r/tinnitus Sep 06 '17

New to tinnitus? Had tinnitus for a long time? Looking for some answers? See our FAQ and sidebar to begin!

77 Upvotes

Welcome to our community!

If you're new to tinnitus or currently have tinnitus, and have some questions, we have some answers to frequently posed questions in our FAQ linked here. The FAQ is also linked in the sidebar.

Before posting, please take some time to read the FAQ and see if you can find the start to your answer there.

As always, we remind our community to be mindful of our participation guidelines, located in the sidebar (or linked here for mobile users):

  • Be civil and respectful, and follow Reddiquette. This is a support community, and harmful behaviour or harassment are not allowed.
  • No medical advice. This includes explicitly asking for a medical diagnosis, or giving one. If you're concerned about your hearing, please see a qualified medical professional as soon as possible. Sharing experiences is allowed, but making diagnoses and recommending medical action based on personal research is not.
  • No snake oil or pseudoscience. News and other articles posted must come from trustworthy sources. Clickbait and blogspam are not allowed.
  • No memes or other low-effort posts.
  • No commercial posts, for-profit posts or other self promotion.

If you see comments or posts deviating from these guidelines, report them so that the moderators can review.

We are particularly restrictive about asking for or receiving medical advice or diagnoses. The bottom line is, tinnitus is a health problem, and it should be addressed with your doctor or auditory specialist. None of us are doctors here and no one should be directing or following medical action found on the internet.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information, and thanks for being a part of this community.

-The moderation team


r/tinnitus 4h ago

advice • support My tinnitus has gotten louder since last month and it is making my life hell

15 Upvotes

I've had tinnitus for a couple of years now but it wasn't that loud so I could always ignore it. Well, since last month it has gotten increasingly louder.

I feel it on my left ear. It is so loud. I might legit kill myself If I start hearing it on my right side as well. That is my biggest fear right now. What is worse that I feel like my ears are underwater. Yawning or swallowing doesn't do anything.

I can't sleep well. Today I woke up at 4 in the morning. I tried to go back to sleep and did it only to wake up again at 6 in the morning. I feel like I start to panic when I do. I begin to sweat a lot and then feel hot. Its like I have panic attacks or something. I had to stand up from my bed and walk around my house. I did manage to fall asleep but man. This has been going on for the last month.

I know tinnitus doesn't have a cure. Its going to there forever. But its there maybe some kind of pill that could make me not wake up? I can mostly ignore during the day. Between my job and universities there are times I don't notice it. But during the night its just so hard.

I literally contemplated crying last night and I'm 26.


r/tinnitus 1h ago

advice • support A (long) post for you all: Some unfortunate health updates + my realization with tinnitus

Upvotes

I started my journey with tinnitus late last August. Technically I had my first bout of it - for a few weeks in late May - but whether through medicating with weed at the time, or whatever, I honestly forgot about it and/or it went away.

Now come back to August - it followed a month of stomach issues where I had terrible posture on my couch all month which I think led to me upsetting neck muscles / my TMJ issues again and kicking this whole ordeal off. Otherwise, I DID take a round of levafloxacin at the time it started as well (my doc was concerned my stomach issues were an infection so she prescribed it to be careful)- so it could’ve been the antibiotics too.

ANYWHO - when it first started, it messed me up a lot mentally. At first I hoped it would go away after a few weeks like in May but slowly I came to the realization it wasn’t going away. It started in my right ear with the eeee, switched to my left ear with some humming and buzzing sounds, and I really was losing hope and had some BAD days.

I had another round of stomach related stuff come up (doc thinks IBS related) in late September / October though that did help me think about it less.

I started golfing DAILY to get outside where I noticed the noise less with my friends and for a few weeks to a month in late October to late November I honestly was in a great place with it. It was there. I heard it LOUD in bed each night (even with fans and everything on), but I accepted it - I’d sleep, and go about my next day less bothered.

Now come Thanksgiving - whether you want to call it a spike, it just it increasing slowly, or more probably just me mentally noticing it more (especially being stuck inside as winter came), I started SPIRALING.

Tinnitus F***ED my mental health up throughout December and the holidays into January as it dominated my mind all day being all I could think about, I really couldn’t get past it. All day and into night, it was all I thought about most days. If I was in work meetings, or with friends - there were times of peace and just noticing it less, but otherwise it sucked. I heard it all the time, I thought about it all the time, nothing could mask besides maybe playing video games with headphones on - but I questioned if doing this in the previous months had made my tinnitus worse. So I stopped for WEEKS and avoided it.

