Probably the Worst Thing That Can Happen!

NO improvement on this pressure sensitive squealing thing. Has this 2nd bell incident made it permanent ;-(

 

Big Dilemma
So I've been paranoid about my hearing and realised my left ear doesn't hear the high frequencies quite as well as the right. So, I've been kind of obsessing over this. Today after school, I decided to check again with 8KHZ (the highest frequency they use in a hearing test). And, actually, I've had periods of time being worried about my hearing since a long time ago now. over a year, so this is not the first time I've obsessingly used tested 8KHZ and 12KHZ to check on my hearing. Obviously a do it on the lowest volume possible (otherwise it wouldn't be a very fair test)...

I loaded up the 8KHZ in the car on the way home, with my phone on lowest volume. holding the phone up to the left, playing it for a couple seconds, then same on the right etc etc... panicked because the left wasn't as good. So I did it when I got home using earphones, again, lowest volume possbile testing each ear alone, I did it again a short while later with my PC because I was so scared I needed to clarify with myself. Often after these tests I do, I hear the frequency afterwards for a short while, usually in the left, but always goes away, perhaps a hallucination or something. It's happened again, where I slightly keep hearing 8KHZ in my left ear, but it's been like 3 hours since I did the test and it hasn't passed, so now I'm panicking, help...

The thing is, people use 8KHZ to actually cover their tinnitus sometimes - I know people that do this. Also, on the minimum volume, how could this possibly be harmful. I did briefly do 12KHZ but it was for a short time. Surely this shouldnt have harmed me but that weird thing where the frequency continues is still there.

What's going on?? @glynis?

 

I mean, me being me, you can imagine how careful I am with volume, like ridiculously careful. But me being obsessive means I repeatedly tested the 8KHZ for maybe a minute or 2 in total? Again how could this actually do harm when people listen to this to cover their tinnitus for much much longer?? Scared.

 

Still kinds hearing the frequency? What could be happening @Red

 

Well again, an exposure at school, some annoying kid decided to clap very loudly right behind my, whilst my ear was facing his hands as I was turned to the side. Ouch.

 

Big improvements last couple days. Until maybe today. Went to the hairdressers and forgot how use those electric razor things right next to your ears. This combined with my dog barking once and my cupboard door slamming next to me, looks like it's flared up again. But anyway, at least it did greatly improve.

 

Nevermind it's ruined. Went to a restaurant- didn't bring plugs but didn't expect a problem because it wasn't too loud. But now it's caused a major problem. Game over.

 

Big problem now. This reactive static is happening in silence.

 

You know, I might be reaching, but you might be allergic to something. Maybe something you had at the restaurant might be triggering the static?

 

@JoshuaD2002
I think you'll be fine.... I do believe you are paying too much attention to your tinnitus, however it's something we are all guilty of, particularly at onset.
Please stop checking on your tinnitus. I used to do this all the time too, but honestly, it sends you crazy! Only when I stopped monitoring it did I mentally start to get "well".
You clearly have high anxiety in regards to your tinnitus, you need to find a way to calm down. I just used willpower to stop myself from plugging my ears and going into quiet rooms to see what my tinnitus was "doing".
Your behaviour is very obsessive. These noise events are very unlikely to permanently and immediately worsen your hearing.
Please read back on your posts and realise that you have always recovered from these events that stress you out.
The restaurant won't have done damage.
However, if in doubt, maybe make sure to take some ear plugs with you.
That's what I do, and if it seems too loud, I pop them in.
You'll be fine.
Sam.

 

@JoshuaD2002, I agree with Samantha. You are unduly stressing yourself out and are moving from one anxiety event to another. This is a very common pattern of behaviour when it comes to tinnitus, especially early on. It’s not going to do your mental health any good to incessantly check your ears, as this only builds an obsession. What you should be doing is the exact opposite; detach your emotions from your ears and try to get on with your life as best as you can. Start some new hobbies, find new interests, eat well, and exercise.

