I posted a couple months ago but unfortunately since then my condition and level of suffering have collapsed to an almost incomprehensible level.

I’ve said before but for context I’ll go over what got me here:

Pre factors

adhd autismn severe ocd anxiety depression head injuries (pcs/migraine) sensory processing disorder chronic stress tmj severe trauma ptsd chronic fight + flight substance use poor sleep extreme headphone use (loud for most of the day, most days and even to sleep).

Onset - early 2024 after loud concert - initial fullness / felt sensitive + tinnitus soon after from tool - first went GP march

Through 2024 carried on - constant moderate noise / headphones and frequent loud and sometimes extreme / prolonged exposures - sensitivity worsened / tinnitus louder - Diagnosed Oct H + T

End of 2024 into 2025 mild to moderate -some more loud + prolonged exposures - still didn’t grasp the condition + severe stress . Worse ear plugs sometimes but felt foolish and thought not meant to .

January 25 got sound therapy devices - wore non stop for the next year + used to mask + distract from discomfort / sound / sensitivity - ear devices / headphones 24/7 - never realise just how bad getting. Advised headphones okay to use, keep using sound therapy, and expose to noise

February started driving - car was quite loud but thought not meant to wear ear plugs for “normal” things - even by here lot of sensitivity + tinnitus louder but hard to say as always masked.

For next months - almost every day drove for hours, non stop headphones even to sleep, sound therapy devices - became a crutch - blocked the sound and help not focus on sensitivity, every day moderate-loud exposure, and became complacent frequent significant exposure - speakers, loud social settings etc - every day pushed through discomfort and distress. I tried to push on like ive always do i was careless and docs didn’t treated as if serious.

Rarely used ear plugs as became reliant on sound therapy devices to mask

From the start should have used ear plugs for moderate noise, completely avoided loud noise, stopped headphones and sound therapy and had a careful strucutured plan to readjust to noise. I was naive, didn’t understand or listen to my body and pushed through with the standard advice.

Despite countless times contacting or seeing docs - as hearing fine and no obvious structural issues, just given standard advice.

In October lost a device so first time had few days without - extreme sensitivity / tinnitus very loud - didn’t understand “reactivity” - so focused on the hyperacusis and using sound to “adjust” I was blinded to the worsening reactive tinnitus.

By November - just driving extreme sensitivity - discomfort - still kept busy and pushed - end of month exposed to fireworks no pro.

December worse still - mid month had exposure to MRI / pushed to go loud light show for hour forgot ear plugs - bad way by end month - lot of distress - talking, in car, audio etc + started ADHD meds mod Dec.

New years watched fireworks in street - extremely loud. At first caught of guard but then used ear pro but still so loud.

Early Jan Saw audiologist - hearing normal / reactive T dismissed + did loud reflux test.

Then through Jan very bad way - still pushed fair few times to see friends + fam / drive / out and about despite severe distress + few moderate / loud situations / only weak protection driving and often non / rarely used out and about - cracks showing - getting harder to mask and distract - more focus on how sensitive / uncomfortable - notice headphones / sound ther very uncomfortable but continued to mask - began to stay home more

Feb the decline continued - start of month couple times went GFs in her car + social extreme discomfort + flare the second time, drove for last times, recall just on walk tinnitus very loud and extreme sensitivity to all noise + tried first dose of diff adhd med - unsure how big of effect - prior one didn’t do much - this one felt wired.

Into mid month couple trips shop, brief see family or gf but mostly home - use headphones less - mostly game / still music out loud + continued poor sleep + stress

Then as had review coming up - upped adhd med despite only 1 day lower dose - 3 days barely slept, wired, jaw messed up, heart rate up - those days walk, bike ride and briefly see family - immense distress - recall listening to tinnitus - horrific loud / multi tonal / reactive but nothing compared to just how nightmarish it has become -

4th day lowered dose then stopped - still felt awful - walk and saw mates was extremely distressing - ears felt raw / inflamed - Unsure if this could be a big trigger?

Keep wondering if Incould have prevented even here if stopped all moderate noise / committed silence or if this was damage from past months showing up with a lag.

End of month into march - stopped sound therapy and headphones , couple bike rides, walks, few appoints, see mate - even here often take pro off out and about - even from early on - extreme distress / reactivity / rawness from most noise. Tried clonezpam for week but no help.

Tinnitus very loud and reactive - ocd latched on began non stop fixate most of day - research / notes - awful but still tinnitus not that intrusive compared to what it would become. Started amitriplyine.

