It Seems to Be Getting So Much Worse :(

[attheedgeofscience]

Many join forums due to the fact that it actually worsens.

Many join because they are new to tinnitus!

I think the statistics would look quite different for the general tinnitus population.

I agree that the statistics (may) have been biased. But what exactly constitutes the "general tinnitus population" you refer to? There are many ways to collect data. Suppose you choose to collect only data from young people who recently experienced so-called "nightclub tinnitus" - in that case, probably 99% of them would report an improvement (if not cured). Are they the general tinnitus population? Does it even make sense to include tinnitus sufferers with a chronicity of - say - less than 3, 6, or 12 months? After all, it is what happens after the time period when tinnitus has become chronic that matters (i.e. does it improve, get worse, or spontaneously resolve?). Should certain age categories be excluded? Should people having been exposed to ototoxic medication be excluded? Objective tinnitus? Musicians? Soldiers with the armed forces? Only those with a TSI of more than 30? What exactly is the "general tinnitus population"? I don't know...

But here is what I do know: we collected data from 802 people who decided to provide their input. Not just TinnitusTalk-members; the survey was open to anyone. The data showed what it did. No more, no less. Whether it is representative of "the general tinnitus population", I do not know, but if the data is biased in some way, at least the data represents the reality of a group of sufferers you could consider the "Internet community". Our reality, that is.

The truth isn't always pretty.

attheedgeofscience
24/FEB/2015.

 

[geg1992]

My ears are feeling blocked now, and feels like there's liquid in them. Is this likelly an incoming cold and this just a temporary spike?

 

[Telis]

It started off a constant high pitched tone. I quickly got used to it and was happy again, thinking it would not cause too much of a problem.

I've noticed that in the past week it's been getting continuously worse and a new sound has mixed in. I wouldn't know how to explain it, but it's sort of a whooshing/electrical sound which gets louder and quieter constantly and is very obtrusive and sharp, almost painful. If I try and mask it, the noise is gets louder, above any background noise. Today, I also seem to have developed H which is painful and I don't understand anything about it. This just seems to have come out of nowhere! It's been so nice the past month, only mild, until now. I'm now losing sleep again.

Greg, if you have H protect your ears for now. Wear plugs anywhere louder than 60-70db. Then reintroduce your ears to noise slowly in a controlled environment. Try and get as much sleep and relax time as you can. Things should improve slowly.

 

[geg1992]

Greg, if you have H protect your ears for now. Wear plugs anywhere louder than 60-70db. Then reintroduce your ears to noise slowly in a controlled environment. Try and get as much sleep and relax time as you can. Things should improve slowly.

Thanks Telis, when I read about this, they said to avoid plugging your ears as it makes it worse?

My ears feel constantly blocked at the moment, and keep making the noise they would do if you pop them on the airplane for example, except they aren't blocking. I think this is the cause of my T and H spike. What could this be?

 

[Alphasignal5]

@geg1992, have you been to see the ENT doctors? If your ears feel blocked you might have eustachion tube dysfunctuon or something else that's treatable. If your T is getting worse you should also have an MRI to rule out anything like a neuroma.
How are you these days anyway? Has it settled down a bit?