Unbearable Tinnitus Spike: I Feel My Mental Health Is Deteriorating

Hello everybody,

I have had tinnitus since 2018. It was caused by acoustic trauma, as my ENT indicated back then. I have high-frequency hearing loss.

I used to work in aviation for several years and had to be around operating helicopters, but I made sure I regularly wore ear protection. Nonetheless, I got tinnitus.

When I was first diagnosed with tinnitus, I was almost suicidal, but somehow I managed to habituate, and everything was okay. I left my job in 2021 and felt my tinnitus was getting better and better to the extent that I sometimes forgot I had it.

However, all that changed after attending a party in September 2023, where I foolishly exposed my ears to very loud music (I sat just next to the loudspeakers for around five hours).

Despite the exposure, the spike didn’t start right after the party (at least I don’t remember, or maybe I didn’t notice it).

In November 2023, I started a stressful project that disrupted my sleep routines, affected my health, and led to increased caffeine consumption.

Then, one day in January 2024 (I don’t really recall the exact date), after staying up all night and sleeping for only a few hours during the day, I woke up with muffled hearing and could hear sounds as if my ears were full of water, accompanied by very loud tinnitus in the back of my head, in both my left and right ears (previously, I had the sound only in my left ear).

It’s been about four months, and the spike hasn't gone away. It’s really bothering me, causing lots of anxiety, stress, brain fog, insomnia, hopelessness, and depression.

I am not sure what caused the spike, but it’s absolutely something that I find hard to live with. I’ve been trying to relax recently and not worry too much, despite the enormous daily life pressure I’m under. I’ve been monitoring my situation and have noticed that if I sleep early and wake up early, the tinnitus decreases substantially for some parts of the day, but it gets much louder again at night. Sleeping is something I can’t easily achieve. It just gets louder when I lay my head down in a sleeping position.

I am hesitant to consult my ENT because I am worried I might get bad news that would worsen my tinnitus. I just don’t think pills will help.

I’ve read some coping stories and threads here, and they are giving me hope.

I appreciate your support very much, and thank you!

 

Hi Wassim, I can't believe how similar our situations are!

I also have severe tinnitus (and hyperacusis) after experiencing a noise trauma at a music festival in 2019, despite wearing custom-made hearing protection.

Like you, I've suffered a lot for years - lack of sleep, no social life, depression, and anxiety.

I managed to adapt and live somewhat normally between July 2023 and February 2024, with relatively decent sleep.

However, in February 2024, after visiting a dance bar with my hearing protection, I didn't feel any discomfort at the time, but since then I've experienced spikes in my symptoms.

I've been taking 22.5 mg of Mirtazapine every night to help me sleep, but since the end of February, it hasn't been effective. I wake up every 30 minutes due to the tinnitus, and I feel tired all the time because of the lack of sleep.

I'm feeling very isolated and depressed because I have to face this alone. I don't have a partner, and I struggle to find one because most meeting places are noisy.

I didn't have many friends before, and now I hardly have any because I've isolated myself since the noise trauma. I don't want to burden others.

I'm truly desperate. Susan Shore's device seems to be my only hope, but it seems far from being commercially available.

I don't know what else to say, but good luck. I can relate to your situation, and I'm going through the same struggle.

 

I’m so sorry that you’re experiencing this. It’s pure hell, I know.

Something does stick out, though. You say it “gets louder” when you lie your head in a sleeping position.

I would investigate somatic causes, such as cervical spine/neck issues, posture, and jaw problems. If the condition worsens in a certain position, there is a chance it can at least be partially treated.

Good luck!

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope those spikes go away very soon so we can move on and enjoy life. I was able to live with tinnitus happily for about four years before the latest spike. I am still trying to figure out what’s different this time. For the last two days, I haven’t slept at all. Sleep deprivation and stress also play a key role in firing tinnitus.

By the way, there are many places where you can socialize without exposing your ears to loud noises.

I’ll keep you posted if something works for me. Best of luck!

