Tinnitus, Deafness and Ear Problems Support Group
This group is for those coping with Tinnitus (ringing ears or ear noise), hearing loss, and all ear issues. Join to find support and get advice from others.
Why is it that Noise makes Tinnitus spike? Everytime I am in a noisy environment it seems like my Tinnitus gets worse. I also believe that I have Hyperacusis. I am trying to stay away from noisy situations but in the world in which we live evrything is so noisy. Today I was exposed to maintenance hammering outside on the deck to my apartment. It set me off for the day first thing and I was holding my ears the whole time praying that I don't further damage my ears. Tonight walking in to my apartment I walked by a car that someone had just gotten out of and the horn beep went off and it seemed so loud and once again I became so anxious that this had damaged my ears. I don't want to do anything to make the T worse, but short of wearing ear plugs all day don't know what to do to protect my ears. I don't even feel that I can go to the movies anymore because they are so loud. I feel like giving up because I am so depressed. I need to work but I am having difficulty working and just getting through the day. I really wish that there were therapists that specialized in working with people with Tinnitus. I found one but she is 2 hours away. I am really having difficulty coping.
April
April
I feel that you can do everything sensible
to protect your ears, but limited to a practical matter. If I know a situation may be noisy, I have earplugs. I try to limit these noisy situations. But you are so right that the world is a noisy place, and there isn't much that can be done from sudden occurrences such as a horn, ambulance, motorcycles, etc. I don't have any problem in covering my ears if there is a sudden noise. You know what, nobody cares.
I know that I took a quick measure to protect the health of my ears.
I still attend movies and go to concerts. I wear earplugs and don't sit near speakers. Mostly I haven't changed much of anything as I learned that activities are a distraction from T. Based on experience, the more you distract yourself from thinking about T, the less T is an issue. Not only is this true for the period of time that you are distracted, but also has positive results in alleviated the T symptoms.
At the beginning my T was debilitating everyday. Currently it is limited to a couple times a week. Today is a bad day, but I handled daily activities without bringing it to anyone's attention with the one exception that I'm reporting it within this thread.
Interesting you mention T therapists. As a seasoned veteran of this T curse, I'll be glad to assist and offer suggestions which as gotten me to this point. The improvement in T has been accomplished naturally, using common sense with guidance and support from this group.
whereupon there are also good and bad days
I understand your concerns. Not everyone with tinnitus has hyperacusis, so some can not relate. If the decibel level of that horn was 100db, it sounds like 150 db. I too have maintenance workers doing major renovations around the place for 6 damn weeks. I have a pair of Peltor ear muffs and put earbuds in and listen to white noise. When I go out I always have musician earplugs that I had to plunk down money for because they are custom made. You are not alone in this. Have you ever had your (LDL's) loudness discomfort levels taken?
Mine were 90-95. That is borderline between manageable and not so. Perhaps getting them measured would help you understand where you are.
-Mark
really sorry that you are struggling at the moment. we have all been there at some point and some days we go back there as well. I had Hyperacusis as well as T at the beginning and I really sympathise. At the moment I think it's only mild because things like maintenance and emergency vehicles sirens alarms etc really make me cringe but I can actually tolerate the every day sounds like car door closing, the TV, the ice cream vans music and one of my worst ones was actually the clinking of crockery when being washed! Oh yes and the shutting of the microwave door! Urghhhhh !
As you can see from my list, the everyday normal tolerances of sound with H is magnified ten fold. Everything hurt ,the days were terrible and at first I didn't know what was happening! Thank fully that has calmed down a bit so like you it's usually the BIG noises which get me. But you know what, I think to some extent these noises hurt everyone's ears not just us which are super sensitive to the noises.
Like Attester has said, good days and bad days. Spikes will appear from time to time, my last one started 3 days ago (today it is calmer so it may be over ) the one before I think lasted 10 days and I never thought it would settle again. But you know April, they usually do settle down. You really have to watch the negative emotions. I know it's easier said than done but our brain/mind does play a big role in dealing with T. Distraction is a wonderful thing, I have just returned from a Netball meeting with friends and I honestly never gave my T a moments thought for 3 hours. Now I'm on this site talking about it and thinking about it and well...it's up there in volume but I know when I come away from here and go and get busy again, it will calm down again. As for the movies, well I kept away for ages but then thought hang on, this is no good, so I go with ear plugs and clean fingers! They work wonders to plug the ear just at the noisy parts.
If you are seriously depressed (and not just fed up) about the whole thing then you might be better seeing your doctor to help you through this bad phase, and April, thats what it is, a bad phase, I have every confidence in that it will get better for you.
Best Wishes, keep us informed of your progress
Mandy
Our comments were posted to help April, but I wanted to thank you for the inspiration and reassurance documented into your post relating to coping techniques in dealing with life that includes T.
I then joined the Tinnitus Ass. They send out a publication three times a year with alot of info. on research that they are doing. I guess alot of our men coming back from war has tinnitus now. I also found that the tinnitus clinic in Oregon was very useful. They try to help you understand your situation with tests, and support. They have an Otolaryngologist, a professor of Orolarynogology and an a certified audiologist with extensive experience in tinnitus. They also work with hypercusus. I have a kind of T. that gets worse with loud sounds. Not hypercusus they said, just a rare form. My husband has the form that when he plays loud TV or something he masked it. We have been together since we were in highschool, married 43 years and I never wanted to strangle him before. This is very hard for us. I can't talk to him about it because he says it makes him think about his tinnits. So I joined this group hoping to be able to gain some understanding of what other people are going through, getting some needed support and understanding for myself etc. Anyway the clinc is Oregon Health and Science University or OHSU. The phone number is 1-503-494-7954. If this is to far away, they can direct you to a research clinic nearest you.
I wish you all the luck in the world. It will get easier.
Kasnandra
There are people here that knows what they are saying.
Kasandra
Kasandra
T is as unique as a fingerprint. What works for your husband (loud TV for masking) is a good distraction for him. Maybe a good distraction for you would be soothing music or sounds. For me its going for a walk with nature sounds. The sooner you do what your body wants you to do, the sooner that T will be less of an issue for you.
I know that I will be able to figure out the methods of eliminating this curse for me, long before medical science does. It is important to be your own advocate!
Kasandra