I've Had Mild Tinnitus — For the Last Week It Has Been REALLY Bad, and My Ear Has Been in Pain

[Danjfoley]

I've had tinnitus for a while (high pitched ear ringing). Long as I can remember. I got hearing aids after going to a doctor about the problem 3 years ago. Last week, Sunday night I the volume went to a 10. I couldn't sleep. I had to eventually take Nyquil. It came back after a few days, and for the last 3 days i can't sleep without Nyquil.

My ears hurt. They feel like they are pulsating. Loud and higher pitched noises make my ear hurt even more.

I saw my primary care doctor today who said nothing looked wrong with my ears they are not infected. He gave me a course of steroids to take. I took my first one today. I have an appointment with an ENT in 2 days.

I can clench my jaw and make it get louder. (I think this has always been the case)

I don't feel like this is normal. Anyone else have this happen? Thoughts? I don't want to walk away from an ENT appointment with them saying everything is fine. This can't be the new normal!

 

[Danjfoley]

anyone? I'm seeing the ENT tomorrow. This is so bad, it's hurting my ears.. giving me a headache. This can't be right. I hope the ENT has something good to say. I don't know how I'm going to live with this.

 

[GoatSheep]

If noises are making your ears hurt it sounds like pain hyperacusis.

 

[dan]

Last week, Sunday night I the volume went to a 10. I couldn't sleep. I had to eventually take Nyquil. It came back after a few days, and for the last 3 days i can't sleep without Nyquil.

So it's back to 10? Were you exposed to noise?
Mind you, a 10 is unmaskable tinnitus that you hear loudly in any environment.

 

[Danjfoley]

I looked that up and I don't think that is it. Yes when it's really bad loud sounds annoy me and sorta hurt, they aren't unbearable. And there are lots of examples like today: during the day it seemed to less loud. Early evening it was at a 10..sound of my daughters cell phone, car radio, singing were bothering me .. hurting.. (minor pain). Then I went out to eat with friends and while we're out it was loud enough at the restaurant that it drowned out ringing and I didn't notice it until we got back into the car.

I did notice that during tonight's really bad episode my jaw was hurting. But that has since passed and my ears are still ringing very loudly.

 

[Danjfoley]

Update. I gosaw the ENT. Nothing is wrong. It eventually went back to manageable levels but during the covid 19 outbreak it went back to the same 10/10 level.

It gets worse in the evening especially when I go to sleep. I'm really thinking this new level of tinnitus is the new normal. It's there the second I wake up (not as bad..7/10). I manage to get thru most of the day. Then in the evening and when I go to bed it's back at a 10/10.

I will go on living like this of course. It just really sucks. It hurts. It's so loud.

 

[Danjfoley]

As you can see by my post history, I've had tinnitus for most of my adult life. About 2 years ago it got really loud. Also about 3 years ago, I started down the path of the worst anxiety I have ever had. Daily panic attacks. The anxiety has slowly gotten better. To the point where I have weeks without it. But the ringing in my ears is worse then ever.

It's worse in my right ear. It gets so loud I can actually feel it. Like pressure on my ears. I can clench my jaws and make the volume get even louder. I sleep at night in a room with a loud white noise generator and an air conditioner, and it does not mask the ringing at all.

My hearing aids have a white noise function. Even with it on, and turned up all the way, I still hear the ringing in my ears.

I've seen 3 ENTs, they all say that same thing. I have tinnitus there is nothing they can do. My audiologist has given me my hearing aids as I do have hearing loss.

I would try anything. I know what it's like to have tinnitus and have been able to live with it, but it's near impossible to live with it how it is now. I can only sometimes not be so bothered by it if I get really involved in in something. But the way it is now even that won't help.

I have no hope. I'm worried I'm going to have to spend my life like this and it's only going to get worse and worse as time goes by. I'm almost positive there is nothing anyone here is going to be able to tell me. And that the worst part - why can't there be a solution?

Help!

 

[PeteJ]

As you can see by my post history, I've had tinnitus for most of my adult life. About 2 years ago it got really loud. Also about 3 years ago, I started down the path of the worst anxiety I have ever had. Daily panic attacks. The anxiety has slowly gotten better. To the point where I have weeks without it. But the ringing in my ears is worse then ever.

It's worse in my right ear. It gets so loud I can actually feel it. Like pressure on my ears. I can clench my jaws and make the volume get even louder. I sleep at night in a room with a loud white noise generator and an air conditioner, and it does not mask the ringing at all.

My hearing aids have a white noise function. Even with it on, and turned up all the way, I still hear the ringing in my ears.

I've seen 3 ENTs, they all say that same thing. I have tinnitus there is nothing they can do. My audiologist has given me my hearing aids as I do have hearing loss.

I would try anything. I know what it's like to have tinnitus and have been able to live with it, but it's near impossible to live with it how it is now. I can only sometimes not be so bothered by it if I get really involved in in something. But the way it is now even that won't help.

I have no hope. I'm worried I'm going to have to spend my life like this and it's only going to get worse and worse as time goes by. I'm almost positive there is nothing anyone here is going to be able to tell me. And that the worst part - why can't there be a solution?

Help!

My tinnitus is really severe. If you doubt how bad mine is, read my posts in the support section and 'Suicide' thread.

People here get mad when you judge their severity or guess at it. But, the reality is there are different degrees of tinnitus, mild, moderate and severe etc.

I don't know of anyone who had severe and it got better (on its own or that there was a treatment). There's a Research News section but I never have seen a post about a leak (i.e. an update about a treatment success, advancement, breakthrough etc.). Just a lot of hopeful people.

My tinnitus went from moderate to severe with fluctuations that were positive but this all this worsened to mostly very severe (loud, high pitched and multi-toned) tinnitus that I can't describe except by saying it's severe and and providing a numeric value as a severe rating. 10/10 severity for e.g.

I think each person has their own experience and perception of how bad it is. Doctors and ENTs are of no help.

I am suffering all the time and it's often worse at night. Right now, in fact. I can't work like this.

I hate life. This probably doesn't help you at all but for what it's worth, it shows you are not alone. Others have severe tinnitus too.

 

[Gordon Steinberg]

As you can see by my post history, I've had tinnitus for most of my adult life. About 2 years ago it got really loud. Also about 3 years ago, I started down the path of the worst anxiety I have ever had. Daily panic attacks. The anxiety has slowly gotten better. To the point where I have weeks without it. But the ringing in my ears is worse then ever.

It's worse in my right ear. It gets so loud I can actually feel it. Like pressure on my ears. I can clench my jaws and make the volume get even louder. I sleep at night in a room with a loud white noise generator and an air conditioner, and it does not mask the ringing at all.

My hearing aids have a white noise function. Even with it on, and turned up all the way, I still hear the ringing in my ears.

I've seen 3 ENTs, they all say that same thing. I have tinnitus there is nothing they can do. My audiologist has given me my hearing aids as I do have hearing loss.

I would try anything. I know what it's like to have tinnitus and have been able to live with it, but it's near impossible to live with it how it is now. I can only sometimes not be so bothered by it if I get really involved in in something. But the way it is now even that won't help.

I have no hope. I'm worried I'm going to have to spend my life like this and it's only going to get worse and worse as time goes by. I'm almost positive there is nothing anyone here is going to be able to tell me. And that the worst part - why can't there be a solution?

Help!

It's interesting, I also have tinnitus that is so loud I can "feel" it. It feels as though my ear is hearing a real noise and the muscles are reacting as such. There is also a sort of palpable sensation of the noise, which is very high pitched. I've seen this very seldom described.

Would you say I have adequately expressed your experience, or is it different?