Hello. I'm new.

[Kittytat]

Hi. I started noticing my ears were ringing a little over a week ago. The doctor told
me it would go away, but I'm scared. I think it's from loud music. Seems to be in my left
ear (a really high pitched sound) as well as the soft sound of my pulse.
I have good hearing according to an audiologist I went to today. She, as well as my doctor told me it would probably go away, but I am still worried.
I've been feeling really lonely lately so I thought I'd talk to others who understand. I don't know
much about it as far as what I'm allowed to do. Will I be able to do everything I used
to? Like working in a somewhat loud environment? Would that be bad for me? What about going to
the movies? I have slight hearing sensitivity. I don't want this to get worse and I hope it gets better.
Thanks to anyone who replies.

 

[calin]

Welcome Kittytat!

Cute name! Please put up an avatar that matches. I'd love it.

Definitely wear ear plugs at the movies.

Any loud noise and I quickly cover my ears. Too sensitive and I am afraid the T will get stronger all the time!

Look around a bit. We are here for you to unload or just ask questions. We are in this together!

 

[Kittytat]

Thank you I will find a good avatar.


I'll find some good ear plugs to bring with me.

Glad there are people here to talk to.

 

[calin]

Thank you I will find a good avatar.


I'll find some good ear plugs to bring with me.

Glad there are people here to talk to.

Awwww... Your kitty?

 

[Kittytat]

Yup. That's my kitty, Ru.

 

[calin]

Yup. That's my kitty, Ru.

Ru spoiled?

I have cats too. Oh, and dogs.... and a beta fish.

I feed the stray cats outside my business. There is always a new kitty or kitten showing up. And then some I never see again after a couple of months. Oh well, at least I know they didn't go hungry!

Just remembered, I feed the birds too!

So, is the soft sound that is pulsing the tinnitus sound or another completely different sound?

 

[calin]

Here you go Kittytat.... I hear you that you are scared, but hope this gives you a smile and takes your mind off of this tinnitus thing!

Oh, and this kitty is actually purring and enjoying the ride!

 

[Kittytat]

Ru spoiled?

I have cats too. Oh, and dogs.... and a beta fish.

I feed the stray cats outside my business. There is always a new kitty or kitten showing up. And then some I never see again after a couple of months. Oh well, at least I know they didn't go hungry!

Just remembered, I feed the birds too!

So, is the soft sound that is pulsing the tinnitus sound or another completely different sound?

Yes. She is spoiled. Hehe
I also have a dog and a beta fish too!

How many cats and dogs do you have?

Those kitties and birds must really appreciate you feeding them.

The pulsing goes along with my heartbeat and is separate from the continuous ringing. I feel pressure as well..

Thank you for showing me that video! So cute! Made me smile.

 

[calin]

Glad you smiled!

My T pulsates with my heartbeat. It used to sound like a zillion crickets, but now it has mellowed out for me to low levels.

My ENT called it vascular tinnitus. I have had all the tests done... ultrasound on my carotid artery, MRI, audiology, etc. Everything checks out ok.

Karen on this forum has what you have. She will come along soon and say hi no doubt. She is a sweetie!

Have you gotten more familiar with this site yet?

 

[Fish]

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk!

You seem to be very calm and that is good! It's important not to panic about tinnitus.

Let's see... can you recall when exactly did it start? Do you think there was something that triggered it (like sudden loud noise etc) or it just appeared out of nowhere?

Regular tinnitus, while being a great bother, is generally not threatening. But pulsating tinnitus is not something to be ignored and you should inform your doctor about it. Is the pulsating sound persistent or does it come and go? Do you have any other underlying diseases (for example spine problems) ? What is the pressure you feel? Ear pressure?

 

[Kittytat]

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk!

You seem to be very calm and that is good! It's important not to panic about tinnitus.

Let's see... can you recall when exactly did it start? Do you think there was something that triggered it (like sudden loud noise etc) or it just appeared out of nowhere?

Regular tinnitus, while being a great bother, is generally not threatening. But pulsating tinnitus is not something to be ignored and you should inform your doctor about it. Is the pulsating sound persistent or does it come and go? Do you have any other underlying diseases (for example spine problems) ? What is the pressure you feel? Ear pressure?

Thank you

I am trying to be calm, though I'm kind of depressed at the moment.