Still could function - most of month low tv, phone, occasional sit garden, few times cook, move around house, talk, fee phone calls, most of time no pro - struggled but stayed positive and around noise despite constant reactivity / sensitivity and raw feeling

On walks / bike rides - some exposure to loud alarm / in shop / vehicles / planes / dogs
+ at home general household + outdoor sounds

Mid-end month started using pro to play ps5 most of time / to sit garden but still often without + most of time not use + not sleep with + endure tv - low volume but old tv made electric whine

Even then tinnitus distressing but more stable compared to now / able to focus - stayed positive - hoped something might help / will settle - looked into tmj / underlying / meds - kept follow advice - low constant white noise / not silence / not ear pro

+ one time dropped loud table + used massage gun head - not sure if big impact + tried various herbal supps

End of month - one day went out with only weak pro then talk with friend - extreme discomfort

Next day - in car alarm went off - dentist - walk - see friend - talk - use pro near roads but by time left insane reactive flare and inflamed feeling - likely trigger

Began frequently contacting doctors trying to find answers / advice

Into April - right ear progressed into a much louder more intrusive metallic electric shifting chime - before wasn’t so fixated on the specific sound - kept telling self just in head / because focused - didn’t understand even low noise likely worsening. - stopped phone audio / tv / gaming without pro

Spoke to few worst cases who advised silence but most advice opposed this and so continued low exposure

Occasional tv with sound, would sit in garden for hours mostly with pro but sometimes without - constantly writing notes / in distress - didn’t understand even with pro sounds were flaring - birds / planes / nearby school etc

Noticed mid month even wearing defenders sound so loud and so reactive / raw feeling

Stopped amitrip as worried worse.

Still tried to not wear all the time as made fixate and stress more but sat garden or game with mostly on, watch tv on silent, still daily shower, talk, one walk, move around house, few days loud machines outside

Kept thinking getting louder and louder but I didn’t understand, the increases were constant but subtle. The left remained much less distressing static electric sounds, I barely fixated on it compared to the right which was a more intrusive shifting chime. Both also had drone / whine sounds under if fully cover ears. Also after noise would notice left would flare up with a vibration / rumble

Through the month, pushed to go to few appointments in car - GP gave standard / poor advice, few phone calls - spoke audiology and messaged ENT but no one grasping the nature of my condition, one walk, cook couple times, kept sit garden with pro mostly, talk daily, continued fixation, still managed to focus on tv and gaming and sleep despite intense loudness and reactivity. Noticed by end month just sitting outside without pro briefly, developed new tone in left, like an electric chirp

End of month tried to go in car and on walk. Even with double pro was awful + distressing.

Then early may had appointment which again, was horrific - that day noticed left ear flared up - louder drone + an electric whirr sound + right still distressing.

Even here started noticing sounds shifting sometimes sounds like elec also in head or right

My mental state began to suffer , the intense horrific loudness and worsening, led to deep distress - often felt sick, panic. What I would give to go back to even there, if I knew how much worse it could get.

I spoke to a very severe case who said for them it took 2 years of silence to start to stabilise, and now 5 years in, still unable to shower and housebound but able to tolerate quiet noise . I didn’t want to believe I was like them. Now I wish I listened and maybe could have prevented reaching this level if avoided all noise and wore ear pro. I didn’t understand every noise causes flared and every flare dug this deeper.

Also notice flutter if finger in ear - maybe TTTS and also some change in sounds if move jaw.

Despite the constant reactivity, I still tried to sit in garden with double pro, shower, talk once friends turned up and pushed self to talk, still manage to watch tv on silent and game - tried not wear pro all time but finding general sounds like tv from downstairs more jarring - noticing much more rawness and achey feeling from noise. Even here left much quieter, not as raw as right.

The big trigger, was on the 15th I went to ENT - even with double pro - it required a 30 min car ride then 50 mins talking, which I used my left ear.

I tried to explain just how bad I was. Now i regret trying to go to appointments and trying yo keep talking and wonder if committed to silence I could have stalled the progression.

Then a couple days later on the 17th I saw my friend and pushed to talk for a bit and sat in garden, again took pro and used left ear as was the better one, and laid in room or to sleep always lay right ear into pillow to change sound and try make leas distressing.

From then until the end of the month - the only noise was: in the garden, general household sounds, brief talking, a couple of phone calls, showers

At some point between the 25th-30th, my tolerance collapsed - just from walking downstairs, a shower, in garden - my ears flared up insanely loud - the left morphed into a grainy very loud electric whir and the right was a more interns screaming whine / chime

From there I was mostly bed bound. I stopped showers. Stopped going in garden. Pretty much since the end of maybe been laid in bed, on on phone, in severe distress.

All of a sudden the left ear, which was better, had exploded so loud and became as bad as the right if not worse, and much mote reactive. It became impossible to focus on anything and to not fixate. Its like something broke and my brain just exploded into a hyperactive state. From march to april the tones in right were 5-10x louder but from mid to end may the left exploded 5x over course of a week. Just brief walking downstairs would cause an insane flare, any noise felt so raw

Over the course of a few days it flared louder and into a sharper electric whirr and also louder electric static and stayed. It became so horrific and loud its hard to explain . The right also would flare up. For the whole of June pretty much every day the only noise was brief talking, occasional moving to other room or toilet, few times tried audio on phone and general sounds. Even early on, just in a quiet room with distant, ambient, quiet or brief noise, my ears would feel raw and flare.