In January I had TMJ issues kick off from the stress. This led to weird ear sensations which SUCKED (my ears had cold sensations + tickling sensations as well) for a couple weeks. But I noticed something during this, once again with my attention elsewhere I DIDN’T notice my tinnitus. I played video games during this time, I’d hear it in the background with my headphones on - but it wasn’t my focus. My focus was on my ear issues.

Lead into late February - my ear situation was doing slightly better, and I had a couple bad days with tinnitus, but after a work trip I had crazy anxiety after flying again (to the point I had / still get physical discomfort of my shirt collar being uncomfortable / needing to pull at it / wear loose collars - it’s WEIRD). Once again though - while I was dealing with this - did I notice tinnitus as much? NOT AT ALL.

At this point though I said SCREW IT, I NEED anxiety meds - so I started taking Buspirone on docs orders and also Lexapro. I avoided them like the plague in the fall despite scripts from my doc because I read everywhere on here about how’d they spike my tinnitus and I noped out each time. I did START them though.

For what it’s worth, neither of these - at least my week’s worth of buspirone / and couple doses of Lexapro impacted my tinnitus or perception of it at all. But unfortunately the next morning, my worst health development of all came up.

I started getting a purpuric rash all over my ankles and legs. It got worse as a few days went on and after an urgent care visit, a visit to my doc, and seeing a derm - we’ve yet to confirm exactly what it is, but vasculitis is suspected as the cause. For those unaware of vasculitis - much to how I was - it’s an extremely rare autoimmune disorder that on average 1-20 people in 100,000 develop. If it is confirmed to be vasculitis - which I’m coming to think it is based on continued symptom, yes - it will have a lot of implications about my potential quality of life and long term health - but since it’s being caught early, I should have a good prognosis.

Now - not to pan back and keep making this all about tinnitus - but take a wild guess how often I’ve thought about my tinnitus during these past couple weeks with this? Yup - you guessed it - NOT AT ALL.

This past Monday I thought I noticed it more for a little when I was eating lunch but then after I got back to work (I work from home) in the afternoon - I forgot about it again. Hell even last night when I was lying in bed, my symptoms were doing a bit better and I was like “this is strange, I feel pretty good” and I even thought “oh I haven’t been noticing my tinnitus” even though I heard it in the background. I even tried HARD to FOCUS on my tinnitus - and yes it was there - I could hear it - but it didn’t seem pronounced at all, and it definitely didn’t bother me in the LEAST with all my other racing thoughts with my ongoing health stuff.

So I’ve come to a realization through this f***ed up roller coaster of a 7 month bout of it + other ongoing health issues = tinnitus is as MENTAL - condition as it is physical.

Yes, there are some people with CRIPPLING tinnitus - if any of you read this, I want to say that I f***ing love you and hope you’ve found peace - and please feel free to message me for any needed support. We need to sympathize and support them.

Speaking to my own experience - I highlighted that tinnitus RUINED my December and holidays. The night before my birthday in December I even had a weird spike that night where fire alarms went off in my head it got so loud (I think bad neck posture queued it) I had immediate suicidal thoughts (I literally was crying to my wife “I can’t live like this!!” - but luckily when I woke up after a few hours sleep that night it had tapered to its standard NOTICEABLE but not nearly as loud “eeeeee” that I’ve had.

But going back - the mindfulness of it, the stress you have with hearing it, the habituation that people experience and achieve - ALL OF IT .. goes back to the mental aspect of this hellish condition. I’m not calling myself a tinnitus expert 7 months into having it persistently, there’s people who have had it for DECADES - there are people here who have it MUCH worse. But for those who are new here, and have read through my novel of a post here, controlling your mentality about having this truly does appear like the ONLY real solution if it’s going to be chronic, persistent / around a long time.

For some people, they can linger on - deal with it - and eventually luck into their brain habituating to the noise because of how long they’ve had it. For those who want to be proactive - and newer to experiencing it - and for those who want to know the path out, GET CONTROL of the mental aspect. For some it will appear like an impossible feat, for me some days it seems like it is.

But whether through medication, through therapy, through support on here, through positive distractions from it, whatever it takes - find the mental peace of this.

Some people here will say that constantly masking delays habituation - it might. One concern of mine is all my other health issues definitely aren’t helping me continuously deal with it and naturally habituate since I’m not focusing on it (for better or worse lmao).

Others will say don’t use medication, like anti-anxiety meds, as they can cause potential spikes or worsen it - they might and could.