I think you need some help with this as you seem to be extremely anxious. Have you spoken to your family or a hearing therapist about what you’re going through?

I know words are cheap, but try not to worry. I was every bit as bad as you are, and now when I look back with clarity, I can see what this obsessive behaviour was doing to my tinnitus. I would go from one spike to another because I feared/believed that every little sound in my environment was damaging because of what I was reading online from other anxious people. What I came to realise is that I was spending most of my time ruminating and checking my tinnitus after every sound I heard, no matter how loud it was. I had become mentally unstable and was really unwell. Unhinged even. When I changed my beliefs, the spikes reduced dramatically. It’s really easy to get stuck in a vicious cycle and this diagram below explains it brilliantly:

 

@glynis @Ed209 a BIG problem, and I need an opinion. @Red @fishbone @Tinker Bell @Deamon22

So glynis will know how I've always resorted to doing online tests, testing the frequencies when I'm in doubt and think I have hearing loss, I often test, usually using 8KHz because that's the highest normal hearing tests go.

It should be noted that whenever I test, to be keep it reliable, safe and fair I keep the volume very very low, so that it's really quiet.

Upon noticing 8KHz was slightly quieter in my left ear not long ago, I have recently been obsessing. Last night, I tested, obsessively, comparing the left ear, the right ear, with 8KHz tone. (cover left ear, play tone, then pause tone. Cover right ear, play tone, then pause. Being panicked and obsessive I normally end up comparing carefully for maybe a minute? Again, the frequency will be on the quietest volume, so that it's not even uncomfortable to listen to. After doing it last night, I panicked hugely because I noticed a loud lower pitched ring in my left ear. I sometimes get that anyway at night, I believe it could be blood flow related, but it came on just after I was done with the 8KHz so I had a huge panic attack right before bed, but eventually went to bed and it had resolved today.

I knew that obviously, testing it wasn't helping, but today I still felt a strong urge to test again. It's like, I need to know whether it's still quieter in my left ear, so I did test again - like an addictive urge - I just did it, with huge adrenaline as I did. Again, same result, quieter or unable to hear in the left. Then, not long after again this lower pitched tone starts. I stay in my silent room monitoring it, and it got very very loud, as it is as I type.

It's been 7 hours since I did my last test, which lasted shorter than a minute I should add. And now, I'm panicking like crazy, because this low pitched whining sound is awful. I'm so worried I've permanently harmed myself. But how? Surely it's safe? It's 8KHz on minimal/almost barely audible volume for short duration. Surely this really should not have done any harm? Surely? I've never had an issue in the past. But it's so so loud, this ring in the left, this low pitched whine, which again in not a constant tone more like a kind of morse code. But it's really loud. I'm very scared.

Could I seriously have harmed myself here? It would seem silly to have harm done from this, but my ear is telling me I did harm by ringing loudly. Help I'm panicking so much.

Might I add, people even will use 8KHz and higher tones to mask their tinnitus, and I think I've created a very loud tinnitus from listening to it on minimal volume for a short period

 

You probably didn't cause any permanent damage, but you might consider not doing any of those tests for a year or two. If you keep doing this, despite the signals you keep getting from your body, who knows what might eventually happen.

I also noticed spikes after doing those tests, and now I no longer do any tests, or listen to any tones on the internet.

 

bill it's like really super loud lower pitched whining happening in my left ear. I can't believe it I played it SO QUIETLY even if I did obsess over comparing it for a minute. How could this have done this? I was so careful I would understand this if I had been blasting it in my ears for minutes and minutes. But no this was played so quietly I got it from YouTube.
Obviously don't play it, just showing I got it from YouTube, and it has been played many times. Why has severely loud tinnitus resulted. Anyone? Help!

 

Nobody knows "why". But something similar had also happened to me. So it is real, it is not just in our heads. The good news is that it ought to fade - most likely within 3 days, but of course it could take 3 weeks or even 3 months.

