Gone, Back On High, Drops Lower, Then Is Gone Again.

[Mike K]

First of all I would like to apologize if I have made too many threads in the last few days. I just have a lot of questions that arise and my anxiety compels me to look for answers here.

The ringing in my ears (primarily left) has been fluctuating the last 3 days, with some periods of no noticeable ringing at all. Just now I was sitting on the couch and heard sweet silence. A few minutes later, it felt like my whole head was ringing with no other sound present. A few minutes later it went back to the level I've been experiencing the last few days in my left ear. Not as "whirring", just a high pitched ring.

What does this mean? Is it just my brain dealing with it differently? Again, my T is likely from my sinus infection and jacked up Eustachian tubes from the infection.

 

[DudeMannDude]

My ears will sometimes fluctuate sometimes. Your ears may just be the type to change up every now and again. However, if your tinnitus came from an infection rather than shoving your head in a speaker cabinet, it may be them normalizing? Honestly tinnitus is a complex, mysterious, and strange thing. This is a tinnitus cliche, but try not to think about it. The more you focus on something the more power you give it.

 

[Mike K]

My ears will sometimes fluctuate sometimes. Your ears may just be the type to change up every now and again. However, if your tinnitus came from an infection rather than shoving your head in a speaker cabinet, it may be them normalizing? Honestly tinnitus is a complex, mysterious, and strange thing. This is a tinnitus cliche, but try not to think about it. The more you focus on something the more power you give it.

You're right, and I was doing well mentally before my first and second ENT visits, surprisingly. It's like the reassurance I got from the doc made me hopeful that it'll be gone soon afterwards, and any fluctuation or spike scared me. I need to build my mental fortitude back up again. Thanks for the response.

 

[DudeMannDude]

You're right, and I was doing well mentally before my first and second ENT visits, surprisingly. It's like the reassurance I got from the doc made me hopeful that it'll be gone soon afterwards, and any fluctuation or spike scared me. I need to build my mental fortitude back up again. Thanks for the response.

See! You got this. How loud is your tinnitus if you do not mind me asking?

 

[Mike K]

See! You got this. How loud is your tinnitus if you do not mind me asking?

Of course not! Seeing as it has fluctuated a bunch in the last hour, it varies. I can't say the Khz or however it's measured, but at times it feels like it occupies my entire head, and is more whirring. That, if I focus on it, can feel like a 6-7/10, and it's only that way in silence. I don't really hear it with other noises going on. When it goes to the pitch it is normally at, it's probably anywhere between a 1-3/10 and is only in my left ear (except if I lay in bed on my right side). I can sort of hear it against other noises, but it's pretty easy to mask. A few times tonight it has been a .5/10 where I can sense that it may still be there but it's essentially quiet in the room.

I feel slightly embarrassed to be so concerned about what seems like it's not chronic tinnitus and something that is easily maskable, when there are plenty of people on here who can hear it over plenty of other sounds with no release.

I started this message at a .5 and now as I end it, it's at about a 2. That being said, it's hard to really say where it's at with a self-made scale.

 

[DudeMannDude]

Of course not! Seeing as it has fluctuated a bunch in the last hour, it varies. I can't say the Khz or however it's measured, but at times it feels like it occupies my entire head, and is more whirring. That, if I focus on it, can feel like a 6-7/10, and it's only that way in silence. I don't really hear it with other noises going on. When it goes to the pitch it is normally at, it's probably anywhere between a 1-3/10 and is only in my left ear (except if I lay in bed on my right side). I can sort of hear it against other noises, but it's pretty easy to mask. A few times tonight it has been a .5/10 where I can sense that it may still be there but it's essentially quiet in the room.

I feel slightly embarrassed to be so concerned about what seems like it's not chronic tinnitus and something that is easily maskable, when there are plenty of people on here who can hear it over plenty of other sounds with no release.

I started this message at a .5 and now as I end it, it's at about a 2. That being said, it's hard to really say where it's at with a self-made scale.

It is still brand new, of course it will freak you out. Mine is very mild as well which I am thankful for. I would not totally give up hope that your tinnitus is going to be permanent, but I also would not get too discouraged if it does end up hanging around. Life with mild tinnitus is no problem at all!
also,
Life with severe tinnitus is possible. My grandpa has it so bad that he hears it over everything, except one thing, his guns. Which he shoots without ear plugs.

 

[Mike K]

It is still brand new, of course it will freak you out. Mine is very mild as well which I am thankful for. I would not totally give up hope that your tinnitus is going to be permanent, but I also would not get too discouraged if it does end up hanging around. Life with mild tinnitus is no problem at all!
also,
Life with severe tinnitus is possible. My grandpa has it so bad that he hears it over everything, except one thing, his guns. Which he shoots without ear plugs.

Fair play to him if it doesn't bother him that much! I'm actually more hopeful that it isn't permanent because of my ears still popping when I swallow, more so than normal. The sinus infection has been a nasty one, in the sense that I haven't gotten over my congestion and "plugged" feeling. I imagine that when my ears and E-tube finally open up and heal fully, the T will get the hell out of my life. In the meantime, it's the mental battle that I have to be winning. Some days it's tough but most I do okay

Glad to hear yours is mild as well!