Tinnitus Stopped ... And Then Came Back

Hello all,

Something happened, that made me finally register here and make my first post (after reading for a long time).

Anyway, yesterday was like any other day, except in the middle of the evening I suddenly noticed that my tinnitus was 100 % gone. First I just felt weird (like something missing) and then realized that the screeching noise had stopped completely. I felt like crying and wanted to stay in complete silence to see if it was still there, but then calmed myself and thought it would be better to be chill about it.

The silence lasted maybe 40 - 60 mins - a long while anyway. Then it came back.

Needless to say, I got my hopes way too up by the pause - it was such bliss and I felt very light - as if a huge burden had been lifted. However, now it's back to the same and I was wondering following things:

• Has this sort of pause happened to you guys?
• If yes, did that mark - by any chance - a road to recovery?
• Or was it just a one time thing?
• What triggered it?

So many questions, since I have no answers... This has NEVER happened before, not once in these 5 years. In addition, yesterday was like any other day - except I ate Indian food, but I do eat spicy foods otherwise as well. Sat on the computer in a bad posture whole day, so that should have - if anything - made tinnitus louder for the evening.

(Further info: got slight tinnitus in my right ear in 2011 when a band started suddenly playing near my table. Now this September it got worse when I attended a concert, even as I wore quality earplugs - now tinnitus is quite loud and in both ears.)

 

I've also had tinnitus for 5 years. I have good & bad days although the bad far exceed the good. The really good days seem like T is gone completely but we know better. Those days are few and far between. I'm happy that you had a moment of complete silence. We deserve it!

 

Coincidentally, mine stopped today for around 5 minutes, and that hasn't happened in a long time.

I think most of us here have probably done research on the internet about foods, vitamins, herbs, treatments, etc. Sometimes I think the tinnitus stopping or getting better, and attributing to something we did, may very well be a coincidence in itself.

About the only thing I know for sure is that nothing has worked so far, and the only thing I know for sure that spikes my tinnitus is eating milk chocolate. If I would eat a chocolate bar right now, in minutes, I'd have a loud, bad playing monkey orchestra in my ears, which fortunately my tinnitus regularly is not as bad as that.

 

This is such a confusing condition, isn't it... Since it is possible for it to go away even after years - and never return - I wonder how that happens. You just wake one day and tinnitus has packed its bags and moved away, for no apparent reason? Such an absurd idea.

For me this episode of a total silence was mind boggling and raised questions, because it never once happened during these five years. Fluctuations I understand - stress can make worse by e.g. making nervous system too active, getting muscles (linked into ear area) relaxed may tone it down etc., that goes with many other conditions as well and there is a logic behind it.

However, one would think that if the brain is able to somehow quiet down the noise completely, it would stay that way. It's as if a person with nearsightedness would get a perfect eyesight for an hour, only for it to go away again - it doesn't happen, because the eye isn't capable of it. How come the nervous system is capable of getting rid of the sound, yet doesn't do it for good?

 

I had one similar story, maybe a few months or so ago. I must have been a few months since onset where I was home alone and watching TV.
Just as you, I noticed something was amiss and realized I couldn't hear my T. I plugged my fingers in and there was a faint of the buzzing, but I could sit in the sofa with TV muted and not hear it. I was so happy and just enjoyed it. I knew T would be back, and I had to go to bed since it was fairly late. And in the morning it was back to normal. It seems that it can happen for some reason, not sure why and how since I hadn't done anything special out of the ordinary that day.

 

Hey @NimQ warm welcome to you for joining this forum!

Anyway, I see your tinnitus was noise-induced. I STRONGLY recommend you don't go to any loud venues in the long-term whether or not you have ear protection. Even with ear protections, your ears have already been damaged that it won't take much sound or noise to amplify the damage. On the other hand, I do believe your ears heal at an extremely slow rate (but I firmly believe they still do), and any small gains will be lost if you continually expose yourself to a loud environment.

