Head Injury Induced Tinnitus — 2 Months In

[JLP]

Hey readers, I hope everyone's tinnitus is a bit lighter today. I suffered a traumatic head/brain injury on Oct 8 (brain bleed and skull fractures). I noticed the tinnitus the day I came home from the hospital. It's been about 2 months and I want to believe it's faded a bit, but that might just be habitation, or denial. Anyone here develop head injury induced tinnitus, with positive outcomes?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Bill Bauer]

I want to believe it's faded a bit, but that might just be habitation

When one habituates, one can still hear the sound as loud as ever when one searches for it. It sounds like your T had actually gotten a little quieter. This is a good sign. It ought to continue to fade.

 

[JLP]

When one habituates, one can still hear the sound as loud as ever when one searches for it. It sounds like your T had actually gotten a little quieter. This is a good sign. It ought to continue to fade.

Thanks Bill. I'm a little nervous as my T is SUPER reactive. For example, I just ran downstairs to grab something to drink, and my T multiplied by 2 in volume. Thirty minutes later, it's super quiet. I also cannot be in loud environments without my T spiking there.

 

[billie48]

I agree that your T is showing good sign if you are already having quiet time. There are many prior posts on tinnitus induced by head or neck injury. Check out similar threads provided below. God bless.

 

[JLP]

Thought I would give an update on my recovery/tinnitus, since it's been a little over four months since onset. It's amazing how much I found out, and how much I have to decide to do. Reminder - this all started after a traumatic brain injury and temporal bone fracture. Found out I have conductive hearing loss in the left ear. Hearing starts to decline at 6K Hz. After the fluid drained from my ear, the ENT decided to do another CT scan as it would be more visible without the fluid. My CT scan results were sent to the ENT, and another Neurotologist, who zoomed in on my CT scan, which shows that my ossicle bones are disconnected. There seems to be a larger gap between my ossicle bones in my left ear, most likely caused by the temporal bone fracture. Neurotologist said it seems to match with the amount of conductive hearing loss in my left ear. The only way to find out for sure is to do middle ear exploration surgery. The only way to repair those bones would be to replace them with prosthetic bones. He cannot guarantee that the tinnitus will go away tho, but it is very likely that my hearing will improve. Neurotologist wants me to decide based on my hearing loss, NOT on the tinnitus. So, now, I just have to decide wether or not to proceed with surgery. Honestly I'm 50/50 right now. It is a relief to get some answers tho.

 

[JLP]

Hi all, another update. I chose to have the middle ear exploration surgery. There were a few issues with my ossicular chain..

The first bone (malleus) actually had a small fracture. Doctor filled/fixed the fracture. First bone (malleus) and second bone (incus) were separated so sound was not flowing. Doctor placed a calcium deposit prosthesis in between them two. The third bone (stapes) was being pushed down by scar tissue on the cochlea. She couldn't replace the stapes after fixing the first two bones (she compares it to a seesaw). So instead she removed as much scar tissue as she can, and then tested the movement of the bones and she said my hearing should improve. If it doesn't, second surgery (for the stapes) is needed.

Time will tell. Hopefully both my hearing and tinnitus will improve.

 

[rdz]

Hi, is your tinnitus only in one ear?

 

[JLP]

Hi, is your tinnitus only in one ear?

Hi @rdz, yes my tinnitus is only in my left ear. The same ear the trauma happened.

 

[GregCA]

Hi all, another update. I chose to have the middle ear exploration surgery. There were a few issues with my ossicular chain..

The first bone (malleus) actually had a small fracture. Doctor filled/fixed the fracture. First bone (malleus) and second bone (incus) were separated so sound was not flowing. Doctor placed a calcium deposit prosthesis in between them two. The third bone (stapes) was being pushed down by scar tissue on the cochlea. She couldn't replace the stapes after fixing the first two bones (she compares it to a seesaw). So instead she removed as much scar tissue as she can, and then tested the movement of the bones and she said my hearing should improve. If it doesn't, second surgery (for the stapes) is needed.

Time will tell. Hopefully both my hearing and tinnitus will improve.

Do you have your audiogram and are you willing to post it here? (blank out any personal info)

If you need to do stapes surgery, did they mention what kind of surgery it would be? (I'm familiar with stapedotomy/stapendectomy)

 

[scotty03874]

Hi all, another update. I chose to have the middle ear exploration surgery. There were a few issues with my ossicular chain..

The first bone (malleus) actually had a small fracture. Doctor filled/fixed the fracture. First bone (malleus) and second bone (incus) were separated so sound was not flowing. Doctor placed a calcium deposit prosthesis in between them two. The third bone (stapes) was being pushed down by scar tissue on the cochlea. She couldn't replace the stapes after fixing the first two bones (she compares it to a seesaw). So instead she removed as much scar tissue as she can, and then tested the movement of the bones and she said my hearing should improve. If it doesn't, second surgery (for the stapes) is needed.