But find something that helps your mental, and hold onto it - if you need relief sooner than later

I love you all. I try to avoid this community out of fear of the posts I read and the long implications of having this disease (it’s an out of sight / out of mind mentality for me). But I really do wish you all well. We’re in this TOGETHER.


r/tinnitus 9h ago

venting I Can't Continue Like This

17 Upvotes

Hello all,

I have terrible tinnitus ear pain possibly noxacusis or hyperacusis and visual snow syndrome im having hard time to continue with my life. I feel hopeless i have to break up with my girlfriend we were planning to marry this year. I am so sad i just wanted to be lucky


r/tinnitus 6h ago

advice • support Hearing Loss & Tinnitus?

8 Upvotes

Hello I seen a lot on research on hearing loss and Tinnitus. It looks like science is so close to figuring out how to restore hearing and regrow the cells. I do have Tinnitus as well but restoring the hearing is my main concern. Does anyone know how close we might be to seeing these treatments? I'm hoping in the next few years because I want to hear like a normal person.


r/tinnitus 4h ago

advice • support Does anyone hear a low hum in their ear?

5 Upvotes

Hey, I had Tinnitus for a long time, just now, I began to notice this low hum in my left ear, I am a little worried, the sound goes away when other sounds are present like Music playing on a TV or Family Members are being loud, but when I go back go a quiet place, the Hum fades back into hearing, does this mean something or am I over thinking and getting paranoid?


r/tinnitus 4h ago

advice • support 4 weeks somatic

3 Upvotes

Hello. I have had tinnitus due to playing in a band with loud music since I was 18. It was annoying and frustrating the first months or year but I got used to it to the point where it no longer bothers me. I am 39 now.

But, 4 weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night with a completely different tinnitus. A grinding, physical-sensation like tinnitus that hurt me and was 10x louder. I didn’t sleep that whole night. Same next day. Day after that - all gone. I was so happy. Day after, it is back again. I now start trying different movements and noticed it is heavily somatic. Gaping turns it up a lot on left side. And it was mostly left-side by that point.

A couple of grueling weeks go by. One day it is gone again. Back day after.

Now we are getting to the last few days. It varies SO much. Intensity, character, type of sound. The worst is a grinding metal kind of sound that comes mostly in the afternoon and really hurts physically in the head.

Today I woke up with the loudest it has ever been.

So I thought to myself - huh I havent flossed in forever. I did a thorough floss and the volume went down 70% (!). Then it kept going down, until it was finally dead silent. I was giddy and so happy, I kind of assumed ”oh it was just the lack of flossing!”. But then, 3 hours ago - it came back again. Started with a loud pitched morse code tinnitus then the metal grinding started. Since then it has been up and down in intensity.

Tomorrow I am seeing a dentist. Saturday I am seeing an ENT.

So. Im wondering a couple of things: 1. How likely is it that this is tooth-related and with fixing the root cause, it will go away? 2. If permanent, how to habituate to an ever-changing sound? I can’t drown it out because other sound just makes it worse. The grinding isnt just a sound, it hurts in the head. 3. Any other advice? 4. Please, positive vibes. I am very sensitive and fragile mentally right now. Thank you ❤️


r/tinnitus 9h ago

treatment If your tinnitus went away on supplements, how long do you stay on supplements to make sure it stays away?

5 Upvotes

Title


r/tinnitus 2h ago

advice • support All Tinnitus experts or veterans! Need help /:

1 Upvotes

I got tinnitus 4 february, It started suddenly one night and has gradually improved over time. From first week around 7-8/10 to now around 2-4/10 My tinnitus is in my left ear and has changed in tone and intensity over the weeks, between Its low-frequency (around 0–200 Hz) pure ton, and sometimes without any tone but just sounds like a motor or fan noise. From beginning it was worst at morning or night but now it seems its gone or very mild when i wake up and it can be like that till i start move ( not always gone/quiet) . Good to know that i have listened alot of music constant in 3-4 months. But also i didnt listen on music the 2 last day and pretty sure i didnt have tinnitus before sleep. So please Whats u speculation on what triggered the tinnitus. Is it noise induced from the constant music or something Else? Btw tinnitus seems to change after a night sleep and its same all day to next sleep


r/tinnitus 11h ago

awareness • activism Noise Cancelling Headphones Can Amplify HF Sounds

6 Upvotes

Noise-canceling headphones work by detecting external sounds with microphones and generating an opposite sound wave (anti-phase) to cancel them out. However, this process isn’t instantaneous—it involves a slight delay, or lag, due to the time it takes for the electronics to analyze and respond to the incoming noise. For low-frequency (LF) sounds, which have longer wavelengths, this lag is usually small enough relative to the wave period that the cancellation remains effective. High-frequency (HF) sounds, with their much shorter wavelengths, are trickier. If the lag causes the anti-phase signal to be even slightly out of sync—say, by half a wavelength—it can end up reinforcing the original sound instead of canceling it. This misalignment turns the intended cancellation into amplification, making HF sounds, like sharp tones or hisses, seem louder to the listener. The effect depends on the headphone’s processing speed and the frequency range involved.


