Tinnitus Habituation: Why Spikes are Part of the Process

Full post with additional info: wp.me/p7yDg9-eF
I explain why tinnitus spikes and setbacks are part of the habituation process and not an reason to think you're back to square one. I also explain a better way to measure progress with habituation.
Progress with tinnitus habituation is rarely ever linear and each day is not typically a little bit better than the last. The habituation process is more like a roller coaster. It can often feel like three steps forward, two steps back. And experiencing that kind of setback, especially after a string of good days, can feel devastating. But they don't mean you're back to square one. Your progress is simply on hold.

[@christopher4u46]

When i hear my T, i simply tell myself "this is one of the sounds my body makes" so it's easy for me refocus only something else immediately. And yes, I'm doing more with my life now than before.

[@user-yo9xs8tl5o]

Anyone suffering badly know that habitation is real. You can go years without even noticing your tinnitus. I had high pitched REEEEEEEEEEE and It doesn't bother me at all anymore. It's still there but it fades into the background. That's habitation.

[@alanclarke3179]

I first had tinnitus when I was 5 or 6 years old and habituated before I went to secondary school, That's total silence unless I wanted to hear it, The 18 month dead line people talk about is a load of rubbish, Your Brain will filter the sound out when it's ready and progress is slow for most, Remember tinnitus is not for life and you will get better, Just have faith in your bodies innate ability to mend its self and keep emotionally calm. keep the faith.

[@robertg579]

Those spikes can be a major setback for anyone struggling with tinnitus. I try to control myself not to control my tinnitus volume. Thanks for the video. All you said is absolutely true.

[@lisa.kennedy]

You're such a breath of fresh air to the tinnitus community. You're positive and upbeat; when most information about tinnitus tends to be shrouded in doom, gloom and and fear, you are a refreshing antidote, full of hope and encouragement. Thanks :)

[@michael4614]

Thanks, from the Netherlands!👍

[@laisa.]

Very good info, I've seen this video before and now got a good reminder that quality of life is a better measurement than rating the volume of the sounds. Thank you!

[@BewbathanMuffingss]

thank you for the video, i've had tinnitus for a year and 7 months now. today i woke up to a massive tinnitus spike, my hearing is completely mute. i hear nothing with my left ear. i was really worried, but after watching your video i kinda got back on track, and i hope it'll be better tomorrow. you helped me understand a part of the pattern behind tinnitus spikes.

[@hvyone]

best real life info i've heard so far. great job

[@KathyMcDevitt]

Glenn, that was a lovely video and one I needed to hear. Although, i have a hard time tuning into the tinnitus right now as it makes me too upset, this was a good reminder that i need to change my reaction to it. xoxo

[@stephenbailey946]

I have watched your videos so may times before and find you so inspirational. I have been fine for quite a while but suddenly had a spike . I know it will pass but i watched your video once more for that reassurance . Thank you so much . Your a star

[@aes-1536]

Did it go away

[@stephenbailey946]

It did 😊

[@aes-1536]

@@stephenbailey946ty for your reaction. Hope mine will settle down soon

[@angier2289]

What a great explanation of the process!this was exactly what I needed to hear right now. Stay strong and stay in the game. 💕💕

[@TAW7597]

Thank you for this video, just what I needed to see today! After a severe increase in my tinnitus 3 months ago I’ve been in a bit of bad place however recently I’ve started to have some decent progress with re-habituating to the new level, except today, which was a bad day and I became really anxious that I was back at square one. Sure enough this video was the first one on my feed when I got home.

[@heidiwoods7340]

How are you now

[@TAW7597]

Oh wow weird to see the place I was in at that Time. I’m doing well, still have tinnitus but it doesn’t bother me the slightest. You have to get out of that fear cycle and it will back off considerably and you usually don’t even notice it

[@heidiwoods7340]

@@TAW7597 did it go quieter with time

[@TAW7597]

@@heidiwoods7340 yes. once you’re not focusing on it eventually it will back off and be quieter overall. I found the more I stressed and got in that fear loop it appeared louder so you just have to learn to hear it and not have a negative reaction and your brain will start to filter the noise out more and more.

[@shayjackson2651]

@@TAW7597 how long does it take ? Plz help😭I juss had a baby to this is all to much

[@Fartman3000]

Great video, just relax guys

[@andyt917]

Great helpful video thanx for your Time

[@prangbro]

This video is so helpful. A month ago I would have said I was in the clear - last night I slept for about 3 hours and can’t focus away from my T. The only difference now is that I know relief is possible.

