Tinnitus Spiking with Pink Noise?

I have hyperacusis, but a major feature of it (in recent months) has been tinnitus. I've attempted pink noise therapy with headphones on and off over the past few months, but I don't know if it's done much, atleast lately, because I've gotten in the habit of listening on my headphones for other things, and I've also been cranking up the volume on listening to pink noise. I can handle it at very high volumes now, but I'm not sure if that's what I should actually be going by. It's the worst it's been in a few months now. And whenever I try listening to pink noise, there's a spike regardless of whether it's at a low or high volume- and the spike is of the same intensity.

I had another poster tell me that if it spikes within 15 minutes of playing pink noise on the lowest setting, then that's has to be what's best for me making use of it anymore. Yet it spikes immediately. I've lost track of whether this was the case when I first started it, or when exactly this developed.

 

You may have heard this from others on this forum that the use of earphones or headphones is not recommended for those with noise induced tinnitus. The fact that you're cranking up the volume makes it even worse. If you do use headphones, the understanding is that you should set the volume just below that of your tinnitus. I've learned (after 7 years) that almost any masker resembling my tinnitus pitch makes my tinnitus spike.

 

Well I've technically always had very mild tinnitus, and even though my primary issue is hyperacusis, tinnitus has been a component, and it became a prominent issue a few months ago when I exacerbated it with a threshold test. When I first started pink noise therapy a few months back it really seemed to help. But now that's debatable. I mean, I just checked that even when I have the pink noise on the lowest perceptible volume, below even my tinnitus, it still causes it to spike.

So if I shouldn't use pink noise or anything resembling my tinnitus with headphones (or at all), what should I do? Have I actually made it worse using pink noise like this?

 

You can listen to pink noise with speakers? Buy a pair of high quality speakers.

 

Srebint sometimes you need to experiment with other masking sounds. The pink noise obviously triggers higher tinnitus for you. It happens. But yeah, always have it at a level slightly lower.

 

What are some other noises should I consider for therapy? I'm guessing I should avoid any that could cause it to spike?

 

Buying high quality speakers and listening to white or pink noise through them is unlikely to work as a treatment and frankly is a waste of money. To treat hyperacusis or tinnitus it has to be done correctly and it's much more complex than some people think. The best method is to use 2 white noise generators. Some are dual purpose having white and pink noise which are selectable such as mine. The sound level should be set slightly below the tinnitus. However, due to the complexities of tinnitus and hyperacusis people are often affected by stress and anxiety, so sound therapy as a treatment may not work on its own. Counselling with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist may be required. Using headphones and playing white or pink noise through them as a form of long term treatment for tinnitus and hyperacusis, is not likely to work and could make these conditions worse.

Michael

 

White noise generators alone cost over $1,000, and the only specialist I'm aware of nearby that offers therapy combined with those would charge over $3,000. My only real hope seems to be whatever studies come up at the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary, or engage in self-therapy with sound that doesn't trigger my hyperacusis/tinnitus.

If anyone has any suggestions for other noise therapy to try, let me know.

 

@Srebint,
Try Brown noise or purple noise or white noise.
Play then on the lowest setting of headphones and see how you go .
I asked Professor David Baguley if people could not afford White noise generators could they play it through headphones on the lowest setting or earphones.
He said yes you can.
So if you do try it then you must make really sure you have them set on the lowest setting... only short 10 minute breaks from tinnitus at a time to start with.
If you can do it with a free standing unit then that would be the first option or pillow speakers.
Love glynis x

 

I've been trying out this deep purple noise recording at low volumes for a few hours now, and my tinnitus hasn't spiked at all:

Super Deep Purple Noise for 12 Hours

I'll try out other such recordings too, but I still feel bits of discomfort and irritation/pain while listening to this, that I don't readily experience in day to day experience. Is it normal to feel such things undergoing "sound therapy" such as this?

 

@Srebint,
I find the purple sound better for my high hiss and low sound.
It does take time so increase time with it day to day but as I said earlier only short intervals when you need a break and play relaxing music on in between.
Love glynis x
Keep it set low .

 

Is experiencing bits of discomfort and irritation/pain while listening normal or to be expected though? I had the same thing going on eventually with pink noise, and it all served to make things worse.

I listened to several hours yesterday and it seemed to help. Is there really a set timeframe I should go by? Should I vary it with other types of concentrated sound? I'm hesitant about trying white noise or anything high pitched.

 

When white or pink noise is supplied to the ear using white noise generators, there is not usually any discomfort, irritation or pain. However, when they are first used some people might experience discomfort and even pain. Their tinnitus may also increase but this is usually temporary. Under these conditions, it is advised that the white noise generators are introduced to the ears and auditory system slowly over time because of hypersensitivity. At first they are worn for 1 or 2hrs and then taken off for the same duration. They are then worn for another 1 or 2hrs and removed. This is repeated

Over a few weeks the wearing time of the WNG is increased until a total wearing type of 6 to 10hrs is achieved without a break. To benefit from using white or pink noise, a continuous wearing of up to 6 hrs at least should be achieved. The auditory system has to be continuously supplied with low level white or pink noise, in order for tinnitus and hyperacusis to be treated correctly. This is mentioned in the TRT book written by Professor Jastreboff. I was advised this by my Hearing Therapist when I was on the TRT programme. At night, white noise generators shouldn't be worn. Instead, a sound machine should be used by the bedside.

Michael

 

Do you use an app for purple noise? My tinnitus is very high pitch, too, and I’d like to try purple noise.

I use a $100 Bose wireless speaker paired with an app multiple audiologists recommended. The sound quality is wonderful. Honestly, I think it is better than the hearing aid with white noise that I tried out last year.

