My Life Is Never Going to Be the Same Again!

[Sorien]

hello all,

Last month I had a cold for a week where I was coughing up an abnormally huge amount of phlegm. During that time I got this constant ringing tone in my ear, which after a week broke down into this start-and-stopringing. This prompted me to go to a PCP who removed wax from my ear (although he said it lookes fine) and told me to take otc allergy meds as it looked like i had fluid in the ear. Well, the allergy meds softened the noise the first time I took them, but that was it. A couple weeks after that went to the ENT who said I still had fluid in the ear and gave me augmentin.

But that didn't help much and some days it felt worse. I went back but he did another tympannsometry that showed that the medicine did help. He said to give it time.

Three weeks after that (to current day) the ringing has still not gone away and today it seems particularly bad. I have tried relaxing, ANM, using music as masking (but it bleeds through a lot of nature sounds especially a t night)and putting mustard oil drops. I am losing hope that this will ever go away. It's been so long since I have hsd silence. The ringing can't even be a constant tone, it has to lurch every second, driving me very crazy. ((

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning there is silence and it comes back in an hour or few hours (veryinconsistent). Today it was immediate. I feel so bad.

 

[T-Hater]

The good thing is that its not caused by noise exposure so you have A GREAT CHANCE FOR IT TO GO AWAY.
the bad thing is that Tinnitus is unpredictable and ENTS dont know jack S#@$ about it.

brother ive had this f'ing crap since 2014, and man i dont even know what to say. just give it some time and theres a GOOD CHANCE IT'LL GO AWAY, but if not then well........................

But promise me that if it does go away YOU WILL ALWAYS AND I MEAN ALWAYS SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT THIS CRAP CONDITION. TO YOUR FRIENDS, ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, I DONT CARE. just make sure the word gets out about this. Even tho the ATA been founded since the 80s i never even knew or heard about tinnitus until i got it.

anyway just relax and keep away from loud noise.
& SPREAD AWARENESS

 

[Sorien]

The good thing is that its not caused by noise exposure so you have A GREAT CHANCE FOR IT TO GO AWAY.
the bad thing is that Tinnitus is unpredictable and ENTS dont know jack S#@$ about it.

brother ive had this f'ing crap since 2014, and man i dont even know what to say. just give it some time and theres a GOOD CHANCE IT'LL GO AWAY, but if not then well........................

But promise me that if it does go away YOU WILL ALWAYS AND I MEAN ALWAYS SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT THIS CRAP CONDITION. TO YOUR FRIENDS, ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, I DONT CARE. just make sure the word gets out about this. Even tho the ATA been founded since the 80s i never even knew or heard about tinnitus until i got it.

anyway just relax and keep away from loud noise.
& SPREAD AWARENESS

I'm pretty desperate so at this point there isn't much I wouldn't do to get rid of it, including spreading awareness. I'll never forget this pain :,( I just want it gone but it hasn't gone yet!

 

[T-Hater]

I'm pretty desperate so at this point there isn't much I wouldn't do to get rid of it, including spreading awareness. I'll never forget this pain :,( I just want it gone but it hasn't gone yet!

yeah man i know how it feels, then you got everybody telling you "oh it gets better" and all that crap.
look take it from me when i say it doesnt get better you JUST GET USED TO IT. i havent had a good night sleep in over 3 years. smh. but like i said it wasnt caused by loud noise, so that just means you should be good.
and like i said make sure you spread awareness, cause no body but else can help get this condition the attention it needs

 

[Michael Leigh]

The good thing is that its not caused by noise exposure so you have A GREAT CHANCE FOR IT TO GO AWAY.
the bad thing is that Tinnitus is unpredictable and ENTS dont know jack S#@$ about it.

@Sorien There is a good chance that your tinnitus will go away in time. I know how stressful it can make a person feel but you are in the very early days and it will get better. Try to keep the sound enrichment that you are using at night slightly below the tinnitus and not completely masking it so that it's covering it up. Have a word with your doctor about how you feel, and probably you will be prescribed something to help you relax.

I agree with @T-Hater comments about ENT. They know about the anatomy of the ear and are able to treat it medically or surgically, but when it comes to tinnitus, the majority of them know nothing about it as they have never experienced it - at least not to the level that many people in this forum have. However, I like to think they are professionals in what they do so I think you are in good hands.

Give it time and hopefully things will calm down. Please don't be tempted to listen to music through headphones at this time, as they could irritate your auditory system even at low volume and make the tinnitus more intrusive.

All the best
Michael

 

[Sorien]

@Sorien There is a good chance that your tinnitus will go away in time. I know how stressful it can make a person feel but you are in the very early days and it will get better. Try to keep the sound enrichment that you are using at night slightly below the tinnitus and not completely masking it so that it's covering it up. Have a word with your doctor about how you feel, and probably you will be prescribed something to help you relax.

