Hearing Loss and Severe Tinnitus — From Loving Life to Suicidal in 2 Months

[kingsfan]

I just talked to my ENT today about the intratympanic steroid injection. Fortunately, she is pretty responsive. She tells me it is something she can do, but it is not likely to help. It would be a "hail mary," and she says the risks are that the hearing and tinnitus can get worse, get infected, or leave a hole in my eardrum. BUT - she will do it if I want to.

I've been reading some studies, and one in particular shows that it worked well. It's been nine days for me, and I'm going crazy - but one of the tones has gone away (there were two), and the stuffiness of the ear seems to be going away slightly. I do feel like the higher pitch is getting a little louder, but maybe it's just because I'm hyper-focusing on it... which I'm trying not to do.

Have you already tried oral steroids? You need to get on those ASAP if that's the route you wish to try. They are usually administered within 48-72 hours post-hearing loss/noise trauma.

 

[Verify_Checked]

I just talked to my ENT today about the intratympanic steroid injection. Fortunately, she is pretty responsive. She tells me it is something she can do, but it is not likely to help. It would be a "hail mary," and she says the risks are that the hearing and tinnitus can get worse, get infected, or leave a hole in my eardrum. BUT - she will do it if I want to.

I've been reading some studies, and one in particular shows that it worked well. It's been nine days for me, and I'm going crazy - but one of the tones has gone away (there were two), and the stuffiness of the ear seems to be going away slightly. I do feel like the higher pitch is getting a little louder, but maybe it's just because I'm hyper-focusing on it... which I'm trying not to do.

Hey Tim. Like @gameover mentioned - you're early in this journey. I bought an app on my phone to match my tinnitus to the best of my ability - it helped. Keeping busy and trying to relax was the only thing that kept me sane.

Please make sure you're getting sleep. Get as much sleep as you can. If you can't, get help immediately. This is so important.

I hope you get better soon.

 

[Supersix]

My hearing loss is moderately severe/moderate until 3 kHz, where I hear exceptionally well (like below zero dB). I also have a mild dip at 6 kHz. My loss was sudden and unexplained. Hearing aids made the poor-quality, distorted sound in my left ear louder—unwelcome noise on top of unwelcome noise. I'd rather be deaf.

Deaf individuals with tinnitus can't mask the ringing, making their experience particularly challenging.

 

[gameover]

I just talked to my ENT today about the intratympanic steroid injection. Fortunately, she is pretty responsive. She tells me it is something she can do, but it is not likely to help. It would be a "hail mary," and she says the risks are that the hearing and tinnitus can get worse, get infected, or leave a hole in my eardrum. BUT - she will do it if I want to.

I've been reading some studies, and one in particular shows that it worked well. It's been nine days for me, and I'm going crazy - but one of the tones has gone away (there were two), and the stuffiness of the ear seems to be going away slightly. I do feel like the higher pitch is getting a little louder, but maybe it's just because I'm hyper-focusing on it... which I'm trying not to do.

There is a risk involved, for sure. Time is ticking for you; the longer you wait, the less likely it can help. It is a "hail mary" after 30 days. It is considered salvage therapy. It is one of these things you will never know if you chose right (unless your tinnitus greatly diminishes). For me, it was four weeks, and I decided against it and later regretted it, but in reality, I don't know.

It is a coin toss, but in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons if administered early. Again, this is my non-professional opinion.

 

[Daniel Lion]

There is a risk involved, for sure. Time is ticking for you; the longer you wait, the less likely it can help. It is a "hail mary" after 30 days. It is considered salvage therapy. It is one of these things you will never know if you chose right (unless your tinnitus greatly diminishes). For me, it was four weeks, and I decided against it and later regretted it, but in reality, I don't know.

It is a coin toss, but in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons if administered early. Again, this is my non-professional opinion.

I strongly agree.

 

[Tim Moore]

Hello, everyone. I went ahead and got a Dexamethasone injection in my ear yesterday. It was super uncomfortable. My ear felt completely blocked and full after the procedure, but a good amount of drainage occurred when I got up from lying down, and the stuffiness went away.

I slept really well and didn't wake up to any sounds. However, today has been rough because my ear feels full and blocked again. I'm guessing the hole has closed up, so there's no more pressure relief. I think I can learn to live with the sound if the stuffiness disappears!

 

[2049v]

Hello, everyone. I went ahead and got a Dexamethasone injection in my ear yesterday. It was super uncomfortable. My ear felt completely blocked and full after the procedure, but a good amount of drainage occurred when I got up from lying down, and the stuffiness went away.

I slept really well and didn't wake up to any sounds. However, today has been rough because my ear feels full and blocked again. I'm guessing the hole has closed up, so there's no more pressure relief. I think I can learn to live with the sound if the stuffiness disappears!

