Tinnitus Torture

[ringinghours]

My tinnitus started in December of 2018. It is a very high frequency sound I am hearing and it's disturbing. It started off that ringing I would hear would last a couple of hours but eventually it would go away only to return again, over an over. Now it is there constantly which is why it is torture. The tinnitus is caused by over-exposure to loud noise since October 2018.

I want to know if this sound will every go away. I hate living with it, it is miserable. I tried using masking sounds but that doesn't help.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I want to know if this sound will every go away.

There is a good chance that it will begin fading within the next three months, and will disappear or will get to a stage where you can hear it only in quiet rooms after a year or two. If that doesn't happen, after 1.5-2 years your emotional reaction upon hearing it will likely not be as strong as it is now.

You might hear that if your T doesn't go away in 6 months, it is permanent. That is a myth. "Six months" is just a time interval that insurance companies use to classify a condition as being chronic. It has no medical basis.

Multiple sources seem to use "2 years" as their rule of thumb. See, for example
https://www.ncrar.research.va.gov/Education/Documents/TinnitusDocuments/01_HenryPTM-HB_1-10.pdf
"A general guideline is that tinnitus of at least 12 months duration has a high likelihood of being a permanent condition (Dobie, 2004b). However, it also has been suggested that a person must have experienced tinnitus for at least two years before it should be considered permanent (Vernon, 1996)."

If your T keeps fading but is still audible 2 years after onset, there is no reason to think that it will stop fading after 2 years.
It will most likely continue fading. A number of members of this forum had stated that the first time they got tinnitus, they eventually got to hear silence after 12-18 months. This is evidence contradicting the statement above from that Dobbie 2004 study.

Also check out the studies linked to at the thread below
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-many-recover-3-studies.21441/

You can find more information that might be useful to you at
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

 

[ringinghours]

There is a good chance that it will begin fading within the next three months, and will disappear or will get to a stage where you can hear it only in quiet rooms after a year or two. If that doesn't happen, after 1.5-2 years your emotional reaction upon hearing it will likely not be as strong as it is now.

The ringing is really disturbing. It would be difficult to live like this for another year, if it fades in 3 months it would be bearable since that is not that long of a time. Is there anything I can do to get relief sooner because the sound is just way too loud and piercing to mask.

 

[Bill Bauer]

the sound is just way too loud and piercing to mask.

When you play nature sounds or other sounds, your goal is to give yourself something else to listen to besides your T. Of course during the first 5-10 minutes you will still be focusing on your T. However, after about 15 minutes, hopefully you will find that you are listening to/focusing on the nature sounds.

if it fades in 3 months it would be bearable since that is not that long of a time

Many people report here that it begins fading sometime between 1.5 months and 3 months. The more it fades, the slower it seems to be fading.

The ringing is really disturbing.

I know how you feel. I've been there myself. The first few months are horrible.

Is there anything I can do to get relief sooner because the sound is just way too loud and piercing to mask.

There are some supplements you can experiment with. You can also try HBOT treatments. I think this is described in one of the threads in my previous post.

There are several potential treatments that will likely become available within the next 5 years. One will become available this year in Ireland.

Hearing Regeneration Trials

Spoiler

• Frequency Therapeutics - FX-322
  • in Phase 1.5 (Results: December 2018)
  • Phase 2 (begin 2019)
• Audion / Regain Trial
  • Phase 1/2 ongoing in the UK
• Genvec / Novartis - CGF166
  • Phase 1/2 ongoing

Trials to begin in 2019 / Things to look out for in 2019

Spoiler

• Neuromod (MuteButton)
  • launching their new device in January 2019 starting in Ireland, then Europe, then the US
  • results of their latest trial: 1H2019
• Xenon Pharma - XEN-1101
  • Phase 2, expected to wrap up in 2nd quarter 2020
• Frequency Therapeutics
  • Phase 2
• Otonomy
  • 1H19: OTO-313 (reduce tinnitus) Phase 1/2
  • 1H19: OTO-413 (repairing synaptic damage) Phase 1/2
  • OTO-6XX (hair cell regeneration)
    • 2H18: candidate selection
    • 2019: Phase 1/2
• University of Minnesota (device for tinnitus)
  • Phase 3 ?
• University of Michigan (device for tinnitus)
  • perhaps updates on their currently ongoing trial
  • Estimated Primary Completion Date: September 2022
  • Estimated Study Completion Date: January 2023

 

[ringinghours]

When you play nature sounds or other sounds, your goal is to give yourself something else to listen to besides your T. Of course during the first 5-10 minutes you will still be focusing on your T. However, after about 15 minutes, hopefully you will find that you are listening to/focusing on the nature sounds.

