Win, Mostly — I Feel Cured

I first got tinnitus a little over two years ago after a a single acoustic trauma.

Tinnitus, hyperacusis, reactive tinnitus.
The first few weeks, the sound of a clock ticking hurt me.
The sound of the sea waves outside or the sound of the wind did the same, and made my tinnitus react and increase for a few hours if I exposed myself.

At first, I tried to do what the doctors recommended and sleep with enrichment sounds, not overprotect, try to expose myself to "normal" sounds and not overprotect.

This didn't work, I didn't improve for months.

Then I stopped listening to doctors, psychiatrists and decided to listen to my body.

Sounds hurt, therefore should be avoided.

I overprotected like crazy. For a few months, I slept with earplugs and Peltor X5A. I always wore at least earplugs outside with the peltor ready for whenever something was loud.

Things started to improve. I manage to drive again (at first with both Peltor + earplugs, then with earplugs only).
I managed to take the subway again, in the beginning for short trips because it started to hurt after a few minutes but slowly longer trips.

Each time I went too far (like a year ago when I went in a noisy shopping center for too long), I overprotected again for a few days/weeks afterward.

Nowadays, I'm hardly using the Peltor anymore but still have it just in case.

I have stopped wearing my left earplug most of the time, as hyperacusis is gone there.
I'm still wearing my right earplug most of the time outside as there is still a bit of leftover hyperacusis there (but it's nothing compared to what it was).

About tinnitus, it went down for a high pitch whistle to a low buzzing sound, which I hardly notice anymore.

I just went to see a movie for the first time in 2 years last week and everything went fine (took earplugs and Peltor just in case for the noisy moments).

I feel cured.

 

I'm glad you feel cured!

I did the contrary, I kept exposing myself to noise and I avoided silence as much as possible. My hyperacusis is now gone. Each case is different indeed!

About my tinnitus, it's been just a month since it came in my life so it is great to hear that you can feel cured with time.

Wish you the best!

 

You sure have patience man! My H has also gone down further. Now only the loud laughing of certain women is painful, before it was most of them. >_>

 

Congratulations!

I am very happy for you.

I am surprised you took that risk.

 

When did you start seeing improvements in your tinnitus? Congrats on your success!

 

When you first had the acoustic trauma did it come along with ear fullness? If so, how long did it take for that to improve?