The fact you had pure silence for 1 hour can mean several things. Personally, with my journey with T, I tried to take advantage of those quiet moments to motivate myself to change my lifestyle and outlook regarding T so i could incorporate positive changes to my life. Has your T changed at all during these past 5 years (duration, volume/intensity), and during these past few years, have been exposed to a loud environment or gone to many places where it is present?

Regards
GP

 

It may be worth noting, that I've heard people briefly discuss tinnitus going away, or improving after a SECOND acoustic trauma. One member hypothesized that it may be due to the hair cells/neurons having been damaged in the first, and then the second trauma either completely severing the connection, or causing the hair to completely die off, so that it stops sending the stimuli which results in T. This is all I assume hypothetical talk.

But since you had a recent trauma, perhaps that could have something to do with it?

That said, I also want to highlight, that here is another person, who has experienced an apparent long term spike, or permanent increase in T, after going to a concert, with protection. Just more information to weight against the "Use protection and you'll be fine" and "Spikes will always settle down" dogma, which I wish so much were the truth. I however, am still hoping that my T will go away completely 8 months after the only event I ever went to without plugs.

If I may ask, what do you mean by you T started when a band started playing by your table? Like an acoustic band at a restaurant? And was your T very stable until the concert you went to in september?

 

I had my T for 5 days and on the 5th day it's stopped about mid day for the rest of the day... I even fell asleep with no buzzing. Then about midnight I awoke in a huge disappointment it was back and loud as ever just instead of a solid whistle sound it's more fuzzy like the static of a TV.

 

You would think that if T can fluctuate and especially when it can go completely, there would be a cure for this bloody evil condition. I don't think the so-called medical profession takes it seriously - they all need to have T themselves in order to get their fat backsides off and do something.

 

You would think that if T can fluctuate and especially when it can go completely, there would be a cure for this bloody evil condition. I don't think the so-called medical profession takes it seriously - they all need to have T themselves in order to get their fat backsides off and do something.

 

I been fortunate or unfortunate depends on your perspective to have fluctuating tinnitus. One that goes away multiple times a day and comes back. I typically don't hear it at home and relaxed but when I'm at work it comes and goes. When it gets loud (3/10) I typically take a walk to the washroom and it disappears during the walk and I cant hear it anymore while peeing. Even though I'm listening for it and it's dead quiet in the washroom. This is very confusing to me and I even thought maybe it had to do with lower blood pressure in my head while standing and bought blood pressure cuffs. But the measured results fluctuated too much to be of use. It also always becomes louder lying down, so now I no longer watch tv lying down.

I am not sure how loud your tinnitus is, but my two month old tinnitus has come and goes dozen of times a day. Although I haven't had a whole complete day of complete silence.

 

Sounds like you will be cured soon.

 

i thought so too but its been like this for 2 month with no changes. Every other morning i wake up and think oh i dont hear it. its gone. Nope it comes back by the time i brush my teeth

 

I've had T for years, the other day, like with you, it just stopped and stayed stopped for 36 hours. The day before yesterday I fell asleep in front of the TV (as a often do), when I woke up it was back, bad as ever. Sad thing is, because it gave me a reminder of life without it I am noticing it more again. I almost wish it hadn't gone away at all. I would love to think this was a good sign in some way.

 

I’ve had T since Feb 2,2019
It’s been a long road. Both ears are afflicted at different decimals.
I’m only 42
My T stopped and then cane back after my child was screaming the other day
Nervous it won’t go away again .
Also Benedryl used to quiet it and now does not. Any feedback is appreciated

 

Wild guess: the sound of your pee hitting the water hits a tone that causes residual inhibition. Your tinnitus thus subsides or disappears, for perhaps as much as 2 minutes.

 

I have had tinnitus for 10 months. Left ear only. I usually get two 5 day runs a month where it is basically gone unless I am in complete silence, but it always comes back. Makes no sense...