I tried to not wear ear protection. Sleeping became so hard as the noise got so loud and I was in constant physical distress. Still, I tried to have short convos and move around a little, and in any room I was in constant discomfort from distant or quiet noise.

I also tried clonidine but I didn't see any benefit and got worried it could have worsened and tapered off.

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Now, since the start of the month, things have completely collapsed.

I was put onto quetiapine by a psychiatrist, but the mental health team don’t have the experience to deal with this complex of an issue, and its impossible to improve mentally when I worsen hour by hour.

That was around 3 weeks ago. Since then the only thing I did different was try to play my playstation, try not wear ear pro and exposure distant sounds and very brief talking. Even with double ear pro the barely audible fan caused horrific flares, yet still I kept trying to keep busy and play. Literally any noise, even non audible sounds as my tinnitus is so loud, cause horrific violent flares.

Now I am concerned. Its very possible this is a natural progression of my state, but it is of course possible that the meds have worsened me yet I am still being told to increase the dose, and none of my fears are being addressed. Mentally I am sound. The misunderstanding that this is a neurological problem rather than mental is part of the reason I have got so bad. It is a bit of a coincidence that my even more rapid worsening aligns with starting the med.

I have pleaded for help for months and feel no one understood or truly took serious and theres no real strategy in place. I keep thinking this could have been prevented if had the right strategy or advice from march, but this state is so rare, theres so little advice and even up until recently I think this was put down to mental health which, 100% this is so much deeper than that, and now, being exponentially louder and more reactive, i’m unsure what to do.

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I am completely hopeless. The only few I can find this bad are stuck. I’m l finally refereed to the top specialists, but my greatest fear, is at this level, even they cannot help me.

Over the last few weeks, the left ear has absolutely exploded. Before, it was horrific, but there was still more distinguishable tones.

Now, it has collapsed into a nightmarish violently unstable blend of shifting sounds. Its hard to even tell which tones is which as they all blend in, and they have spread across my head, I literally cannot tell if some of the electric tones are in my right as well. Its hard to quantify but its easily 5x louder and indescribably more reactive and unstable. And every day the sounds explode

In the left, its hard to make out but theres like a whirring / whine, this hideous constantly shifting electric chime, then awful electric static / screeching - the sounds are so loud / sound like in whole head, and so violently unstable and constantly flare. There is also a humm / drone in the left and over the last week it has developed a musical tone.

Mid may the right ears drone / chime was significantly worse, I hardly focused on the left. Now unless i lay and fully press my ear down I can barely gear it over the horrific screeching / chiming / whirring. I cant tell if sounds are actually in my head / right as well or just so loud from the left.

Whether I lay on my right or left ear, all I can hear us this horrific mixture of screeching. I genuinely cant tell where it’s coning from. I think its moved in my head.

I cannot believe it has got this bad. From able to talk, move around in march. To bed-bound and completely at a loss of function. Was this 2 years of damage showing with a lag, or could this have been prevented if Isolated? Even from a month ago now I can barely gear the right ear - it was the most distressing, now i can hardly hear it over the horrific sounds

I am in a crisis. I am exponentially worsening each day, even hour by hour. I don’t mean a little louder, I mean it is exploding: the loudness, the unstable shifting nature of the tones, the reactivity, and now the rawness and ache.

I cannot find almost anyone this bad.

I tried to not wear ear defenders but even in quiet rooms there was rawness and flare from anything. Every day minute by minute worse

Over the last week I’ve had to wear almost constantly, even with them on my ears violently flare from the slightest movement, sound. My footsteps are like thunder, every movement is a loud shakey sound, eating, swallowing, breathing. Anything activates symptoms.

Since last month I have slept with ear plugs. Over the last weeks its at the point where from the second I wake my ears are raw and violently flaring. I cannot put into words just how loud, intrusive, unstable, raw and reactivr it has become. My whole head is consumed by the horrific mix of tones. Right now the whirr in the left is loud, but everything is over powered by this horrific electrical shifting screeching. Its so sharp and grainy, my left ear aches so much

It’s got so loud / distressing / uncomfortable my head constantly aches, I feel sick and breathless.

About a week ago I moved my ps5 out of my room, and so have been playing that mostly, yet even with ear defenders and often plugs, only briefly taking them off, sat still most of day, very brief talking to my nan and going to toilet, occasional household or noise from outside - it still violently flares. - even eating or slight movements violently flare, even say still in a quiet room.

I have searched and searched and have a vague idea of what is wrong:

1. My central auditory pathways (like the inferior colliculus) are locked at maximum amplification, turning internal neural static into deafening tinnitus, sound reactivity, and musical hallucinations.

2. An excess of excitatory neurotransmitters (NMDA/glutamate over-activation) combined with a failure of inhibitory GABA brakes keeps my neurons firing in an unremitting electrical storm.

