Desperate to Reduce the Ringing?

[MiaX]

Some people may disagree, but tinnitus is about accepting the noise. I know people will see: I DON'T WANT and CAN'T accept the noise, but yes, you can and what I've learnt, it doesn't really matter how loud the tinnitus is.

Accepting is difficult, but the first thing is: stop carring. This is easy to say, I know and it takes time, but I believe that a lot of people can come to a point where they say: ''You know what, I am going to move on in my life. I have more important thing to care about, I am going to be really careful with my ears, but the T will not break me.''

In my country there are specialists who help you with this. And I think that H is treatable, but you need to be careful and it can take some time. I believe that stress and anxiety plays a HUGE part in this.

Just like a friend of my said the other day (she is not bothered by her T anymore ): "Did you know that you can always see your nose? Your brain decides to ignore it, but it is always there. So is your tinnitus." She literally said: 'If I could choose between a bar of chocolate and T going away, I would choose the bar of chocolate."

 

[MiaX]

I just get more and more depressed and upset trying to understand how to deal with T, H & HL. I've never been so down in my life before. Struggling to even get outside as I am that frightened of making things worse. It's making me worried. Very worried

You are going to be ok, I promise, just relax. Can you get help form a specialist?

 

[Blue28]

@Blue28
21 years ago when I first got tinnitus I had my ears syringed using the old fashsioned method. This is using a metal canister filled with warm water and is squirted into the ears under presssure. Not done today because of the potential risks involved:tinnitus and ear damage. Fortunately, my GP at the time wouldn't allow the practice nurse to do the procedure because of my severe tinnitus and hyperacusis. She chose to do it herself and was very through, telling me to use olive oil eardrops 3 times a day for 7 days. I will never forget how scared I was going into the treatment room. When she finished the GP told me to stand up slowly as I might feel a little dizzy.

When I stood up I felt drunk and collapsed into arms. Now I know how people with menier's feel when they talk about the room spining and they feel drunk. After a few minutes I felt better and went home. I was relieved that my tinnitus didn't worsen, infact it reduced in severity for a few hours then returned.
I understand how you feel blue. Some people have contacted me who have gone to a private clinic, and had microsuction and not being told to use eardrops for 10days prior to having the procedure and ended up with tinnitus- infact they were told using eardrops is unnecessary, which is totally the wrong thing to say.

I agree syrining is not open heart surgery but not using eardrops in the manner I've discribed and having ear irrigation or microsuction, carries the risk of developing tinnitus and having months if not years of misery, unfortnately not everyone knows this.

Michael

Thank you for your reply @Michael Leigh. However I really must stress that the use of ear drops before wax removal (suction in my case) DOES NOT mean that you are not at risk of severe side effects.

Before having the wax removed from my ears I USED EAR DROPS 2-3 TIMES A DAY FOR 10-12 DAYS, the wax was soft when it was removed but the procedure still caused hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis. No amount of drops can make a noisy procedure become a quiet one...the wax may come out easier but the noise generated by the suction is still dangerous (in my experience). I think it also depends on the skill of the doctor/person performing the procedure.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thank you for your reply @Michael Leigh. However I really must stress that the use of ear drops before wax removal (suction in my case) DOES NOT mean that you are not at risk of severe side effects.

Before having the wax removed from my ears I USED EAR DROPS 2-3 TIMES A DAY FOR 10-12 DAYS, the wax was soft when it was removed but the procedure still caused hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis. No amount of drops can make a noisy procedure become a quiet one...the wax may come out easier but the noise generated by the suction is still dangerous (in my experience). I think it also depends on the skill of the doctor/person performing the procedure.

As I said @Blue28 There is a risk in every medical procedure even dental work or bandaging or sewing up a wound one could get an infection. One has two choices regarding impacted wax. Either they walk around with blocked up ears and put up with the complications that I've mentioned or have microsuction, ear irrigation or manual revmoval of the wax. All carry risks.
Michael

 

[Blue28]

As I said @Blue28 There is a risk in every medical procedure even dental work or bandaging or sewing up a wound one could get an infection. One has two choices regarding impacted wax. Either they walk around with blocked up ears and put up with the complications that I've mentioned or have microsuction, ear irrigation or manual revmoval of the wax. All carry risks.
Michael

I agree @Michael Leigh that every medical procedure carries risks, but in my case the risks were not even mentioned. I am so angry about this.

