Turned Off White Noise Machine, Ringing Kept Getting Lower After Hearing Crackling — Hyperacusis?

So I’ve had tinnitus in my left ear for over 3 weeks now. Think it’s stress/anxiety induced, I ended my 3 year relationship, my dog’s brain cancer was getting treated while I was traveling a lot for work all at the same time. I had done a lot hiking on my work trip so not sure if it’s altitude related either. Had 2 ENTs check it out and they can’t find anything wrong. Hearing is good. I have my good days and my really bad days like yesterday. I took 50mg of Trazodone to sleep and didn’t help then took another 50mg and still didn’t help.

I decided to try something else. I turned off my white noise machine and tv... I heard some crackling in my ear and the ringing kept getting lower after each crackle to a low point where I could then sleep without the white noise.

Is this hyperacusis? And when will this go away? It’s been torture and I want my life back.

 

Are you saying your Tinnitus is louder when you hear sounds, generally labelled reactive tinnitus?

Reactive Tinnitus from what I understand can be considered as Hyperacusis.

Hyperacusis is normally associated with sounds being perceived louder than they actually are. Hyper-sensitive hearing if you will. For example, when my Hyperacusis is really acting up I can't have a conversation with people because even normal levels of talking are too loud. Toilets flushing can be unbearable. My Tinnitus also becomes extremely reactive to sounds.

If you find you've got similar symptoms, then yes, there's a chance it could be Hyperacusis - which can be "treated" to a degree.

If you find your Tinnitus doesn't react to sound and you don't find every day sounds louder than normal, there's a chance it's something else.

There's some very smart people on here who could probably explain the above better than I!

 

HI @JoseDiazJr

I am sorry to know you are going through such a difficult time at the moment with tinnitus. Although exposure to loud noise is the most common cause of it, stress among other things can cause it too. From what you describe your tinnitus could be caused by stress. Hyperacusis, is usually linked to "exposure to loud noise" and not often associated with stress or an underlying problem associated with the ear, nose and throat although it can occur.

From what you describe it doesn't sound like you have hyperacusis. Hyperacusis is having an acute oversensitivity to certain sounds that can often result in feeling pain in the ears, and comes in different levels of severity. Do you listen to music regularly through headphones or go to places such as: clubs, concerts where loud music is played? Do you work in a noisy environment or use a headset often? If yes to any of these things then your tinnitus could be "Noise induced".

Whatever is the cause of the tinnitus try not to sleep in a quiet room. Use sound enrichment by setting the volume slightly below the tinnitus. You can use nature sounds or white noise. Please click on the links below and read my articles on tinnitus, that I think you will find helpful.

All the best
Michael

PS: Tinnitus usually improves with time so try to be patient. Please take your time and read my articles.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/

 

Hi, what you are describing sounds roughly what I am going through now. I went to concert last week and my tinnitus feels very reactive so to speak so I think I have hyperacusis. So what are the typical treatments for hyperacusis apart from giving it time and staying away from louder sounds and such?

 

The only way I'm aware of and the way I've been getting treatment is via the use of White Noise Generators (WNGs). The way my audiologist described it is a way of desensitizing the ears and bringing the hearing threshold back down to normal levels by playing a constant background noise into your ears.

It's not irritating or distracting and it's certainly better than the ringing in my opinion but not everybody is sold on the idea. The WNGs are basically hearing aids with the microphone disabled and white noise being played through the speakers instead.

 

Got it... weirdly enough when I play white noise such as waterfall or rain, my T increases, does that happen to you as well? There are certain sounds like high pitched cricket sounds that drown it out for me. My T is a very high pitched in sound and increases in volume if there is anything low pitched it seems.

 

White noise increases my tinnitus. I much prefer to sleep in silence with my earplugs. Over the last year, my tinnitus has significantly improved, and hyperacusis, which was mild, has completely resolved. Listen to your body, and do what works for you.

 

Yep, that's not abnormal - certain sounds will react more with your Tinnitus than others. I also have extremely high pitches which are very difficult to mask but the white noise through my WNGs doesn't trigger my reactivity. It's very subtle and the idea is, if the Hyperacusis can be improved - the reactivity will subside.