Music Makes My Tinnitus Worse — Is It Hyperacusis or Tinnitus When Sound Activates Your Tinnitus?

Is it hyperacusis or tinnitus when sound activates your tinnitus?

As of this week my tinnitus is so soft I can barely hear it in a quiet room. That is a good thing! I admit that. Unless I want to listen to music...

Then suddenly there is the old high pitched continuous "eeeeeee" that seems to always position itself between my ear and the music. And my tinnitus is only in one ear by the way. So it makes listening to music lopsided in a way.

It was the exact opposite before now, where music helped and silence was difficult. I guess I'll take what I can get. The silence is nice. Maybe this is a half-success/half-tragic story? Maybe I'm a freak of nature. Maybe my brain doesn't like the band...

 

@Honky

You are new to tinnitus and it's a good thing that your symptoms are not worse. I advise you to be careful of playing music at a level that irritates it and give your ears and auditory system time to recover. This can take up to two years although many people make good improvement within a year. You may have some hyperacusis which is an indication that you shouldn't rock the boat or playing music at a volume that irritates it.

If you are not careful your tinnitus can increase to a level you wouldn't believe is possible and I'm not kidding! This condition can be ruthless and very unforgiving for those that do not respect it and take chances. By this I mean those with "noise induced tinnitus" that use headphones even at low volume can be dangerous or going to places where loud music is played, or listening to music at home at a volume that irritates the ears. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly. Please click on the links below and read my posts that I think you will help you.

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/

 

Sounds like hyperacusis aka reactive tinnitus. At least for me, my reactivity improves over time but worsens again with a spike.

 

Ok, thanks for the help, I appreciate it. I didn't realize t could flip around like that. I have been listening to music but only at absurdly low volumes since the beginning of my t in May. It's only now that it is reacting.

 

I'm guessing that a constant tea kettle like noise in my bad ear is not a mild condition?

I've had t a few times before this - once in high school and once pretty badly in my 30s. Both of those times the t faded after a few months.

This time my t, or this spike in my old t perhaps, is directly from an acoustic trauma last May. But I do not recall hearing my old t before this new t since approx. 2007 the last time I had a scare.

My perception of this new t changes often, but the t itself I presume has not changed at all. I feel this way because the t seems to be the same volume as it was the day after the incident. I believe I have habituated to it somewhat. The sound has become softer and not like a needle or cheesegrater the way it first presented. I also feel that this latest acoustic trauma incident did some physical damage to the inner ear. An ENT saw nothing abnormal and prescribed prednisone which elevated the t (a spike that lasted a week).

Since my acoustic trauma certain sounds drive me nuts: air conditioners, fans, high pitched music like violins, squealing guitar, trumpet solos, blockbuster movie action scenes etc.

The bottom line is I have felt better wearing earplugs at times. Yet I've read it's not good to do this all the time for fear of lowering my threshold to sound. However if I'm supposed to take it easy and not subject myself to sound that would otherwise affect my tinnitus in a negative way, then I need to seal myself in a vacuum and catch the next rocket into outer space.

 

You said you have had tinnitus twice before this tinnitus and they faded completely? What were the causes of those 2 tinnitus you had before?

 

It is entirely up to you if you feel wearing earplugs will be of benefit. I should stress that it's not advisable to overuse them as lowering of the loudness threshold may result. Use them judiciously is my advice.

I understand your frustration but placing yourself in a vacuum and keeping away from all sound isn't the way to go. Tinnitus can be a difficult condition to treat and recover from to the point where one reaches habituation. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to achieve. If hyperacusis is present it can complicate matters depending on how severe it is but habituation is still achievable with time and patience. In some instances a person may need to seek professional help with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that specialises in the treatment and management of tinnitus and hyperacusis. Various treatments are available that can include counselling and medication and is something to explore and shouldn't be overlooked. Again, it depends to what extent these conditions affects the individual's mental and emotional wellbeing?

Please follow some of the advice I have given you in my posts in the links provided. You will find additional posts on my "started threads" that may be of help.

All the best
Michael

 

Some people call it "reactive tinnitus".

 

1. Mowing the lawn 35 years ago with a Walkman. I noticed ringing ears at bedtime for a few months and immediately stopped listening to the Walkman.
2. Playing guitar in a band 15 years ago and going to loud shows. I wore ear plugs about 75% of the time then, as well as always staying away for PA speakers. Then I noticed ringing in my ears at night without other noises present. Freaked me out but I basically increased wearing ear plugs and ignored the problem. It resolved without me realizing when it went away.

 

Wow, interesting, hopefully the same happens to you again it's nice to know that it is possible and can go away