Watching Interstellar Without Ear Plugs — Big Mistake — Advice Appreciated

Hi,
my name is Martin. 42 years old from the Kingdom of Denmark. I have had tinnitus since 2011 and after a good year of troublesome thoughts, anxieties etc I totally habituated to the point of tinnitus being NO concern. Fast forward three years. Two episodes of noise exposure has left me with a significant increase in tinnitus. First time in the spring time this year. It took me a good three to four months to become "not bothered" by it. Two weeks ago, in the cinema watching an incredible loud Interstellar, without plugs. Noticed a new increase in tinnitus. I must say, that I have always been able to hear my tinnitus, even i four lane traffic. But now it feels like it has reached, some days, rather intolerable levels. It has definitely spiked BIG TIME. I am back in my pre-habituation anxiety, checking, being afraid of the sound etc. After the noise exposure in the spring time, I sort of got myself into thinking that habituation of reaction was an ambitious goal enough for me. The tinnitus is simply too loud to ignore. Lost this habituation of reaction (again) after Interstellar. Has anyone got any experience of living, like me, a little irresponsible, and not taking care of their hearing in loud environments (if a cinema can be considered as such) and how has their tinnitus reacted to this long term. I do consider myself fairly responsible. But living also includes doing things like visiting the cinema or going to a busy bar. The world is noisy and it is perhaps impossible, not at some point, to expose yourself to loud environments, perhaps unwillingly (sirens of ambulances, fire crackers going of etc...)

I realise that a lot of people would point the blame finger and say that it was foolish of me going to a cinema without plugs. I know this. What I am interested in is people's experience of having their T increased due to noise exposure - and if they managed to habituate again (I guess there must be several thousands of people having experienced this who are not on forums), but I am asking you, the real experts

 

I've had it for almost 10 years and still every spike brings me right back to square one, like I wasn't habituated at all. If hell is real I imagine this is what it would be. Constant spikes and having to deal with them.

 

Hey LeQuack, did you ever truly habituate? I remember mine being screamingly loud initially back in 2011. I could literally hear it over anything. It seemed to subside eventually into the background and definitely became quieter. I hope this happens again, although I do not kid myself into believing that it will fade into significance once again. As long as I can sleep (difficult right now), eat and work, and of course smile and be happy, tinnitus can do its thing. I find it hard to believe I can achieve this state again, with my new found level of, at times, screaming tinnitus. Your spikes, are they random and frequent? or noise induced? I hope that if you have achieved habituation once, perhaps the loudness of the tinnitus wont matter, and you can habituate again. But when all you want to do is run away from the sound, then it's a bi*ch.

 

I don't think it is irresponsible behaviour. It is what I would consider a "go-with-the-flow" mentality that 99% of all people have - especially when it comes to noise. I do wish there would be more awareness (at schools) and also preventional awareness (eg. earplugs "on location" at cinemas/concerts). But it is not the case. Even in the developed world. And even almost 15 years into the 21st century.

However - irresponsible or not - the final "price" you pay is the same: tinnitus.

We may be the "real experts", but most people on here are probably also the ones who did not habituate so well. Otherwise, we would not have joined this forum in the first place. Probably.

To be fair, a number of people do join up for 3 to 4 weeks - perhaps two months - and then leave again.

Habituation - to the extent that it actually occurs - is likely to take up to 18 months (and not less than six, most likely). Many so-called "experts" will state that habituation takes less time. But the reality is different. The reality is also that a few people do not habituate at all.

 

Personally i've never met anybody habituate to "screaming" tinnitus, but your spike will most likely subside.

 

My guess is yes, as @dan says, your spike eventually will subside. Lesson learned. I don't believe in living in a sound-proof bubble but I do believe in being cautious about noise if you already have damaged your auditory system. I never go to a film without ear plugs and leave during the trailers which, for some stupid reason, are even louder than the movie. Same thing with restaurants, bars: if I can't hear people without them raising their voices, in go the plugs.

In the meantime, I would hit the N-Acetyl Cysteine big time. Doses immediately following intense noise exposure are 1800 mg first time, then 1200 mg daily. It's a supplement and it has helped me in these situations. There is a very long thread here at TT on this, including some nice research posts by @jazz:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/n-acetylcysteine-nac.395/page-7#post-69802

Finally, and I know this is easy to say, tough to do: Try not to fret about the whole habituation thing. Just take care of yourself, mask if necessary, try to curb your anxiety. You habituated once. You will again.

