Tinnitus spike when startled

[MBR1]

Hi -does anyone else find their tinnitus will momentarily spike if you are unexpectedly startled? But then drops back immediately?

Thanks

[Hidden]

Hi MBR1 the only time mine is any difference is when I take my hearing aids out for bed time and my tinnitus is so bad it stops me from sleeping. Xx

[MBR1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks! Any idea how yours started?

[Hidden in reply to MBR1]

My tinnitus started some years ago but I sort of got use to it. But over the past 3 years or so it got remarkable worse like I've had to turn the TV up and couldn't here the birds anymore. I spoke with my doctor who said it's one of my meds but I did go and have another hearing test I was already wearing hearing aids in both ears. When I had them checked my hearing had got worse. So the only time it bothers me is now when I take them out for bed time xx

[caramel999 in reply to Hidden]

try keeping them in at bedtime i do

[Hidden in reply to caramel999]

What to wear them when I sleep. Xx

[Hidden in reply to MBR1]

I really don't know xx

[caramel999 in reply to Hidden]

yes I take out my aid in my right ear cup my hand over my left earuntil the battery gives of a shrillsound that ican control the tinnitus enough to quieten down the tinnitus enough to get to sleep

[doglover1973]

Hello. I notice a spike if I suddenly feel upset. It takes a few days / weeks to settle down. Depending on what 's caused it. I believe - from what I've read - that areas of the brain are connected. Auditory system & emotional system. So it's probably no surprise that tinnitus spikes when you're startled. It's good news that it drops back straight away.

[catman68]

Hi MBR1

If suffer from spikes every day sometimes the spike does not go away for a few days, I don’t know what brings them on they just occur really loud even my hearing aids ( therapy aids don’t help). I wish I could offer more help but there are a lot of us suffering.

Stay strong

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

In as much as we can be certain about anything when it comes to tinnitus, there does appear to be a strong connection between our emotions and how they respond when we react to tinnitus. It sounds silly to even point that link out, but it is there nonetheless.

If something in your normal day shocks you, it takes you out of one state of attention abruptly and might also have the effect of raising your heart level or otherwise giving you some indication - like tinnitus - that something surprising has happened to you.

It's not a big leap to imagine that tinnitus might spike briefly if a car drives by you at speed when your attention is elsewhere or if somebody shouts at you - this is probably a good example of how the sympathetic nervous system operates in the 'fight or flight' stress model.

There's a good explainer on how these systems work in our bodies at this link - livescience.com/65446-sympa...

Some research on tinnitus suggests that a lot of the distress we might feel about the condition is linked with an overactive or hyperstimulated nervous system and that exploring ways to tackle this response might be a great help in how we respond to tinnitus and the impact which the sound has upon us.

[doglover1973 in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

That's very interesting! Thank you.

[Happyrosie in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Very interesting, thanks

[rabbits65 in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Very useful information Pat , thanks

[White-noise in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

That’s really good. Thank you.

[SB7516]

Mine definitely gets worse as soon as I start feeling stressed about something and get into a heated argument. I then have to go away and calm down and the spike tends to fade back to normal frequency

[Jimmy-8]

Kind of... but since I'm not entirely sure what happens to me , it might not be connected to my tinnitus or even the same thing that you seem to be describing. It doesn't happen when I'm startled either, it's the other way around, it startles me, and it tends to happens a lot in bed, I move slightly and the tinnitus (if it's that) hits the roof for about 0.3 seconds both in loudness and pitch. Doesn't happen everytime I move in bed, it happens when it wants to happen. It also happens when I don't move in bed, possibly eye movement, I'm not sure.

[White-noise in reply to Jimmy-8]

Thank you so much for sharing. I get it to my T gives me a fright and the smallest noises around me it’s like your ears and body getting an electric shock. I hope that makes sense. It’s the only way I can say what it’s like. Moving in bed I jump out my skin.

[TayChi]

Every randomly I will get a ride in T. Nothing particularly sets it off. No loud noise etc. I've been watching TV or even stood next to the fridge 😂...too often this lockdown 🙈, and T will highten 🤷🏼‍♀️. I hold my nose a blow, do that a few times and it tends to go back to it's normal level 🤷🏼‍♀️.

[Wringing1212]

Yes, my kids love to startle me. Spikes every time, but dose go down quickly. If I get a serious scare like life threatening, it will last longer. Suggest stress hormone or NSA related?