Tinnitus That Reacts When You Listen for Something

I was at work today when I had a voicemail. My PC speakers were low so I listened intently to pick up the lower noise (instead of increasing the volume). My T spiked tremendously. Almost like when fleeting T comes and goes but this time, higher in pitch and intensity. There was a dog whistle in my head on both of my ears.

It wouldn't go away until I switched my active hearing for my passive hearing. I pictured in my mind, not listening, but hearing. A few minutes later, the T went down to its baseline level.

Another time it happened is when I heard a knock at the door. I listened in silence for another knock, but the T grew louder and louder.

I imagine it has something to do with using the part of your auditory cortex that you've trained your brain (over time) not to use. Once you listen for something, the T spikes because it is trying to use the damaged section in your brain.

Someone a few months back told me that it is a bad idea to listen for your T, and so I stopped. Immediately after, the baseline T subsided and got a little bit better. I did it without fully noticing, but now I think I've discovered the cause.

Has anyone noticed this?

 

I happen to agree with this. If I am in silence and I am trying to listen out for something, my tinnitus increases dramatically. The quieter the noise I am trying to listen to, the worse it is (I suppose this is quite obvious really) because there is more strain on the auditory system and my brain seems to react to it. I have particular trouble listening out for high frequency sounds. Those sounds that are on a similar tone to my T seem to make it particularly bad, especially if I can’t differentiate between the two. I also find sometimes, that if I am ‘over thinking a situation’ or there is ‘something on my mind’ the noise will respond to this instantly. I can sometimes hear my tinnitus actively changing to different situations during the day. It is normally on days where I feel uptight and not relaxed in the slightest.

 

Not certain where in the brain/hearing system exactly (probably is cortex) but I'm sure you are right in principle. Kind of like hearing the machinery that makes hearing possible winding up.

 

That’s a good way of putting it.

 

My tinnitus does the same. Once I heard a wild animal howling outside at night and tried focusing to determine where the animal was located. My tinnitus increased louder and louder the more that I focused until I could hear nothing else. Actually thought I’d gone deaf for a few moments.

 

People talk about loud noises causing spikes. But my tinnitus spikes, depending on my brains emotional state (one minute I may not notice it’s there, then suddenly it just kicks in due to a certain situation - most likely a negative one or one that I am straining to hear). Something that is as deep routed in the brain as this, it makes you realise how complex T is and how hard it will be to ever get a cure.

 

The emotional state has a lot to do with it. Stress impacts T the most. I highly believe that a cure lies in the ability to restore lost hearing - how long that takes remains to be seen.

Not listening for the T (or for anything) intently allows for the auditory system to 'settle down'. Once it settles down, it becomes much more manageable so a cure won't seem so far away.

 

I've had the same exactly thing happen to me before. I would use music to mask but it would almost sound like I couldn't hear the song because the T would be overpowering it. After relaxing it would settle, though.