I don't know if everyone that has microsuction done is made aware of the fact that the risks are potentially very serious? I certainly wasn't. Had I known beforehand I would never have had the procedure done. The wax I had in my ear was not a huge amount but it had moved after a swimming session and was blocking my ear canal. The other ear was not blocked but had some wax in it so the ENT suctioned it too.

I NEVER imagined a procedure done by an ENT to remove some wax could have such life changing consequences. Had I known, I'd have persisted with the drops or have asked for a manual removal.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I agree @Michael Leigh that every medical procedure carries risks, but in my case the risks were not even mentioned. I am so angry about this.

I don't know if everyone that has microsuction done is made aware of the fact that the risks are potentially very serious? I certainly wasn't. Had I known beforehand I would never have had the procedure done. The wax I had in my ear was not a huge amount but it had moved after a swimming session and was blocking my ear canal. The other ear was not blocked but had some wax in it so the ENT suctioned it too.

I NEVER imagined a procedure done by an ENT to remove some wax could have such life changing consequences. Had I known, I'd have persisted with the drops or have asked for a manual removal.

I understand that you're angry @Blue28 and it is very unfortunate what happend to you. If you can find a way to accept what happened and perhaps get treatment, by this I mean counselling with a Hearing Therapist trained in tinnitus It might help to suppress the noise and discomfort. Carrying around all this pent up anger isn't going to get you anywhere because you know as I do that this causes stress and it makes tinnitus and hyperacusis worse.

I wish you well and hope you will be able to get some treatment.
All the best
Michael

 

[Blue28]

Thank you @Michael Leigh.

I saw a new ENT today who deals with tinnitus a lot. He's part of a team of specialists who are there to help people like myself find ways to cope with their T & H. Today was the first day since all this started that I feel a doctor has actually listened to me. I am hopeful that this doctor and his colleagues can help.

 

[Vicki14]

I NEVER imagined a procedure done by an ENT to remove some wax could have such life changing consequences. Had I known, I'd have persisted with the drops or have asked for a manual removal.

@Blue28 Me too. I asked my Audiologist about 10 times prior to this procedure 'is there a risk of my T worsening?' 'No' he ASSURED me!!! I didn't even read the disclaimer as I was shaking so much. Both my ears were suctioned too and it was only 1 with impacted wax. Thereafter another Audiologist told me that the one which didn't have the impacted wax 'looked dry' .
I don't understand, he also said ears were 'self cleaning'. Surely time would have removed this? My head is fried with it all...
The whole thing is difficult for me to accept tbh as it's affected my life so badly. It's an awfully cruel condition to live with.
We can only *hope* for better days ahead! Xxx

 

[Vicki14]

Thank you @Michael Leigh.

I saw a new ENT today who deals with tinnitus a lot. He's part of a team of specialists who are there to help people like myself find ways to cope with their T & H. Today was the first day since all this started that I feel a doctor has actually listened to me. I am hopeful that this doctor and his colleagues can help.

Oh do keep us all posted!! @Blue28 x

 

[fishbone]

I just get more and more depressed and upset trying to understand how to deal with T, H & HL. I've never been so down in my life before. Struggling to even get outside as I am that frightened of making things worse. It's making me worried. Very worried

Let me share something with you:

Your tinnitus is VERY new and you are in shock! It is perfectly natural to feel this way, trust me it is. Our heads become filled with worries and lots of WHYs, HOWs, WHAT IFs. Please give it some time, go and talk with people, family, therapist. Try to get some support going. My only support was my mom and the rest of the people would laugh at me, even my dad.

I'd sit at the table and my father would drink some scotch and I told him for over 10-15 years how bad my ears are, he'd laugh at me and would blast the radio and laugh. I wanted beat the asshole, out of him, but I am a mild mannered man and seek peace.

My point is, don't think it is the end of the world. It is not, you have a lot of good life left to live.

I went to the top Ear clinic in my state and they laughed at me and said that I was delusional. These are the people that are the ear experts as, they call themselves.

The world laughed at me almost 30 years ago and no one cared.

Possibly go see an ent and an audiologist and see what they say and can do.

I have had very BAD Spikes the last 2-3 days, brutal and its been hell. I still managed to overcome that and i was in my yard for 40 minutes just listening to my portable bluetooth speaker and just having a blast. (of course at low level of sound )

I am not an ordinary person and my life has been experiences, one after another. You gotta dig deep and find that strength and push through all obstacles..YOU can do this..ALL can do this!

