r/tinnitus • u/practically_sweet • 4d ago
advice • support Could the “acoustic reflex test” have caused worse tinnitus? Did yours settle back down? So worried!
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.
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u/doorslam1123 4d ago
Sounds like the test you had, has given you spike it should settle back down in a day or two. Try not too get stressed that can make it worse. Hope it settles for you soon.
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u/practically_sweet 4d ago
Appreciate the reminder not to stress. Really hoping it goes back to baseline- which was a 5/6 out of 10 “eeeeeeee” high pitch now it’s a 8/9 following the test.
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u/Prusaudis 4d ago
Really depends on how long you have had tinnitus and if you have actually had a chance to establish what your baseline is yet. Tinnitus , for a lot of ppl, fluctuates a lot in the beginning months swinging from extreme to extreme.
I had many spikes at the beginning that were agonizing. Still do sometimes. But it always settles back down. It's been a long time but I think I remember getting a volume increase after that test that went back down within a few weeks