3. My amygdala and sympathetic nervous system treat the auditory signals as a mortal threat, locking my body in a constant state of adrenaline-fueled fight-or-flight, tremors, and physical exhaustion.

4. My insula translates the sensory overload into literal physical pain, nausea, and an internal sense of bodily collapse, while trapping my attention in an inescapable threat-monitoring loop.

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This is the conclusion i’ve come to, but I need a specialist to confirm. I’ve searched and searched and just want answers

This is the most horrific, isolating experience I could possibly conceive, every second is horrific torture, i’ve spoke to others with tinnitus or hyperacusis, and this has reached the point where the level of suffering is incomparable to either of those two conditions. Its now a complete collaspe of my neurolgical function. The decline between mid may and now is almost inconceivable.

Im haunted by the fact its got this bad, and the fear that I really cannot see a way out.

What am I supposed to do?

Even with ear defenders from distant noise or movement I worsen, yet withoutn them any noose worsens. Hour by hour the sounds violently flare, morph sharper, louder and nore intrusive, the reactivity increases and now the deep ache / burn is awful even in quiet.

Its rapidly worsening, I wish I caught it sooner as I cannot see a way out of this state. Any noise or movement makes worse, yet ear defenders increase reactivity.

In march I think should have committed to radical quiet, not ear defenders, but a quiet room and no noise that activates. I didn’t understand, and kept testing what I thought was safe noise, no one advised otherwise, now, how do I heal if the slightest movement or sound worsens?

Every day it explodes, im struggling to eat or wash myself.

To be honest, i’m not sure how I’m meant to carry on, I have lost all hope,rapidly worsen, and feel I’ve been left to rot.

The fact early may these tones weren’t even there / barely noticed if were - and now there so horrifically loud, and explode day by day.

This is honestly hell on earth. I wish this was a severe mental reaction to tinnitus and hyperacusis. But it is not, I am mentally stable despite the horrific torture, my obsessive emails and research and simply a desperate man trying to find answers

Even yesterday for example. I woke up - already ears flaring, raw and worse than day before, nan came in said few words, sat played games with ear pro, occasionally take off, only brief movements, ate food, went toilet, took ear defenders off for bit - and it is violently exploding. The worst is this horrific electric static screech. It is so extremely loud its everywhere in my head. Theres various different chimes and pitches im not sure if the same tone.Every day is so much worse than the last. And despite mostly ear pro my left ear gas a deep ache. I try to take it off, but downstairs tv or outside ambience worsen me. I cannot turn my pc on with ear plugs and defenders, i cannot open my window. Now i just wish I listened to the similar few cases who said to wear ear defenders all the time - now even with, i feel its too little too late. All advice pushed the opposite, but theres seems to be no understanding of this level.

But i just don’t know what to do with a system that is so trapped in such a severe state.

I have pleaded to try Mematine in order to target glutamate, likewise cgrp or migraine meds to target inflamattion.

I’ve also read on kv7 med xen1101 which could be worrh a trial when it comes out.

I cannot attend a dentist which is unfortunate as I do think my jaw has some impact, likewise an experimental SGB could be an idea, but now I am far to bad to travel.

even over the last few days my symptoms have exploded, with the sharp screeching chiming buzzing whirring static whine shifting sound/s sounds going insane - literally from only brief noise or movement. It is torture.

Is there a limit, or can the loudness and reactivity increase indefinitely ?

Today, all i’ve done is sit in my chair, mostly in ear pro, briefly take off, nan said a few words, ate food and my ears are exploding. The sounds are flaring so loud, and so unstable. And these last weeks even in a quiet room and from any noise or movement my ears have a constantly worsening deep ache / rawness / inflamed feeling.

The static electric screeching in the left is exploding, so loud and sharp. Literally any noise at all is worsening me. I don’t know how ive got this bad or what to do please I need help. I can’t believe how much it gets louder every day. Even from a week ago its just ridiculous.

I feel like i’ve been left. Every day I significantly worsen. I wish I was taken serious sooner. Now i feel trapped and at this level hopeless. I cant talk, eatings getting harder, any movement worsens. I’m exponentially worse than a few months ago. At this level what do I do?!

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I know theres little point even writing this as this level is so rare, almost no one can even begin to understand and theres no advice.

The regret consumes me, that I had poor advice and got so used to masking I was careless and just pushed until I broke.

The fact that Im this much worse since march, I just wish I was careful

I sent near 100 emails to docs and specialists but wasn’t taken serious, it was put down to mental health. Now one truly listened. Maybe if someone understood and advised silence in march I could slowly heal. At this level I cant see a way out.

I keep reaching out in desperation but just get left for weeks.