 

I went from purple noise to smoothed brown noise, and I've listened to that for several hours a day (brown and purple noise are as bad as pink noise for me). I also make sure to avoid using headphones for anything else and wear earplugs/coverage during the typical vulnerable periods, which now includes driving (but obviously enough to still hear my surroundings), but I thought I'd gotten past that until this recent exacerbation. Though it also effects me when I'm watching TV, not terribly, but it's hard to wear headphones for that. I don't watch much TV though, and it's nothing compared to seconds of headphone noise.

But the smoothed purple and brown noise doesn't seem to be doing a thing. It's certainly not making things worse, but I don't think it's doing a thing to help my H/T. I'm still listening to it at pretty low volumes, but I remember even when I started on pink noise, I saw effects fairly quickly early on. This doesn't seem to be doing anything.

Should I try raising the volume, or are there any other sounds I can try? Or should I just expect this to work more slowly?

 

I believe your problem is the way the sound is being supplied to your ears and auditory system. It doesn't matter whether you use: white, pink, brown or purple noise. The method of delivery has to be right. Since you have never used white noise generators or for a period of time, you won't know how different they are from listening to white, pink, purple or brown noise through speakers or headphones, earbuds. It is an entirely different experience .

When I first got tinnitus 22 years ago before starting TRT I experimented with white noise and pink noise played through headphones keeping the volume low. From what I remember, the sound was crude, harsh, overbearing and not a pleasant experience at all. When I got my white noise generators it was completely different. The sound passes through a very small hole/aperture in a tube and is smooth, gentle and not overbearing. It is for this reason trying to use any other method of desensitising your ears and auditory system is unlikely to offer long term benefits. This method may be okay for occasional distraction from the tinnitus which I wouldn't recommend, but as a treatment for hyperacusis or sensitivity to sound I don't think it will work. One has to also consider counselling may be needed. I do understand white noise generators are expensive. I was issued with them free on the NHS. However, they look exactly like hearing aids and draw attention to themselves and I felt self conscious of this.

Therefore, I privately bought two micro mm10 white noise generators that fit in the entrance to the ear canal. They are very discreet and not easy to see. They work exactly the same as BTE (Behind the ear) white noise generators and are fitted with a volume control. I used them when away from home when at home I use my BTE WNGs.

Michael

 

@Srebint

The higher quality sound you get through headphones is quite different to in-ear generators. The in-ear devices are not capable sonically of playing true white or pink noise, they drop off to almost zero at 10kHz, and depending on the model are poor from 6-8kHz.

The other sonic element is your hearing ability. Depending on your hearing profile you may not be hearing the true sound which could cause your tinnitus to react, you may need a slight boost to compensate in certain areas so you experience the sound equally as you should do.

As others have said, do not raise the volume. The best idea is to find a sound that works when played at low volume levels.

 

Fascinating you got your white noise generators for free. How did that come about? Were you just diagnosed and tested for tinnitus and they gave them to you?

I don't know if that's possible anywhere in the US. I'd love to try them, but the price is very offputting. Something like that might come up in a study, but I don't know any other way of getting ahold of them. I'd like to know if there's at all a market for used ones, whether that means buying a used pair or getting money back after using them.

 

@Srebint
All medical treatment under the NHS in the UK is free at point of delivery. This includes all medical devices such as Hearing aids, white noise generators etc where available. A person is first tested for these devices and are not simply given.

Based on my experience with tinnitus and hypercusis the best way to administer white or pink noise to the ears and auditory system as treatment for tinnitus and hyperacusis, is to use the proper devices that are intended for this. This means using white noise generators. As I have mentioned to you before, I don't think you will get adequate results playing white or pink noise through headphones, earbuds or speakers, if your aim is to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis. These devices maybe beneficial as sound enrichment but I do not advise anyone that has "noise induced" tinnitus to use headphones.

Furthermore, as I've mentioned to you before and Professor Pawel Jastreboff mentions in his TRT book. Simply wearing white noise generators will not achieve much, as he believes counselling is also required. However, I have known people that use white noise generators without tinnitus counselling and it has helped their tinnitus and cured their hyperacusis or sensitivity to sound. We are all different.

Michael

 

Thank you for posting this, very helpful! Given the poor quality of WNGs, would you recommend a high quality speaker instead?

This might help explain my own experience. I tried WNGs very briefly in an audiologist’s office but the sound was awful and truly bothered my tinnitus. I have significant hearing loss for all frequencies at and above 6k. It seems like WNGs would miss key areas for me.

@Srebint a few months ago I began using a small Bose bluetooth speaker and the quality is amazing. I play cricket sounds, pink noise, and sometimes even a file that blends the two sounds together. The speaker was around $100. Technology has really improved over the last 20 years. Hopefully hearing aid technology will continue to improve, too.

 

I think I misunderstood your original post on this. Do you actually wear those, or are they stationary? If they're wearable, I think I'd go for those. Let me know more if you can, specifically which model.

 

A speaker? No, the Bose speaker I have is not wearable. But because it is bluetooth-enabled, I can move it throughout my home.

 

Oh, that's really too bad. I was hoping for something wearable or to function as an alternative to wearable generators, assuming I can't get those for cheap or through insurance.

If you or anyone else have any alternative suggestions, let me know.

 

It's often a very personal choice, I much prefer open back headphones (wholly impractical for outside use) or high quality speakers, not audiophile quality but good enough to get a nice response across the frequency range. Of course, what I love the sound of may not do it for you. With audio you often have to give things a try and find what feels nice to your own ears.

I personally struggle with anything inside the ear canal, for whatever reason it doesn't agree with my ears. It may be because the design of being very small invariably sacrifices on the quality of sound.