[@aes-1536]

Did it go backwards

[@andrewheslop5484]

Thanks for this, just what I needed :)

[@77cla62]

Thank you for this very helpful video.

[@martynabednarczyk3623]

Thank you!

[@خالدالحربي4الحربي]

I got a spike from going to exam and not sleeping for 24 hours

[@SPLTDP]

THANK YOU!!!!!

[@BeYourUniquePotential]

Thank you so much for these videos. They are awesome and so informative.

[@juliahewlett6391]

Thanks so much, really helpful x

[@janmariusweststeijn7024]

Thans very much

[@meyergomes]

I just got T Its driving me crazy Off work and anxious

[@mobilechikane8574]

Hi did yours get better?

[@william24ok]

Stephen Gomes same here, my anxiety levels was through the roof I can’t even sleep which make its worse, it’s like a double edged sword But you need to relax and it will come down and be manageable trust me anxiety and tinnitus don’t go together

[@jodymccluskey6381]

Love your video and you’re definitely talking to me to a tee. I have had tinnitus at least since 2013 and have had no issues dealing with it. I’m a musician so I have been around music my whole life. Since Halloween I feel like my tinnitus has spiked. Never dealt with this before so I have had issues dealing with it. It’s been high pitched and had changed pitch’s a few times and gets higher each time. I have my good and bad days. I have anxiety to so that doesn’t make things easier. I have been under stress and dealing with allergies 🤧. I just hope that it goes away or gets to a point where I can deal with it better. Has anyone had a spike last a month before. Has anyone experienced your tinnitus not steady and like the pitch going in and out.

[@shayjackson2651]

Update?

[@lypocodium]

thank you

[@JoshLuck95]

excellent vid

[@recepozdemir3381]

Hi glenn i have daily fluctuating tinnitus mild very severe when is severe only shower party mask and very high pitch shrill do you think can i habituate to this sound in my head i hear my tinnitus left side of my brain not in ear

[@b2bbogey735]

I manage my tinnitus by adding a number from 0-3. 2 and 3 meaning it bothers me. 1 meaning I can hear it but I am not bothered. 0 when I have to remind myself have T. I have been doing this since May 2017 since I got it. Whether it's habutiation or not I am not sure. Usually now I mark days as 2 and not 3 anymore. Whether that means it have actually lowered I am not sure. After a day with 2 it goes down to 1 or 0. Why's that I have no idea. Is the days with 2 so called spikes? Anyway. I think though that I somehow benefit from it since I do not want to ask myself 1 year on was it better before or worse. I just don't want to ask myself that. But the system I am using is inadequate. I know. Because it will always be subjective judgement on my part. However I can hear the difference between low and high. So I am thinking about marking daily sound as L or H. Meaning H was a day it bothered me. And L not. Just my of handling it until they find a cure. Good content and I Agree with what you message is saying.

[@mssweetdancer]

Hi Glen you have helped me so much, did you see my comment on your other video?

[@RewiringTinnitus]

Which video was it on? I might have seen it, but I will look for it now.

[@drone4sar959]

I have a question. I have had Tinnitus for 2.5 years and was using sound devices. I stopped using them in Jan of this year and and felt I had habituated. Last Monday, I was just sitting there and it came back sort of loud. It has been a week now and i can not seem to tune it out again.Thank you for telling me I am not back to to square one. I thought i was doing great with many days not noticing it and if I did I dismissed it. Is this bump in the road normal. Can I get back to where I was weeks ago? Thank youi for all your great videos. As I mentioned , I thought i had habitualted and did not need the sound devices anymore. My doctor tells me to wear them again as a reset. I hope that is good advice. For one week now it feels like I am where I was 2 years ago

[@capristudios5785]

DRONE4SAR I’ve had it for 12 years, you’ll eventually live your life like you don’t even have it. You literally will struggle to hear it. Then it’ll spike up and then you’ll have to control your emotions to it again and learn to slowly not fear it and go back to normal again. It’s a process and it sucks but you’ll get there. I’m currently going through a spike and it’s very annoying even tho I’ve had this for years. We are learning together. God bless

[@Wesker10000]

I'm in the same boat as the other commenter. Been living with it for around three years now. You will get used to it, even if that sounds impossible right now

[@gopiraj2331]

@@capristudios5785 hi I have terrible spike .. it's been 3 months .. will this settle down

[@nikos4677]

i got a spike went from not being botgered at all to thinking of suicide in just one day. How is it possible?