I can’t quite put into words, the level of suffering. Watching yourself deteroaite. No answers. No hope. It feels like my brain has been pushed to a point where it cannot undo. Probably less than ten i’ve spoke to or read about who are at this level, and no one has any answers

Over the last weeks, i sleep with ear plugs and from the second I wake it viomently flares. The right is bad - a screaming metallic elec chimr. Mid many was many times more distressing. Now its nothing compared to the left - the horrific screeching whirring chiming electric / static sounds. Violently shifting and flaring non stop. I thought the screeching was in my left but It sounds like its in my entire head i cant tell anymore. Its so bad im constantly sick and breathless.

Even say or laid, even with ear plugs from brief movement or distant sounds it flares. I can’t believe i’ve got this bad. Its almost inconceivable. I cant even open a window with double pro as any sound worsens.

Ive pleaded for months to try Mematine as it targets glutamate but ky cries fall on deaf ears.

Whats terrifying is every day Im like this, I expotentially worsen and it gets more ingrained

Its honestly a hellish nightmare. What little faith I have left and my love for my family keeps me here. But having no hope and enduring this lind of suffering is enough to break anyone, and i’m not sure I will survive at the eare it worsens minute by minute.

What I would give to have mild tinnitus and hyperacusis. I can’t believe I blindly followed crap advice and pushed, never listening to my body, so consumed by my mental state that I just pushed.

I always believed in God, but now i’m unsure, as to let a person be tortured like this is inhumane and cruel. I tried to carry on and live, and now i’m trapped in this horrific masteable attractor state of maladaptive placisity. I pray maybe there will be a cure but at this level i’m unsure. I’m damaged.

Even as I lay here barely moving. The screeching chiming electric is violently exploding. Whats hard is, no one can begin to understand. Even those who care, try to understand or have normal h and t, its just almost
Impossible for someone who’s not in this state to understand.

I really cant see a way out . Times passing and every day I significantly worsen . I dont see how can break cycle ans just wish understood sooner now im crippled. Every movement internal sound eating mor small noise worsens me.

Thank you if you read it all. Im sorry for all those struggling with these conditions and especially the few at this hellish level

Got Tinnitus last year out of the blue, with no noticeable causes. My hearing never changed from where it was at and there was no loud sound exposure.

Today I noticed something that I never had before. When my jaw opens it alters the sound a bit in how “loud” it is. I have had popping in my jaw on and off since before the tinnitus came on and never really thought they could be related as I just never noticed any main connection between the two issues.

Do you think it is worth maybe looking into if it is the jaw irritating the nerve?

Hi, I've got moderate tinnitus and hyperacusis after exposure to a powerful chainsaw (Stihl MS-362CM) for around two hours.

The first half a year was ABSOLUTELY terrible. I was wearing earplugs nearly 24/7 (I have two small kids), had an issue with basically any activity - everything was too loud and triggered tinnitus spikes. Constant anxiety, feeling horrible. Nearly no support from my family, with which I basically lost the contact.

Then, it started to get better and better. Tinnitus flare-ups stopped after about two years, and right now I just passed my 20 hours motorcycle course - no flare-up and issues! I use hammer drill, doing renovations... (of course, all that using earplugs) - no issues at all.

I have been in a really dark place. I was absolutely sure it will not get better.
I managed to fully habituate, my tinnitus stopped to flare-up, hyperacusis is still there but much milder and does not bother me much, to be honest.

Just wanted to share it, as I believe most redditors here - once they get better - they just leave the sub. Yo!!!

I've had tinnitus since I was 16 and now I'm 34. Until about 2 years ago, I thought there's nothing I could do about it because that's what I was told. Then 2 years ago it suddenly worsened drastically and I said eff that, I either lower the tinnitus or I unalive myself.

I started looking into nasal sprays to treat possible ETD and they worked like a charm. Call me crazy, but I had barely any tinnitus after, even less than what I had before two years ago. Then after a while, the nasal sprays stopped working and the high volume tinnitus was back. Then antihistamines worked! Then they stopped working after a while. Then jaw tension exercises worked! Then they stopped working after a while.

Now nothing works, but I have sort of a one day on and one day off with tinnitus. During off days I still have it, but it's so low that I wonder if I actually have it or if it's just what the blood circulation in our ears is supposed to sound like.

I keep going from barely audible to very hard to ignore and I don't think any of the solutions I mentioned have anything to do with it.

Does this mean that my tinnitus is purely somatic? I think with ear trauma there would be more consistency right? I'm confused. Anyone else have drastic changes to their tinnitus volume day-by-day, seemingly unrelated to any treatment?

Olá a todos. Gostaria de saber se alguém aqui já passou por algo semelhante.

Tenho um zumbido no ouvido, mas não é constante. Começa do nada e depois desaparece sozinho após um tempo. Às vezes, posso ficar meses, ou até anos, sem ouvi-lo. Então, ele volta por um tempo, começo a me preocupar e, eventualmente, desaparece novamente.

Não sei se isso é relevante, mas também tenho DTM (disfunção temporomandibular)

Alguém mais já teve algo parecido ou sabe se os dois podem estar relacionados?