I agree with @T-Hater comments about ENT. They know about the anatomy of the ear and are able to treat it medically or surgically, but when it comes to tinnitus, the majority of them know nothing about it as they have never experienced it - at least not to the level that many people in this forum have. However, I like to think they are professionals in what they do so I think you are in good hands.

Give it time and hopefully things will calm down. Please don't be tempted to listen to music through headphones at this time, as they could irritate your auditory system even at low volume and make the tinnitus more intrusive.

All the best
Michael

Why do you say slightly below? And I threw away my earbuds. I only listened w them very rarely, but now I've completely lost my taste for them.

 

[glynis]

Hi Sorien.
Try taking a mucous linctus as it should help clear any trapped mucous or steam inhalation ....best of luck . .lots of love glynis

 

[Michael Leigh]

Why do you say slightly below?

@Sorien
Should I Mask My Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a complex condition and if hyperacusis is present it is even more. Many newbies have difficulty coping with tinnitus and understandably, getting rid of this constant intruder, that has suddenly invaded their life becomes paramount on their mind. In an attempt to do this, they will usually try every means possible to distract themselves from the tinnitus which will include masking it completely with another sound so that it can't be heard.

However, tinnitus is quite resilient, any attempts to mask it completely are usually unsuccessful. As soon as the masking sound is removed or stopped temporarily, the brain will immediately focus back on it and often, it appears to be louder and more intrusive. This causes stress especially for someone new to tinnitus. For anyone that doesn't know, the more stressed we are the tinnitus becomes more intrusive, and the louder the tinnitus is the more stressed we are. It can become a vicious circle.

Anyone that is seasoned to tinnitus and has habituated, knows that trying to mask it completely so that it can't be heard is not achievable. A much better way and preferred method that Hearing Therapists advise tinnitus patients, is to use sound enrichment. One can use music or nature sounds from a sound machine and set the volume slightly below the tinnitus. By doing this, the brain over time will learn to no longer see the tinnitus as a threat and gradually push the noise further into the background giving it less importance, which is called habituation.

Michael

 

[Sorien]

@Sorien
Should I Mask My Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a complex condition and if hyperacusis is present it is even more. Many newbies have difficulty coping with tinnitus and understandably, getting rid of this constant intruder, that has suddenly invaded their life becomes paramount on their mind. In an attempt to do this, they will usually try every means possible to distract themselves from the tinnitus which will include masking it completely with another sound so that it can't be heard.

However, tinnitus is quite resilient, any attempts to mask it completely are usually unsuccessful. As soon as the masking sound is removed or stopped temporarily, the brain will immediately focus back on it and often, it appears to be louder and more intrusive. This causes stress especially for someone new to tinnitus. For anyone that doesn't know, the more stressed we are the tinnitus becomes more intrusive, and the louder the tinnitus is the more stressed we are. It can become a vicious circle.

Anyone that is seasoned to tinnitus and has habituated, knows that trying to mask it completely so that it can't be heard is not achievable. A much better way and preferred method that Hearing Therapists advise tinnitus patients, is to use sound enrichment. One can use music or nature sounds from a sound machine and set the volume slightly below the tinnitus. By doing this, the brain over time will learn to no longer see the tinnitus as a threat and gradually push the noise further into the background giving it less importance, which is called habituation.

Michael

The thing is, sometimes my tinnitus is so small in volume (however it doesn't drive me any less crazy ) that to mask the tinnitus like that I'd be somewhat straining to hear the video.

 

[Michael Leigh]

The thing is, sometimes my tinnitus is so small in volume (however it doesn't drive me any less crazy ) that to mask the tinnitus like that I'd be somewhat straining to hear the video.

If your tinnitus is low then it shouldn't matter what volume level you use.

 

[Michael Leigh]

By the way @Sorien I advise you not to listen to any type of audio through headphones, even at low volume, as there is a risk of making the tinnitus more intrusive.
Michael

 

[Sorien]

By the way @Sorien I advise you not to listen to any type of audio through headphones, even at low volume, as there is a risk of making the tinnitus more intrusive.
Michael

Yeah as I said earlier threw away my pair and am not in the mood anyway

 

[Sorien]

yeah man i know how it feels, then you got everybody telling you "oh it gets better" and all that crap.
look take it from me when i say it doesnt get better you JUST GET USED TO IT. i havent had a good night sleep in over 3 years. smh. but like i said it wasnt caused by loud noise, so that just means you should be good.
and like i said make sure you spread awareness, cause no body but else can help get this condition the attention it needs

Wait, so I'll just get used to it, but it'll never go away?

 

[Sorien]

Hi Sorien.
Try taking a mucous linctus as it should help clear any trapped mucous or steam inhalation ....best of luck . .lots of love glynis

What is a mucous linctus?

