I've heard custom-made ones are the best for protecting your ears! Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out. Maybe a Christmas gift to myself?

From the many, many pages on the internet (mostly reddit and Tinnitus Talk), there are varying accounts of "going out into the real world" after tinnitus. Some people still go to loud places with earplugs and they're fine. Others warn that even a little bit of loud noise can cause permanent spikes in the ringing. Everyone is different so it's hard who/what to take seriously.

I'm glad yours isn't constant, but hyperacusis seems very bothersome, if not painful. How long does it take for yours to go away?