Tinnitus Spikes — How Do You Know If It's Just a Spike or If It's Permanent?

A lot of people have experienced tinnitus spikes.

They all worry if the spike will be permanent or not.

How do you know if it's just a spike or not?

 

HI @robHing

It all depends on the severity of the spike and duration? Some people have spikes in their tinnitus for no apparent reason and within a few hours or days it will return to baseline. However, a spike following exposure to loud noise, sounds or headphone use can mean something entirely different. Sometimes the tinnitus will return to its previous level but there are no guarantees of this. I corresponded with someone at another forum, whose tinnitus regularly spikes after going clubbing and always return to baseline after a few days. I have warned him to be careful because tinnitus spiking due to loud sounds, is a sign the auditory system doesn't like it.

His excuse is: Tinnitus is not going to rule his life. He hasn't a clue what he's dealing with, because tinnitus can be ruthless and very unforgiving if it's not treated with respect. Please read my post below.

Why has my tinntus spiked? Why has my tinnitus & hyperacusis increased?

I believe when tinnitus and hyperacusis was caused by exposure to loud noise and the symptoms have reduced over time and a person habituates. If these conditions start to become worse again, it is likely (but not always) the reason is due to being around loud sounds or in some cases headphone use might be responsible. A prelude to this can be tinnitus spiking and a person might not be aware of the risks they are putting themselves to.

Tinnitus can and does spike for many people and this is not necessarily caused by loud noise or sounds. After a while it usually returns to baseline or into its normal rhythm. Danger can present itself after a person habituates and the tinnitus has reduced to mild or moderate levels for most of the time. If one isn’t careful, it can be easy to forget and slip back into the old lifestyle of: Attending clubs, concerts and the cinema where sound levels can be quite high.

I think a person with tinnitus should attend clubs, concerts and the cinema if they want to, providing they use noise-reducing earplugs to protect themselves. However, one should remember that nothing is one hundred percent safe. If external sound is loud enough it is able to pass through the mastoid bone and enter the inner ear and could irritate the cochlea. The mastoid bone is the hard piece of bone behind each ear. It is honeycombed with air pockets.

When at a club or concert, my advice is to stay clear of large standing floor speakers and not to go too near the front stage where the music is likely to be booming out at high sound levels.

In many instances people will get a warning when visiting these places. If the decibel levels are too high their tinnitus might spike and then return to baseline. However, some people do not pay attention to these warnings and continue to subject their ears to loud sounds and think they are perfectly safe because they are wearing earplugs. Under these circumstances the tinnitus might spike again and this time it might become permanent. I am saying might because nothing is for certain. In my opinion a person with tinnitus needs to follow the warnings their auditory system and tinnitus is telling them.

Regarding headphones. Many people have contacted me after they have habituated to tinnitus and returned to using headphones and listened to music through them at low volume. All of them have noticed an increase in their tinnitus. Some of them noticed their tinnitus spiked but carried on listening to music through headphones and then the tinnitus increased to a higher and more permanent level.

It must be said, that some people with tinnitus use headphones and have no adverse effects and that is perfectly fine. My opinion on this is, anyone that has tinnitus that was caused by exposure to loud noise, shouldn’t listen to any type of audio through headphones even at low level.

It saddens to say, if a person doesn’t heed the warning signs their auditory system and tinnitus is telling them, then they will eventually learn, because tinnitus is very unforgiving. It is fine when some people are telling others what they want to hear: "listen to music through headphones because life is for living". “Go to the club as often as possible you’re safe with earplugs. If your tinnitus increases you will be the one that will be in the suffering.

I have read many posts at Tinnitus Talk, where people had habituated and the tinnitus is low. They returned to listening to music through headphones and clubbing during the week and weekends. Some are now regretting this because their tinnitus has increased and they are in distress. Just because a person habituates doesn't mean they can forget everything and carry on in some instances recklessly. You can of course do this but my advice is to do things in moderation and not to excess, because the end result is often returning to ENT for help and visiting tinnitus forums because you are unable to cope.

Michael

 

@robHing,
Only time will tell if a spike will go back down and usually they do for most people .
Always worth having your ears checked incase it's wax build up etc.

Love glynis