I noticed slight ringing and noise sensitivity over a week ago after having earbuds in for a while and then about 6 days ago I went to a wedding with extremely loud music. Even people shouting over the table when there was no music made me cringe. That night when I got home I noticed the pulsing in my left ear. Went to the doctor the following Monday and she saw nothing wrong--said it was from the loud music..
This past week I've noticed noise sensitivity even more and my left ear feels clogged--full. Like pressure, yes. Also feels like there is water in there. Wind blowing on me feels weird sometimes and I also hear clicking when I am lying down like I'm congested with a cold. I did have a cold a couple weeks ago before this started--doctors didn't really seem to think it mattered.

I volunteer at an animal rescue place and noticed my ears hurt when someone was slamming cabinets and when the hawk was screeching.
Yesterday I got my hearing checked and everything was fine. The audiologist said it was probably temporary and didn't really know anything about it.
I've also been wondering if I've had this ringing for longer than that because I do remember noticing some kind of ringing the past couple of months or so, but never had noise sensitivity or pulsing. I want to be able to enjoy life without worrying or having to hide away from fun events--like the wedding..

 

[Fish]

It is possible that you had a very mild tinnitus for a long time now and you noticed it only recently. Do not worry about noise sensitivity, I am almost sure it is related to the loud noise at wedding you attended. Hyperacusis it is called, it goes away after some time. It might take a while but please be patient.

You certainly don't need to avoid fun events Just please remember to protect your ears each time you go to concert, a party or cinema. All loud places in general. It is not something you need to do because of your condition. Everyone should protect their ears regardless of tinnitus. People tend not to do so, and some have to pay the price afterwards...

Is your tinnitus in both ears? Regarding pulsatile sound, it is possible it will go away once the clogged ear resolves itself. I had a very weird pulsating in my right ear that appeared in december and disappeared in january 2013. It started shortly after a long flu and I remember my right ear was clogged at the time. I don't know if it is related but thought I'd share.

 

[Kittytat]

It is possible that you had a very mild tinnitus for a long time now and you noticed it only recently. Do not worry about noise sensitivity, I am almost sure it is related to the loud noise at wedding you attended. Hyperacusis it is called, it goes away after some time. It might take a while but please be patient.

You certainly don't need to avoid fun events Just please remember to protect your ears each time you go to concert, a party or cinema. All loud places in general. It is not something you need to do because of your condition. Everyone should protect their ears regardless of tinnitus. People tend not to do so, and some have to pay the price afterwards...

Is your tinnitus in both ears? Regarding pulsatile sound, it is possible it will go away once the clogged ear resolves itself. I had a very weird pulsating in my right ear that appeared in december and disappeared in january 2013. It started shortly after a long flu and I remember my right ear was clogged at the time. I don't know if it is related but thought I'd share.

Yes. I may have had it before. It feels a little scary to think about. I wish I would have known about this earlier so I could have prevented more damage. I listened to music all the time before this all started--loudly, but never to the point where I thought it was painful. Sometimes I noticed people cranking music up extra loud to the point I couldn't stand it, so I know my music was never exceptionally loud...though I'm sure, even if I didn't like it as loud as others, it was too loud anyway.

I will definitely protect my ears next time I go anywhere with a lot of loud noise.

I thought the ringing was in both, but now it only seems like it's in my left ear.
I hope the pulsing stops when my clogged ear goes away. Thank you for telling me that. It makes me feel better.

I like your avatar by the way. It's a kitty too!

 

[Markku]

Do you know if the hearing test the audiologist carried out measured only up to 8kHz? It's possible your hearing loss is above 8kHz, but usually the hearing is only tested up to 8kHz. The hearing loss doesn't need to be significant for tinnitus to appear, it can be very minimal & sometimes audiologists say "your hearing is fine" even when there's a slight dip.

It's possible you don't have any hearing loss though. Very often there is some involved, but not always.

Have you checked the "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy" thread over at the "Treatments"? It's worth considering and looking into since your tinnitus is so recent. Depending on your money situation and the cost of the HBOT in your area (the prices vary a lot), I would myself opt for that treatment right away, because the studies show it works best soon after onset. Doesn't help everyone, but it could alleviate your tinnitus.

Did you get prednisone prescribed? There's some inconclusive evidence it might help, but usually it's indicated for sudden sensorineural hearing loss, I think, so it's not certain how it would have affected you.

It's hard to say whether this is temporary or permanent. Yours is so recent. It could take weeks or months to subside, and even if it didn't, you will habituate to it, and can live and enjoy a normal life, although from now on you must pay attention to hearing protection... hearing loss & tinnitus can be cumulative and become much, much worse. I'm not trying to scare, no, but just reminding how precious and fragile this little thing called hearing is.

