Hello, Just curious if there is anyone on this forum who has Tinnitus and hyperacusis?
For the last few weeks I have been dealing with another spike. Last spike was about a year ago and it took approximately 3 to 4 months for it to subside.
I work in a busy hospital and I am trying to manage it so I can continue to work and still enjoy my work.
currently I cannot tolerate noises such as people speaking at a high volume, doors banging, buzzers. It’s basically everyday noises that you would normally be able to tolerate but with hyperacusis most noises are intolerable especially if it’s consistent on a day to day basis. I am normally a positive and happy person but I get really anxious and stressed out trying to think of ways I can manage it myself.
My ENT hasn’t been able to give me any suggestions except try CBT and sound therapy.
Just wandering if any of you guys have any hints or tips about how you have managed this within your work place?
Thanks
Written by
Balkees
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yes there are many! If you put hyperacusis into the search box, top right on this page, there are a few but the Health Unlocked system doe not pick them all up.
Either posters will reply to your post direct, as I hood, or you can trawl your way through the last few weeks’ worth of posts.
I have both but cope really well…..mind over matter is all I do….not letting it spoil my life…..most of the time I don’t notice either…..worrying about it is the killer so try not to 🙂
I hav t, and my wife has h. From a different perspective i find the h difficult to cope, not making noise on every clatter of dishes slam of door. Every apearance makes her jump so when you arrive you have to cough. It is not helpful for the partner of the sufferer. Its good for the sufferer to bear this in mind.
As to t, i have had it for 20 years. Its now a game. How to make the sound, traffic, planes, football matches...and of course sleep. Music loud enough, but not too much, tomadk the tinnitus.
Hi, I have suffered Tinnitus and Hyperacusis for many years, never been diagnosed with Hyperacusis but assuming it’s what I have, even when my husband speaks to me I have to cover my ears and when cutting the grass I wear builders headphones, have had meals out ruined because of people using knives and forks too loudly, even though they are not of course it’s just me it’s affecting.
I know what you are going through and just wondered if wearing the foam type earplugs would help you at work, they work for me when in busy places and restaurants where there is a lot of banging of plates etc. I can still hear people talk but it just takes the edge off. I also find my tinnitus is really bad when I have an attack of Hyperacusis, don’t know what has caused it this time but it’s been going on for several months.
I also have tinnitus and hyperacusis but fortunately I am retired now, but still there are noises I can’t tolerate,kitchen noises are one of the worst, any piece of cutlery just being put down on a plate or the kettle when it’s starting to boil, most noises really . I use noise cancelling headphones a lot of the time especially for travelling in the car,they really help with road noise , and even out walking with passing traffic noise. I have heard that hyperacusis can get easier with time ,I really am hoping that’s the case, I wish you well and hope you find comfort .
Hello, thank you for your reply, it’s comforting to know that there are other people who are experiencing T and H similar to me. I do not know anyone in my circle who has T and H which is very isolating.
Yes I’m there with you, at the moment for the last 2 weeks I cannot tolerate most kitchen type noises, doors closing, my partner coughing and sniffing, opening crisp packets, being on the motorway when in a car, traffic especially buses and trains. I get physical pain that is piercing and painful to both ears. I’m at the point now these intolerable sounds are making me feel very annoyed. Unfortunately this is something that I cannot currently ignore. I do wear foam earplugs alot of the time for kitchen tasks, when in busy, noisy places when I’m out and about. Unfortunately I am unable to wear the ear plugs all the time at work as I find it difficult to hear patients/staff at times and do a lot of telephone conversation over the telephone.
I have had hyperacusis for a number of years and I’ve been able to manage it until last year when I had my spike. My H did subside after around 4 months but it took some grading back into familiar environments.
I’ve been referred to occupational health so hopeful I will be able to get some support.
I'm a college lecturer, but part-time (4 days), if there is such a thing in teaching. I think the trick is to soldier on and accustom to it (but you need support from your superiors). The classroom can be very loud, but I'm usually more focused on the job and ensuring that the lesson is progressing, so, in that environment, I dont have time to focus on it. Though I can easily make mistakes, as it affects my concentration. A full day teaching makes it difficult to switch off in the evening, but I do any planning/marking on my day off or mornings.
When I'm in the office I use noise cancelling headphones or dont expect to achieve much anyway. Otherwise, I have to set myself goals and breakdown tasks, and switch off until I get each bit it done, then take a break. I developed H and T when I worked in an office about 7 or 8 yesrs ago. I wasn't aware of H or how much it was effecting me.
