Low Pitched Tonal Tinnitus Modulated By Pressure

[Guest83519]

Hi Dr. Nagler, and thanks for your time!

Two weeks ago I suffered from high frequency noise trauma, leaving me with muffled hearing and very loud high pitched tonal tinnitus for a few days. That tinnitus is now just a quiet high pitched static, and my hearing has returned to normal (confirmed by 2nd audiologist visit).

At some point (not sure if after cleaning my ears in the shower and just getting them more clogged or after cleaning/irritation by ENT the next day) after the first couple days, a low (1440 hz) pitched tone began in only my right ear. Pressurizing my ears raises the pitch, and de-pressurizing lowers the pitch. Pressurizing to the right point, slightly higher than normal, pretty much silences it completely. Moving my jaw/resetting the pressure returns it to 1440 hz/it's normal volume, which is loud enough to keep me up at night (which is awful, since I was just getting over a year long bout of insomnia).

Thoughts on what could be causing this/related solutions?

ENT just said "you're hearings fine, your ears look fine, ringing can take time to resolve, come back next year."

 

[Dr. Nagler]

Thoughts on what could be causing this/related solutions?
ENT just said "you're hearings fine, your ears look fine, ringing can take time to resolve, come back next year."

So here's my thinking ...

What your ENT meant to say is:

"After a thorough evaluation, I am pleased to tell you that whatever is causing your tinnitus, it is not a threat to your health life and well-being. I can also tell you that unfortunately it is not one of the handful of causes of tinnitus that can be fixed and in so doing fixture tinnitus. At least not in 2015. As long as you're tinnitus is not bothering you significantly, I suggest that you give it some time because in a lot of cases ringing can resolve on its own. On the other hand, if your tinnitus is truly affecting your quality of life, there are some resources available that might help in that regard. You might start with Dr. Nagler's piece on 'Overcoming Obstacles to Habituation ...'"​

Or at least perhaps that's what your ENT meant to say!