Tinnitus fluctuations are discrete periods where one’s tinnitus gets perceptibly louder. These periods often occur out of nowhere and can trigger further anxiety, stress, and worry. While the causes of these changes might be hard to pinpoint, there is a general consensus about the most common factors that can contribute to them. In this article, we will help to identify triggers, such as external factors, that may increase tinnitus.
Types Of Tinnitus Fluctuations
Generally, there are two kinds of tinnitus fluctuations that patients tend to experience. The first entails a short burst of tinnitus that lasts around 10 to 30 seconds, and can sometimes occur only in one ear. These kinds of fluctuations are common even to those patients who have successfully habituated to their tinnitus, and thus aren’t usually worth worrying about. This type of fluctuation is known as Transient Ear Noise, or TENS, and is not typically indicative of an actual change in tinnitus. Some believe that episodes of TENS are related to changes in blood pressure, lack of sleep, or are triggered by eating certain foods. Although it can be scary to notice a significant increase in the intensity of your ear ringing, rest assured that this type of tinnitus fluctuation is not permanent and will last only a few seconds to a few minutes at the most.
"Treble Health helped me reduce my tinnitus by about 80%, and now I can live my life again!"
"Treble Health helped me reduce my tinnitus by about 80%, and now I can live my life again!"
– Steve D.
Book a free consultation to learn which Treble Health solution is right for you. Join Steve and thousands more who have found lasting tinnitus relief.
The second, more significant kind of tinnitus fluctuation is one that entails an increase in tinnitus pitch over the course of hours or even days and will typically occur in both ears. This type of fluctuation may be triggered by internal or external factors such as exposure to loud noises, changes to hearing loss, damage to delicate inner ear structures caused by certain medications (ototoxicity), stress and more.
5 Major Causes Of Tinnitus Spikes
If you have ever wondered what is causing your tinnitus to seemingly get louder out of nowhere, there are 5 main causes we will discuss.
1. Lack Of Mental Stimulation
If you are sitting in a quiet environment and not engaging in any kind of mental task, your brain might latch on to whatever stimulus is present—in this case, your tinnitus—and subsequently amplify it. To provide yourself some relief, busy yourself with another task!
2. Stress or Anxiety
Tinnitus is inextricably linked to the body’s stress response, so periods of stress or anxiety in our lives can be responsible for amplifying tinnitus volume and creating a persistent fluctuation. Potential stressors can run the gamut from work and family-related responsibilities to politics, watching the news, or any other phenomenon capable of igniting our nervous system. If you suffer from persistent stress or anxiety, we highly recommend seeking out relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.
3. Insomnia or Fatigue
Lack of sleep, or even poor sleep, affects the brain and body significantly, and thereby can trigger a tinnitus fluctuation. Tinnitus can often be conceived as a barometer of our health, so whenever our body’s feeling off we may be susceptible to a fluctuation in tinnitus. It’s also important to distinguish between brief and prolonged tinnitus fluctuations. Brief fluctuations that last 30 seconds or less are common when waking up in the middle of the night or after any period of sleep, and generally aren’t worth worrying about. If your sleep habits are not healthy, consider a new bedtime routine (i.e., going to bed at the same time each night in a dark and cool room and utilizing sound therapy in your bedroom to facilitate a sound enriched environment for your brain).
4. Loud Noise Exposure
Unanticipated exposure to any kind of loud noise can trigger a neurological response where auditory cells have been overstimulated and partially damaged, thereby causing a fluctuation in tinnitus. Loud noise exposure can also trigger a psychological response where you become worried about aggravating your tinnitus, and in the process, conjure a response where your tinnitus gets louder. Utilizing hearing protective devices such as earplugs around certain noises that can exacerbate tinnitus, such as concerts and heavy machinery, can help to manage tinnitus fluctuations.
5. Trigger Memories
Trigger memories are past experiences associated with a psychological experience of tinnitus. Whenever we encounter a past experience or relive a memory that reminds us of our tinnitus, our brain may respond accordingly and increase the volume of tinnitus. Trigger memories and experiences can be as simple as watching a video about tinnitus and being reminded of one’s own tinnitus. Treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy can help you identify patterns of how you respond to your tinnitus and provide you with the coping tools to be successful in the habituation process as you move towards a goal of reducing your tinnitus awareness and disturbance.
How To Deal With Tinnitus Fluctuations
Overall, it’s important to remember that while tinnitus fluctuations will come and go, they generally aren’t worth worrying about – as long as you are focused on the habituation process and are equipped with the necessary cognitive tools to manage stress and anxiety. Sometimes, we don’t know why tinnitus gets louder – but in order to get better, the tinnitus treatment remains the same.
Working with a licensed hearing care professional, such as an audiologist, can be beneficial for those suffering from tinnitus. Audiologists understand the condition well and can help identify common triggers that might be affecting you. This understanding can lead to relief from tinnitus fluctuations and provide you with the necessary tools to manage them effectively.
At Treble Health, our audiologists have helped thousands of tinnitus patients find relief from their tinnitus. We can assist you in identifying your tinnitus triggers, understanding the underlying causes of your tinnitus, and determining what might exacerbate your symptoms during fluctuations. To start your path to tinnitus relief, we strongly encourage you to schedule a complimentary telehealth consultation with an Audioloist on our team. This 20-minute Zoom call will give you the chance to explain your situation, ask any questions that you may have, and learn about the treatment options that would best for your personal situation. To schedule your free consultation and start the path to a life without bothersome tinnitus, click here.
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