9 Weeks of Tinnitus — Getting Better, Then Boom!

[Chris M]

Hello Forum,

I am writing in complete shock. I had been dealing with Tinnitus since April and during recent weeks, I felt like I was making some type of progressive with my tinnitus. I was going out, socializing, and felt that I had a chance of this thing completely going away for good. I'm not sure what happened but, now, my tinnitus seems to have ramped up a bit. It feels like its in my head more than anything else. When I am in the car, watching tv, and in silence, it just seems like a very high pitched "e" noise where before, I was able to mask it a little better. I had my hearing checked two months ago and they said it was in normal hearing range.

When I first got the tinnitus it was during a time where I had recovered from a sinus infection. It started at a loud static sounds and slowly decreased into a hissing sound that I can only hear in silence. Now, I am hearing this constant hiss noise again and I can hear it above everything and seems that it is generating from my brain. When I plug my ears, I definitely hear it louder. I am also experiencing some ear fullness that alternates from side to side.

Is this roller coaster common? I thought I was heading in the right direction until now. This sucks! I keep thinking this is more than just tinnitus.....

 

[Michellejean]

Hi @Chris M
I remember at 2 months in I thought I was gonna be rid of t too, and then with another cold it came back worse than ever. Anyways since then there has been no stability. Some days good some days bad with volume and intensity.
I think though if you have just one sound you are dealing with, like the high pitched sssssssss sound I gathered from your post, and you felt you were getting better, it might be congestion or a head cold rampingit up again. I'm sure it will drop back down! Just observe it and try to stay calm.

Best of luck.

 

[glynis]

@Chris M,
Tinnitus is sure a rollercoaster of sound and strength and emotions but stay positive your tinnitus will calm down.
Do what you can to stay calm and keep relaxing music on when you need a break from your sound.
love glynis

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'm not sure what happened but, now, my tinnitus seems to have ramped up a bit.

Have you been exposed to moderate noises when you went out and socialized? You might want to look at your lifestyle to make sure you are not doing anything that is interfering with your recovery.

I guess it is normal to feel like you are on a roller coaster. What matters is the monthly trend and the global lows. Try to ignore the daily fluctuations.

 

[Chris M]

Hi @Bill Bauer
I don't think I did anything recently that caused for this.
Only thing I noticed was that my ears seemed more clogged last couple of days

 

[Chris M]

@Michellejean

Hi Michelle,

How is it for you now?
Its crazy, its just a contact tonal high pitched "e" sound. Like its not going anywhere!
I cover my ears and hear it even louder. I wonder if the two month mark is a strong indication it will be permanent. Just last week I felt like I was getting better.....

 

[john paul]

mine seemed to ramp up the first 4 weeks. I wasnt staying away from noise and went on 2 flights which won't have helped and like you mine is in my brain. It just takes time, alot of time with many bumps along the way but as long as you stay well away from noisey environments it should slowly fade into something much less bothersome as time goes on.

 

[Chris M]

@john paul

Hi John,

When did yours start getting better consistently? I just knew I was getting better! And then yesterday it started to randomly ramp up to louder tone in my head.

 

[Bill Bauer]

went on 2 flights which won't have helped

Did you have any hearing protection on those flights?

 

[john paul]

Did you have any hearing protection on those flights?

no they were only 40 minute flights though thankfully but still wish id protected. Id only had it 2 weeks at that point so was still in the honeymoon period.

 

[john paul]

@john paul

Hi John,

When did yours start getting better consistently? I just knew I was getting better! And then yesterday it started to randomly ramp up to louder tone in my head.

Id say at least 2 or 3 months before the really horrible screeching and howling stopped. Its not consistently getting better its like 3 good days then a few bad days then some better days then bad days but over the longer time frame its fading. I had a little tinnitus before the gig i went too that was the final straw so i know it will never really fully go i don't think, but it might go back to what it was before hopefully. This basically means iv been in a 7 month long spike but its slowly getting better. The weirdest part is constantly thinking its better one minute then feeling like its not the next. Its like a beast that is just purring away waiting to go nuts on me, which had my anxiety really going for quite a while especially since i experienced first hand what my brain is capable of doing. But in my experience if you stay away from noise it should not get worse only better. Once it hits a low enough volume your head just becomes numb to it and you dont notice it as long as you dont think about it. Hard to do once you know how much trouble your potentially in though i know.

 

[dm222]

mine seemed to ramp up the first 4 weeks. I wasnt staying away from noise and went on 2 flights which won't have helped and like you mine is in my brain. It just takes time, alot of time with many bumps along the way but as long as you stay well away from noisey environments it should slowly fade into something much less bothersome as time goes on.

mine also increased day by day in the first month

i've read that nerves only start to cure after 4 weeks, they stay quiet for 4 weeks after damage.