On My Way to Recovery from Tinnitus and Hyperacusis

Just to sum up my 9 months... I feel much much better. Not out of the woods completely but I can totally go back to my normal life but I always have to keep in mind that I have to protect my ears and I have to avoid loud environments. Sometimes there are bad bays but these new bad days in comparison to old ones are just harmless.

2020 sucks. I am willing to forget this year really bad...

 

@Vassili you think so? It’s hard to tell when you’re making progress, especially when you’re so anxious and always monitoring it.

 

@Michael Leigh I don’t see how I could fly with hyperacusis, or sound sensitivity. Being on a loud plane like that... I don’t know. I’d be a little nervous.

 

I evaluate my progress only when one more month passes. I don't monitor constantly because it's pointless due to numerous tinnitus fluctuations throughout the day and night. Plus anxiety levels rise from it. I prefer distraction.

 

@Tara Lyons

Tara, you don't know how loud the interior of the plane is going to be and yet, you are convincing yourself before going on an aeroplane that you will be unable to because of hyperacusis and sensitivity to sound. This is what I mean about negative thinking and how it can hinder or prevent the habituation process from happening and stop you moving on with your life. I hope you now see the reason I say: keep away from negative thinking people and not to read their posts.

I am not saying that you shouldn't be concerned since you have hyperacusis and have some sensitivity to sound, but I doubt the sound levels inside a plane, are going to be loud enough to cause any damage or spike your tinnitus. As I have often said, tinnitus and hyperacusis are intrinsically linked to our mental and emotional wellbeing. Therefore, if we overly worry about sound levels being harmful this alone can cause tinnitus to spike or become more intrusive.

I read one of your previous posts and see you have started wearing earplugs. I wanted to say something but decided not to. You need to be careful about wearing earplugs because overuse can lower the loudness threshold of the auditory system and make you more sensitive to sound. I remember you saying that your tinnitus has improved over the last 6 months? If this is the case then I'll assume your sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis) has improved too? This is a good sign and they should continue to improve.

If I were in your situation I would not let tinnitus or hyperacusis stop me from going on aeroplane. I would try my best not to worry over this as it would cause stress and possibly make the tinnitus spike. I would carry a pair of Noise reducing earplugs and take my flight and try not to worry about it.

Hope this helps.

Michael

 

@Michael Leigh thanks Michael, I stopped wearing the ear plugs because I don’t want to increase my sensitivity anymore. Only protecting while I’m in the car or anywhere loud. Still experiencing sensitivity so I don’t want to make it worse.

 

I understand @Tara Lyons and I agree with you using earplugs if you find certain sounds too loud but this will improve with time. If your tinnitus should spike due to sound it is very unlikely to cause any damage. You are improving that this is a positive sign and think you're doing well.

Take care
Michael

 

@Vassili I monitor mine all of the time. I’m having a hard time living normally dealing with this. I just recently started going out with friends and stuff since this started because it caused a lot of depression for me.

 

@Vassili

Thank you again for your inspirational post.

I too have tinnitus & hyperacusis and intense ear and head pain (as mentioned in an earlier post on this thread).

I am where you were in the early months "I constantly planned my suicide........ "

The only thing keeping me going right now is a couple of posts (yours is one of them).

You mentioned you are planning to find a good neurologist for a consultation on the head pain.

I would be extremely grateful if you would continue posting on your situation as it gives me hope.

Thank you

 

My appointment is in November. I hope my situation will continue to improve. Now after 9 months I feel much better. I can't call my symptoms pain anymore, more like a discomfort. But I can't say that I am out of the woods completely. It's really tricky actually. Usually I feel something like 80% improvement but some days I can confidently claim 90% or even more. Symptoms fluctuate a lot. But I am definitely starting to have more and more good days than I used to.

I will continue posting.

 

I'm at this point also. Constant ear pain and numbness is taking its toll. I'm not really living anymore merely existing. The S word is a constant thought.

Posts like @Vassili give me a glimmer of hope I maybe able to live my life again.

Thanks guys,
Shaun.

 

Hold on, Shaun.

You are not alone in this boat.

 

Thanks Vassili. No one but you guys understand the mental torture of this thing. My family all think its in my head and once the anxiety goes then so will the ear problem.

I'll keep looking for your updates.

Shaun.

 

Actually there is a bit of truth there. If you will manage to keep your anxiety on a low level (it's hard to do, I know) you will actually feel a bit better. Applied it on myself.

 

@Vassili you think? Ugh August 1st will be 6 months. I’m tired of dealing with this. Your doctor was optimistic about a full recovery?

 

Yes, she was. Also, she couldn't tell me anything about how long will it take because every case is special. And also she told me that medicine never actually gives 100%, more like 90%. I am sure I will recover. Why should I panic? I gave myself 2 years minimum to recover. All this negativity is pointless, its not solving anything. I just live my life and try not to think about it. Plus I don't suffer anymore. I've reached a point where it got easier to live and to move on with my life. May be I'm lucky, actually I do feel lucky.

Try to believe in the best.

 

@Vassili I know, I find it hard to live normally dealing with this. I’m so uncomfortable all of the time and just don’t feel like myself. It’s so scary dealing with this.

 

It will get better @Tara Lyons …...

Michael

 

Just imagine what stronger a person you will be and how proud of yourself you would be after getting through all of it. A true warrior of spirit that's for sure.

 

@Vassili it's good that you’re so positive. So many people are dealing with this, and they’re scared and uncomfortable and upset, but yet I still feel so alone.
I've had quieter days, and even now as I listen to my ears the tone is very low. My ears always just feel so weird though. Don’t get that part.

Do you work? If so, do you protect your ears with earplugs at work?

 

Yes, I do. When I'm at my noisy office I plug my ears with my old little headphones. They cut external sounds but only a little bit. I don't use earplugs because I don't want to overprotect plus it's uncomfortable to use them for a long time. I think when one year will pass or a bit more, I will stop protecting my ears. I would do it only in loud environments.

 

@Vassili my job really isn’t noisy so I stopped protecting. I work in my own little area, sometimes people come over but it’s never very loud. If someone comes over for a bit who talks loud I will protect.

 

@Vassili Something changed yesterday. I had some rumbling noises and the pain has subsided for now!
So I've had 2 days almost pain and tingling free (Still aches a bit) and I still have some fullness. But right now I have some quality of life back!

So I've gone from the darkest depths of despair to clinging onto the rim of the pit able to see the light.

Thank you for your post. It kept and keeps my hope alive that one day I will be back to complete normality!

Seems like the answer to all these problems is time and faith in the body to heal itself.

Shaun.

 

@Vassili is your ringing still very loud and noticeable?

 

Any step towards improvement especially during first couple of months is a very good sign.

You are welcome. I am sure you will continue to recover.

Actually yes, I would also say that time is the main healer. But positive mindset, supplements, healthy diet, a bit of exercise can definitely speed up the process of healing or at least make it easier.

I wish you full recovery and lots of patience.

Have a good day, Shaun.

 

No, I hear it only in a quiet room. It's either quiet electric buzz (only in my right ear) or static noise (in both ears). Quiet static noise I can consider as "false" silence, it does not bother me at all. Plus my ears still react to tea kettle, computer fan, Rock music.

 

@Vassili I mean in earplugs?

 

It's quiet and does not bother me much.

 

@Vassili oh good! So it’s fading I assume!

 

@Vassili do you do anything for hyperacusis? That’s still a problem for me. I slept with pink noise on last night, a very minimal level.