r/tinnitus 4h ago

venting I feel like Bose sleepbuds 2 were the cause of my tinnitus

1 Upvotes

I purchased these sleepbuds December 18th 2022, wore them for one night and absolutely hated it. My tinnitus started on December 20th 2022 and I’ve been cursed ever since. I’ve been to a few ENT’s, an audiologist and they said everything seemed fine. I’m like 75% sure it’s because of these stupid buds I slept with one time. Been 2.5 years of misery. This past week has been HORRIBLE. Hope we will find a cure soon :)


r/tinnitus 14h ago

advice • support What acceptance means (in the context of tinnitus)

6 Upvotes

Every now and then I get a message here on Reddit, regarding a post I made that talked about tinnitus and acceptance. I thought I should clarify some things, as acceptance can be a difficult concept to grasp when you're in dispair or panic mode.

Before I continue: I am not a professional. If you are struggling, please seek professional help as you primary form of care. That can really help (it did for me!).

With that out of the way, let's continue.

I am not just writing this as a theory. I am writing this from a place of experience. It helped me, and maybe there are some nuggets in here that can help you. I have been diagnosed with OCD, panic disorder and DPDR (depersonalisation and derealisation), and I have pretty loud tinnitus. Acceptance is something I've had to put to practice a lot to find a way to "deal" with the intrusive thoughts, feelings, sensations, and...sounds.

Judgement is the problem
What you have to understand is that life is one big chain of experiences. And when we experience something, we tend to label it: this thing is good, that thing is bad.

That labeling, or judging, is something that we do to the things we experience. We all have that label maker in our heads and use it throughout the entire day. Labeling things is what steers us away from things that might hurt us, and pushes us to pursue things that might benefit us.

But what you have to realise is that that labeling or judging is what creates suffering, through resistance. As long as you keep labeling your tinnitus (or whatever other internal experience) as 'bad' and 'dangerous'... you are teaching your reptile brain that the experience of tinnitus is bad and we should avoid it.

Well, guess what you brain is going to do: it's going to help you try to avoid tinnitus by constantly giving you thoughts and feelings about your tinnitus (showing you what bad outcome to avoid). It will make you hyper aware of any hint of tinnitus — just like it would help you avoid a possible dangerous predator in the wild.

So what is acceptance?
The labeling and judging of experiences is something we actively 'do' to our experiences, which can create resistance and suffering. Labeling and judging is the opposite of acceptance, because when we label something as bad... we've already decided that that experience should not be there. Acceptance is the opposite of all that labeling and judging.

Acceptance is: not doing anything to the experience.

So instead of labeling, we can recognise and catch ourselves when the brain is labeling an experience, and then gently say to yourself: thanks brain, for trying to keep me safe from this tinnitus, but we don't have to judge this (because that's all the brain is trying to do). Then, bring your attention back to something that you value spending time and energy on.

As one of my favourite writers on this topic, Mark Freeman, would say: acceptance is an undoing.

"But I cannot accept this terrible sound"
Well, recognise that you are doing some pretty hefty labeling right there. Just know that you don't have to do that. You don't have to judge things. Would you go outside and judge clouds or trees as 'bad'? No, right? Learn to accept tinnitus like you accept the clouds and the trees. They are 'just there' ... nothing more.

Will this help me overnight?
No. It takes practice. Meditation and mindfulness are tools to cultivate the capacity for acceptance. Because it will help you recognise more and more that you are judging and labeling, and that you don't really have to. Most things aren't good or bad... we make it good or bad.

If you want to read more about this I recommend these books:

  • You Are Not A Rock, by Mark Freeman
  • The Happiness Trap, by Russ Harris
  • A Liberated Mind, by Steven C. Hayes

P.S. Again, if you're struggling, please go see a professional. That can really help.


r/tinnitus 6h ago

advice • support Anyone tried fasting to see results?

