Trying to Get Back to Normal

Well, back to normal as much as I can. Along with my T I have sound sensitivity. At the onset (3 months ago), sounds were very, very irritating like my dog barking, loud conversations, etc. It then mellowed where loud sounds bothered me much, much less. Now I noticed that sounds bother me a little bit more, but not where I was at the beginning.

I want to start going out more, including the movies. I have gone to the gym where they have music on fairly loud through speakers. It is slightly bothersome. If I go the movies should I wear earplugs? I have the foam kind that I guess will work okay. Also, should I use the earplugs at the gym to avoid the music playing. Sometimes I think that I should expose my ears to sounds including louder sounds and then I think well I better not. I used the foam earplugs previously at the gym. It blocked most of the music but the T sounded louder. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I don't want to make things worse, but I want to move on.

 

I wish I was in your shoes. Back in my early days I did not protect my ears after my tinnitus started. Maybe they would have healed, I don't know. But protect your ears or you'll pay the price. Protect them now while they're trying to recuperate. Movies are too loud. Concerts are too loud. Earbuds are too loud. Anything louder than a vacuum sweeper is too loud, and damaging.

 

Thank you for responding. May I ask how do you protect your ears? Do you use earplugs in loud situations, keep the TV on low/moderate levels, etc.? Is it better to be in quiet when you can and turn off music, TV and give your ears a rest? Or should you always have something always on in the background to mask the T?

 

Hi I have been suffering from tinnitus for the last two years and all the problems which u have are the problems which I am having now ... For two years I did not know that my tinnitus was caused by loud music so I continued partying and going to loud places obviously with ear plugs on . I must have at least had about a 100 exposures to loud music .. But now my tolerance has become zero as I have noticed that my tinnitus has got ten times worse even ear plugs r not protecting me against damage .My last 5 exposures have been very damaging .. Iam using earplugs which r 33 nrr. went for an audio metric test and have serious damage on 12 k right till 100db in both eArs ...my hearing is otherwise ok ...I am still wondering what happened in the last 5 exposures that did. to happen in the previous 95 exposures .. My ear plugs have been the same ...condition is so bad that even my dogs bark is hurting now ...

 

I am relatively new to T, so I am a little confused. I went to the audiologist at the beginning, he did several tests, and he told me my hearing is fine in both ears. I am not sure what an audio metric test is. When you mention 12k right till 100db in both ears, is that hearing loss or something else?

 

This confuses me -- part of hypersensitivity is supposed to be not overprotecting your ears so they acclimate to sound, or am I mistaken?

 

It means hearing loss of upto 100 db at 12 k. Normal hearing is upto 20 db ....so this is a very high frequency hearing loss ..... Normally audiologists don't check hearing beyond 8k. ....so my initial reports showed no hearing loss but later on my insistence they checked at higher frequencies and discovered a hearing loss. Totally noise induced ... I think very high frequencies manage to make their way into protected ears as well... So there is a very big chance that though u have a normal audio gram but there could be a hearing loss at ultra high frequencies ...

 

Wearing earplugs to very loud sounds will not interfere with acclamitization...one should wear hearing protection when one is exposed to sounds greater than 90 db ....

 

I see, thank you. I am going to call my audiologist to find out out if he checked the hearing beyond 8k at higher frequencies. Will update when I find out more info.

 

I had ultra high pitch tinnitus which was soon followed by piercingly hurtful hyperacusis. All normal sounds became glassy in quality, as if someone is scratching glass with a metal. Even my wife's soft voice spoken too close would hurt, not to say the normal ones from TV, driving, dish washing, parties, eating outs and movies. I bought $200 worth of ear plugs and ear muffs thinking I need them for life time protection of my ears. But members from support forums cautioned me to avoid over-protection from normal sounds which can cause sound sensitivity. So slowly the ear plugs came off, except for loud cinema movies or in parties with loud speakers. Over time, hyperacusis just slowly faded. Nowadays, I don't need ear plugs even for watching cinema movies or flying inter-continental flights. I use ipod ear buds during take offs and listening to my favourite music. But I won't stand in front of loud speakers unprotected. You need to use wisdom there. Overprotection will cause sound sensitivity, and exposure to really loud sounds unprotected will cause more hearing damage.

