Journey Back Into Hyperacusis

Sup Guys/Gals Fish here,

I wanted to write a topic that has given me tons of issues in the past and it can give
lots of folks here an issue as well. When I first got tinnitus 31 years ago, I had the lowest hiss/tone/sound (basically a beginner's stage of tinnitus). I was shaken up and confused as to where that sound is coming from. It had me emotional and I was truly lost. Also, with that low hiss I had a very bad case of hyperacusis and I had lots of pain in my ear and pretty much all sounds were bothering. This was happening because I had lots of fear towards sounds and my ears had become very sensitive to all sounds. As the years passed on I was better able to get a grip on my situation. I was slowly able to understand what is going on and create a game plan that was good for my situation. My hyperacusis also got better as well.

Towards the middle to the end of the year last year, I started to over-protect my ears, I had plugs in almost all the time. When I walked to the supermarket I had plugs in. I had plugs all the time. By doing this, at first thought that my ears were getting better and I was better handling my situation. This is not how It turned out, I started to slowly get more pain in my ears and I started to become sensitive to noise again. My mind was going backwards and I was slowly letting "SOME" fear of sound get into my head again.

This is a huge problem for many that I see posting on this site and for those that reach out to me and need support. As someone that has been in this game 31 years, I knew that I should not over protect. Overprotection can lead to hyperacusis. @Michael Leigh has said it and I have also said it many times. That over-protection can lead to over-thinking as well and that's the last thing you want.

Your mind is already hearing the ringing and some are thinking about that noise as well. Over-protection can lead to us listening and hearing the ringing much more.

So, basically I knew that I had gone backwards and I knew that I had to take action and stop over-protecting. I started my journey to get out of hyperacusis about 6 to 8 months ago. It was a slow process, I would always protect my ears in KNOWN spots that are very loud. I was using them less in spots that were not that loud. I was over-protecting in both LOUD and not loud spots. It took a couple months to re-train my brain and cancel out that fear.

As of today I have stopped over-protecting and that fear of sound has faded away. It's a tough process to over-turn but it's an important one. Not all cases are the same, all of us are different. All I am saying is that do protect your ears but try to stay away from over-protection.

 

I had severe hyperacusis and spent 2 years with no hearing protection literally living in terror, in constant pain from noise. Then I started using earplugs and earmuffs and things got better.

Loud sound is unexpected. You can just be strolling around, at an urban area, and there may be really loud works just round the corner, but you cant see it. They're not making any noise and suddenly a jackhammer starts.. real story. DO use hearing protection if you suffer from hyperacusis.

 

I've recently developed hypercusis. Didn't even realize it was a thing up until now. I'm trying my best not to freak out about it, but man, it feels like nails on a chalkboard sometimes when I hear certain benign noises or voices. I'm on the old antibiotics and Prednisone regiment, cause the doctor thinks it was caused by a sinus infection after dealing with a severe head cold. We'll see.. I'm trying to be optimistic, but I feel like I have a journey ahead of me.

 

Just a cautionary note: My wife (and many others) had their tinnitus caused by antibiotics. There are many natural ways to try to clear sinus infections without resorting to antiobiotics that have the potential to make things worse.

 

What are they please?

 

Hi @fishbone

As a seasoned vet perhaps you could help me?

I too have tinnitus for 22 years and recently diagnosed with hyperacusis. No pain, but noises seem louder and noises like crisp packets and plastic bags make my T seemingly react.

Recently I have had an ear infection, which is gone but now my hearing is muffled in the right ear and I feel like there is a blockage in there.

What is happening is that certain noises seem to aggravate my T, which ramps up and gets worse. That was happening

@fishbone

Hi... I've had an ear infection in my right ear. It's gone but I'm left with blockage and muffled hearing.

I've been recently diagnosed with hyperacusis. My tinnitus reacts to certain noises. During this period of having this blocked right ear, I'm positive my hyperacusis is becoming worse.