I've survived and led a pretty normal and enjoyable life after getting (permanent) tinnitus, and so have lots of other folks here. Many have returned to their lives to the point of completely leaving this forum behind.

You have taken on this somehow very calmly (compared to many I've seen), like somebody said earlier. It's a VERY good sign. You seem to possess the qualities to be able to mentally defeat this soon, whatever the physical outcome is.

You remind me a bit, since my tinnitus started in April, but I hope yours doesn't become a company who overstays their welcome. One day at a time and you will tackle it anyways.

Keep us posted,
Markku

 

[Kittytat]

Do you know if the hearing test the audiologist carried out measured only up to 8kHz? It's possible your hearing loss is above 8kHz, but usually the hearing is only tested up to 8kHz. The hearing loss doesn't need to be significant for tinnitus to appear, it can be very minimal & sometimes audiologists say "your hearing is fine" even when there's a slight dip.

It's possible you don't have any hearing loss though. Very often there is some involved, but not always.

Have you checked the "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy" thread over at the "Treatments"? It's worth considering and looking into since your tinnitus is so recent. Depending on your money situation and the cost of the HBOT in your area (the prices vary a lot), I would myself opt for that treatment right away, because the studies show it works best soon after onset. Doesn't help everyone, but it could alleviate your tinnitus.

Did you get prednisone prescribed? There's some inconclusive evidence it might help, but usually it's indicated for sudden sensorineural hearing loss, I think, so it's not certain how it would have affected you.

It's hard to say whether this is temporary or permanent. Yours is so recent. It could take weeks or months to subside, and even if it didn't, you will habituate to it, and can live and enjoy a normal life, although from now on you must pay attention to hearing protection... hearing loss & tinnitus can be cumulative and become much, much worse. I'm not trying to scare, no, but just reminding how precious and fragile this little thing called hearing is.

I've survived and led a pretty normal and enjoyable life after getting (permanent) tinnitus, and so have lots of other folks here. Many have returned to their lives to the point of leaving this forum behind completely.

You have taken on this somehow very calmly (compared to many I've seen), like somebody said earlier. It's a VERY good sign. You seem to possess the qualities to be able to mentally defeat this soon, whatever the physical outcome is.

You remind me a bit, since my tinnitus started in April, but I hope yours doesn't become a company who overstays their welcome. One day at a time and you will tackle it anyways.

Keep us posted,
Markku

I wondered about that. I read somewhere that the pitch of the sound you hear is the one you've lost. Mine is extremely high. None of the sound files of tinnitus I've heard reach the pitch mine is. If I did have it for some time before I noticed, I may have just thought it was from the hum of my computer speakers or something. I always kept a fan running at night and sometimes when I'd turn it off I would notice something strange, but I thought it was just my ears adjusting to the silence. I never really payed any more attention or noticed it at all later on.

I'll look at the "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy" thread. Thank you.

Yes, mine could, and hopefully might be temporary. If it doesn't go away, I hope I'll be able to habituate to it. When I was at the wedding with loud music, I sort of isolated myself from everyone because my ears felt really uncomfortable. It made me feel really antisocial and scared. I don't want to be that kind of person.
Now that I know about tinnitus, I don't want that isolation from people to get worse.

I am a little calmer today than I was yesterday and talking to others on here with tinnitus does help. Thank you for the reply and I am glad you are leading an enjoyable life. It gives me hope.

 

[Kittytat]

Glad you smiled!

My T pulsates with my heartbeat. It used to sound like a zillion crickets, but now it has mellowed out for me to low levels.

My ENT called it vascular tinnitus. I have had all the tests done... ultrasound on my carotid artery, MRI, audiology, etc. Everything checks out ok.

Karen on this forum has what you have. She will come along soon and say hi no doubt. She is a sweetie!

Have you gotten more familiar with this site yet?

So the cricket sound pulsated? What I hear and feel is more like a normal pulse because it doesn't ring or sound like crickets. When I am lying down I can sometimes hear it in my right ear, but not when I'm sitting or standing up. The ringing I hear is definitely separate from that.
I'm glad yours mellowed.
Yes, I've gotten a little more familiar with this site.

 

[Hudson]

I don't want to come off as rude, but the pulsatile sound you hear when laying down is perfectly normal. That's nothing to be worried about. You can hear your heart beat in a quiet enough setting, and definitely if you're laying down you can hear it in your ears.

The ringing is a separate issue and may be tinnitus, but you're still really early in. Way too early to tell if it will stick around. Sorry to hear it's bothering you though. I hope you get better.

