Bilateral Tinnitus from Unilateral Infection/Injury?

[StephanieLC]

Has anyone here developed tinnitus in both ears or in the head after an infection or perforation in just one ear? Is it possible to perceive tinnitus in both ears even if only one ear is damaged?

 

[StephanieLC]

Has anyone experienced this? I perforated my right eardrum over two months ago and developed bilateral tinnitus the next day. I can't understand why the ringing is in both ears. I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through something similar due to a one-sided infection, trauma, or similar issue.

Thanks so much!

 

[linearb]

yes this is pretty common; the short, very simplified answer is that tinnitus is thought to often arise not from signal loss in the auditory nerve itself, but from changes in the parts of the brain which process that signal.

 

[Lieutenant-Llama]

I sadly fall into this category. I got an infection in my left ear on October 10, 2024. The infection cleared by the 17th, but I was left with hearing loss, tinnitus, and fluid. I started a three-day course of Prednisone (50 mg) on the 29th. It helped open up my Eustachian tubes, and I was able to pop my ears to clear some of the fluid.

The next day, however, I woke up with tinnitus just as loud in my right ear. Now, seven weeks later, the tinnitus and effusion (OME) are still constant. It feels like it's actually getting worse. Two weeks ago, the ENT basically sent me on my way, saying "tough luck"—tinnitus may or may not go away, and the effusion should resolve on its own. My hearing test results were fine, and my MRI didn't show anything that could explain my symptoms.

Not having much fun, to say the least.