Something I've Noticed (Tinnitus Getting Irritated by Every Sound)

[Binyamin]

Does anyone else's tinnitus seems to be irritated by every sound?

When I am in a quiet place all I have is a constant not to loud tinnitus. But when I am exposed to sound I have this fluctuating high pitched sound that is a lot worse.

It isn't a constant sound like the other one it's kind of like someone scratching a board on and off. I find myself putting earmuffs on and just enjoying hearing a constant sound and not an ever changing high scritch.

Does anyone have a similar experience? I haven't managed to find anything similar on the forum.

Every one talks about white noise helping them, and I feel like total silence helps me

 

[devonlee]

I experience this at times. When my tinnitus is at it loudest, which is usually at the end of a night shift, and I'm driving home, I find the road noise irritates my ears and makes the tinnitus worse. I still listen to and enjoy music but I do find that when it's playing in the car, my tinnitus increases with the volume of the music. It is weird because at other times, neither of these sounds bother my tinnitus. My tinnitus is constant and high pitched. It never changes tone, only volume.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Binyamin
You are experiencing hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound) it comes in different forms of severity. Click on the links below and read my articles: Tinnitus, A Personal View and Hyperacusis, As I see it. I believe you will find them helpful. It is better to Print them rather than just read on the computer screen.

Best of luck
Michael
PS: Wearing earmuffs too often is not a good idea.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

[Binyamin]

@Binyamin
You are experiencing hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound) it comes in different forms of severity. Click on the links below and read my articles: Tinnitus, A Personal View and Hyperacusis, As I see it. I believe you will find them helpful. It is better to Print them rather than just read on the computer screen.

Best of luck
Michael
PS: Wearing earmuffs too often is not a good idea.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

HI! Thank you for taking the time to answer my question and to write these helpful articles. I just read them and would like to ask a few questions.
1. When I hear noise I don't feel any pain but just have a spike in my tinnitus. Is this also considered hyperactivity? Because people usually say it comes with physical pain
2. I read how you described your emt experience. When I saw a doctor all he said was that I have tinnitus and that I should take a hearing test (which showed no hearing loss). He did not ask any specific questions about my tinnitus and did not conducted any additional test. In your opinion should I go back and ask him to give me other tests?
3. My tinnitus started after a got a blow to the ear. It came for a few months and then got better and I practically forgot about it. Half a year later it's back now for a few months. There was no trauma that I can think of that did this. So my question is, do you suppose it's just going to go away again?
4. Through out the year and a bit since my ear got hit, if I really listend I could always hear the constant classic tinnitus pitch, which doesn't really bother me. What does bother me is the non constant very high piched noise that is affected by sound. It is not always there and is usually worse in the evening. It isn't exactly pulsating but it definitely isn't a consistent sound but more pulses of scraping like sound. Does this mean anything specific? Is this just another type of tinnitus sound?
I know this is a lot to read, but I would really appreciate getting some answers to these questions. Thank you in advance!

 

[Binyamin]

@Binyamin
You are experiencing hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound) it comes in different forms of severity. Click on the links below and read my articles: Tinnitus, A Personal View and Hyperacusis, As I see it. I believe you will find them helpful. It is better to Print them rather than just read on the computer screen.

Best of luck
Michael
PS: Wearing earmuffs too often is not a good idea.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

PS. I have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a few months ago, but no one seems to think there is a connection.
Also sometimes my ear become red and hot, something that only happens very rarely is my other not tinnitus ear. Do you think this is connected?

 

[Michael Leigh]

. When I hear noise I don't feel any pain but just have a spike in my tinnitus. Is this also considered hyperactivity? Because people usually say it comes with physical pain

1. Some people call this: Reactive tinnitus but I call it hypercusis. Not all hyperacusis causes pain. You are clearly sensitive to sound, so I'd advise following some the suggestions that I mention in my post: Hyperacusis, As I See It.

2. I read how you described your emt experience. When I saw a doctor all he said was that I have tinnitus and that I should take a hearing test (which showed no hearing loss). He did not ask any specific questions about my tinnitus and did not conducted any additional test. In your opinion should I go back and ask him to give me other tests?

I don't know what part of the world you live? This can have a bearing on the type of treatment you will have at ENT. Any ENT department worth its salt, should carry out the tests that I've indicated in my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. If you haven't had those tests then I advise you to go elsewhere if possible.

3. My tinnitus started after a got a blow to the ear. It came for a few months and then got better and I practically forgot about it. Half a year later it's back now for a few months. There was no trauma that I can think of that did this. So my question is, do you suppose it's just going to go away again?

Tinnitus is a complex condition and no two people experience it the same. Yours could go away again anything is possible. I advise that you don't listen to music through headphones even at low volume. I advise you to use a sound machine at night by your bedside. Information about this in in my article.