Hi Tim, did you have a hearing test done? Did you have any hearing loss? Has there been any change in the level of tinnitus after the injection?

 

[Utdmad89]

God, the advice is as dangerous as ever. And they will disappear if you worsen. Be careful.

 

[gameover]

Hello, everyone. I went ahead and got a Dexamethasone injection in my ear yesterday. It was super uncomfortable. My ear felt completely blocked and full after the procedure, but a good amount of drainage occurred when I got up from lying down, and the stuffiness went away.

I slept really well and didn't wake up to any sounds. However, today has been rough because my ear feels full and blocked again. I'm guessing the hole has closed up, so there's no more pressure relief. I think I can learn to live with the sound if the stuffiness disappears!

Please keep us posted. I hope you get some relief or at least prevent worsening. Based on what an ENT told me, the typical course is 3-4 injections a few days apart. Are you doing additional ones?

The sad part is I got much worse at the 2-month mark vs. the ~1-month mark when I decided against the injections.

 

[2049v]

Please keep us posted. I hope you get some relief or at least prevent worsening. Based on what an ENT told me, the typical course is 3-4 injections a few days apart. Are you doing additional ones?

The sad part is I got much worse at the 2-month mark vs. the ~1-month mark when I decided against the injections.

Why did you decide against the injections?

 

[gameover]

Why did you decide against the injections?

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It was still mild and tolerable enough. And I thought the potential benefit at 4 weeks out was not worth the risk. Had I known I would worsen, I would have done it even at 4 weeks mark.

 

[Tim Moore]

Hello all, just a quick update. I experienced acoustic trauma at the Def Leppard concert at Fenway (upwards of 105 dB-110 dB) on August 5th, which immediately resulted in the onset of tinnitus in my left ear.

I had a hearing test on August 9th, which showed mild hearing loss in the left ear: 25 dB at 750 Hz, 35 dB at 1000 Hz, 30 dB at 2000-4000 Hz, and 45 dB at 6000-8000 Hz. My right ear was basically normal, so this hearing loss is definitely related to the acoustic trauma.

I received an inner ear dexamethasone shot on August 15th. I'm not sure if it helped, but it definitely made my ear feel stuffy for a few days. It also caused a scratchy sensation when I swallowed (or hiccuped, etc.). Unfortunately, I don't think it had any significant effect. My ENT, who has known me for a long time, suggested it because she knew I'd regret not trying anything that might help. But it was only one shot, somewhat painful, and I don't think I want to do it again. I have another hearing test scheduled for August 30th to see if there's been any improvement.

Interestingly, even before the shot, one of the two tones in my ear had already gone away. I don't think I'm as sensitive to sound as I was before, or maybe I'm just starting to habituate. I find it strange that by midday, the tinnitus doesn't bother me much—it's still there, but I can somewhat function. However, I'm extremely stressed and hyper-focused in the morning. Despite this, I fall asleep just fine, and last night, I even slept with the air conditioner off for the first time. I tried to hear the tinnitus while falling asleep but couldn't detect it. Although I have trouble staying asleep, I just started taking 5 mg of slow-release Melatonin, and I managed to get a solid six hours last night in silence.

I've also started taking Ginkgo biloba and the "SoundBites" supplement called ACEmG. After a couple of hours of taking them, my anxiety about the tinnitus decreases.

To recap: I need to figure out why the tinnitus is at its worst in the morning. Maybe it's getting better overall, but I'm not sure. I'm continuing to explore supplements and treatments. I also came across a treatment called SPI-1005 that looks promising for reducing tinnitus, and I'm praying for good results.

 

[Yellowblue44]

Hi @gameover, how are you doing? I'm in the same situation and have read all your posts. I'm a 40-year-old female.

What has helped me is noticing that despite all your messages about tinnitus or hyperacusis worsening, it always seems to return to baseline, and sometimes you even mention it's mild. Mine is reactive, with several tones constantly changing, and I hope it never gets worse. It's very loud, constantly screaming at me. I can't mask it due to hyperacusis, so I completely understand how hard it is to live with. I never have mild days, just loud screaming, but strangely, you have given me hope. I'm almost three months in.

You mentioned going on holiday last year, and it was reassuring to hear that the plane didn't make your condition worse. Have you been on planes since? Could you please share your experience?

You also mentioned that you sometimes go to restaurants with earplugs. I find that earplugs make my tinnitus intolerable. Can you hear the tinnitus more when you wear earplugs but just put up with it? Additionally, when I eat with earplugs, the act of chewing is very loud and unpleasant. Do you experience this, and how do you deal with it? Or do you use special earplugs that don't have this effect?

Do you attend special occasions, such as your children's birthday parties or weddings? If so, do you wear earplugs, and which type do you use?

Thanks for reading and helping another sufferer.

x

 

[Yellowblue44]

@haha ear go eeee, are you back to living again? What medications did you try in the end?