use headphones. Perhaps I've listened to them too loud, although it never seemed that way. My tinnitus is around 15-16 kHz or higher. The "texture" of the tone is changing rapidly. Again, left ear only.

After I saw the doctor I worried much less about my tinnitus, and it either got quieter or I habituated because I wasn't bothered by it for more than half a year.

For about 2 months now, it has suddenly become much more problematic. This could be related to some extra long headphone sessions or perhaps a cold (my first one since my tinnitus started). I now hear it over pretty much every other sound since it's such a high frequency even though it is low in volume.

What do you think about this? Does this sound like noise induced tinnitus to you? Left ear only, and I've NEVER had any noise exposure that left my ears ringing in conjunction with it, like a loud concert for instance. It would have to be long time, low-level exposure that caused it if this is noise induced.

How do I know if this is noise induced? Is there a way to know?

I realize this could be a spike. Is it best to avoid sounds as much as possible for up to 6 months and hope for the best?

I hope this makes sense. I'm not sleeping properly, intense anxiety, you all know how it goes.

 

What hearing tests did you do? Standard audiogram (which tests up to 8kHz), or something more comprehensive?

If it was a standard audiogram (which isn't very robust), you might very well have hearing loss which was missed by the test, called "hidden hearing loss". Read more about this here: https://www.soniccloud.com/support/what-is-hidden-hearing-loss

It would be a great idea to stop using headphones completely. There isn't consensus about this on this forum, but a lot of members (including me personally) have observed that even low-volume headphone use can damage hearing. I don't have a scientific explanation on why low-volume headphone music seems worse than low-volume freestanding speakers, but it would be risky to ignore the first-hand experience of so many people.

Also paging @Michael Leigh who is basically the champion of not using headphones.

 

Thank you Hans.

The test was a series of beeps in one ear at a time, with an ascending frequency. Pretty sure it went well over 8kHz but it was almost a year ago so I'm not sure.

I'm going to try my luck and see a specialist again. This time I'll tell him/her what frequency my tinnitus is and ask if their hearing test would catch it.

I've read these forums extensively and have stopped using headphones completely for about 1-2 weeks now, what Michael has written on the subject made enough sense to me to stop using them. My only hope for the future is that I can listen to music in speakers without problems. Creating music is what's keeping me above the surface amidst all the other horrible stuff going on in my life right now, and it's actually the fear of not being able to listen to/create music that is giving me the most anxiety right now. All of my "safe places" are getting taken away from me right now and I'm a mess mentally.

 

I remember how it felt when my youthful feeling of invincibility was first punctured and I was forced to realize that bad things can happen to me, too, not just to other people. The loss of "safe places" as you put it. The only good thing I can tell you is that it seems to be cyclical, and the feeling of safety does sometimes come back, often for quite long periods of time, before the next wave of shit hits. Stay strong, friend.

 

Yesterday my tinnitus was gone. Today it's back. From what I read about noise induced tinnitus it seems to be more of a constant thing. Or do people with noise induced tinnitus also experience this?

 

HI @HeavyMantra

Choosing not to use headphones ever again not even at low volume, will put you on the path to making a good recovery from "noise induced" tinnitus. Keeping away from overly loud sounds will also help. Particularly at clubs, concerts etc. This doesn't mean you can't go out and have a good time; just be careful. Use noise reducing ear-plugs when necessary but don't rely on them and think you are one hundred percent safe when around loud sounds, for this is definitely not the case.

Please follow my advice in my articles: Tinnitus, A Personal View & Hyperacusis, As I see it, and I think you'll be ok in time. The links are below. If you haven't been seen at ENT for tests then I advise you to do so.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

The worsening of my tinnitus is definitely noise-induced (either headphone overuse, or a wild session at the dentist's, or both together) and it also comes and goes. I have sounds that are sometimes gone for weeks, then pop back. There's intra-day fluctuation as well, it tends to be harsher in the evening, or when I'm tired. That's just how this condition is.

Based on the best current scientific understanding of tinnitus (I currently consider Neuromod's explanations the gold standard, because it seems they're the first to develop a commercially available working treatment), it's generated as the brain tries to compensate for missing sensory input, so it "lives" in the brain. Off of this, I personally speculate that it's unsurprising that tinnitus will act nonlinearly, come and go both periodically and also unpredictably - the brain at large does the same thing, our mood and energy level varies constantly, and sometimes we're entirely unconscious for hours.

Also, I second all of @Michael Leigh 's suggestions: completely cut headphones, wear earplugs to noisy situations (while vacuuming, the subway, restaurants etc), and know that even earplugs can't protect you from really loud noises so consider completely quitting clubs and concerts. Using these guidelines I've managed to keep my tinnitus stable for 2 years now after headphones made it worse. It even reduced somewhat.

 

Thanks guys.

I got the results from a blood tests recently, and I have anemia. Possibly quite seriously so since my doctor called and asked if I had been losing a lot of blood from wounds or something. Very interesting to learn that anemia can cause tinnitus. Gives me a bit of hope.

Looks like my 2 year trial of ovo-vegetarianism ends on monday...

 

Hello, Recent research indicates that hearing test used at most audiology clinics and ENTs are extremely inaccurate, they only test for hearing loss within the human voice range, learn more here about hidden hearing loss

http://hyperacusisfocus.org/innerear/









https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378595516302507

you have hearing loss via cochlear hair cell ribbon synapses dying