Feels Like I Am Going Insane

[racerx1]

Was watching TV two weeks ago when, like a switch, I have a million cicadas go off in my head. I am in my 50s and have had a slight hearing loss these past few years — nothing significant, however. I have always taken precautions with my ears, for example, I have always worn ear protection when mowing the lawn or using the leaf blower.

My first thought was wax build up and proceeded to irrigate my ears with hydrogen peroxide. I have tried this several times over these past eleven days and regrettably my tinnitus remains. I can't determine which ear is effected (both???) as the sound feels like it is in my head. I have covered up each ear individually and then both ears with my hands/fingers to block air flow, but the sound still remains. I find it difficult to believe that both my ears have failed simultaneously without some external event like a loud sound causing it.

For the most part I am pretty healthy — don't think I have a sinus infection; if I do I have an infection there are no observable symptoms. The only medications I take are Lotrel for high blood pressure and a baby dosage of Lipitor to keep my cholesterol in check. I have been on both medications for literally decades with no adverse effects. I have an appointment with an ENT, but the soonest I could get an appointment is two weeks from now.

Any ideas as to what could have possibly have happened to me? I really loathe the idea that I could have this for the rest of life. It's been fourteen days so far and I already feel like I am going insane. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MCB]

The average age for this is mid-50's although more & more younger people seem to be getting it. No surprise considering what we do to our ears nowadays. Hopefully your T will disappear, but if not chances are you'll get used to it and it won't seem as bothersome. I can almost assure you that.

 

[racerx1]

Thank you. My appointment with the ENT can't get here fast enough as far as I am concerned. Not sure I understand the 'getting used to it' part. I know it has only been two weeks, but I just can't fathom having this the rest of my life - I really can't.

 

[daniel1111]

Hi @racerx1 ,

I'm not sure what could've caused it, but I hope you can get to the bottom of it with your ENT.

I know it's difficult, but try not to worry about the future with it too much. It's normal to think and worry about that at the start. Take it a day at a time, an hour at a time if you need to.

As @MCB said, the chances are it can either go by itself or you will get used to (habituate to) it. I read a post by a doctor that this happens to 98% of people as an estimate. Those are rather good odds.

For now you have to try to stay positive and keep your mind distracted. If you can do anything to keep your mind off of it as much as possible, that will help out a lot. If you are in situations where you don't have much to do other than think about the sound and think about a future with it, you'll end up with a more noticeable sound and it will annoy you even more, and can take you into depression. If you find yourself measuring the sound, which is also tempting to do every 2 seconds, really try to direct your thoughts elsewhere.

Whenever you need to, post again on here everyone is willing to offer support, and I think it is often much more useful than anyting the doctors and ENT's do.

Regards,
Daniel

 

[racerx1]

Thank you for the kind words. I think my biggest issue is I don't know what caused it. I am having a hard time understanding how I could have been watching an NFL playoff game on TV and then in an instant I have Tinnitus. I keep thinking maybe tomorrow when I wake up it will be gone, but that has been two weeks ago with no end in sight. If somehow I could rationalize it instead of attributing it to 'bad luck' I might feel better. It is also depressing the more I read about Tinnitus on the internet, the more I realize I could have this for life. These past two weeks is like a re-enactment of Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' for me.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

@racerx1

I doubt that the ENT is going to provide any light unless is a very obvious issue. The ENT might order an MRI scan, CT scan or perhaps exhaustive blood tests (very commonly the ENT will do nothing), and send you to an audiology test. The ENT might prescribe predisnome if it is at very early onset stage, and perhaps you should go to urgent care since they might prescribe it and it is critical to start early (in my case I started prednisome after 10 days after the onset and it did nothing for me). You mention that you have some hearing loss in the last years and that is the most likely cause. Sometimes T starts by accumulated hearing loss or by a sudden shift of the hearing thresholds. Reading in this forum, some people has T right after trauma, or in some cases takes a few days until the T becomes noticeable. It is not rare the hearing losses are in the very high frequency range and might not be detected in everyday life (in my case I have hearing loss above 8KHz and it is not even tested in most typical audiology tests). In my case, my T started without an obvious trigger event, and two years later and many doctors later, I do not know what happened. Probably, I had a hearing threshold shift, but at the end of the day, the reason of the T is not so important. If the T does not go away, one has to learn to manage it independently of the cause.

 

[racerx1]

I know when I go to the ENT I am going to see the doctor as well as the audiologist (there is one on staff). Regrettably, my hearing isn't what it used to be. For example for the last 6-8 years, when I watch blu-ray movies I turn on the sub-titles because it just makes things 'easier' for me. Other than an ear wax issue or sinus issues what other 'obvious' things cause Tinnitus? I am really praying it is an ear wax issue (I know, doubtful; but it's the only glimmer of hope I have left).