 

Thank you billie for responding. The hypercusis was much worse at the beginning, started to fade, but just noticed a slight jump. It doesn't hurt my ears, more like irritating. I think I will use my earplugs at the gym where there are speakers and at the movies. They are only the foam ones, do you think they are good enough or should I invest in a good pair?

So, I guess I will go to the movies. Also, I have a Super Bowl party on Sunday. Hubby just asked if I was going. All that drinking and cheering... I haven't had a drink since taking my night time sleep med. I wonder if one beer will be okay...

 

Hello, my audiologist just called and said I was tested from 250 to 8,000 hz and hearing was good. Is 8,000 hz the same as 8K? Should I ask for a higher frequency hearing test? Thanks again.

 

@patty yeah 80000 hz is 8 khz. sure you can ask for it but unfortunately high frequency hearing tests are not as objective. also, even if the higher frequency test is ok it doesnt mean you have no damage (you could still have it - nowaays we simply dont have methods to measure it). But if the auditologist is willing to do it then why not

 

Well I guess it doesn't even matter if I have hearing loss at a higher frequency, does it? I mean I hear fine as far as I can tell, and I am still going to do the same things like mask, earplugs, etc. The hearing sensitivity should lessen in time as I habituate.

I am thinking of making an appt. with a new audiologist in a T center that was recommended to me. This is her specialty and has been published, etc. I can ask then for a higher frequency test, and maybe start TRT which is offered there. Thanks for your response.

 

Hi Patty.
I've been semi cautious for over 40 years and so far so good. I do stupid things like playing really loud music or going to a concert once every few years and pay for it. This will cause the spike AND the slight increase of daily T that will always be with me. It all piles up, that's what I've learned. I also do some smart things, .. and I've trained myself to be on guard as a habit. But sometimes things happen. Today I was at the gas station and a little tractor started up next to me - VVRRROOOOMM POW POW POW. Tonight I'm really buzzing from that.

I have bad T and H. I can make the H settle down in 3 days with cotton in my ears. The T is part of me. It will never go away. I don't care. I live with it. I sure don't want it to get worse though. I've had spikes that I believe 99% of the folks here will never experience and I'll tell you, it's HELL. One of those spikes was 2 years long and brought serious H with it. Loud music was the cause. It's always been loud music for me.

Anyway, to your questions- I protect my ears with cotton balls. I've tried all kinds of earplugs and I don't like them. I use the cotton if the H is acting up or I have a T spike. Protecting my ears during a healing time is ALL important. I know this from 40 years experience. I also have some headphone type ear protectors I put on my head when I run tools in the garage. Regarding 'resting' my ears, in my opinion they are resting when they're not struggling with high volume or high frequency sounds. So I constantly avoid sounds louder that a vacuum sweeper and that seems to be good rest for my ears. Just normal living at safe volume. Your question is a good one. I said to my son the other day, "What do you think the loudest sound is in the natural world?" He said a tree falling or thunder, probably. So I think that's the max our ears were designed to tolerate, and I believe this modern world is WAY too loud most of the time, damaging to our ears too. As far as masking goes, If my T ever spiked up again where it sounded like a police whistle in each ear I would definately get some sort of masking device. Sometimes I put some masking sounds in my headphones when I'm on the computer and I like the feeling. But there are two things that have kept my T manageable. 1) I don't believe in self talk or drugs for T. I've tried both. I just went in circles. I believe in super good nutrition and short intense exercise. Yes my muscles and metabolism benefit, but so does my connective tissue, my skin, my mood, my T, my sleep etc... This whole body approach really works for me. I think of treating my T from the inside out instead of from the outside in. 2) I don't measure my T. I measure my response to it. T can be hell. Mine is here to stay. I have to be brave and smile, turn away from it and get on with my life, like I have been since 1974... a stupid kid with a stupid electric guitar.

