Volume Seems to Feed Off Volume

I noticed that I wake up the the usual shitty volume of my tinnitus and it increases during the course of the day. It's almost like the volume increases itself by hearing the original volume. Anyone else notice this?

 

That could be REACTIVE TINNITUS...

 

That's good to know. I'll have to do some research on that.
Thank you!

 

Mine generally deceases after I wake up. Don't believe there is a universal truth with tinnitus. A broad spectrum..no doubt many like you, and many like me and every gradation in between.

 

I can see that when I read all the posts from other members. Could be why it's so hard to treat...

 

Reactive tinnitus is actually hyperacusis. Unless hyperaucusis (sensitivity to sound) is treated, a person will always have problems which manifests itself as tinnitus spiking and oversensitivity to certain sounds.

 

Michael,
What are the 'treatments' for hyperacusis? Pretty sure there is no cure for it.

 

That's what's been happening lately. It's new. I started noticing it when I am watching the TV or I shave with an electric razor. I guess it's back to shaving with a blade.

 

@stophiss
Anyone that tells you hyperacusis cannot be treated they are wrong. I had hyperacusis of the worst kind anyone can imagine and now it completely cured. It was so bad, when in conversation with someone I had to ask them to please lower their voice because my ears hurt so much. The treatment for hyperacusis is wearing white noise generators under the care of an Hearing Therapist.

This treatment is known as TRT. If a person is unable to get that, then I suggest they use sound enrichment especially at night using a sound machine by the bedside. It will help to desensitize the auditory system while a person sleeps. My hyperacusis took 2 years to be cured. While wearing the white noise generators my tinnitus was treated at the same time.

You might find my post below helpful titled: Answers to hyperacusis and habituation.
Michael
If a person has hyperacusis and it is not treated they will always have problems such as oversensitivity to sound and tinnitus spiking.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/answers-to-hyperacusis-and-habituation.12058/

 

With respect, you are making the leap of cause and effect by suggesting that hyperacusis can be treated with white noise masking. In actual fact, hyperacusis could theoretically improve with time by limiting sound exposure and no masking at all. Mine has. When I first contracted tinnitus a few months back, it came along with hyperacusis. I didn't mask anything but was careful about loud sound exposure. Today, my hyperacusis is much better.
So I believe people have to be careful about assigning cause. For example, a person can go on vacation and his hyperacusis improved. It could be deduced that vacations cure hyperacusis when reality is reduction in stress may improve hyperacusis.
My thoughts.

 

@erniej

Exactly, I suspect, it's a new guy that's come on the scene and wants to impress people with the new buzzword: Reacative tinnitus and charge people for that! - well, I'm certainly not impressed. For this reason I wrote a post a short while ago that some people might find interesting.

What is Reactive Tinnitus?

A word often used in tinnitus forums these days is: “Reactive” tinnitus. People affected will say something like: “ I have habituated but my tinnitus is reactive to certain sounds” or “ I have reactive tinnitus”. I believe there is some confusion here and will explain.

Someone that has tinnitus especially when caused by loud noise exposure hyperacusis (sensitivity to certain sounds) is often present. If hyperacusis isn’t treated the auditory system will always be sensitive to certain sounds even after habituation has been reached. It is for this reason the use of white noise generators (wngs) is recommended to help desensitize the auditory system. White noise generators are used as part of TRT (tinnitus retraining therapy) and must be adjusted correctly as not to irritate the inner ear (cochlear) when wearing them. This treatment is best done under the care of a Hearing Therapist.

When a person says they have “reactive tinnitus” in my opinion, they are not aware they have hyperacusis, which is causing their tinnitus to spike when they hear certain sounds. Although hyperacusis can improve by itself with time, without treatment there is no guarantee. For this reason I often recommend a person to use sound enrichment (sound therapy) as it helps to desensitize the auditory system.

Inside the human body is noisy place but our brain has learned to filter out much of this sound so it doesn’t focus on it. Anyone with tinnitus that sleeps in a quiet room, risks making their tinnitus more intrusive as the brain and auditory system never switch off. If the brain hears silence while we sleep, it has the ability to increase its background activity, and at the same time increasing the tinnitus making it louder and more intrusive. A person might not notice this immediately as it’s usually a gradual process.

When we are in deep sleep a sound machine supplies the brain and auditory system with sound enrichment. Over time, the tinnitus is pushed further into the background making it less intrusive and will help make the path to habituation easier. It is usually best to have the sound machine playing in the background at a low level (slightly below the tinnitus) without drawing attention to itself unlike a radio. For this reason music is not the best source to use at night as it draws attention to itself.

Michael

 

I had some luck a few years ago using my Starkey hearing aid/masker somewhat along those lines. I'll have to dig it out and give it another whirl. I forgot all about that.

 

@stophiss I agree with you that hyperacusis can get better of it's own accord but if you have read my post in the link that I gave you I stated: hyperacusis can get better on it's own without treatment but there is no guarantee. For this reason, sound enrichment is often recommend for anyone that has hyperacusis.
By the way, wearing white noise generators is not masking if used correctly. The correct way to adjust them is to set their volume slightly below the tinnitus and then leave them alone until going to bed at night then use a sound machine.
Michael

 

Hearing aid/s can help reduce tinnitus and hyperacusis by supplying the brain with sound from the outside environment that is has difficulty hearing. If a person has hearing loss and tinnitus and they have been prescribed hearing aid/s and don't wear them, the brain will turn-up (increase) its internal gain; similar to a volume control and this will increase the tinnitus and hyperacusis if hyperacuis is present.
Michael

 

That makes a lot of sense. I had an audiologist do a hearing test and the hearing aid was set to pick up the frequencies that my loss of hearing could not longer pick up. I noticed at the time I was better able to hear words that ended in s. If I remember correctly the masking sound also provided some of the frequencies that I could no longer hear.
I purchased the hearing aid/masker quite a few years ago. It might be a good idea if I went back and got another hearing test. I'm sure things with my hearing have changed by now.

 

I agree. I'm sorry to say, there are many people that give up very quickly if they don't see results fast. If they persisted with things like hearing aids, wearing white noise generators if prescribed - and using a sound machine at night they might see a marked improvement in their tinnitus.