 

[Kittytat]

I don't want to come off as rude, but the pulsatile sound you hear when laying down is perfectly normal. That's nothing to be worried about. You can hear your heart beat in a quiet enough setting, and definitely if you're laying down you can hear it in your ears.

The ringing is a separate issue and may be tinnitus, but you're still really early in. Way too early to tell if it will stick around. Sorry to hear it's bothering you though. I hope you get better.

I know I've heard it many times before when laying down ever since I was a kid, so I figured that was normal. It is just very strange that I've been hearing it in my left ear all the time since Saturday after I was around that loud music. That, along with the pressure, is what is scaring me--besides the ringing.

-Thank you

 

[Markku]

The pressure shouldn't be a serious problem. Many people feel that early on. It should subside soon. It's good you went so early to the doctor & audiologist. I would visit the doctor again in about a week or two if the pressure hasn't gone away by then.

When you feel up to it, may I persuade you to fill out our tinnitus survey too? We have already got nearly 160 responders and it's only been up a month, so we are off to a good start and the data gathered will be quite interesting.

For you and your cute cat, have a good weekend Try to listen to some nice music or sounds other than the ringing.

*best wishes*,
markku

 

[Kittytat]

The pressure shouldn't be a serious problem. Many people feel that early on. It should subside soon. It's good you went so early to the doctor & audiologist. I would visit the doctor again in about a week or two if the pressure hasn't gone away by then.

When you feel up to it, may I persuade you to fill out our tinnitus survey too? We have already got nearly 160 responders and it's only been up a month, so we are off to a good start and the data gathered will be quite interesting.

For you and your cute cat, have a good weekend Try to listen to some nice music or sounds other than the ringing.

*best wishes*,
markku

Thank you. I have an appointment for next week just in case. Glad to know it will likely subside. It makes the noise seem worse.

I'll fill out the survey.

You have a good weekend too.
I like nature sounds, so I'll check that out.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Kittytat, and welcome! I have tinnitus that seems similar to yours. My ringing is in the high pitched range, in one ear only (right ear), and I have pulsating in the same ear (attuned exactly with my heartbeat). I can faintly hear the pulsating all the time, but it is most pronounced at night when I'm trying to sleep. I believe that the pulsating is caused by heightened sensitivity in the injured ear. It may go away on its own, as others have suggested.

I'm glad you have another appointment with your doctor; maybe he or she can offer some suggestions or prescribe something that will help you with the clogged ear.

By the way, it is normal to have that strange, uneven pressure in your ears. I still have it off and on (I have it today), and I think it has something to do with an imbalance in the Eustachian tubes. It's nothing to worry about, but it sure is annoying! Best wishes; have a good weekend. You are taking many steps in the right direction; you're going to be OK!

 

[Kittytat]

Hi, Kittytat, and welcome! I have tinnitus that seems similar to yours. My ringing is in the high pitched range, in one ear only (right ear), and I have pulsating in the same ear (attuned exactly with my heartbeat). I can faintly hear the pulsating all the time, but it is most pronounced at night when I'm trying to sleep. I believe that the pulsating is caused by heightened sensitivity in the injured ear. It may go away on its own, as others have suggested.

I'm glad you have another appointment with your doctor; maybe he or she can offer some suggestions or prescribe something that will help you with the clogged ear.

By the way, it is normal to have that strange, uneven pressure in your ears. I still have it off and on (I have it today), and I think it has something to do with an imbalance in the Eustachian tubes. It's nothing to worry about, but it sure is annoying! Best wishes; have a good weekend. You are taking many steps in the right direction; you're going to be OK!

I noticed the pulsating in my ear wasn't really noticeable for a while, but now it's back. It makes me feel better knowing someone else has something very much like what I have.

Yes. Maybe the doctor can help out a bit more.


-and thank you

 

[Karen]

You're welcome! I hope it does eventually subside for you again. Anyway, good that you are going to see the doctor again. Take care, and let us know how you're doing!

 

[Kittytat]

You're welcome! I hope it does eventually subside for you again. Anyway, good that you are going to see the doctor again. Take care, and let us know how you're doing!

Thank you. I will.

 

[Markku]

Hey Kittytat,

Have you yet seen your doctor? Or is it later this week?

Hope you are doing better...!

 

[Kittytat]

Hey Kittytat,

Have you yet seen your doctor? Or is it later this week?

Hope you are doing better...!