 

Exactly. Actually the reason why they do it up to 8 khz is that these are the frequencies that you will actually use. If you hear more faint frequencies like a cat purring, brs singing etc. you are absolutely fine. Also, I think nowadays in science treatments stimulating the brain are quicker to come than hair cell regeneration, therefore I dont think it is necessary to know whether you have hearing loss or not. Not or people with even hearing impairments develop tinnitus so... I guess we are just strange

 

Yes please ask him to check further for two years I was rocking away thinking I had no hearing loss..but was wondering why my t was getting louder .. And nothing was masking my tinnitus ...then I checked beyond 8 hz and bingo full hearing loss beyond .. It must have been lesser when it started ...now I have hearing loss in 8 hz as well....but now the masking is happening .. Very high pitched sound from ur bathroom jet ...each time I wash. My ass my tinnitus used to get masked lol ....

 

Thanks for your response. I tried using the cheap foam earplugs and went to the movies the first time last night. I did not like the way the T sounded louder in the bad ear. It's kind of hard to explain, it's like there was less space in my ear so the sound amplified. Does that make any sense? I know I couldn't hear my hubbie ask, "You want some candy?" The movie still seemed loud, but I guess it blocked some. I wonder if I should get the expensive earplugs that have been mentioned here on this site. Will they better handle the loud situations, but yet I would be able to hear people talking to me. When I took the plugs out, the T calmed down to it's usual sound. Maybe cotton would work to block louder sounds, like the stupid speakers at my gym.

 

Hi everyone and Patty! We're both fairly close in where we acquired T a month apart. Mine is from TMJ who would think that was possible. There have been some really good eye opening comments here. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. I'm still in the experimenting stage. The reason I came here tonight is this: I was vacuuming with foam ear plugs and now my T is louder and in my other ear. When do you know when it is permanent or just a spike? I have a bit of high frequency loss. Just more info: I take Remeron for sleep works really well. I was sleeping with a fan but finally got rid of that and wear SleepPhones and listen to Rain Drops over a Pond very soothing. Right now I have my iPod nano on with buds because that darn vacuum even with plugs caused a spike. Off the subject - can anyone tell me if flying is alright. Any precautions I need to take?

 

Yes, there is an audiogram that extends into the higher frequencies. Unfortunately, as we age, we all lose the very upper frequencies. So if you got t due to sudden onset, it does not tell you very much.

 

Hi Linda Marie. When I vacuum with foam ear plugs I notice an increase in the T after I take the plugs out. It usually calms down soon after. Are the SleepPhones very comfortable and can hook up to my iphone? I now use Bose headphones and sleep on my right side. I keep the headphone on the bad left ear, sleep on my right side, and turn the right headphone up, so it's essentially above my right ear. I use the Restful Rain app.

I read a few posts where some posters have used cancelling headphones to reduce the sound of the engine. I tried out the Bose noise cancelling headphones in an electronics store with very loud music pumping out from speakers in the store. I put on the Bose and it cut back the loud music GREATLY. I would get those for a flight. There's a post by Lady Di where she took a flight and used some things including the cancelling headphones and didn't have a problem. Try to get a seat near the front of the plane.

 

Hi Patty, The SleepPhones have been my smartest purchase and very comfy. I purchased them on their site. I plug them into my laptop or iPodNono and listen to my favorite nature sounds: rain drops on a pond or the ocean waves with light thunder. Not sure about the iPhone since I don't own one. Thanks! Steve. mentioned the forum Flights so I'll check that out.

 

Just ordered the SleepPhones. Thanks again.

 

do any of you use a sound meter app? i find this helpful if you are nervous about noise volumes when out

 

Hi Deb, I don't because I'm one of the odd people that don't own an iPhone. Is there another way I can find this out? btw I don't own an iPhone since I'm trying to keep my life simple these days. I worked for a super busy law firm in the Silicon Valley (Palo Alto) and was often stressed.