As a teacher I struggled mostly on Online lessons, but I was a supply teacher and happen to take on support work when lockdown kicked in. I volunteered to support students face-to-face so avoid many online lessons (thankfully). I still cant abide Teams meetings, but my boss is aware that I need breaks and/or miss content.
hi, yes I have T&H. The treatment is usually sound therapy to desensitise your auditory system. This is increased gradually over time. I would try to see an Audiologist who specialises in T& H and they will guide you through the process
hi Balkees - I have T and H for one year now and a lot of that time the T has been severe , so i have done a lot of online research - but the H has eased recently -I am retired so this is easier to manage than being in a busy work environment - yes, it must be very difficult for you. The following tips cover all situations
SOUND THERAPY - Sound therapy and Hearing Aids ( if u hv hearing loss ) works very well for many, but i have prob with it myself. For the H, a gentle sound therapy to start with, is usually recommended. I have 'basic' sound therapy machine - but not the bluetooth ones as i find the rich range of sound, from those ones actually irritates my T, in my case . I use mine on a very low volume, lower than the T.
EAR PROTECTION - foam earplugs in loud environments plus ear defenders if really loud . I have to do this because otherwise my T is pushed up, as it is quite reactive. Noise reduction ear piece or headphones - i havent tried this myself as yet , but a few people have suggested this to me on this forum. I was thinking of trying these soon for car travel. Also Flare Audio calmer may help, as they reduce the higher frequencies getting through ear canal. These are not ear plugs and dont block out sound and just fit well on the outer part of ear canal. I do use the nightime ones in daytime sometimes and these did/ do help me at certain times like when on a mobile call etc. flareaudio.com/collections/...
CBT - try the OTO app (£20 per month) for a full range of CBT therapies for T.
FOOD & DRINK - attention to yr diet - reduce or cut caffeine and drink decaf coffee/ tea . Reduce chocolate as that contains caffeine, but i still have chocolate but not as often as before - reduce salt and choose foods which are low salt ( or no salt if poss) - reduce or avoid alcohol - reduce foods and drinks with sugar - read food labels and try to avoid food and drinks with too many artificial additives: Sulphites are one of worst culprits . I had really awful spike this week because of sulphites in a M&S Elderflower drink. another spike that I had recently, was because of eating raisins coated in sulphites.
SUPPLEMENTS - try Vit B12 / Magnesium L Threonate - buy supplements which are free from additives , as many additives in supplements (top brands and H&B) can aggravate the T
MEDICATIONS -just take those meds which are absol necessary. I have read its best for T sufferers to avoid ibuprofen and aspirin (if possible) and take alternatives like paracetamol instead . Also avoid Anti depressnts if poss.
Walking or other Aerobic Exercise - every day. The only way i can sleep thro my T is by being tired and to be tired at bedtime i need to walk every day for at least 30 mins. Walking or other activity helps , which u may already be doing.
yes, yes, yes …. My sound sensitivity was so bad I developed internal tremor and it took 6 months to calm itself but every now and again I experience it with a bad bout of tinnitus. I’ve got heart issues so was blaming that as audiologist had no answers advising just don’t focus on it! Sending you a BIG virtual hug. It really got/gets me down and I wondered if I had an undx virus/infection that triggered it. Always have ear probs as small ear canal.
Hi yes your clearly not alone, some comfort in that I hope. I would recommend MCBT it transformed my experience of having both Tinnitus and Hyperacusis.
I've been suffering from constant tinnitus and hyperacusis since the beginning of an illness 3 years ago. I was initially off work completely for a period of time and then the pandemic started a few weeks later, which meant a shift to remote working. I was then able to have a phased return to work but still haven't been able to return to full-time hours.
Working from home is what makes the situation manageable in my case (with the hyperacusis especially) as noisy environments quickly become overwhelming. I cannot imagine how difficult it is for you to cope with that in a busy hospital environment. Something I have found of benefit is the use of high-fidelity earplugs when out in noisier environments but I try to only resort to this when necessary, in the hope that over time I'll be able to desensitise again somewhat.
The earplugs I use are the EarDial HiFi Earplugs - I find them to be comfortable enough for long-ish periods and they're pretty much invisible. They dampen the volume to a level that's not painful and still allow me to hear what's going on around me. However I'm unsure how practical this would be for you if you have to speak to others regularly throughout the day.
Aussie here. Male, 40yrs old. My T&H started about 2 months ago. It's been a daily battle.Both are predominantly affecting my left ear.
The T is like an incessant hum/drone (car engine idling).
The H started off as a burning/searing pain in both ears when it first started. That seems to have eased off, though my ears still get fatigued throughout the day as they're exposed to noise and I have a sense of aural fullness a lot of the time.
I can probably live with the T and get used to it in time via habituation, but the H definitely set the stage for a host of other issues that have been quite debilitating (insomnia, namely).
I hope and pray that things ease with the passage of time.
I'm only two months into this horror, so it hasn't been long enough yet to get a proper gauge on the likelihood of improvement for both the H&T.
Not sure precisely what triggered my condition and the onset of both, but I suspect I've always had sound sensitivity (misophonia) and something has tipped the scales and caused damage which has in turn manifested as T&H.
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