My Tinnitus Just Started Over a Week Ago, Is It Permanent?

[Cptfurbie]

So I work a blue collar job in maintenance, I work with power tools and a mower, weed trimmer, and vacuums but I was always good about wearing ear protection that reduced the sound by 25 decibels. when I did. Most of the time I would listen to podcasts or audio books between volume 4-6 on my iPhone through earphones five days a week for the last 11 years to keep me entertained while I work inside. I rarely listened to music and when I did it would be on volume 4-5.

I noticed a high pitched ringing in both ears just this past Wednesday, July 5th 2017 that sounds like the electrical hum going through a tv not set to any particular channel. and a secondary lower hum in my left ear. earlier on I could just tune it out. But then Freaked my self out by going on the internet. I hear the noise slightly even over the sound of conversation and the two fans that I have set to medium in my room.

I also recently feel air pressure changes in my ears like they need to pop, and I may have a slight sensitivity (what they call hyperacusis) as well. I have an appt. with an ENT next week but until then I've been really freaked out, wondering if I can live with it, hoping its not forever. I'm naturally prone to depression and anxiety, I'm bipolar. SO this is really exacerbating things. I'm dealing with it a little better each day but I have moments of sheer terror and panic.

I really hope the ENT says its not forever. I didn't listen to headphones or do anything loud two days before it happened so I'm confused as to why this is happening.

 

[GregCA]

Nobody can tell you if this is forever or not (even your ENT doc), but many cases do go away statistically speaking. Since you haven't had any trauma, you stand a pretty good chance at this being temporary.
Think about the recent past and whether anything changed. New medications? New locations? Noise/Sound? etc.

You're doing the right thing by seeking help at the ENT as an initial step. It would probably not hurt to get a hearing test to get a baseline of your hearing, as hearing loss is a well known source of Tinnitus.
In the meantime, protect your hearing really well, and keep us updated.
Good luck.

 

[billie48]

Welcome to the forum.
There are many causes which can trigger or aggravate tinnitus including but not limited to drug reaction or side-effects from ototoxic drugs, ear wax build-up, ear or Eustachian tube infection or ETD, ear drum injury, fluid build-up in ears feeling pressured or fullness, sinus infection & congestion especially with a bad cold, TMJ, TTTS, high blood pressure or blood circulation problem, loud noise exposure or acoustic trauma/shock, head trauma & injury, neck injury or muscle problems, hearing loss, Meniere's Decease, barotrauma from sudden change of air pressure such as during landing & taking off on flights especially with blocked nose causing failure to balance the pressure changes, slapping of the ears, deep grief for the loss of loved ones, untreated sleep apnea, extreme, extended stress, anxiety & panic disorder, etc., etc.

Best is to check with your ENT to ensure no infection or eardrum issue and that there is no hearing loss in the high frequency. I have hearing loss in the high frequency, so my T is ultra high pitch too. Try to read up the success stories. Many people do get better, some with their T faded or gone, some just habituate to T and won't notice T most of the time. These folks are kind enough to leave a positive story and share their strategies. Try to keep a positive frame of mind and stay calm as humanly possible as you can, as stress and anxiety are bad for T. Take care. God bless.

 

[Bill Bauer]

There is a high chance that eventually your T will go away, or will become more bearable
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/poll-did-the-severity-of-your-tinnitus-change-over-time.22707/

Ears take forever to heal, so it may take 3 months or longer.

Meanwhile, you may want to protect your ears from all of the moderate loud noises (especially that due to power tools). You can wear 3 M Peltor ear muffs. Some power tools are so loud, that Peltor ear muffs might not offer enough protection...

 

[Cptfurbie]

I appreciate the help, I realized something. I watched my mom's dogs for three weeks while she was on vacation and she has a large house with vaulted ceilings and good acoustics and she has a dog that has an earsplitting bark and he barked a lot during the three weeks I watched him. and then I went back to her house on the fourth of july with my girlfriend to watch the fireworks from the balcony. The fire works were so far away they didn't really make that much noise but one of her dogs was barking. and the next day I noticed my tinnitus. Do you think there could be any connection there?

 

[GregCA]

I appreciate the help, I realized something. I watched my mom's dogs for three weeks while she was on vacation and she has a large house with vaulted ceilings and good acoustics and she has a dog that has an earsplitting bark and he barked a lot during the three weeks I watched him. and then I went back to her house on the fourth of july with my girlfriend to watch the fireworks from the balcony. The fire works were so far away they didn't really make that much noise but one of her dogs was barking. and the next day I noticed my tinnitus. Do you think there could be any connection there?

I don't think so.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I watched my mom's dogs for three weeks while she was on vacation and she has a large house with vaulted ceilings and good acoustics and she has a dog that has an earsplitting bark and he barked a lot during the three weeks I watched him.

What ended up being the straw that broke the camel's back is not important. T as a result of an acoustic trauma is caused by a one-time loud event. T as a result of noise is caused by being exposed to moderate noise over a period of time. It looks like your T was caused by noise.

Now that you have T, All extreme and possibly even moderate noises can result in a permanent or a temporary spike and might interfere with your healing. Your ears have been compromised. If you read the posts on this forum, you are bound to see posts made by people who had T, were cured of T, and years later were exposed to moderate noise that caused T to return. So it makes sense to protect your ears from now on...

 

[Freeatlast]

How are you doing?