Severe Tinnitus and Hyperacusis After Roofing and Stereo Speaker Noise

[hubast]

Hi everyone,

Prayers for everyone today, first of all, that the natural, God-given ability to heal will continue.

I had tinnitus a long time ago (more than ten years ago), and it resolved completely. Then, about a month and a half ago, I was three stories up on a roof hammering on metal without ear protection, because I would have had to climb all the way down to get my earplugs. I thought, I'll be okay. Well, guess what? I wasn't.

Really loud tinnitus and hyperacusis came on quickly, and it was extremely difficult to deal with because the sound was so loud. Finally, after a month, it faded enough that it wasn't bothersome anymore. I rejoiced! I was ready to do cartwheels down the church aisle.

That night, my brother asked for help setting up his stereo, and he accidentally hit a button while my head was right next to the speaker. Blam! My ear was hit at point-blank range with about 125 dB. I couldn't believe it, and honestly, I still can't believe that happened to me.

Now it's really loud and constant, and I can't even rattle a dish or cup without discomfort. My hope is that I'll heal over time, but I just don't know how to get through this. Each day is becoming more difficult to cope with.

Can anyone please offer some advice on how to deal with this every day? I have a fan and a white noise machine that help me make it through the night, but that's about it.

Thank you, everyone, and anyone who may respond. I'm grateful for your friendship and for knowing that I'm not alone.

 

[Pen Walker]

Hello!

I am sorry that happened to you, it really sounds like a lot. Did you visit an ENT? It is not great, but Prednisone is an option. Do you think you have hyperacusis, since you mentioned discomfort from noises?

How to make it through the day and night? Your experience is a little different from mine, because I do not really have hyperacusis, maybe only very mild. I barely ever masked, I just tried to deal with it as best as I could, although I sometimes mask it. I sleep in silence, although I have thought about switching on some background sounds.

How is your sleep?

 

[hubast]

Hello!

I am sorry that happened to you, it really sounds like a lot. Did you visit an ENT? It is not great, but Prednisone is an option. Do you think you have hyperacusis, since you mentioned discomfort from noises?

How to make it through the day and night? Your experience is a little different from mine, because I do not really have hyperacusis, maybe only very mild. I barely ever masked, I just tried to deal with it as best as I could, although I sometimes mask it. I sleep in silence, although I have thought about switching on some background sounds.

How is your sleep?

Hey there, @Pen Walker! How are you? It is great to hear from you and I hope you are doing fine. Yes, I saw an ENT and they did a hearing test, and it has not changed in the last 5 years. The cut in frequencies is still the same.

Yes, I definitely have hyperacusis, and my tinnitus has gone from brutal to finally just bothersome. In the beginning, I was breaking down 5 to 6 times a day at the onset of the reactive tinnitus. It was awful. Now it is just bad, but still a little bit better than at the onset, so I am taking that as a small success.

I have a formula for sleep that got me through the worst times in my life. I use an air filter with a built-in fan about three feet from my bedside, an Amazon white noise machine at the foot of the bed at a medium sound pressure level, and Mirtazapine 7.5 mg, with half a tablet before bed. It works about 95% of the time and leaves no sleeping pill hangover.