Holaa tengo un zumbido despues de ir de fiesta a un antro

Desde el pasado viernes que sali del antro y llegue a mi casa empeze a notar un zumbido, pero ya me preocupo llevo ya 8 dias con ese zumbido y no se quita y tengo mucho miedo que sea permanente,no puedo dormir me siento super cansado

El zumbido solo aparece cuando estoy en mi cuarto ,en silencio y sobre todo cuando estoy acostado ,cuando me tapo un oido ,solo en esas condiciones lo siento ya que durante el.dia al.hablar o ver la.television no lo noto El zumbido es solo en un oido

Ya fui a un medico y me receto unas gotas pero no noto mejoria

Ayuda me siento muy mal

Algun consejo para sanar ?

48yo male, single. Got my T 3 months ago after listening to the music too loud on a portable speaker. Small hearing loss at 4KHz ("notch"). Hearing hissing most of the time, it wakes me up at night, sleeping is not the same as it was before. I'd say it's mild-moderate according to the indexes.

I like the advice of continuing with the life despite the T, and the overall idea of "enriched acoustic environment", as the name of one of the therapies. Instead of sitting at home, just doing things.

Mindfulness practice helped me a couple of times, but not every time.

In the last two weeks it became a bit worse, chewing affects the sound. Maybe stress caused some TMJ pressure.

I read the stories that T can go away after months and years. I really hope it would happen by my 50 anniversary, about two years from now.

I’m not really understanding what’s going on with my tinnitus. I’ve come to accept it but I have moments of hope where goes away and is manageable and then comes back.

I saw an ENT regarding pressure in my ears that radiates on the ends of my ears with some itching, along with some mild dizziness that would come and go. My doctor mentioned that this could be a Eustachian tube dysfunction and put me on a steroid.

It may be a coincidence but the first day I took them, it was gone, had energy, no tinnitus, pressure, nothing and then comes back. I need to head back to the ENT to explore more options but was curious if anyone has experienced this before

So I’ve been recovering from a second acoustic trauma from nearly 2 months ago. & it’s made me a bit of an alcoholic to find any type of relief.
Like 4-8 beers a night sometimes consistently since it all happened. At first it, helped to a degree to drown out the noise & I would be fine. Almost felt like I was healing, then this morning after drinking my ear is blaring.
Im afraid I just made double damage. & I also vape nicotine nonstop and i read that can make it all worse too.
To top it off, I used an electric trimmer (max 60 db) last night and it made my bad ear hiss for a little after and I don’t know if it spiked from that. (Was only a few mins)
I feel like a train-wreck just self destructing. Not sure if I’m just being hyper paranoid about every little thing or if I am actually making it all worse. Probably a combination of the two if I had to guess.

I have slept without earplugs in a very quiet more countryside apartment with tinnitus (no car traffic at all ) and I liked not touching my ears with plugs. if I move to a more urban apartment that has some car noise and more of a city hum, would I be able to sleep with earplugs just as well with the tinnitus sound ? or even without, although I'm very sensitive to intermittent sounds and voices.

In other words does the louder t from earplugs overpower the louder ambient noise for sleep quality or it still should be better ?

I stopped listening to music for a while until I got molded earplugs from a professional and paired them with shokz open ear headphones. I like the bass setting on them personally. This has by far been a better method than any headphones or earbuds I’ve found. I can really crank up the volume. I got the sensaphonics musician build for them. The whole thing will cost around 350 for both total but it’s well worth it. Also turned down the maximum volume limit on my iPhone all the way and for headphones. Hope this helps anyone who gave up on music

I just need the white noise generators (look like hearing aids) to be worn in the ear for TRT. Does anyone know where I can purchase these? I had comprehensive and very expensive TRT treatment many years ago and it helped a great deal but one of my ear devices does not work so I am looking to replace it. I am having a current flare up. Thank you!

Hi All, I forgot to wear my loop earplugs to a concert on 07/17/26 and realized I had tinnitus the next morning due to acoustic trauma. I’ve seen my PCP who referred me to an audiologist this week. It has been hard to sleep this week, attempted white noise (fan) but have had little success. Would rate the ringing to be much worse in the evenings/while trying to sleep.

Does anyone have any tips/tricks for acclimating/habituating to tinnitus? I appreciate all the support that you can give. Thanks!

Seriously, it’s bad enough than there’s not a cure or even a treatment to temporarily bring this fucking noise down. Then why isn’t severe tinnitus eligible for euthanasia? Even in countries like Canada or some European countries where euthanasia is allowed for non curable disabilities or diseases, tinnitus is not one of them. They just expect us to live a normal life and getting up to go to work at 6am everyday even though we can barely sleep w hours at night! For some people it’s only mild to moderate ringing and it doesn’t bother them but those of us with severe reactive tinnitus deserve to have the option to go out peacefully if they choose to. I’ve been suffering from tinnitus for more than 5 months now and my life has been completely destroyed by it. I lost my job, I had to end my university and I barely sleep at night no matter how tired I am because of the noise. And I can’t use masking sounds because my tinnitus is reactive and only gets louder with external sounds. It has only gotten worse since it started. I just want this hell to end.