Many people report here that it begins fading sometime between 1.5 months and 3 months. The more it fades, the slower it seems to be fading.

I know how you feel. I've been there myself. The first few months are horrible.

There are some supplements you can experiment with. You can also try HBOT treatments. I think this is described in one of the threads in my previous post.

There are several potential treatments that will likely become available within the next 5 years. One will become available this year in Ireland.

I really appreciate your help. Its ridiculous there isn't a fda approved medication available for tinnitus? I had my ears flushed of earwax but that didn't help since my tinnitus was caused by over-exposure to loud noise over a period of several months.

 

[ringinghours]

When you play nature sounds or other sounds, your goal is to give yourself something else to listen to besides your T. Of course during the first 5-10 minutes you will still be focusing on your T. However, after about 15 minutes, hopefully you will find that you are listening to/focusing on the nature sounds.

Many people report here that it begins fading sometime between 1.5 months and 3 months. The more it fades, the slower it seems to be fading.

I know how you feel. I've been there myself. The first few months are horrible.

There are some supplements you can experiment with. You can also try HBOT treatments. I think this is described in one of the threads in my previous post.

There are several potential treatments that will likely become available within the next 5 years. One will become available this year in Ireland.

I'm wondering did your tinnitus fade since you had it since it started from acoustic trama in 2017?

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'm wondering did your tinnitus fade since you had it since it started from acoustic trama in 2017?

It faded a lot during the first three months. Then I got a secondary acoustic trauma [I pressed a phone to my bad ear (its volume set to max), and the person on the other end of the line raised her voice] and it had derailed my recovery by many months. Do what you can to avoid getting a secondary trauma - your ears might have been compromised and many people think that it is easier to get hurt now, compared to when you were healthy. I am not a superstitious person, but tinnitus is so important to me that when it comes to tinnitus, I am worried about jinxing it. So I prefer not to talk about how I am feeling now.

If you can avoid secondary traumas, chances are that eventually you will feel better. The next 3-6-12 months will suck. Focus on riding it out.

 

[ringinghours]

It faded a lot during the first three months. Then I got a secondary acoustic trauma [I pressed a phone to my bad ear (its volume set to max), and the person on the other end of the line raised her voice] and it had derailed my recovery by many months. Do what you can to avoid getting a secondary trauma - your ears might have been compromised and many people think that it is easier to get hurt now, compared to when you were healthy. I am not a superstitious person, but tinnitus is so important to me that when it comes to tinnitus, I am worried about jinxing it. So I prefer not to talk about how I am feeling now.

If you can avoid secondary traumas, chances are that eventually you will feel better. The next 3-6-12 months will most likely suck. Focus on riding it out.

Where are you located. Would you be interested in talking on the phone?

 

[Bill Bauer]

Where are you located. Would you be interested in talking on the phone?

I am located in Canada.

I am a private person, and I confess I don't like talking on the phone.

Feel free to send me your questions in a private message (or ask them in this thread).

I believe that several people on this forum like to talk on the phone with other T sufferers. Hopefully one of them will contact you within the next 24 hours.

 

[ringinghours]

I wanted to know if there is any risk of hearing loss. I can imagine that since I am hearing ringing it must mean my ears are in a more sensitive state. I noticed my left ear on which side the ringing is worse does not hear sound as well as it used to before and doesn't hear as well as my right ear.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I wanted to know if there is any risk of hearing loss.

I don't believe it is easier for you to get hearing loss now, compared to how it was before you got T.

You might be experiencing a full ear sensation. If so, it tends to go away within the first 6-12 months.

You can visit an audiologist and get your hearing tested. You don't need a referral. But be careful - some tests audiologists do can have a very bad impact on your T:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tests-procedures-to-avoid.26681/

 

[ringinghours]

Your advice to focus on riding it out that it should improve seems in conflict with what I read Online "They hope that the ringing will disappear. While tinnitus caused by a medication or other temporary situation may cease if that element is removed, the reality is that tinnitus does not just "go away" for most people.Feb 22, 2013"

Noise induced tinnitus generally does not go away based on what I read.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Noise induced tinnitus generally does not go away based on what I read.

