Reactive Tinnitus & Hyperacusis: Should I Continue to Power Through or Avoid Triggers as Much as Possible?

[RyanG22]

Hello all,

I wanted to share a bit about myself and my story. I developed hyperacusis and tinnitus about four months ago due to medication. The hyperacusis was very intense during the first few weeks but has improved somewhat. Now, sounds are only slightly sensitive, and the sensitivity occurs about three times a week.

The tinnitus, however, has become reactive—or maybe it always was, but I am not entirely sure. It increases in loudness with almost everything, from nature sounds to the furnace running, running water, music, and more. Over the past few months, I have also developed distorted and crackling sounds.

The ENTs here seem clueless. When I mention reactive tinnitus, they look at me like I have three heads, so I have come here for advice.

I do not want to plug my ears because I have read that doing so can prevent recovery from hyperacusis. However, that means I have to deal with the tinnitus reacting constantly. I also do not want to psychologically create a fear of these noises by avoiding them altogether.

So my question is this: Do I just continue to power through the reactive tinnitus? Am I doing more damage by doing so? Or should I avoid triggers as much as possible? At the moment, avoiding triggers would be very difficult since everyday sounds seem to set it off.

 

[Possum]

I'm in the same situation as you. What does your tinnitus sound like at its baseline?

 

[RyanG22]

I'm in the same situation as you. What does your tinnitus sound like at its baseline?

At baseline, it sounds like soft cicadas—not too terrible. However, I only experience this baseline in the mornings after a night of sleep in quiet. For the rest of the day, it's constantly reactive, and by the end of each day, it turns into a loud electrical sound with a high-pitched whistle on top.

 

[Possum]

At baseline, it sounds like soft cicadas—not too terrible. However, I only experience this baseline in the mornings after a night of sleep in quiet. For the rest of the day, it's constantly reactive, and by the end of each day, it turns into a loud electrical sound with a high-pitched whistle on top.

It's the same for me. My baseline sounds like cicadas. My tinnitus seemed to have started after a noisy day at work in a factory. That day, I was only using earmuffs for protection, whereas I normally use both earplugs and earmuffs. Unfortunately, I didn't have earplugs with me that day.

What medication were you taking? Are you certain it was the medication that caused it? Did you do anything unusual in the days leading up to the tinnitus? For example, riding a motorcycle for extended hours or popping balloons?