Short Introduction

[OptimusPrimed]

Hi All,

I would like to give my story to offer help and hope to others.

I went hunting during October of 2007 and had a great day hunting. I actually brought earplugs but in my anxiousness to get a few shots at the first bird of the day neglected to wear them. Fired around two boxes of shells, some shots were in very close succession. Usually when you fire a gunshot, you experience what is known at a temporary threshold...your hearing fades out and rings and comes back.

Unfortunately after firing at a few ducks; my hearing never came back. I went home and complained about ringing to my brother and family. I was told; wait, it will go away. Never did. That was seven years ago.

I fell into a deep depression. I was extremely depressed and slept many hours of the day. I was prescribed Effexor. Over time the Effexor allowed to me to recover somewhat. I became used to the symptoms and was able to live again. Antidepressants really do help with this illness. The illness causes anxiety, stress, and depression. Antidepressants work on the brain (where tinnitus is perceived), and can help many cope with it. I am no longer on the pills, I have been off of them since 2008.

My symptoms are as follows: A very high pitched solid tone...accompanied by a "whistling". This tone/whistling is occasionally complimented with very high pitched "electrical" chirps and squeaks. In addition to my tinnitus I have something else...I am not sure if it is recruitment or hyperacusis. Certain frequencies at certain loudness levels cause "static" feedback and kind of hurt my ears. It sounds almost "buzzy" when I hear certain things (including my own voice and my loved ones). This is more troubling than the tinnitus itself.

I was doing pretty good with my symptoms until I went to a club a couple weeks ago and aggravated things. I had really become desensitized to the symptoms and I'm sure it will happen again. My conditions change with stress, the weather, and fatigue. I've stopped by here to see if anything had changed in the past seven years since I developed my hearing issues. It is very hopeful to see the various research news and clinical trials taking place for both hearing loss restoration and tinnitus medication. The key with living with this stuff is to be positive. Someone always has it worse than you do. Trust me. My girlfriend has severe meniere's and on times cannot walk. Tinnitus really isn't that bad, and I am sure that much more of the population has it then what is reported.

Pink noise, the sounds of rivers and rain will provide me the relief I need right now. For those of you who are truly struggling in the initial stages; antidepressants are a viable solution. They DO quiet both the hyperacusis and the tinnitus. Habituation is a slow process. It does NOT happen overnight. I will be trying hearing aids soon enough.

Stay positive people. I have finished two degrees between the onset of this illness and present day. I am striving to become a medical professional myself and help others who have suffered hearing loss. I know that we will have new therapies (probably within my lifetime). Hair cell regeneration looks and sounds (excuse the pun) extremely promising. If they can fix the inner ear, I have a very strong suspicion that the tinnitus and recruitment will dissipate given adequate auditory nerve stimulation.

 

[OptimusPrimed]

Forgot to mention all of my hearing problems are in my right ear (gun ear). I have perfect hearing in my left ear. Also have that feeling of "fullness" in my right ear.

Cheers

 

[billie48]

Welcome. Great introduction, OptimusPrimed, and an inspiring one. It is amazing you can cope with your T so well and even finish all the studies. Admirable. My T is very high pitch too. I needed masking constantly during the start. Masking is a way of life for many T sufferers. Even some long timers are using sound machines at bed time. Do you need masking for sleep? My T is usually loudest when waking up.

 

[OptimusPrimed]

Hi Billie48,

The T is annoying, I will not lie. But if I am feeling very well and unstressed it is certainly less noticeable. If I sleep with no sounds in the room it can annoy me, but I would eventually fall asleep.I usually sleep with a fan or small water fountain. If this is unavailable, I will focus on the ringing tones and try and "interpret" the chirps and squeaks...I'll really get lost in the tone/whistling sound. I know it is strange...but in a way it is almost comforting; it has become a part of who I am now. If you focus enough on the tone you will in a sense just give in to it. I learned this from buddhists in Myanmar; focus on pain and you will cope with it better. Being mindful or your situation is key.

I have a lot of trouble with the hyperacusis/recruitment associated with the acoustic trauma. Certain tones/loudness levels distort incoming sounds. They sound almost like static or "buzzy"...similar to a broken speaker. Even my own voice causes this effect when I speak at a certain loudness level. This is the most troubling aspect of my injury. I have read many things saying that it may be caused by a muscle imbalance, misplaced bone or general nerve damage. It REALLY sucks. I have thought about trying a hearing aid but I'm not sure if I should. I would love feedback on this...

Stress and anxiety levels are key. I was slow to believe it at first but I truly believe that the auditory cortex responds to, and simultaneously influences, our emotional state. If you feel good, your symptoms will be less noticeable and easier to cope with. Conversely; if you feel bad your symptoms will be more noticeable. I'm human though, I have my good days and my bad days.