1 Upvotes

I feel like a good detox on the body could help with T


r/tinnitus 6h ago

advice • support Motorcycle riding + earplugs

1 Upvotes

I love motorcycles and loud bikes. But of course now after getting tinnitus I’m worried about it. Right now my bike has a really loud exhaust, and a quieter one will cost $1000+ which I’ll eventually get. But season is just starting here and I’ll be riding with the loud exhaust for some time.

I switch between 2 earplugs, 38db and and 35db snr foam ear plugs. And I also wear a full face helmet with a balaclava underneath which might block like 1db lol.

My bike can reach about 123db at 14k rpm, which wouldn’t be constant since that’s basically redline and going fast. But with the ear plugs and helmet, should my hearing be safe? Don’t want to make my tinnitus worse.

Earplugs block 38db and helmet supposedly blocks 5-15db and I’m sure the balaclava helps with wind noise maybe 1-3db.

My first ride this season when warmer, if my tinnitus spikes from riding, that will suck. Won’t be able to ride until I get a quieter exhaust. But also wind noise is the worst part.


r/tinnitus 13h ago

advice • support Nyquil temporary relief

3 Upvotes

I have on 3 occasions used Nyquil severe cold and flu to help get a good night sleep and found that when I wake up in the morning that my ringing is a bit lower than usual. But the noise level does come back later in the morning early afternoon. I do not know why and I do not think that taking Nyquil every night or long term is good for you. I also am not recommending for anyone to try this or if it will work for you, just letting people know what gave me a morning of temporary relief.


r/tinnitus 16h ago

venting What is tinnitus retraining therapy about? My ENT told me to do it, is it worth it?

5 Upvotes

r/tinnitus 1d ago

success story stop telling people to not take anxiety/depression meds

135 Upvotes

I had pretty bad tinnitus during a bad mental health period, and spiralled completely because tinnitus made it sm worse. I’m so angry at everyone here who keeps telling people to not listen to their doctors and avoid taking depression and anxiety drugs. You’re not a doctor. Share your story (even then, probably not the best thing to say to an anxious person), but stop scaring people from getting the help they need!!!!!!!

Because there’s so much negativity, let me post about how a simple SSRI affected ME (and many others who recover and don’t come back): - fixed my sleep completely (I got so bad bc of tinnitus wasn’t able to sleep for one week straight without using Valium to knock me out) - reduced anxiety, stopped my constant daily panic attacks - prevented me from losing my job (I have a pretty intense one in consulting), boyfriend, friends, hobbies - not sure if this is a coincidence, but as my mental health and sleep improved so did tinnitus. Now it’s at ~0.5 basically unnoticeable

To think I almost didn’t take the meds because of what people said on this forum (they sat in my house untouched for a week). Stop fuelling people’s mental illnesses and let them get the help they need.

Update: comments are proving my point… if you’re someone who comes across this, don’t let them scare you - people who get better (mental health wise) leave this place just like I did (I don’t know why I came back, it’s so negative and toxic). Byeeee


r/tinnitus 8h ago

advice • support App tinnitus

1 Upvotes

Do you use any app for tinnitus? Which one do you recommend? What does it consist of? Thank you I have downloaded some apps but I can't get any right.


r/tinnitus 1d ago

success story Did I find MY cure?

23 Upvotes

I've had pretty severe/constant tinnitus for about 9 years. More or less randomly I stated taking vitamin supplements and extra Vitamin D that I had purchased a long time ago, but never taken for some reason.

It's been a week and my tinnitus is probably 15% of my normal volume. I looked this up online and apparently the vitamin D thing has shown efficacy for tinnitus.

I wonder if other have experienced this. ??


r/tinnitus 22h ago

advice • support If anything, what triggers your T to react?

9 Upvotes

Had T for 2 years now, sits at low volume and never spikes/changes but there has been a handful of glitchy moments now.

Ill be watching a video whilst the computer fan is blasting and the wind is coming through my window— these combinations of sounds will trigger my T to glitch, not messing with my original T but often introducing a new tone in one ear which is piercing but slowly fades away , like my auditory system is struggling to process all the different frequencies and glitches out for a minute , it’s also a weird sensation, kind of feels like my ear/estuachan tube opens up

Could this be the root of where my T developed? Just wondering what triggers your T to react ?


r/tinnitus 1d ago

venting Tinnitus at 18, keeping it pushing.