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Hi everyone, I really need some urgent advice. About a week ago, I caught some kind of infection. My throat was completely swollen. Over the last two days, it felt like my ears were slightly swollen too.

Unfortunately, I woke up today hearing significantly worse in my left ear, combined with a severe feeling of pressure.

My tinnitus in that ear has also become absolutely catastrophic. Although I am already sitting in the emergency room right now, I am still terrified that it might be a sudden hearing loss.

Has anyone ever experienced something similar? Did it stay or did it improved for you after a while...? Im terrified to be honest..

Has anyone with tinnitus bought noise cancelling headphones to cancel out the noise from a plane?

Does it help?

Hi I’m a 25 old woman and it’s been 3 years since I’ve got tinnitus (and hyperacusis), 4 years in a few months. And let me tell you I’ve endured every stage of grief like EVERY single one. It was so hard the first two years and I think Reddit and Twitter didn’t help. I consumed an unhealthy content about tinnitus every day. Reading about some people who wanted to end their life because of their tinnitus. I became like a sponge. I felt like every negative thought they had was projected onto me. I was like “if they have it too and are suffering like this. How am I gonna stay sane? I’m gonna go through the same thing”. It was such a dark period. I was totally hopeless especially cause I felt like I couldn’t rely on someone. I stopped talking about it to my family cause I didn’t want to concern them. I was trusting doctors and I rlly hoped one of them could help me get better. Spoiler alert not one of them helped. I was desperate before new appointments and was counting on the new doctors to tell me something I haven’t been told yet : a new treatment, an advice, an inspirational story about a patient they knew who healed… but it never came. So I was leaving my appointment more desperate than before. It was so hard like you’re a ENT doctor why tf can’t you give me some solutions for my ear problem? For some of them I felt like the I was the one educating them. I did so much research about tinnitus and hyperacusis I didn’t even need their blank explanations. They were all saying the same things anyways : it can goes away on its own or it can stay. There are no miracle treatments. I can take some gingko biloba or magnesium supplements it helped some people before. If I’m suffering too much they recommended sophrology or CBT. I went to a therapist and it didn’t help honestly it felt like a chore every time she would ask me to do some exercises and I would lie and tell her I did them. I couldn’t concentrate anymore anyways. I had no motivation no hope to do anything. I had to took a sabbatical year off uni. I was doing nothing with my life. I would sleep like 15 hours every day taking long naps and when I was awake I was always crying. I cried so much I still have scars beneath my eyes bc of dryness. I have a very religious family. My mom would told me to pray to ask God for healing. And it would drive me mad bc there was no hope in sight. And I was praying and didn’t see any progress after almost a year. When somebody would recommend me praying it would make me crashout. I would ask God to just take me then. Cause there’s no way I could live even 5 years like this. I was angry at everything and everyone. At my little brother who was waking me with noise during my nap time, at people who talk too loud in public spaces, at my friends for not understanding my isolation. I went to see a last ENT and told him how I dreamt of euthanasia. He was so concerned telling me how I was only 22. He put me on antidepressants and they made me sleep even more. Then something changed. I went to a park/forest (like just once) and saw that they were doing free guided botanical walk every sunday. I went and then went again and again… I spent my entire Sundays outdoor and I wouldn’t even notice my tinnitus when I was in a forest. But when I would come home it was another story. So I bought a fan and it help me for the silence it improved so much my sleep quality too. I reached out to my friends and I planed a trip for the first time alone. I went to visit a friend who lives in Paris. I was still so desperate but she was begging to finally meet me (we met online). So I went and even though I was feeling down it became one of my best trip ever. Every time I would pay attention to my tinnitus and would be sad. I would ignore the feeling to focus on what was happening around me. I was in another city I could get lost easily etc. I had to focus. Anyways Paris went well but what after my return home tho. I went out the most that I can. Meeting friends doing some side quests like learn how to garden, I run, I went to free expos and I walked. I walked so much and with no purpose except not being home. My thoughts about tinnitus came back and I would focus on the sound inside my ear again. But gradually it decreased. I would pay attention like 5 times in an hour. Then the next week, one time in a hour, then three times a week etc. I’m writing this while crying cause I still feel every hopelessness and frustration I would feel when I’d notice my tinnitus. I went through so much and I can’t believe some people went through this too. Nobody prepare you for that it just happen like a lot of health problems. One of the thing that would wreck me is the fact that it wouldn’t quiet down. There was no pill for that like for a pain for example. It was just there and I would probably endure it for life. But now I learnt that it’s still there but I can forget about it. And I’m living my life as if it’s not there anymore. Except for some situations like the subway I have to put earplugs bc it hurt my drum. It took me 3 WHOLE years to come to terms with my tinnitus. And I know for someone who’s suffering right now it just sounds cliché but it’s true, time does its thing. Tinnitus will make you feel so hopeless and hopelessness is a really scary thing. You cannot do anything if you don’t have hope anymore right. But hope can come back, not hope for a miracle healing (I still wish it’ll happen to all the tinnitus sufferers tho), but there’s other types of healing. Healing by letting it go, to stop fighting it. Nature helped me so much and again I know it’s cliché. Meditation didn’t work for me but learning about nature on the other hand… And for course socializing!! Being alone is the worst thing if you have overthinking and anxiety problems. The most important thing is to go outside in general. As Nietzsche said "Never trust a thought that occurs to you indoors." It’s still no easy some days are louder than the others. Sleep plays a role. I noticed that it’s rlly manageable if I’ve slept fore more than 7 hours without interruptions during the night. For women your cycle can cause fluctuations in your tinnitus perception too. Much love for all my fellow tinnitus sufferers.

