Can a Doctor Tell If Your Tinnitus Is Permanent or Caused by Drugs?

[Bobby Sinatra]

Hi everyone. I'm in my 3rd week trying to come to grips with my tinnitus.

I am in benzo withdrawal, 7th week, and like many I've developed tinnitus. It came in week 4 after I went out to a club, it slowly started creeping on me and settled in.

I will be seeing an ear specialist, just waiting for an appointment.

Question for those who know - will the doctor be able to tell if the damage is permanent to the cochlear hair cells (can they look at it?) if I indeed damaged it by being in a loud club? Or is the diagnosis based strictly on subjective feedback?

Thanks.

 

[Bill Bauer]

will the doctor be able to tell if the damage is permanent

No.

But tinnitus fades for many people. You will know whether you are one of them if you experience fading 1-3 months from now (in which case it ought to continue to fade).

Check out
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

 

[Star64]

Hi everyone. I'm in my 3rd week trying to come to grips with my tinnitus.

I am in benzo withdrawal, 7th week, and like many I've developed tinnitus. It came in week 4 after I went out to a club, it slowly started creeping on me and settled in.

I will be seeing an ear specialist, just waiting for an appointment.

Question for those who know - will the doctor be able to tell if the damage is permanent to the cochlear hair cells (can they look at it?) if I indeed damaged it by being in a loud club? Or is the diagnosis based strictly on subjective feedback?

Thanks.

Hi Bobby, sorry to hear you are experiencing tinnitus, it is a well documented symptom in benzo withdrawal. Have you currently finished your taper? I had noise induced tinnitus which was made worse by my current benzo withdrawal, I also have hearing loss.

Have you experienced any hearing difficulties prior to benzo withdrawal? You should probably get your hearing checked out just in case, but there is a chance it maybe just due to withdrawal and that you have not damaged your hearing. However, if you frequently visit night clubs and have been exposed to other loud noise exposure you may well have damaged your hearing. Things could still settle down for you though, it is hard to tell.

Glad you are going to get it checked out though, and in the meantime I would protect my hearing in noisy environments such as night clubs.

 

[Bobby Sinatra]

No difficulties prior to the benzo.

 

[Bobby Sinatra]

No.

But tinnitus fades for many people. You will know whether you are one of them if you experience fading 1-3 months from now (in which case it ought to continue to fade).

Check out
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

Thank you Bill. You probably give the most level headed advice around here... Everyone's thinking is so catastrophic around here. The tone in my left ear has faded significantly in the past few days... hope we stay on this course...

Thanks for the support @Star64.

 

[GoatSheep]

The tone in my left ear has faded significantly in the past few days... hope we stay on this course.

Great news for you! Hope it does continue!

 

[Bobby Sinatra]

Great news for you! Hope it does continue!

It's very slow... weeks are like days.

 

[Bill Bauer]

The tone in my left ear has faded significantly in the past few days...

This is a wonderful news. It ought to continue to fade.

You probably give the most level headed advice around here...

Thank you for your kind words!