I had already provided you with a link to actual scientific studies that looked at outcomes for acoustic trauma patients with T. Here it is again
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-many-recover-3-studies.21441/

"They hope that the ringing will disappear. While tinnitus caused by a medication or other temporary situation may cease if that element is removed, the reality is that tinnitus does not just "go away" for most people.Feb 22, 2013"

It sounds like a person who has probably not protected his or her ears whose T hasn't gone away is trying to make himself or herself feel better.

 

[Bill Bauer]

tinnitus does not just "go away" for most people.

Another way to interpret what that person was saying is that T might take years to fade - it doesn't just go away overnight, soon after the noise or drug that had caused T is no longer there. Now that I think of it, this is most likely the interpretation, and I agree with this statement.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

Your advice to focus on riding it out that it should improve seems in conflict with what I read Online "They hope that the ringing will disappear. While tinnitus caused by a medication or other temporary situation may cease if that element is removed, the reality is that tinnitus does not just "go away" for most people.Feb 22, 2013"

Noise induced tinnitus generally does not go away based on what I read.

I have noise induced tinnitus that faded to almost zero over two years. It came back from a strep throat infection that also affected my ear and has been up and down since. It's really not bad at all today.

DO NOT LISTEN TO PEOPLE THAT SAY NOISE TINNITUS CAN'T FADE.

It gets better for most people that have it. As a musician, I know a lot of people with this. It never totally goes away, but it doesn't stay like the beginning forever.

Buy good earplugs. Custom made ones. They're your new best friend. Keep them with you like you're Richard Pryor and they're the pipe. Don't be vain. If its loud, put em in.

 

[Bill Bauer]

It never totally goes away

It sucks to hear that. Is there any chance that your musician friends keep getting exposed to noise during their gigs (and that is the reason why their T won't completely go away)?

If its loud, put em in.

A policy that might end up being even more effective is "if it's loud - Leave, if you can't leave, then use good earplugs to protect yourself."

 

[ringinghours]

From an article: https://www.signiausa.com/blog/veterans-need-know-tinnitus/

Tinnitus differs from person to person.

The sound of tinnitus can take many forms. It can be a sharp screech, dull hum, or soft hiss. For others, it manifests as a continuous tone, clicking beats, or pulsating whoosh. It can be constant throughout the day or fluctuate in intensity. In some cases, tinnitus disappears either on its own or with medical attention. However, for the majority of veterans who suffer from tinnitus, it is a chronic condition.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

I have noise induced tinnitus that faded to almost zero over two years. It came back from a strep throat infection that also affected my ear and has been up and down since. It's really not bad at all today.

DO NOT LISTEN TO PEOPLE THAT SAY NOISE TINNITUS CAN'T FADE.

It gets better for most people that have it. As a musician, I know a lot of people with this. It never totally goes away, but it doesn't stay like the beginning forever.

Buy good earplugs. Custom made ones. They're your new best friend. Keep them with you like you're Richard Pryor and they're the pipe. Don't be vain. If its loud, put em in.

Mine did......and actually also got a little worse.

But I agree that that many will have fading in the T, but sadly not all.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

Mine did......and actually also got a little worse.

But I agree that that vast majority will have fading, but sadly not all.

YMMV

 

[Tom Cnyc]

It sucks to hear that. Is there any chance that your musician friends keep getting exposed to noise during their gigs (and that is the reason why their T won't completely go away)?

My tinnitus faded to a gentle hiss that I didn't care about at all. It's getting there again slowly also. It did this despite me going to concerts at least monthly. Ironicalyl my fear of antibiotics causing a spike is how the infection got bad enough to create a second issue.

A policy that might end up being even more effective is "if it's loud - Leave, if you can't leave, then use good earplugs to protect yourself."

We're not going to see eye to eye here. Personally I can't isolate myself. I choose to wear a condom instead of never fucking again.

 

[Bill Bauer]

However, for the majority of veterans who suffer from tinnitus, it is a chronic condition.

I guess it all depends on the definition of the word "veterans." If someone has had T for more than two years and it is always at the same level, then they are a veteran for whom it is definitely a chronic condition. If someone has had it for less than a year, it might not make sense to call them a veteran. If someone's T has been fading for two years, there is no reason to think that it won't continue to fade (so it might be a chronic condition in the sense that it won't be going away in the next three months, but it doesn't mean that person won't hear silence again).

