Another Sufferer Asks for Advice

[Husbandsupport]

Good morning, I am the wife of a tinnitus sufferer. My husband "Scott" refuses to become computer savvy so I am being his voice, of course with his input.

Scott has had tinnitus for about 10 years in varying degrees. Recently he suffered SSHL in his right ear. We went through steroid therapy, both oral and direct eardrum injections with no relief. Scott has reluctantly accepted hearing aids which have helped with hearing but no impact to the T. The T in the right ear has increased, along with fullness feeling.

Each morning he awakes with hope that today will be a better day because the fullness feeling isn't there, but within 30 minutes it returns and the noises attack with a vengeance.

Scott is a very positive person and has managed to "live with" T in the past, but the addition of the deafness in the right ear and the increase of T is taking it's toll. We have tried focused massage in the neck area, chiropractic adjustments, nasal spray, etc. but like many of you no relief.

We have an appointment in January with an OD Dr. that a friend has suggested but maybe that this is just a waste of time and money. Although we have an ENT Dr. we don't really have much faith in him and are hoping that someone can suggest if there is really a "EXPERT" out there. We live in Ohio but are willing to travel wherever there is insight or hope. Looking for any help.

 

[GregCA]

What does his audiogram look like?
What tests has he done so far? Fork tests? Rinne/Weber? Are his losses definitely sensorineural?
Any imaging? CT? MRI?
What was the original cause for his T 10 years ago? Did you try to root cause it back then? How? What tests did you do back then?

 

[Mike Evangelo]

I just looked it up and SSHL sounds absolutely terrifying. Has he tried getting custom earplugs to help cope with the ringing?

I also have fullness in my ears, but it doesn't seem to be as bad as your husband's. Has he considered getting a Tympanostomy? It is where a tube is placed in the ear drum that not only drains fluid, but acts as a pressure equalizer. I imagine it would help with the fullness.


Mike

 

[dingaling]

Sudden SNHL can be devastating and it may take a long time to "get over". For some, it is analogous to a bereavement

You say he has reluctantly accepted hearing aids. Has he got a hearing loss in the other ear or has he got a CROS aid (microphone on deaf ear that transfers sound to the better hearing ear to give pseudo-stereo sound)?

Don't be surprised if he can't get over blaming himself for the cause, often SSHL occurs after a virus