Looks Like I've Joined the Club — Tinnitus Onset After Exercise

Much to my disappointment and confusion, a few weeks ago, I was doing some light exercise after dinner when my right ear suddenly felt plugged and started ringing loudly. I've had this happen occasionally over the years, as my sinuses are pretty sensitive. Once in a while, one of my ears might plug up and ring for a bit, but it always went away, and I never noticed any changes in my hearing. Unfortunately, this time the ringing and hissing have persisted for the last three weeks, though it tends to come and go, varying in tone and intensity.

I went to the doctor, and they said everything looks fine, aside from some slight inflammation in my nasal passages. They recommended using nasal spray and taking allergy medicine for a few weeks to see if that helps. So far, I haven't noticed much of a difference, but I’m willing to give it time, as I feel fine otherwise. Allergies in Missouri have been brutal this year, with many people experiencing sinus issues, dizziness, and other problems. Apparently, I’m not alone in this.

I haven’t noticed any change in my hearing, just an annoying static that seems to always be present in some form. My diet and exercise routine are pretty healthy, so I doubt that’s a factor, as I've been following the same plan for quite some time. Whether it’s allergies, COVID-19, or just bad luck is unclear at this point, but my head and sinuses haven’t felt right since.

It’s embarrassing because I’ve always taken good care of my ears, and I carry earplugs everywhere since they’ve always been sensitive. The ringing seems to go away at night while I’m sleeping but fluctuates throughout the day. I’m almost tempted to start getting up at 2 a.m., as that’s the only time I can walk into the living room and hear absolute silence—something I sadly took for granted for so long. I don't know what kind of fool damages their hearing from exercising, but apparently, I did.

It’s also taken away my enjoyment of music, as it now sounds like I’m listening through damaged or poor speakers—a hiss or frequency permeates everything and sucks the life out of the arrangements. I have an audiologist appointment next month, originally to get a new custom set of earplugs molded. That seems unnecessary now, as my ears were damaged despite using earplugs faithfully for 25 years. There’s no cure, and I doubt they’ll be able to do much, so I guess it’ll save me some money.

I had already been considering selling off my records, and this has given me the push to do so, as I can no longer enjoy them with clear hearing. I’ve always adored music, but I’m starting to wean myself off it since there’s really no way to fully enjoy it without the static, humming, or ringing. The noise always seems to change tone and volume. I’ve been playing drums for over 25 years without any issues, always using earplugs, but now I’ll probably sell those off as well.

The last three weeks have given me a deeper empathy for those who suffer from tinnitus.

Anyway, sorry for the long intro. It looks like this is my new reality, and any advice is always welcome.

 

Get on steroids ASAP. What you experienced was sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). Please treat it immediately—it is an emergency, and you still have time. Yes, your hearing has changed.

Otherwise, how would you have lost your enjoyment of music if it hadn't changed? It did. Get on steroids as soon as possible. This is not a joke. You will need high doses due to the delay. I took 250 mg per day for 3 days when this happened to my right ear last year, and it worked for the most part.

 

This happened "a few weeks ago". The window of opportunity to address it was only a few days. At this point, all it will do is cause temporary issues. Years of drumming and exposure to music have had a cumulative effect.

 

I saw the doctor a few days later, and they said everything looked fine, aside from some irritation in my nasal passages. They gave me steroids to take for a week, which seemed to help a bit. They also recommended Flonase to reduce the swelling, so we’ll see if that does anything.

The symptoms still seem to come and go. Last night at bedtime was the worst—it was louder than it’s ever been. Then, suddenly, it quieted almost to a whisper, and I was able to fall asleep. It’s so strange how some days it’s barely noticeable or even seems to disappear, and the next day, it becomes more pronounced.

I’ve been giving my ears a break and spending more time in silence when I can. The weekend was pretty good, and I had moments where my hearing seemed almost back to normal, so maybe the rush of the workweek wears them out. My right ear definitely feels more sensitive to sound than it used to, but I haven’t had any trouble hearing or noticing small details throughout the day.

As for music, I should mention again that I’ve never drummed or attended concerts without earplugs. I carry earplugs everywhere and even wear them in church, at the movies, or during public events if I think the noise is too loud. I have one custom-molded pair and a hunting pair that I carry on my keychain, plus I have an audiology appointment next month to get a second custom pair. I listen to music at very moderate volumes and have never been one to crank up stereos or headphones. I prefer to keep them at the lowest level possible—just enough for me to hear, and that’s all I need.

My senses have always been really sensitive, so I learned early on to always be prepared. This definitely wasn’t noise-induced but rather happened after a day of feeling a bit dizzy, congested, and tired, which I’ve experienced off and on throughout the summer. I was doing some exercise after dinner when my ear became clogged and started ringing. I’ve been to the doctor twice, and they haven’t found anything wrong except for irritation in my nose. Every doctor and nurse I’ve spoken with believes this is due to allergies. I’ve never really dealt with allergies before, but they said they’re seeing more people like me coming in with vertigo, sinus issues, and neck and back problems than ever before.

I suspect my Eustachian tubes are inflamed or partially blocked, but I won’t know for sure without further testing if the medicine doesn’t work. It’s also possible I had a mild case of COVID-19 or a cold, although I tested negative, and my vitals were normal.