 

[glynis]

A medicine to clear mucous from the chemist...lots of love glynis

 

[Sorien]

Just an update...Inspired by glynis I started taking two different decongestants and the stop and go ringing has been abating (also been putting a couple drops of mustard oil in my ear, not sure if it's doing anything but why not pull all the stops?) However what has replaced it is a constant high pitch noise from time to time that only sometimesdiminishes when I play an ANM sound. Am I developing permanent tinnitus? Ugh, when will this end?

 

[glynis]

Glad the mucous meds helped .
Try not to worry about the high pitch noise as it could go also....time is a great healer....lots of love glynis

 

[Sorien]

Glad the mucous meds helped .
Try not to worry about the high pitch noise as it could go also....time is a great healer....lots of love glynis

I hope so Glynis!

 

[Sorien]

Glad the mucous meds helped .
Try not to worry about the high pitch noise as it could go also....time is a great healer....lots of love glynis

No change, except nowadays it is worse in the morning or after any nap and kind of dies of while I lay in bed/if I'm around the house it slowly gets soft (but not gone).

 

[billie48]

No change, except nowadays it is worse in the morning or after any nap

That T can sound louder after a nap or in the morning is very common. It is the body's way to check out vital signs upon awakening. It is called the 'Awakening Response' which has been explained by a doctor as to why short nap is bad for T:

"I have always felt it to be due to the role of the reticular formation in tinnitus perception. The reticular formation is a primitive structure in the brain stem. It's a "vital sign monitor." When you wake up, the RF checks to see whether or not you are alive! It looks for heartbeat, respirations, blood pressure, temperature - basic bodily signs. It does not care whether or not these signs are good or bad - just that they are present. And as far as the RF is concerned, tinnitus is part of "expected" body function in an individual suffering from severe intrusive tinnitus. So when you wake, your RF checks to see whether or not tinnitus is present. And if it doesn't immediately find the tinnitus, the RF seeks it with a vengeance - - especially in the post-nap state, when there has been inadequate REM sleep and when, therefore, the RF is on already "high alert" that something might not be quite right. Theoretically - very theoretically - this RF hyperactivity in seeking tinnitus, which in a person with severe intrusive tinnitus it equates with life, results in temporarily markedly augmented tinnitus perception."

 

[Sorien]

That T can sound louder after a nap or in the morning is very common. It is the body's way to check out vital signs upon awakening. It is called the 'Awakening Response' which has been explained by a doctor as to why short nap is bad for T:

"I have always felt it to be due to the role of the reticular formation in tinnitus perception. The reticular formation is a primitive structure in the brain stem. It's a "vital sign monitor." When you wake up, the RF checks to see whether or not you are alive! It looks for heartbeat, respirations, blood pressure, temperature - basic bodily signs. It does not care whether or not these signs are good or bad - just that they are present. And as far as the RF is concerned, tinnitus is part of "expected" body function in an individual suffering from severe intrusive tinnitus. So when you wake, your RF checks to see whether or not tinnitus is present. And if it doesn't immediately find the tinnitus, the RF seeks it with a vengeance - - especially in the post-nap state, when there has been inadequate REM sleep and when, therefore, the RF is on already "high alert" that something might not be quite right. Theoretically - very theoretically - this RF hyperactivity in seeking tinnitus, which in a person with severe intrusive tinnitus it equates with life, results in temporarily markedly augmented tinnitus perception."

Is this true for ringing caused by colds too? Or does this mean my ringing has become permanent?

 

[billie48]

Since I am not a doctor, I can't give medical opinion here. Whether cold can cause T or make it permanent is quite difficult to predict. There are many causes which can trigger or aggravate tinnitus including drug reaction or side-effects, ear or Eustachian tube infection, ear drum injury, fluid build-up feeling pressured, TMJ, high blood pressure or blood circulation problem, loud noise exposure or acoustic trauma, head trauma & injury, sinus congestion/infection, neck problems, hearing loss, Meniere's, barotrauma from flight, grief for the loss of loved ones, untreated sleep apnea, elevated stress, anxiety & panic disorder, etc. Cold can cause sinus congestion which has been known to aggravate T. But if this is the case, once the congestion is over and if there is no further infection, the T loudness may fade. However, it is also quite possible that the cold medicine one takes for cold can cause T.

 

[Sorien]

Since I am not a doctor, I can't give medical opinion here. Whether cold can cause T or make it permanent is quite difficult to predict. There are many causes which can trigger or aggravate tinnitus including drug reaction or side-effects, ear or Eustachian tube infection, ear drum injury, fluid build-up feeling pressured, TMJ, high blood pressure or blood circulation problem, loud noise exposure or acoustic trauma, head trauma & injury, sinus congestion/infection, neck problems, hearing loss, Meniere's, barotrauma from flight, grief for the loss of loved ones, untreated sleep apnea, elevated stress, anxiety & panic disorder, etc. Cold can cause sinus congestion which has been known to aggravate T. But if this is the case, once the congestion is over and if there is no further infection, the T loudness may fade. However, it is also quite possible that the cold medicine one takes for cold can cause T.

But I didn't take any meds
*sigh*