Time will tell. Hopefully both my hearing and tinnitus will improve.

JLP can you update us please??? I'm having ossicular chain revision soon. I had it done on 7-16 but some of the bone cement has come loose and I need to do another surgery. Lucky me...

 

[JLP]

JLP can you update us please??? I'm having ossicular chain revision soon. I had it done on 7-16 but some of the bone cement has come loose and I need to do another surgery. Lucky me...

Hi Scotty, can't believe I'm just seeing this and wondering how you've been doing since your second ossicular chain surgery? That surgery changed my life; I still have tinnitus in my left ear, but it's nowhere near as bad as before my surgery. Just like anyone else with tinnitus, I still have good days and bad days, but I haven't changed the way I live my life much. Let me know how you're doing.

 

[scotty03874]

Hi Scotty, can't believe I'm just seeing this and wondering how you've been doing since your second ossicular chain surgery? That surgery changed my life; I still have tinnitus in my left ear, but it's nowhere near as bad as before my surgery. Just like anyone else with tinnitus, I still have good days and bad days, but I haven't changed the way I live my life much. Let me know how you're doing.

I'm 2 weeks post op of my 3rd my ossicular chain surgery (stapedotomy). My tinnitus is still very high from the surgery. My incus and stapes were completely detached. They tried bone cement twice so this time we had to do a stapedotomy. I definitely regained some hearing but healing is still going on, I just had my packing removed last Tuesday. I just want the tinnitus to simmer down some now. It's quite troublesome now.

 

[scotty03874]

Do you have your audiogram and are you willing to post it here? (blank out any personal info)

If you need to do stapes surgery, did they mention what kind of surgery it would be? (I'm familiar with stapedotomy/stapendectomy)

How many weeks did it take for your tinnitus to simmer down some?

Next Thursday it will be three full weeks. After my second surgery I remember it took a month or longer (same as my first surgery) before the surgery failed again. It's high frequency tinnitus from hearing loss.

 

[Lane]

I definitely regained some hearing but healing is still going on, I just had my packing removed last Tuesday. I just want the tinnitus to simmer down some now. It's quite troublesome now.

Hi @scotty03874 -- Happy to hear you have some improved hearing. Just to mention, I've done a lot of cranial sacral work over the years, and feel I've gotten a lot of benefit from those 20-25 minute sessions. There were occasions when a single session tamped down my tinnitus volume while I was still in the office. Don't know if you've ever done or considered cranial sacral, but I think there's a chance it could help simmer things down for you.

Good luck going forward!

 

[GregCA]

How many weeks did it take for your tinnitus to simmer down some?

After surgery you mean? It didn't really die down. It's just that it felt better when they removed the packing, as the ear was now able to hear some. There was a pre-surgery tinnitus that had a specific characteristic (including some pulsatile component), and a post surgery tinnitus. Post was better than pre (in terms of random variables in action), but it didn't change over time.

Next Thursday it will be three full weeks. After my second surgery I remember it took a month or longer (same as my first surgery) before the surgery failed again. It's high frequency tinnitus from hearing loss.

Yup, I also have high frequency hearing loss and high frequency tinnitus. It cuts through everything (shower included). I haven't found anything that will mask it. Not at any safe levels anyways (I worked with an audiologist to try different masking patterns and volumes).

 

[scotty03874]

Hi @scotty03874 -- Happy to hear you have some improved hearing. Just to mention, I've done a lot of cranial sacral work over the years, and feel I've gotten a lot of benefit from those 20-25 minute sessions. There were occasions when a single session tamped down my tinnitus volume while I was still in the office. Don't know if you've ever done or considered cranial sacral, but I think there's a chance it could help simmer things down for you.

Good luck going forward!

First time I've heard of it. I'll google in now.

I've seen multiple upper cervical chiropractor's. Seems similar to what they do. I've also done Dr. Shim's PRP injections in Florida, Low-Level Laser treatments, nasal cranial release etc.

 

[scotty03874]

After surgery you mean? It didn't really die down. It's just that it felt better when they removed the packing, as the ear was now able to hear some. There was a pre-surgery tinnitus that had a specific characteristic (including some pulsatile component), and a post surgery tinnitus. Post was better than pre (in terms of random variables in action), but it didn't change over time.

Yup, I also have high frequency hearing loss and high frequency tinnitus. It cuts through everything (shower included). I haven't found anything that will mask it. Not at any safe levels anyways (I worked with an audiologist to try different masking patterns and volumes).

Not what I wanted to hear but it is what it is I guess.