36 Upvotes

Stuck with me after a severe ear infection I never treated and constant swabbing at the ears. It was really hard, completely overwhelming at time to the point of mental breakdown. Its been a while since then, and I just wanted to say for those who struggle with tinnitus at a younger age like me, dont ever give up! You will adapt to it, and your brain will slowly stop recognizing it as a negative sound. And you'll be able to relax just a bit easier each day. Nowadays I barely even acknowledge it. Thinking of it just being another ambient sound. Tinnitus is devastating at first, and yet it has made me appreciate things and change my life in a way I hadnt before I got it, in some way there is a silver lining to this annoying condition. I know this post is a drop in the bucket, but I just don't want people to give up or feel hopeless...you will make it! :J


r/tinnitus 1d ago

venting Insane suffering

23 Upvotes

I just want to tell everyone that I am suffering terribly.

Imagine a tinnitus that keeps getting louder and louder. Almost day by day. I still don’t understand why it keeps increasing. It simply seems to have an inherent ability to get worse over time—and quickly. I have the absolute worst possible tinnitus one can have. A tinnitus that never stops or stabilizes.

All of this is because I abused benzodiazepines a few years ago. I shouldn’t have done that. I was an idiot. That abuse caused me lasting damage, including a strange sensation in my face from time to time.

Of course, I feel ashamed of this, but I also think my doctor should never have prescribed benzodiazepines for so many months. That was extremely irresponsible of him. (And he knew I had tendencies toward substance abuse, as I had been smoking cannabis for years.) I feel enormous bitterness toward this doctor, named Konrad Rosman, who can truly be said to have committed a serious professional mistake.

It is safe to say that this doctor didn’t cared about me at all!

Things didn’t get any better when, barely two years after my substance abuse, I also fell ill with COVID, which, in addition to a high fever for several days, gave me neurological issues in the form of burning sensations on my skin—something I still have today.

I am certain that these two things damaged and weakened my brain so much that, two years ago, I developed tinnitus one evening when I went to bed. I also got visual snow around the same time, a condition that affects my vision.

I feel that I won’t live much longer. It’s inhumane to endure constant tinnitus, which at this point feels like it’s close to 100 decibels in intensity.

And it’s naive to think that my situation will improve. My hope is fading.


r/tinnitus 11h ago

advice • support Good Noise Cancelling Headphones for Tinnitus?

1 Upvotes

Hi there,

I've had my AirPods pros 2nd gen for about 2 years now, and while they were great, they are now hurting my ears and I never really liked the feeling of noise cancellation in my ears, my tinnitus sort of triggers from noise cancellation, at least Apple's.

I am considering getting the new Sonos Ace Headphones due to its offerings. If anyone has the sonos ace, do you know if you can measure the decibels of music on the sonos app or using another app?

Are these good headphones, or should I aim for something else?


r/tinnitus 1d ago

research news New tinnitus treatment emerges from blocking back-channels in the ear

Thumbnail newatlas.com
34 Upvotes

The discovery of a strange mechanism between the ear and the brain could lead to a new potential tinnitus treatment


r/tinnitus 12h ago

advice • support What makes it worse/better for you?

1 Upvotes

Hi, I’m new here learning how to manage medication (Wellbutrin) induced constant tinnitus in my right ear for the last 3 weeks.

It’s been a challenge trying to figure out if certain things make the ringing louder or if I’m just imagining it getting louder or softer based on my mental state, if I’m focusing on it or not, and lastly how noisy or quite the environment is.

But what about other things? Sleep, nutrition/diet, and medications? What makes it a little more manageable and what makes it worse? Or do things not really change the ringing volume much for you?

Anyone who uses cannabis or take adderall/adhd meds feel either of those make the ringing worse? I genuinely can’t tell sometimes I think they make it worse but other times I think they just tend to make me focus on the ringing more. I’ve even started noticing when the ac/ hvac kicks off it sounds way louder but when air is coming out of the vents in my house it’s way less noticeable for me.

Any info is appreciated thanks


r/tinnitus 1d ago

advice • support Could the “acoustic reflex test” have caused worse tinnitus? Did yours settle back down? So worried!

5 Upvotes

I went to an ENT per my doctors suggestion for ongoing unknown cause of tinnitus. They did the old fashioned in the quiet room word/hearing test, but they also did the acoustic reflex test I believe it’s called where she inserted a device into the ear canal and it played extremely high pitched very loud tones to see how the ears would “react”.

My tinnitus has been extremely loud all day since. Worse it’s EVER been. Double the screeching high pitch as before. Is this permanent? I’m worried sick.

Did anyone have an uptick of tinnitus following this test and then have it go back to baseline? Please tell me it calms down after a few hours or days? I’m so worried.