Thoughts About Large Increase In Tinnitus Volume?

I've had tinnitus since my thirties... for about 30 years. It was generally OK as the volume was not too loud and I had but a single frequency (7100 Hz).

Over the last 4 months the level of my tinnitus has increased drastically, so much so that it is noticeable to me all the time and has made hearing more difficult. I additionally I sometimes get periodic lower tones that last for a while and then go away, as well as the occasional click which seems to be related to head movement.

I think maybe, but cannot be sure, that the loudness increased as a result of doing one of those audio notch tests to determine tinnitus frequency. At my tinnitus frequency, I had to turn the volume up extremely loud to hear it at all in my right ear, and only astoundingly loud in my left ear.

Any thoughts about this... or any other causes that might cause the increase?

And, since I am apparently so blindingly deaf at my tinnitus frequency, I don't see how any type of notched noise program could make any difference. Thoughts?

 

Hi there @Strong Eagle, just throwing an idea out there, but have you thought about trying a hearing and and just seeing if that helps or not?

Perhaps your tinnitus is really louder, that certainly happens, but perhaps it also perhaps just seems louder if your hearing acuity has lessened and you don't have as much incoming natural sound to go off of.

 

Yeah I had the same...cranking it up to find my frequecy and ended up with plugged sore ears and worse tinnitus permanantly.

 

Instead of notched noise or masking, I suggest you consider TRT or CBT. In either of those approaches the tinnitus frequency is irrelevant.

stephen nagler

 

Thanks for the idea... however, I have been wearing hearing aids since early 2005. When I took my first job in Asia and when on my first con call with people from Japan to India, I realized that I would be doomed without hearing aids.

I'm now on my third set... ReSound... model that was current in 2013.

 

Ah, I'm sorry to hear that @Strong Eagle. I wish I had a better suggestion. Things that helped me the most have been meditation/mindfulness, but I know there are a lot of people on the forum who will probably have great advice, too.

I wouldn't blame the test you took for a change in T, especially after 30 years. Could it just be a spike? Even if it is a long term change, T is just not well enough understood and is unpredictable. Sometimes what looks like a reason is more of a coincidence.

 

@Strong Eagle , I really doubt that turning a frequency that you can't hear up in volume can do any damage at all.

How can something you can't hear damage you? It doesn't make any sense to me at all!

Just my thoughts anyway.

 

Doctor,

After more than 30 years of living with tinnitus, this recent increase isn't going to make much difference... I'll live with it, just as I have lived with it in the preceding 30 years. It is what it is.

What it has made me do is try to understand whether or not there might be a root cause for the increase in volume, and what I might be able to do to address that root cause. For example, I quit taking multi vitamin supplements a few months ago based upon quite a few medical comments that they are unnecessary. Now, I've read that certain vitamin supplements _might_ be useful and I've returned to a daily supplement to see what happens.

I've also tried to determine in my blood pressure medication might have something to do with it. I quit taking my meds for several weeks and it made no difference. Unfortunately, this kind of 'single blind' test doesn't tell me very much... for example, perhaps the effect of the meds becomes permanent.

I do think that perhaps using some sort of masking sounds may prove useful... I work in a quiet office and that makes my tinnitus more 'present'... if I'm engaged in activities or listening to a show or music, I am less aware of the noise.

Appreciate your pointers. Cheers.

 

My mistake. When I suggested CBT or TRT, it was under the assumption that your tinnitus was bothersome to you or that it significantly affected your life. If it is no big deal, then I certainly would not recommend either of those protocols, the goal of which would be to basically make your tinnitus no big deal!!!!!

All the best -

stephen nagler