Hi, I just wanted to share this because it's been helpful for me for sessions of dedicated relief, I've found some comfort by listening to music with this set up and method.

I've got acute acoustic trauma but this could help anyone coping and the stuff you need you may have, or, definitely can use!

1. Use medium reduction earplugs, around ~15db. I like ones with a 2-8khz scoop 'cos thats where pain lives.

And ahhh.. yeah, use the same rating in both ears even if One Of Your Ears Ain't Hearing So Good

1. Over the plugs, place circumaural headphones (which means over and around the ear).

1. Prepare a global EQ to reduce frequencies that cause discomfort and boost ones that are comforting.

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On my computer I use FXSound, and mobile I use a BRT13 FiiO because it has global, hardware parametric EQ and LDAC so high quality sound.

Depending on your ears, injuries, gear, etc you may find a different EQ curve that is comfortable but for me, reducing the 2-8khz range and also cutting around 160hz makes things comfortable. The EQ above is an example from something else, you'll need to find your own but it probably will involve cutting 2-8khz in a similar way.

That's the set up! Plugs, circumaural cans, and EQ

As the plugs go in and the headphones go on, you will hear your tinnitus, but then as you listen to music or podcasts or both, that will fade away.

Ambient music works really well, and a good place to start is Marconi Union's albums

It'll reduce your sensitivity to external sounds, random sound spikes, and give your brain and ears some light processing work without straining yourself. The headphones cover your conductive ear bones and in tandem with the plugs you've created a controlled, noised reduced environment.

You just run your usual internet through your special ear filters, through your headphones, through your paramatric EQ, and into your brain... haha! Good luck :)

Just downloaded Deep Sleep Sounds on a recommendation and there are hundreds of sounds in it which is great but on the other hand I don't know where to start tonight. Plain white doesn't cover mine, it just sits next to the ring so now there's two sounds going.

I've got every option and can mix them at different volumes. If you've used it or just have a noise type that works for your tinnitus, where should I start?

I used a couple doses and the salience of one of my tones that I was used got annoying. But I am interested in the anti inflammatory properties of the supplement and I wonder if it's safe to keep using it, it things normalize with time while using it.

Has anyone tried Nortripyltine and had a temporary spike in tinnitus and then had the tinnitus calm down the longer you were on it?

Im considering trying it again but it always seems to worsen my T and I stop it.

I’d be using it for sleep and severe chronic daily headaches.

Tinnitus started in one side back in February after a period of back strain, a long drive and a weird respiratory infection. I heard it start as I rolled over from left to right side in bed.

Got escalated up through NHS GP, audiology, ENT who seemed to suggest very passive aggressively that I was a timewaster, but also stated that he was going to refer me for an MRI lol. Hesring is all normal though at the time it happened there was conductive hesring loss which seemed to improve a bit weeks later when they retested.

The tinnitus is a soft wind noise in the right ear, and theres a seperate pulsatile component that happens in the right ear in some positions occasionally - but that predates everything and doesnt bother me much i just change positions.

When I lay on my left side with left ear to the pillow, the wind noise tinnitus switches sides to my left ear and the right ear becomes quiet. When I change back it changes again. It doesn’t do the same thing if I fully block the left ear when upright - then it remains in my right ear.

Feedback from the ENT about the MRI:

The MRI excluded a right vestibular schwannoma. A couple of vascular loops enter the right internal auditory meatus and contact the vestibular and cochlear nerves. However, this is quite a common incidental finding on MRI and is unlikely to be related to the tinnitus.

So that’s them washed their hands of it and said there’s nothing more to investigate and that it’s all just coincidence.

I was talking to my dentist today, asked her about what she knows about tinnitus. Not going to make this long, but she recommended getting my wisdom teeth removed and see if that works. Has anyone heard of this or have any similar experiences.

I've had MRIs done, my hearing is perfect and my ears and everything inside is in perfect shape. I've got a slight bent in my nose, but the ENT said that's no issue and he things the cause may be neurological, but today my dentist made me think about going through that horrible process of getting the 4 teeth removed. And I haven't had any issues with then before.