 

@LadyDi gave you excellent advice both regarding the NAC supplementation and maintaining a positive attitude towards your noise. We just had a member, @ampumpkin, whose tinnitus spiked from a drug she had taken; but, after about six months, she habituated again. And you will too. It takes a good attitude and an effective plan--which you now have. In addition, check out information on sleeping tips. Getting a good night's sleep is so important for people with tinnitus.

Try not to worry. You'll be fine again, but it might take a few months!

Here's a reference on sleep supplements in case you're having problems:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/anxious-cant-sleep-what-sleep-supplement-works-for-you.5760/​

 

I would always just carry earplugs with you. You never know when you will need them. If you go to the movies again bring earmuffs and earplugs. It will be dark inside so you can just put on the muffs when the movie starts.

 

LadyDi, I notice that you listed that your tinitus is from an airplane. Could I ask what type of sound(s) do you hear?

 

Same story here Martin - when you feel down and stressed about your tinnitus, come here to read about latest research and efforts to (hopefully soon) get rid of it. it soothes my anxiety and deflect my stress into a constructive energy - if you do whatever it is possible to do to help yourself get better, you will feel better about the whole thing anyway. I think. My other suggestion is: when you start to habituate again, or get some good days, DO NOT come here it will bring your anxiety (and your tinnitus) back up most of the times.

P.S. interstellar is way too loud (2 other people were wearing ear plugs next to me - never experienced that before in a cinema) and i find it crazy irresponsible not to put any warning before the movie starts or even before entering the cinema, of course.

 

Hi @beemovie ... My tinnitus came flying with an undetected sinus infection (just to be clear) not from the noise of the plane. My eustachian tubes stayed shut, I had intense pain from the barometric pressure changes and my middle ear filled with fluid. I now have very high frequency hearing loss in both ears, although I can hear fine.

My tinnitus is a hissing/whistle kind of noise. About 14000-16000 hz, very high.

 

Thank you guys for all the comments. I did not see any lifted fingers or moral preaching in there. Thank you.

I also believe it may subside a little in time. I do have a spike theory when stress and anxiety is involved.

I work for one of the world's leading hearing aid manufacturer, Oticon (ironic) but hey. We have some top class audiological researchers and I have had very interesting conversations with them about the apparent intensity of tinnitus. I mean, why do some develop very high, almost screaming tinnitus, despite like me, not having any significant hearing loss. I have had mine measured several times, with the same result. Normal hearing or slight hearing loss in the 4000 Hz area. However, I have a very high pitched tinnitus and also a severe intensity. I have noise maskers (Oticon brand of course and the white noise is set at 50dB. My tinnitus is above that! Here is my theory. I have been suffering with several anxiety issues in my life. Before tinnitus, I would hear "electrical whoozing" in my head through many years. I believe that due to my high state anxiety, my hearing is more acute, at least when I am stressed or anxious. The volume of my auditory system is set at a higher level. That also explains why, when I am anxious about noise exposure, my tinnitus levels increase to unprecedented levels, like after the movie, Interstellar. My brain tunes in on the tinnitus sound and my anxiety response amplifies it BIG TIME. I presented this idea to a professor in audiology and he said it makes sense. Imagine being a hunter in the stone age. You are out at night looking for prey. Your hearing will be acutely tuned to your surroundings, and you can hear the slightest movement of leaves etc. Have you ever wondered why mothers can wake up at the slightest change in their baby's breathing. It is almost imperceptible. But your hearing is attuned to the sound, and your auditory system amplifies it. Therefore, once the anxiety connection to the sound is broken (habituation of reaction), you may find it to decrease in amplitude. I believe this happened to me before twice. When I first developed tinnitus and became obsessed, and when I got a noise exposure in the spring. Bottom line, remove the anxious response and perhaps the tinnitus will lessen in severity in time. When I habituated to the sound before, I could lie in silence with BIG tinnitus and not care about it. It was just there. Hope to get there again. Slept without sound masker last night despite LOUD tinnitus and for the first time, got a good nights sleep in two weeks. Perhaps my first step in a new round of habituation of reaction.

Appreciate your input above. Do comment on your own experiences. Are you particularly anxious with you T sound and have you got an anxious outlook in general?

