So.
Two months ago I developed very faint tinnitus. It was not noise induced—no one knows where it came from. At first it was due to fluid in my ear but it remained even after the fluid drained. But as I worried about it more, it got louder and louder until it became something horribly bothersome.
At first, it was one consistent, low ringing.
But since I got to college, it's gone haywire.
I now hear multiple tones in both ears. I can't sleep without white noise. One day, I woke up with a loud static noise that was impossible to mask. The only loud activity I can think of that might have worsened it is that I went to a loud activity's fair, but there I was wearing foam earplugs.
I've been trying to protect my ears as much as I can. I have earplugs and I never go to parties or concerts.
But a new development happened 3 days ago, and I'm freaking out. Basically, I hear a whistling noise over sounds. Like if someone talks to me, I hear their normal voice, but also a sort of metallic, strange whistling over their voice. Or if I'm listening to a song, I'll hear a piercing ringing noise over the music that ends as soon as I stop the music. I'll be in a cafe, and a loud ringing will start and end as soon as I leave. Basically, every time I hear something, it gets distorted in a scary way. This morning I woke up with a high pitched static that I can almost feel more than I can hear. The static isn't loud per se, but it feels uncomfortable in my ears and is impossible to ignore. I know it gets better if you don't think about it, but how do I do that if everything sounds so wrong?
How can I help myself through this? I'm in college and my normal life is getting harder to navigate. I can't get an appointment with an audiologist or ent until late November and I'm getting worse every day. I've been avoiding earbuds, eating healthy, exercising and trying to get good sleep, but this is catching up to me and impacting me for the worst.
Two months ago I developed very faint tinnitus. It was not noise induced—no one knows where it came from. At first it was due to fluid in my ear but it remained even after the fluid drained. But as I worried about it more, it got louder and louder until it became something horribly bothersome.
At first, it was one consistent, low ringing.
But since I got to college, it's gone haywire.
I now hear multiple tones in both ears. I can't sleep without white noise. One day, I woke up with a loud static noise that was impossible to mask. The only loud activity I can think of that might have worsened it is that I went to a loud activity's fair, but there I was wearing foam earplugs.
I've been trying to protect my ears as much as I can. I have earplugs and I never go to parties or concerts.
But a new development happened 3 days ago, and I'm freaking out. Basically, I hear a whistling noise over sounds. Like if someone talks to me, I hear their normal voice, but also a sort of metallic, strange whistling over their voice. Or if I'm listening to a song, I'll hear a piercing ringing noise over the music that ends as soon as I stop the music. I'll be in a cafe, and a loud ringing will start and end as soon as I leave. Basically, every time I hear something, it gets distorted in a scary way. This morning I woke up with a high pitched static that I can almost feel more than I can hear. The static isn't loud per se, but it feels uncomfortable in my ears and is impossible to ignore. I know it gets better if you don't think about it, but how do I do that if everything sounds so wrong?
How can I help myself through this? I'm in college and my normal life is getting harder to navigate. I can't get an appointment with an audiologist or ent until late November and I'm getting worse every day. I've been avoiding earbuds, eating healthy, exercising and trying to get good sleep, but this is catching up to me and impacting me for the worst.
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