What Can I Do About Extremely Reactive Tinnitus?

The good news is my tinnitus has reduced a lot. At night when it's very quiet I can barely hear it.

The bad news is that it's very reactive to any noise and many movements.

Is there a way I can desensitize my brain to this? Please help.

 

Bumping for good question. I don't know why this isn't getting responses. This seems like a pretty common problem.

 

I suppose because there are not responses. You just pray for a miracle by the powers of Gods. Recall that meme of yours with the man in caves in regard to tinnitus. Here is your living paradigm of that one. Treatment option A: Pray to the Gods. B: Invoke the healing spirits during a ritual. Then tinnitus may stop being reactive. I'm sick of this agony...

 

Agreed. There's some people here who claim it's tied to hyperacusis but I don't really know. Do you have hyperacusis?

 

What do you mean by extremely reactive if you can barely hear it in silence as it is? How do you know if it's reacting if you can't hear it most the time anyway? Does it suddenly get loud enough to hear with noise?

 

You desensitize things by not pay attention to it. It's like a muay thai fighter that kicks a brick with his shin for years, after years. Eventually he feels no pain and pays no attention, that he/she is kicking a brick. It's the same with tinnitus, train the mind to not measure, each and every noise that you hear. The more you do this, the less you get worked up about it. Loud noise can bring on, reactive tinnitus for sure, but some measure any noise and they are trained to turn on the reactive meter.

It takes time, to get this right, but it is very possible.

Be well...

 

Yes I have. And reactive tinnitus as well. I'm blessed to have all the goodies of this extraordinary disease, shipped to us straight from hell. Apparently my symptoms are still tolerable (I suppose???) but things have been constantly progressing. Every month is agony. It's a constant "bra de fer".

 

hopefully getting rid of the tinnitus can make it non reactive. I don't know.

 

Getting rid of the tinnitus. Lol

 

Meant hyperacusis whoops.

 

I have been in real trouble with my t lately. It is aggrevated by driving a car and I have no idea what to do about it! It has usually been ok during the morning and even the day until afternoon but every evening it's screaming like crazy after driving back home and I cannot sleep anymore...It has now been about six hours I came from work and screaming is still totally mad. I'm afraid every car drive will make it even worse, permanently and this spike won't go away anymore. Today it's the worst it has ever been. This is not at all what my normal level of t has been for the past year or so and I have no idea what has happened to me lately. Yesterday evening it was quiet and normal and I was so relieved it was back to basic level and today evening is the total opposite. Is this reactive tinnitus or just t getting worse and worse without any clear noise exposure? I have been very careful with my t the whole time and protected the ears properly when needed. Maybe even too much...My t was originally caused by a movie theater visit so it was noice induced. I always wear silicone earplugs when driving a car. I didn't have any problems with my t during the past year or so and driving a car didn't bother it and I have been wearing earplugs in a car this whole time. This has become a problem only lately. Does anyone have any similar experiences or any suggestions what to do in this difficult situation? Should I just stop using the car and start using train or something, is that the answer? I drive about 40 mins to the office and the same back, about four times per week.

 

This is a limitation that concerns me as well. No plugs help me. I use muffs as well but it doesn't work. What about a less noisy car?

 

I am no expert, have T much more recently, but I think you may be protecting your ears too much. I don't believe that you need to wear earplugs while driving the car, most of the time at least. From what I have been told, and according to some of the resident experts on this board, you need full exposure to regular noise, gradually if necessary, or the brain will think that there's something wrong and will continue to be on high alert, which causes delays in habituation and other problems. Except for loud concerts, loud subway (underground) stations, construction sites, many movies theaters, loud machinery, airports, etc., most of us do not need earplugs for everyday wear. Of course I carry them around with me, you never know when you might need them.

 

I agree with Luman. Try driving without plugs. Wearing plugs increases my tinnitus. It causes your brain to search for sound and can amplify the tinnitus.