 

@Martin Jensen , First spikes happen. Don't blame yourself for the spike. When I have a relapse I do not know if it is worse than the last relapse. I do know I am back to square one. I'm on my third relapse since my onset in 1990. I go with what works for me. It usually takes me 12-18 months to habituate. I'm 7 months into the current relapse and things are not great but better. What I'm getting at is you have habituated before and will do it again.

 

@Ken219 thanks mate. I know to not go down the blame route. Perhaps I tend to forget the suffering that comes before habituation. Today I went for a long bike ride in the sun (only 4 degrees but Denmark IS cold) and came home feeling more optimistic. I recognise this pattern and perhaps I am not too far away from my goal - not to react emotionally to the sound. It is entirely possible and will hopefully happen within a couple of months. A you say, spikes happen and we are in it for the long haul. Might as well try to accept this damn affliction

 

Since 1998 i had several spikes ,but i never stopped going to the movies(without protection) until my accident with a balloon in 2012 (see my presentation)lately i can´t no more and since that accident i gave up cinema completely ,because it´s too loud for me to handle.For the last 2 years i am trying to get use to it ,and only lately i could get some rest.T is a process that never ends and you have to readjust from time to time.Sometimes is fast, sometimes it´s not.

 

@jazz thank you for tagging me!! I will give an answer to @Martin Jensen

I have been to the movies to see Interstellar and had no problems with it.... When it's too loud, I feel it and I just plug my ears.

Martin, I have had T for 7 years, almost 8. The first 7 years were fine, I habituated within 6 months and never thought about my T. Like jazz mentioned, I unfortunately took an antibiotics that caused further damage in may 2014. The T was extremely loud the first few weeks after the drug, I could hear it above the shower. It did go down but it's not like it was before.

It is louder and more intrusive, mutates a lot (sometimes reactive, sometimes not).

But I can say that I have almost habituated for the second time. I think about the T more often than from 2007-2014. It is louder so I notice it almost every day. But it's ok. I push it to the back of my mind. I have spent several hours, almost entire days without thinking about it. My life is almost back to normal. And T does not bother me as much.

It's funny when I think about it. 6 months ago when it increased, I thought about ending it all. TT and the good advice I got on here saved me.

I reached a turning point in September. Don't laugh ok!! But I ran my first half-Marathon and after that, I realized that I could accomplish anything!! I remember running and my body hurting so bad... I thought about the people on TT and how I was running not only for me, for my kids (3) but also for THEM.

After I did that... I felt different. And things have been improving a lot faster since then.

I also met a guy shortly after my half-Marathon. I am in love and I think it helps. He knows I have T and he knows I sometimes have to do a few things differently than most girls because of that.

In October,we went to a Brazilian restaurant. Around 9pm, they put on a show with dancers and extremely loud music. I had to leave. It was too loud and hurting my ears. My T spiked for 3 weeks after that. But I was ok with it. I knew it would go down and it did. But as soon as I realized that the music was too loud, I left. So I was exposed for about 5 minutes.

I have to say that...habituation was the only way out for me. I am a single mom and have 3 kids. I work full-time, I am doing my MBA... so many projects on the line, such a busy life... I cannot give up. And back in May when my T was a nightmare, I just couldn't stay in that state of mind. I felt miserable. I had to get out of the black hole.

It was a slow process. I see it as a break up. I had to break up from my previous life. The process takes time, it hurts and it's not something that you can do in 2 days. It took almost 6 months again. From my point of view, I had some letting go to do and once I did it, I started feeling much better.

Take your time. And don't compare your process to the one of others. It may be quicker for you or slower, but it's ok.

My inbox is always open if you have questions.

Hugs

 

Wise words!

 

@ampumpkin , thank you for sharing your story. I would have been able to write the same story until three weeks ago. Tinnitus came into my life in 2011, habituated 100% in a years time. first major crisis in april this year, due to first noise exposure. Got my act together and participated in a cycle trip from copenhagen to paris, one week in july. I too saw that as a major accomplishment, having been on the brink of despair two months earlier.

In my experience, keep pushing and doing what you did before is key. No limitations. After a while the attitude improves. I can already feel it taking effect. Today blasting tinnitus, but I care less than a week ago. I am doing my thing, going to work, interviewing people and listen to music on my in-ear headphones I will get back on form, and this forum and the support from people such as yourself helps. I guess I had to get my head around second major spike this year. I can live with this. Not comfortably yet. But... In time. Even if it keeps roaring away at this level (which I don't think it will). Sleeping through the night still an obstacle. Once that is sorted, I am on the track.