Poll: How Long Has Your Longest *Noise Induced* Tinnitus Spike Lasted?

@Bill Bauer put together a poll several years ago that continues to serve as a landing point for important information re spikes. However, when he created the poll, he didn't entirely realize that spikes can regularly last a week or longer, and so all poll options are 7-days or less. Moreover, there is some question of whether spikes from noise exposure differ importantly from spikes from, say, anxiety or ear infections or bad posture.

So I'm setting up a second poll, to try to zero in even further on what Bill started to do several years ago.

So: How long was your longest *noise induced* tinnitus spike? Please, when you answer, also provide a short description of:

A) What noise triggered the spike.
B) Exactly how long it lasted.
C) Whether it eventually came all the way back down to baseline, or whether it set a new baseline.

If this poll is as popular as Bill's original one, we should gather quite a good amount of important info here.

-Matt

 

Let's see, what year is it?

 

I am sure there will be a lot of contributors to your poll @MattS and no doubt it will make for interesting reading. As I have previously mentioned to you, I do not get spikes since my hyperacusis was treated over 20 years ago and cured. I suspect, most of the people commenting on spikes will be those that have Noise Induced Tinnitus. The spikes are usually (but not always) a result of the auditory system being hypersensitive to sound.

Although some people may have habituated to their tinnitus, they may well be sensitive to sound which can cause spikes. The underlying root cause is due to hyperacusis being present. If this is not treated spikes can become a frequent occurrence and could become a long term problem and manifest into other conditions like phonophobia and misophonia. If possible a person should try and get their oversensitivity to sound treated by self help or seek professional help, with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist trained in tinnitus and hyperacusis management and treatment.

Michael

 

Cheers Michael - we'll put you down for "zero" then.

Definitely your information is long-term valuable. But not all of us have reached your promised land yet. And while we're getting there, the chances that we experience spikes will hover somewhere around, oh I don't know: 100%. So, while I appreciate your perspective, have asked for it in other contexts, perhaps this thread isn't the one where it needed to be repeated, again. Cheers.

 

I know your were mostly offering some bitter humor. But are you actually indicating that you've experienced a noise-induced spike that never receded back to baseline?

 

I'm trying to guess the number of days it has ever settled down just a little. I can't quite put a number on it.

 

The answer is missing:
My "spikes" are most likely not caused by noise.

 

Hi Matt, just for clarification, I was diagnosed with severe tinnitus from the onset (those are two words you don't want to hear used in the same sentence). It's always been this way, short of 'better days' on occasion.

Mike

 

Sorry Tinniger - you're purposely left out of this one then!

 

Yes - I had no clue back then...

The other old poll
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/poll-the-longest-tinnitus-spike-you-have-had.5903/
is too general (months vs years is not very informative). The categories in your poll are more useful.

 

I think it served it's purpose, provided lots with useful insights. Hopefully we can keep building in that knowledge.