You are quoting a blog. The difference between a random person on the internet who wrote that blog entry that you are quoting and me (another random person on the internet), is that I had provided you with links to actual published research to support my statements.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Mine did......and actually also got a little worse.

But I agree that that many will have fading in the T, but sadly not all.

After the onset of your T, you had attended at least one concert. You didn't get a spike right away, but for all we know the cost of attending that concert was that your T stopped improving. Of course it is also possible that the two events are unrelated (see Tom's comment above).

 

[Bill Bauer]

I choose to wear a condom instead of never fucking again.

Sounds like you don't think you have a lot to lose, should your condom fail. If that's the case - carry on!

 

[TheDanishGirl]

After the onset of your T, you had attended at least one concert. You didn't get a spike right away, but for all we know the cost of attending that concert was that your T stopped improving. Of course it is also possible that the two events are unrelated (see Tom's comment above).

I don't belive for one second that that one concert could have causes my T to stop improving. Like I have said several times before, it wasnt a loud concert at all, I stood very far away from the stage and speakers, with ear plugs in.......It didn't sound loud at all in my ears......my guess is it was 70-75 db TOPS, in my ears.

I do admit my case is one of the rare ones, as I had blasted my ears with loud music for years and that led to much damage and chronic T + H. I belive that no matter what I had done or not done, my T was never gonna improve.

 

[jjflyman]

Noise induced tinnitus generally does not go away based on what I read

Actually, for the vast majority of people with an acoustic trauma tinnitus, it does fade over time.

Now, long term noise exposure, like from years of factory work, the tinnitus is more likely to be permanent.

PS. I had a bad acoustic trauma tinnitus fade to zero after 2 years about 14 years ago, and a second trauma 2 years ago has faded 90%.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

Sounds like you don't think you have a lot to lose, should your condom fail. If that's the case - carry on!

I have everything to lose by limiting my life.

The only precaution with live music (besides custom molded 33db earplugs) I take is I don't go to concerts out of boredom or just because my friends are going. I go to shows I legitimately care about the artist playing.

I also do not use headphones. They cause ear fatigue very quickly. Truth be told they probably always did, I'm just more aware of it now.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I go to shows I legitimately care about the artist playing.

Why not listen to the music at home, at safe volume?

I have everything to lose by limiting my life.

Is it comparable, though, with what you will get to lose if you take those risks and they don't work out?

 

[linearb]

Why not listen to the music at home, at safe volume?

I'm sort of on the fence in general on this subject, I don't go to nearly as many concerts as I did before tinnitus was a problem.

That said -- seeing a band you love, in a space you're physically in, being in the moment and just absolutely shredding an amazing set, has very little in common with listening to a high-fi recording of that exact same concert at home. It's like comparing great sex with another person to masturbating to a recording of that great sex (a parallel which I suspect you won't understand, given your prior posts on the subject, which is rather the point I'm trying to make).

We get it, you can stay at home and never see or interact with or touch other people, and not feel like your quality of life suffers. Good for you, but most of us are not wired that way...

 

[ringinghours]

Today, January 16, 2019, my tinnitus has eased. I had some alcohol last night because the tinnitus was making me really stressed out and the alcohol calmed me down a lot. Then this morning after waking up I noticed my tinnitus got better. Maybe like 40% less. My tinnitus has been going on for a month. I am in a much better mood today. While I hope the tinnitus will go down to zero, at this point it is not so bothersome. I can sleep, and I can enjoy listening to music without cringing from the tinnitus. It's sad that there isn't a drug that is FDA approved to relieve tinnitus. And I feel really bad for the people whose tinnitus is chronic because it's a miserable thing to have.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

Today, January 16, 2019, my tinnitus has eased. I had some alcohol last night because the tinnitus was making me really stressed out and the alcohol calmed me down a lot. Then this morning after waking up I noticed my tinnitus got better. Maybe like 40% less. My tinnitus has been going on for a month. I am in a much better mood today. While I hope the tinnitus will go down to zero, at this point it is not so bothersome. I can sleep, and I can enjoy listening to music without cringing from the tinnitus. It's sad that there isn't a drug that is FDA approved to relieve tinnitus. And I feel really bad for the people whose tinnitus is chronic because it's a miserable thing to have.

Booze tends to quiet mine also. Often through the next morning.