 

Has yours gotten better from that beeping phone incident? Or nah?

 

@JoshuaD2002 ,
Stop doing on line tests and leave it to Audiologists and stop playing with your ears.
Start living your life and don't give your ears a second thought.
Nothing positive comes from being negative and try to move on without scrutinizing every sound and listening out for your tinnitus .
If you search hard you will find your tinnitus but that won't get you anywhere .
Don't dwell on what has happened and look forward to better times.

love glynis

 

To Everyone:
I really need thoughts on whether what I did is a dangerous thing to do. I just don't see how! 8KHz at minimal volume in 2 second intervals in each ear for no longer than a minute as I compare each ear.

 

Yes, that spike is over now. It is difficult to remain calm, but it makes sense to tell yourself to wait and to not freak out right away.

 

In theory it would seem that it is not dangerous. However, given that you are having a spike and given the experiences of others, we have to conclude that it IS dangerous. When observations disagree with the theory, we have to trust the observations.

 

I really can't see how this is dangerous. When the observation simply doesn't make sense, how can you trust it. This is 8 kHz at minimal volume?

 

Joshua, I think you need some professional help as you have obsessive traits that are bordering on OCD.

Testing your ears at home serves no purpose and it won’t be accurate. You need specifically calibrated equipment for a test to be reliable, and another person to administer the test. You are showing outward signs of anxiety so you need to learn to relax and switch off. You must fight against your compulsion to keep messing with your ears.

You need to speak to your parents about the problems you’re having because you need real help buddy. This forum can only do so much for you, and I fear it is enabling you somewhat.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

 

i really wanted an opinion on whether what I did is dangerous as super loud tinnitus resulted from it

 

The fact that giraffes' necks are so long doesn't make sense. Do giraffes have long necks?

 

If you do something that causes "super loud T", it was a dangerous thing to do (by definition).

 

I’d say loud tinnitus is inevitable with your current mindset. If the sound was quiet as you put it, then I’d say you have nothing to worry about. It’s incredibly unlikely that you have damaged your ears.

However, you need to stop messing with them. Do other things instead and stop thinking about your ears so much as you are building a very unhealthy relationship with them.

 

@JoshuaD2002 your problem is mental now, not tinnitus, get mental help from mental professionals. You are obsessed over your tinnitus and checking your ears. You are developing OCD.

Cognitive behavioral therapy would work wonders for you. PLEASE!

 

Noise may tire out the inner ear, causing temporary hearing loss.

Higher pitched noises tire out the ears even more then lower pitched ears, but unless you had your ears next to the speaker for 10 minutes, then it's only temporary.

Ears have a certain level of fatigue as well, therefor it's imperative that you let your ears rest as much as possible. Stressing out will cause your road to recovery to become even longer. Try something like notched tunes to get yourself use to the sound, that way you will both be testing it and listening to your own music.
Eating foods that can help with nerve recovery is a must, I use to hate ginger root but ate it anyways to see if it would help me, and it did. (I still hate it btw)

I've been dealing with my fking high pitched tinnitus since I can remember. It's gotten better and worse due to various circumstances, but for me it's never gone away since it's most likely chronic. However, yours is most likely induced by sound. Which means stress, anxiety, and b pressure is the current roadblock to recovery for you.

 

No, see, this is your problem, Joshua. It's impossible to have a conversation with you. We are talking at you instead of with you. There are a lot of good posts in here that never get acknowledged or addressed. One can only think you are ignoring them so why bother continue trying to help?

 

youre not listening to what people are telling you. youre just doing stuff that you dont need to do and freaking yourself out!!! dropping a pen is not going to hurt your ears, snapping yogurt containers are not going to do anything. its like you keep picking at a scab thats trying to heal. STOP IT! do what I do. wear earplugs most of the time. it's like a band aid. let them rest, let them heal, let them BE!!!! go do something!!! dude, you really need to chill. i get nervous just reading your posts. people are giving you good advice, here. Listen to them!!! stop freaking out!