Is it possible my brain is compensating for the loss of hearing on my right and turning up the gain?

 

I have dry sinuses..... any idea how to fix that ? I am tempted to go to the doctor because it’s making the tinnitus worse and a load of headaches

 

My tinnitus was screaming for some weeks when I first got it and it got "better" after taking antibiotics however it's a very confusing situation. Because my tinnitus was screaming.. yet I'm not completely sure if was in the ear or the brain... pre antibiotics I would have an hour or so a day where my ears where completely clear. After the antibiotics this almost constant tone I was hearing turned into a Morse code sound which is way less loud but it's pretty much truly 24/7 where as before... silence was possible. I can still have total silence if I take amitriptyline. It's a very confusing situation. did they make it better or worse. Would I have regained silence if I took them earlier... I certainly had some kind of infection... I might even still have an infection. I don't feel normal yet that's for sure, I have a very stiff neck but no longer have the sore to the touch jaw and bone around the ears... Is the morse code sound a blood vessel or nerve damage... (this I'd really like to know) because nerve damage may get better one day but it hasn't seemed to change in the last 4 weeks or so. The morse code sound is something I can not modulate with neck or jaw movements.. and that bothers me, the other somatic sound I know can improve. I did have sensitivity to sounds but it has improved almost back to normal.

 

To all you who have suffered with tinnitus for over 20 years, did your tinnitus get worse over time?

 

I think I’m going to see another (3rd) ent... constant headaches and dizziness and dry nose is not a fun combination..... feels like my body is finished

 

So many things can be wrong that most ENTs wont think of. You can have a low grade infection around the brain that lasts for.. ever until treated, tumours, compression of the spinal cord. All kinds of stuff.

 

@Allan1967 -- Check out the linked thread below, where I write extensively on how important iodine is to sinus health. Iodine tends to concentrate in areas where there is frequent cell regeneration, which includes nasal passages. Since iodine is such a powerful antiseptic, it would make sense that it would concentrate in the sinuses. -- There's a post in the thread which expounds a bit on how sinus infections can cause major "mental" disorders.

@John Mahan; @Star64; @Labyrinthine; @Lionel; @Bill Bauer; @Michael Leigh; @OneTimePoster; @Wolfears; @Greg Sacramento; @Bam; @Arseny; @Striveon; @dan26; @Melike; @Mathew Gould; @humptydumpty69; @BreachOfEuphoria; @ruben ruiz; @jmasterj; @Karen

Iodine Supplementation for Better Brain and Sinus Health — Which "Might" Improve Tinnitus

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This excellent 6-MIN video describes how his sinus clearning technique (using iodine) literally changed his life.


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This post on "Bilateral Nasal Specific" (BNS) could be an equally important starting point:

Input on Probable Underlying Causes (Neck, TMJ, Tonsils)? — Tinnitus Stopped Once 3 Years Ago

"For a patient suffering from an assortment of problems ranging from TMJ, migraines, tension headaches, sinus problems and even ear disorders, BNS can be incredibly effective."
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You may also want to check out THIS POST

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Link to Natural Sinus Care Website:

SinusSurvival.com

 

I used to have this issue. I had sinus/allergy headaches and they were just horrible. I take allergy pills and a nasal spray almost daily. Allergies and sinus infections can cause so so many things. Make sure that you are covering your bases with both of these.

Good luck!

 

Piriton tablets? Are they the type of allergy tablets? Saline nasal spray? Did you take antibiotics? The right side of my head always has pressure or pain going on...

 

The key is this, make sure you have no infections. Even with allergy pills and nasal sprays it won't do much If we have an infection. This is what I use, you DO NOT have to use it, it works for me and I am simply mentioning it. I make use of Zyrtec and Flonase almost daily. I also use nasal washes when allergies run at their highest, especially when the seasons start to change. Head pressures can be caused by many things: stress, anxiety, certain meds, sinus pressures/headaches... lots.

I was in the same situation for a long time, now it has gotten a little better. Take care of yourself!