[@crystalclear6660]

I seem to have spikes whenever I do something physical. I.e. I took a 3 mi walk around a park lake today. Came home, tinnitus has been loud and sharp in my ears. How long do these spikes typically last? And what should one do, think or practice when they are happening? Is it possible to teach our brains at this point to still tune it out? I want to get to this point and I don’t know how. Help?

[@beckyquin8365]

I've had tinnitus since I was 15. It was bad. Started taking some Lipo Flavonoid and it genuinely helped me. The loud ringing went down to a low hissing sound. It's been that way for years. Very low. Barely noticeable at all. Until now. 2022. Anyway, few days back, I made the mistake of messing around with my ears and trying to get some earwax out. I used a syringe for this. Squirted water into them. After that, I noticed my tinnitus spiked up a bit. Definitely louder than it was before. Anyone here think the tinnitus spiked up because my ears got irritated? They genuinely were. They were even itchy at one point. Maybe when they heal from that, I'll return back to my regular low baseline?

[@heidiwoods7340]

How are you now

[@beckyquin8365]

@@heidiwoods7340 Uhm, way better now. I still have it, but it's usually always silent now, with some days where it becomes a bit more noticeable. Soft bursts of hisses. But overall, it's way better. Definitely still got healing to do.

[@Kadukunahaluu]

@@beckyquin8365 Another update?

[@beckyquin8365]

@@Kadukunahaluu It's so much better now. Almost don't even hear it. The road to recovery was tough and tricky. There was days where it seemed it had gone away, only for it to come back the next day with a vengeance. But then it just slowly started to get lower and softer. Now...I don't hear it much. It just takes its sweet old time to fix itself. Depending on how you got the tinnitus, that is.

[@Kadukunahaluu]

@@beckyquin8365 How'd you get yours?

[@douglasmonroe-nv7er]

Can I talk to u about tinnitus. I have many questions

[@michaelscondotto8122]

I had habituated and was feeling good for a while. But I've had a horrible spike for the last week. Feels like I'm back to the early days. I got my T in November of 2018. Need some help and advice asap.

[@RewiringTinnitus]

Hi Michael, I'm sorry to hear how much you are struggling with this spike! I know how difficult it can be to have this happen, especially after coping well for a while. I actually wrote a fairly detailed post about this kind of thing a while back that I think you will find helpful: www.healthyhearing.com/report/53444-Preventing-tinnitus-relapse-strategies-for-relief And if you are looking for any additional support, you can learn more about my 1-on-1 tinnitus coaching program here: rewiringtinnitus.com/coaching - I've worked with SO many people in this exact situation, helping them to habituate again as quickly as possible, as well as to help them prevent this kind of thing from happening again down the road.

[@michaelscondotto8122]

Thank you so much. I reached out to you. ​@@RewiringTinnitus

[@charlottebirgittethomsen4273]

Server tinnitus its very hard to blok Out Trust me people are giving Up 😧😧😧😧

[@gopiraj2331]

you mean suicide ?

[@thruitallauto2538]

So does it quit bothering us or does it go away.. what exactly is habituation I’ve heard u talk about it,but not heard what it is how do you habituate

[@joachimrasmussen8566]

there is a good chance the volume of the sound wil go down. habituation to me is i got no emotional respond to it at all. The thing is i dont live with it anymore i just have it. i can still hear it but my brain can´t even have a negativ respond to it beacues am just so used to it. somtimes if i got alot to do i dont even remember i have it for days at the time. in my normal day sure i maby give it a thughte ore to but is not negativ is like "there you are sound" and thats about it. if i should put a time on how long i focus on it in my everyday life is about 5 minuts.

[@thruitallauto2538]

Joachim Rasmussen well I’m in that situation now..but I need it to leave.

[@mobilechikane8574]

Hi did your tinnitus go away?

[@eman539279]

I have a crazy spike after drinking alcohol. 7 days ago. Spike hasnt gone down. Is this typical?

[@jonathongrabs]

same

[@eman539279]

@@jonathongrabs has it gone down?? Mine is still up!!!!!!!

[@beckyquin8365]

@@eman539279 Did it ever go away?

[@miralolibreriaartistica8477]

Horrible