Trust me, you CAN adapt and cope and make life happen....

Read my posts and you'll find inspiration!

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thank you @Michael Leigh.

I saw a new ENT today who deals with tinnitus a lot. He's part of a team of specialists who are there to help people like myself find ways to cope with their T & H. Today was the first day since all this started that I feel a doctor has actually listened to me. I am hopeful that this doctor and his colleagues can help.

I am a firm believer in tinnitus counselling. If I may be so bold and please don't take offence. Try not to dwell too much on what happened to you as the more you vent your anger about what happened you're keeping all those pent up emotions alive. I think you need to let them go and put them behind you and hopefully the tinnitus therapy that you will be having, will have a chance to work. Keeping the anger, and frustrations alive within you will block the positive energy that you will be recieving in the form of treatment from your doctors. That is my belief. Try not to give in to negativity.
I wish you well.
Michael

 

[Blue28]

@Blue28 Me too. I asked my Audiologist about 10 times prior to this procedure 'is there a risk of my T worsening?' 'No' he ASSURED me!!! I didn't even read the disclaimer as I was shaking so much. Both my ears were suctioned too and it was only 1 with impacted wax. Thereafter another Audiologist told me that the one which didn't have the impacted wax 'looked dry' .
I don't understand, he also said ears were 'self cleaning'. Surely time would have removed this? My head is fried with it all...
The whole thing is difficult for me to accept tbh as it's affected my life so badly. It's an awfully cruel condition to live with.
We can only *hope* for better days ahead! Xxx

You totally get it @Vicki14, your experience is similar to mine. Only I wasn't given a disclaimer.

It's disgusting that audiologists/doctors can take such little care and attention with a procedure that can cause (in our experience) such negative, life changing and permanent side effects. Not only that but they won't take any responsablity for their actions.
I know one day I will have to move on from this but right now I am in turmoil. Like you, my life has been turned upside down by this procedure.

Before this happened I could hear a pin drop, now all I hear is the ringing. I don't even hear the birds chirping outside my bedroom window anymore. It makes me so sad. I have a 3 year old daughter, and this procedure has ruined the enjoyment we shared together. Instead of thinking of all the lovely things we can do together in the future, all I can think about is the fear and dread of the (inevitable) noise at kids parties, fairgrounds, school plays etc... It makes me feel physically sick, what this doctor has done to me and my family.

Do you have hearing loss?
Hopefully there will be better days ahead of us xxx

 

[Vicki14]

@Blue28 Hey, sadly I do completely understand your pain and suffering. It's so gut wrenching and upsetting that there is just no way to 'fix' this. It too, makes me feel physically sick.
I have 3 daughters and avoid their school concerts and noisy venues as my ears can't handle it and 2 days after the procedure I went to my daughters school cover which was loud! I'd forgotten my plugs and sat with fingers in my ears!! I also feel anger towards the school.
However, I agree, we somehow have to move forward with this but it's been 13 months since and it's tough!
Are you in the U.K.? Xx

 

[Blue28]

@Blue28 Hey, sadly I do completely understand your pain and suffering. It's so gut wrenching and upsetting that there is just no way to 'fix' this. It too, makes me feel physically sick.
I have 3 daughters and avoid their school concerts and noisy venues as my ears can't handle it and 2 days after the procedure I went to my daughters school cover which was loud! I'd forgotten my plugs and sat with fingers in my ears!! I also feel anger towards the school.
However, I agree, we somehow have to move forward with this but it's been 13 months since and it's tough!
Are you in the U.K.? Xx

Ah it's just awful...and totally unnecessary. It just doesn't seem real, I often think "this isn't happening". I used to imagine I'd go to sleep and wake up 'cured', but it never happened.

It's been almost 16 months for me, since the microsuction.

I sympathise with you 100%... I understand your pain and suffering.

 

[Vicki14]

Ah it's just awful...and totally unnecessary. It just doesn't seem real, I often think "this isn't happening". I used to imagine I'd go to sleep and wake up 'cured', but it never happened.

It's been almost 16 months for me, since the microsuction.

I sympathise with you 100%... I understand your pain and suffering.

@Blue28 / it's good to have someone else who feels your pain and understands exactly how you feel xx