4. Through out the year and a bit since my ear got hit, if I really listend I could always hear the constant classic tinnitus pitch, which doesn't really bother me. What does bother me is the non constant very high piched noise that is affected by sound. It is not always there and is usually worse in the evening. It isn't exactly pulsating but it definitely isn't a consistent sound but more pulses of scraping like sound. Does this mean anything specific? Is this just another type of tinnitus sound?

Try not to deliberately listen to your tinnitus as your mind will then be constantly searching for it and it could make it more intrusive. Play low level non intrusive music such as classical in the background or relaxing music. Quiet rooms and surroundings are best avoided. Using sound enrichment as I've mentioned is a good way of achieving this.

I don't know whether your recent diagnoses of type 1 diabetes and the medication you're taking will have any impact on your tinnitus. It is important to maintain correct blood sugar levels. So regular monitoring of what you eat and blood sugar testing is a good way to achieve this.

All the best
Michael

 

[Binyamin]

1. Some people call this: Reactive tinnitus but I call it hypercusis. Not all hyperacusis causes pain. You are clearly sensitive to sound, so I'd advise following some the suggestions that I mention in my post: Hyperacusis, As I See It.

I don't know what part of the world you live? This can have a bearing on the type of treatment you will have at ENT. Any ENT department worth its salt, should carry out the tests that I've indicated in my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. If you haven't had those tests then I advise you to go elsewhere if possible.


Tinnitus is a complex condition and no two people experience it the same. Yours could go away again anything is possible. I advise that you don't listen to music through headphones even at low volume. I advise you to use a sound machine at night by your bedside. Information about this in in my article.



Try not to deliberately listen to your tinnitus as your mind will then be constantly searching for it and it could make it more intrusive. Play low level non intrusive music such as classical in the background or relaxing music. Quiet rooms and surroundings are best avoided. Using sound enrichment as I've mentioned is a good way of achieving this.

I don't know whether your recent diagnoses of type 1 diabetes and the medication you're taking will have any impact on your tinnitus. It is important to maintain correct blood sugar levels. So regular monitoring of what you eat and blood sugar testing is a good way to achieve this.

All the best
Michael

I'm regardes to the medical tests. I'm from Israel and we have pretty good health care here is think. Because the tinnitus started from a blow to the ear, I think a MRI is irrelevant isn't it? What test should I ask my doctor to conduct?

 

[Michael Leigh]

I'm regardes to the medical tests. I'm from Israel and we have pretty good health care here is think. Because the tinnitus started from a blow to the ear, I think a MRI is irrelevant isn't it? What test should I ask my doctor to conduct?

You shouldn't have to ask the doctor anything. I think an MRI is very important especially with a blow to the ear. MRI is considered to be a standard procedure for anyone that has tinnitus.
Hope this helps
Michael

 

[slipware]

Yes I'm the same, reactive tinnitus. Silence can be my friend.

 

[3ri0w]

Does the non-constant tinnitus react to music? Like does the tinnitus beep to the same rhyhm as music..bee--beep-be-be---beep

 

[SilverSpiral]

Is it both ears or just the one you got hit in?
Check my thread i have similar symptoms https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hearing-distortion-recruitment-reactive-tinnitus.19449/

 

[Binyamin]

You shouldn't have to ask the doctor anything. I think an MRI is very important especially with a blow to the ear. MRI is considered to be a standard procedure for anyone that has tinnitus.
Hope this helps
Michael

What would an MRI be able to show? What can a blow to the ear do that a MRI can detect?

 

[Binyamin]

Is it both ears or just the one you got hit in?
Check my thread i have similar symptoms https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hearing-distortion-recruitment-reactive-tinnitus.19449/

Just one. My right ear

 

[Michael Leigh]

What would an MRI be able to show? What can a blow to the ear do that a MRI can detect?

Please Google MRI and the Ear or read my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View, in the link below. I describe the use of MRI

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

[Binyamin]

Please Google MRI and the Ear or read my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View, in the link below. I describe the use of MRI

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

HI I did read it.
"Another procedure that tinnitus patients are likely to have is an MRI scan. Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It will enable the ENT specialist to closely examine the inside of your ear and brain to see if there is an acoustic neuroma present. An acoustic neuroma is a benign slow growing tumour attached to the eighth cranial nerve, also known as the vestibulocochlear nerve. It connects the inner ear to the brain. It can cause problems such as hearing loss, dizziness and tinnitus."
You say that a MRI will check if I have an acoustic neuroma. If my tinnitus started from a blow to the ear wouldn't that make it very unlikely? Why did you say that a MRI is very important when dealing with a blow to the ear?

Either way I will ask my docter to have a MRI, just to be sure

 

[Michael Leigh]

make it very unlikely? Why did you say that a MRI is very important when dealing with a blow to the ear?

An MRI scan is a standard procedure for anyone that is seen at ENT with tinnitus. Ask anyone in this forum and most of them will tell you they've had an MRI scan when seen at ENT. If you don't think it's relevant that's fine.
I wish you well and hope your symptoms improve.
Michael