 

I can relate. I've never tried Mirtazapine, but I haven't gotten much sleep aid from OTC sleep medications and supplements. Hydroxyzine 25 mg didn't work for me, and neither did Nortriptyline 50 mg. Zolpidem helps in small doses overnight to help me get back to sleep. Over three weeks ago, I started on a DORA class sleep med called Quviviq, and it's really not looking very promising so far. I'm often up within 4 hours and can't get back to sleep. Last night was one of my worst nights on it. I couldn't even get to sleep for quite a while.

Two nights ago, I even had my first sleep paralysis episode near 5 AM with shadowy figures next to the bed just before I woke up. It was very brief. I had a sleeping mask on and couldn't have actually seen anything. Maybe I was dreaming that I couldn't move, but temporary sleep paralysis is not uncommon with the DORA sleep medications. While lying awake after that, I had occasional vibration feelings all over my body for a few seconds at a time that happened about four times. Sublingual Zolpidem helped me get back to sleep.

 

So, not much has changed since my last contribution. However, last night, I got some four hours of uninterrupted sleep (3 am - 7:30 am). I woke up to the loud ringing in both ears, got up (not feeling annoyed), and had coffee; the ringing in the right ear somehow decreased and will subside during the day.

Waking up early makes my tinnitus much more manageable. I am in a better mood, there is no brain fog, and I am less stressed. Still, sudden loud external sounds make my muscles contract, so I cover my ears.

I don’t think there is something like “ringing increased,” but rather the brain’s perception of the ringing and its reaction to it.

Some studies concluded that damage to hair cells and the intensity of tinnitus are not directly proportional (if I may say).

Factors that might be contributing to the spike I am experiencing:

1. Stress
2. Anxiety
3. Sleep deprivation
4. Jaw/neck issues
5. High blood pressure
6. Mental exhaustion
7. Loneliness
8. Unhealthy emotions

Factors that might have caused the spike (directly or indirectly):

1. Latest exposure to the loud noise during that party (September 2023).
2. A stressful project, long hours of sitting on a computer with strained back and neck, caffeine, and unhealthy sleeping routines.

Note: the spike didn’t start right after my exposure to the loud noise, but during the stressful period I went through (January 2024).

I am hopeful for the rest of the day and will try to do as much as possible during this day until night comes and my body asks for rest, and I sleep as soon as I lay my head on my pillow (naturally without relying on pills or alcohol).

I wish all of you a great day, lots of peace and serenity. ❤️

 

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but this is just utter nonsense.

This is even more nonsense. Do you know of an instrument that can measure damage to hair cells?

 

I heard about Quviviq a long time ago. It is finally available in France.

I was thinking about giving it a try. I'm sorry it did not work as expected for you.

I'm kind of reluctant to try it, though. As it is a very new treatment, we don't know what side effects could occur in long-term use.

I think you're right that, yes, there are factors that can intensify the volume of tinnitus (such as exposure to loud noises, alcohol, stimulants, stress, etc.).

These intensifications can sometimes be temporary (fortunately), but they are real, not just a matter of perception.

Perception is how a person feels about a given value, which does not change. For example, if I turn the sound up to volume 10, it will seem loud to me, but to another person, it will seem soft. Yet the volume is still at 10. If I turn the volume up to 15, the sound will noticeably be louder; it's not a matter of impression or perception.

Getting back to tinnitus, if you usually hear it very faintly when you plug your ears, whereas when you have spikes, you hear it more intensely, it's not a matter of perception but factual intensification.

ENT specialists who think that tinnitus doesn't evolve know nothing about it and have certainly never experienced disabling tinnitus to believe that.

 

It's probably got about a 30% chance of working for someone without unacceptable side effects. Side effects haven't been much of an issue for me, and it might be working for me a little earlier in the night, but it's still coming up way short. I'm going to give it at least two more weeks before deciding whether to refill for another month. Some people have said it started working after a month. I'm not too optimistic, but I'm glad I gave it a try, just so I know. Dayvigo is another one that works better for some people, but I'm not sure if I want to try another one of these.