Tinnitus Getting Worse Over Time?

Hello, I hope someone can help me with this problem... I don't know what to do...

I have got tinnitus for over a year now and it seems that it is progressively getting worse now for the past few weeks, first it was only in the silence that I noticed it... then it got worse and it was getting harder and harder to mask but I was still able to go out and get out of it...

After a while I started noticing it even outside and with other ambient sounds in the background but it was still quite hard to notice it...

Now it is getting to the point where I am not comfortable anywhere in any way... I don't know what to do, I've been told I might be overprotecting my hears, (I majorly reduced my headphones exposure when I first got it, then completely stopped using them when it got worse) but now I do try to do things and live life but it seems that every noise that is a bit more loud makes this worst (or something else that I don't know is)

Please I am freaking out, I can't continue living knowing that it is only getting worse!!!

Does anyway have any idea what might be causing this?

Should I completely stop or leave anywhere that is the tiny least noisy???

How can someone live like this?

 

That's what I would have done (and have been doing)...

 

So you have been stuck in your home since the onset of your T?? of course i dont know where you live, but I live in a small town and even then, when I step out my door there is sounds (above tiny noise)

 

Hi ..it normally gets better with time . Have you had a chance to read positivity thread ?

 

But it is nearly impossible unless i stop going to school, stop helping my dad with shores and even stop going outside because of the cars

 

I wear earplugs or Peltor muffs when I go to get groceries and when I need to visit my office at work (I am able to work at home). If I were to hear any loud music, construction noise, etc., my plan is to quickly leave the area.

I did not go on a trip to Alaska that I booked before the onset of my T. I lost the cost of airfare (about $1000). After I didn't go to Alaska back in May, I was hoping to go on a road trip closer to home in August. Back in May, I thought I would be feeling a lot better in August than I am feeling now. So I will not be going on that road trip. All of this sucks, but if there is a 0.0001 (1% of 1%) chance that going on those trips might increase the volume of my T, the cost is overwhelmed by the expected benefit.

I wear earplugs whenever I am outside of my home. Unless you are at school, you can also wear earplugs underneath Peltor muffs (reducing the noise by another 5 dB, which is a lot). Peltor muffs look goofy, and people will think you are a weirdo, but that seems to be preferable to louder T.

 

Not if one keeps getting acoustic traumas. Mine got better, and then the progress got erased by a secondary acoustic trauma.

 

I totally agree. What your second acoustic trauma ? And when was it ?
I had two trauma ..one time a very LOUd firecracker went off about 5-6 feet and second time I went to a concert .

 

It was at the end of month 4 (about 9 weeks ago). I pressed an old landline phone (its volume stuck at max) to my bad ear. A person with healthy ears would not have even noticed it.

 

HI @Emanuel Lourenco

I advise you not to use headphones even at low volume. At night use a sound machine by your bedside for sound enrichment. Please click on the links below and read my articles on tinnitus that you might find helpful. Try to read them in full and not skim through them.
All the best
Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

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

 

@Emanuel Lourenco
You need to try and live your life as normal as possible and that means going out and not staying at home. If you are sensitive to sound then use "noise reducing earplugs" temporary and be careful not to overuse them. Please read my articles in the links that I have sent you. The more you get stressed over this the louder and more intrusive the tinnitus will appear to be. If you are feeling stressed, something which is often associated with tinnitus, have a word with your GP and something might be prescribed to help settle you. Please remember not to use headphones even at low volume. Try to avoid quiet rooms and surroundings especially at night. Use sound enrichment.

Michael

 

@Bill Bauer ..I remember once my office telephone was close to my ears at very loud volume and it caused spike .
I was on my cell phone just 10 mins ago and after I hung up I feel it caused spike ..but honestly I don't think this would cause permanent damage .

 

In my case, for over a month hiss was replaced with a high pitch tone. Two months after the incident, I would say it is a high pitch tone the majority of the time now (it would be a hiss the majority of the time before the incident)...

 

He has been doing that, and now his T is unbearable. My suggestion is to Stop pretending that your life is normal, and adjust. Telling one of us to pretend that his or her life is normal, is like telling someone with an allergy to pretend they don't have an allergy and to expose themselves to the things they are allergic to.

