Spontaneous Recovery Stats: Many Recover (3 Studies)

Over the years, I've been treated on and off for my TMJ by a physical therapist.

I mostly don't feel any pain or limitations in my jaw, it's just that I can't chew, swallow, or move my neck without hearing any internal sounds. Similar to tinnitus (I guess?), it took a few years to habituate to it. However, ever since developing tinnitus, my habituation has been faltering. Most likely due to increased concentration to that area of my body.

Are there any other possible treatments you'd suggest?

 

I guess at this point you will just want to avoid any further trauma to your ears, and hope that you will be one of the people who report experiencing fading after more than a year of no change...

 

Whether you try or not, you will get there. With time your brain will lose focus on the tinnitus and the tinnitus will no longer affect you in any way. It will just be there and it will slowly fade into the background of your awareness until it no longer is in your awareness at all.

 

@stillsinging I wanted to share with you that I had very very extremely intrusive tinnitus for a year. Many times I wanted to kill myself and also did try but was stopped. I couldn’t sleep for days. Everyday I was crying in the middle of the night next to a fridge to mask tinnitus. I spent all my money on ENTs,

Neuromonics, audiologists, saw tinnitus specialists, psychiatrists and psychologists and even wanted to go to USA to see Jastreboff. I know fully what you are facing, please listen to us here. Don’t lose hope. Give yourself time, a lot of time... I know we all know it’s never going to go away but it’s true that you will not be like this down the road.

Protect your ears at all cost. This is the only effective treatment for me and best of all it costs nothing. I avoid loud noises and always use ear plugs more than is necessary. I learnt it the hard way after spending all my money on doctors and treatments. The best way forward is to protect your ears.

 

@stillsinging I had a lot of fading going on. First the fear faded. Then the anxiety faded. Then the depression faded. Then the attention to the tinnitus faded. Then the notion of having tinnitus faded.

 

Seems like tinnitus from acoustic shock has a good chance of fading. I do wonder about idiopathic tinnitus with regards to recovery...

 

Interesting thread. I'm 3 months in concussion caused tinnitus much like Ronnie Carzotto above. He hasn't been seen here in over a year. Maybe his eventually faded to a manageable level? I know I sure could use some hope. I think if someone said it will probably be gone in a year or even two I would feel better. I know that no one can say that though.

I certainly feel like my brain should turn it down in time. My concussion was mild, and it's hard to believe it's still haunting me in such a constant way. Turned my life upside down. Tinnitus is relentless and it dwarfs any other problems that I've ever faced before. Makes them all seem trivial in comparison. I'm amazed by the mental toughness that folks who have habituated have. They are inspiring.

 

As my hyperacusis is slowly getting better, my anxiety and fear are also getting better.

In turn, this helps me cope with tinnitus better. It's not fading, but at least I'm not continuously stressed out anymore.

 

Habituation is great, but it shouldn't be confused with actual improvement. Honestly the stories of actual volume decrease are far more meaningful. "You'll get used to it" is akin to saying "You'll always have it", so I actually think this is not the most supportive or optimistic thing to tell someone.

 

Thank you for sharing this. I did not realize this, as I was focusing more on the anxiety reduction, not the volume reduction. I still think that there are a lot of forum visitors that have more issues with the anxiety than with anything else. But I will take your point of view into account for my future comments.

 

Good to hear!