Hi Markku,
I saw two more doctors. One primary care and one ENT. The ENT told me I had tinnitus (which I already knew) and gave me stuff to read about it. He said to call if I hear my pulse in my left ear again. He doesn't think I need an MRI. I hear the pulse sometimes, but not all the time like before. Heard it this morning.

The ringing is still there, though I'm trying my best to mask it. Hyperacusis still bothers me too (I can't tell if it's getting better or not) and I've also noticed a weird "machine" sort of sound in my right ear which distorts certain noises--like fans--slightly. I've actually heard that one before and thought it was from my car. Hoping it will go away, and that it hasn't just gotten louder.

-Thank you for asking.

 

[Markku]

That's how it goes, there's nothing much they can do, though it's good news he didn't think there was anything so seriously wrong as to warrant an MRI. If you continue having pulsatile tinnitus (too), then an MRI could be necessary.... I think that's why he asked you to call if it continues.

Hyperacusis can take a while to get better.

About its treatment...

The most common treatment for hyperacusis is retraining therapy which uses broadband noise. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), a treatment originally used to treat tinnitus, uses broadband noise to treat hyperacusis. Pink noise can also be used to treat hyperacusis. By listening to broadband noise at soft levels for a disciplined period of time each day, patients can rebuild (i.e., re-establish) their tolerances to sound.

That's from Wikipedia. If you'd like to give the pink noise a try, you might want to check out http://simplynoise.com

It's still so early days for you that I just hope both the H and T get better naturally soon. It can happen. Actually, sooner or later, they will, but here's hoping for the fast track!
Just don't try to listen to the noises too much... I remember that being very hard in the beginning, but it's worth trying

M

 

[Kittytat]

That's how it goes, there's nothing much they can do, though it's good news he didn't think there was anything so seriously wrong as to warrant an MRI. If you continue having pulsatile tinnitus (too), then an MRI could be necessary.... I think that's why he asked you to call if it continues.

Hyperacusis can take a while to get better.

About its treatment...

The most common treatment for hyperacusis is retraining therapy which uses broadband noise. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), a treatment originally used to treat tinnitus, uses broadband noise to treat hyperacusis. Pink noise can also be used to treat hyperacusis. By listening to broadband noise at soft levels for a disciplined period of time each day, patients can rebuild (i.e., re-establish) their tolerances to sound.

That's from Wikipedia. If you'd like to give the pink noise a try, you might want to check out http://simplynoise.com

It's still so early days for you that I just hope both the H and T get better naturally soon. It can happen. Actually, sooner or later, they will, but here's hoping for the fast track!
Just don't try to listen to the noises too much... I remember that being very hard in the beginning, but it's worth trying

M

Yeah. It is good I didn't need an MRI. I was kind of afraid of that as I heard they are loud.

I might look into TRT for my hyperacusis because it is probably the hardest thing to deal with--maybe more than T right now. I might be able to get it at my doctors office, though they didn't mention it to me. My ENT told me all about T like it wasn't a big deal. Wish doctors understood.

Yes, hopefully they will get better. I'll try not to listen to the noise as best I can. Thank you.

 

[Kittytat]

Hi everyone. I haven't been on here lately, but wanted to post an update.
For awhile I was able to ignore my T and my H went away for a bit. However, I was having other strange symptoms like knee pain and muscle twitching. I was diagnosed with patellofemoral syndrome and have been going to physical therapy because strengthening muscles often helps. Patellofemoral syndrome can apparently be caused by the knee not tracking correctly.
Even though I've had tinnitus all this time, I was so stressed out about my knees and other things that it didn't bother me too much. Supposedly, patellofemoral syndrome could be chronic and become worse.

What is strange though, is that all of these things started happening around the same time and often when I am researching joint/knee pain and tinnitus I get results for Lyme disease. My hands have also gotten a strange tingling/numb feeling and I've also been getting occasional back aches. Those lead to lyme as well.

Last year I was bitten by at least two ticks that I think I pulled off pretty quickly, but I spend a lot of time outside and have seen ticks in the grass multiple times over the year. I am beginning to worry I may have Lyme and am going to be tested for it by a doctor familiar with that disease. I had one test done already, but have been told those tests are usually unreliable.
Is anyone here familiar with lyme being the cause of tinnitus. Though my T could very well have been caused by loud music, I am concerned about lyme as well.
My hyperacusis seemed gone for weeks, but last night I noticed it again when I was at a friend's barbeque. People were talking pretty loudly and there were screaming kids. My ears kept buzzing towards the end, making my feel uncomfortable.

 

[Kittytat]

I also forgot to say that I noticed a lower tone in my tinnitus last week. It's not louder, just different.