 

With respect. The person is question has probably been listening to music through headphones and going to places where loud music is played. This is the likely reason the tinnitus has got worse. Staying at home will not make the situation better in fact worse. Please read my post again and you may change your opinion.

Michael

 

I am not sure how loud it gets when phone speaker is directly close to ear canal . I was pressing my phone to my ear and I feel my T has spiked ..really sucks man !!

 

@Bill Bauer ..hi bill but just staying home all the time will push us in to depression.
Staying home all the time even without any damage will cause boredom and depression .
I feel one should go out to malls ,restaurants etc. if needed you can wear heavy duty ear plugs but I believe going out is a must .
I have T from 6 years and if I didn't go out ..I would be In a very very dark place .
I go to office ..restaurants..malls ..park even went out of country 4-5 times .
I believe we should protect our ears but going out is a must IMHO.

 

I just put my cell phone iPhone speaker next to hand held dB better and it barely showed around 60 DB . I was talking to my friend on the other line .

 

I thought that when you wrote the sentence below you were encouraging the author of this thread to visit places where loud music might be played.

 

Indeed. In my experience, something like a door slamming is not as serious as incidents involving the sound going directly into one's ear canal.

 

Hey Emanuel. Can you give some examples of noises that seemed to make things worse? Are there prolonged periods without much noise? Do you experience a lot of stress/anxiety? Just trying to get a feel for what's going on in your life.

 

@Michael Leigh , do you think restaurant around 80 DB with no music is loud ? I at one as I am writing .
Every one what's your thought ?

 

Noise is around 85-90 DB with no music . Just a restaurant with lot of people .

 

HI @Sean

I have read your first post and see that your tinnitus was originally caused by headphone use listening at high volume. That was some time ago and the tinnitus did calm down. I read that your tinnitus increased after watching a movie? I advise you to be careful and use noise reducing earplugs when going to places like the movies even then, one isn't 100% safe. If external sound is loud enough it can reach to the inner ear by bone conduction. The same applies if you go to clubs, you need to be careful of loud sounds. It is your choice whether you intend going to these venues.

Please read my post: Hyperacusis As I see it. The link is below. In it I mention I went to a venue last year and the sound levels reached 100 db and I had no problems. This wasn't a nightclub but an Arcade on the Brighton Pier, near where live. My point is we are all different so I can't say for certain whether sound levels of 80 to 90db in a restaurant will cause problems for you. Ordinarily I don't think it should. However, since your tinnitus has spiked due to the movie that you went to see, it might be a good idea to wear noise reducing earplugs when in a noisy environment. Your ears will let you know if a place is too loud. In any case if I were you I'd have a pair of noise reducing earplugs on my person at all times just as a precaution until your tinnitus settles down.

Continue using sound enrichment at night and if possible, use a standalone sound machine like an Oasis S-650.

All the best
Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

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

 

My mistake. I forgot to mention to the person in question not to visit places were loud music is played. You were quite right to bring this to my attention and thank you.

Michael

 

Thank you for your input, I am trying to live my life normally but I am always afraid every noise a bit more high than usual will make my situation worse... I have been stressing a lot about my T... I am still not sure this is what is making it worse... I just wish it could get some improvement to what it used to be

 

I am feeling very stressed about this and desperate most times now... I don't know what to do anymore

 

HI @Emanuel Lourenco

Please read the articles in the links that I sent you, and I believe they will set you on the right track. There are some very knowledgeable people on this forum that can help you too. I also advise that you get a referral to ENT for tests and if possible see a Hearing Therapist.

Michael

 

I have read the articles and I am scared to know this most likely will last my entire life... I have seen an ENT who just told me my hearing was at "normal levels" and that "i should just relax" because it is most likely about stress....

 

My articles are available in PDF format which you can print if you have a printer. I can send them to you by email and I advise that you do this. You will absorb the information much better than reading it on a computer screen. You can then take your time and read it slowly. This way you will understand that tinnitus, although stressful for many people at first, does calm down with time and gets better as you habituate.

The anxiety and stress that you feel at the moment is quite normal for people new to tinnitus, but as I've said will go in time. Talk to your doctor about this who may prescribe something to help relax you. As I've said in my articles, it's important to start using sound enrichment at night by using a sound machine by your bedside.

If you want me to send you my articles in PDF then PM me with your email address.
All the best
Michael