Tinnitus, Dysacusis and Low-Frequency Hyperacusis?

Dear all,

I have been dealing with tinnitus for some time now, and for the most part, I had gotten used to it. Occasionally, I struggled with it for a few weeks, but it wasn't a major issue. However, over the years, I developed additional auditory problems such as hearing bass sounds and sound distortion, but they partially subsided and were not a significant part of my life anymore.

However, at the end of 2023, my tinnitus suddenly became more severe. I initially thought it might be due to a cold or something similar. It did improve a little, but fully returned in January 2024. Since then, I have been really struggling with a very high-pitched tinnitus at around 14,000 Hz, which is difficult to mask and reactive to white noise. This has led me to feel quite depressed, despite my belief that habituation was possible but would take time, which kept me optimistic.

Unfortunately, more issues have arisen:

• Dysacusis fully returned in April, making it difficult to listen to music in the car to distract from the tinnitus.
• Voices became difficult to listen to due to crackling and echoing at a certain frequency.
• My ear and jaw feel full and stiff, possibly due to some TMJ factor.
• I have become very sensitive to low-frequency noise, experiencing discomfort and nausea from bass sounds, even when talking.

I am struggling with this new situation and how to proceed in life. I have a wife and child, and while I am not suicidal, I am mourning the life I had just a few weeks ago and hoping to find relief.

Best regards,
Sadnoise

 

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk. I'm sorry that you are struggling with high-pitched tinnitus and other conditions. Your ears can be unstable for the time being while your body tries to heal any abnormalities. It will take some time for the ears to settle. Make sure to see an ENT to rule out any medical causes for your situation, such as TMJ, ETD, ear fluids or earwax build-up, etc. If there is any comfort I can share, I also have a very high-pitched tinnitus and severe hyperacusis. I also suffered SSHL in my left ear and lost all hearing from it. A new jet-engine-like loud tinnitus started in the deaf left ear. Life was a struggle at first, a nightmare of sorts initially. But time has done some healing, and now I live a normal and happy life. The body has hardened to the ringing, and hyperacusis has faded.

In my success story, I share some helpful strategies. I hope they can help you cope with your situation.

Take care. God bless.

From Darkness to Light, How I Recovered from Tinnitus & Hyperacusis