New Here — Years of Some Tinnitus, Recently Experiencing Cochlear Hydrops

RussP

Member
Author
Oct 2, 2017
2
Tinnitus Since
1990
Cause of Tinnitus
Loud noise
Hi there. I'm new to this site. Been reading stories after stories.

Just a few weeks ago, I noticed a sudden drop in my low frequency hearing in one ear. I was a bit alarmed and went to the ENT. It took him three different visits, but the latest diagnosis is Cochlear Hydrops but not Meniere's. And, it fluctuates pretty dramatically. One week it's fine, and the next week, I can't hear well.

My ENT thinks my salts, fluids and electrolytes are out of whack. I've been training here in Texas for an endurance mountain bike ride, and definitely struggling with my hydration and nutrition while training. I'm really hoping that once I can stabilize my fluids and salts, that it'll go away. I may also have to drop caffeine and alcohol, as I have read about.

Anyone have any similar experience with CH?
 
Welcome to the forum @RussP . Since there are not enough members reading the Introduction section of the forum, if you don't get a response, you can try to post this to the main support forum or if you can search the forums with 'cochlear hydrops' to see prior discussions, such as the search link below. Good luck. Take care. God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/search/1870041/?q=cochlear+hydrops&o=relevance
 
Hi Russ, this is me! Fluctuating low frequency hearing loss and tinnitus in right ear. Have you found anything to help settle it yet? I've kept a diary the last month and I can't seem to find any link.
 
It's been a couple months now and no change. My right ear is still muffled and experiencing pitch change. The doctor thinks my salts and electrolytes are out of balance. He's given me a diuretic to try. I haven't started it yet because I just finished a big mountain bike race in a foreign country. When I get back home, I'm going to try it out while lowering my salt intake as well.

In an odd coincidence, my wife (who is also very active) started experiencing some "tunnel" sounds in one ear. It would be so bizarre if she's experiencing the same thing.

I'll keep you posted. -Russ
 
I'm in much the same boat (sudden LF hearing loss and tinnitus, varying from day to day). I got 2 weeks of prednisone and even though it was starting way too late (2 months after onset) it actually did help the T substantially and the hearing loss slightly. Now the T is mostly just bothersome, not awful. For me, caffeine has a 50% chance of aggravating the T for 2-3 hours. Loud LF sounds have a 100% chance! I'm now on lipoflavinoids (yeah, odds of hearing recovery are low but the downside is low too) and maybe in a couple of months I'll have some news. BTW the pitch change and squeaky robot voices in the affected ear did pretty much go away after 3 months, so there's that!
 
Interesting forum. I have had tinnitus for few years long suspected it is a "fluid in the ear" type problem, but not outer or middle and not ET problem, as I can clear my ears in the normal way. Tinnitus is a high pitch buzzing around 4kHz, so that interferes with hearing at this level. I have had EMI etc and all negative, and I have no loss of balance so I am pretty sure there is nothing serious like Meniere. I do experience full ear feeling and worse at night when lying down and quiet. Worse on left side. Hence why I think its fluid related. I am fit and lots of running, cycling hence interest in this thread. Reducing salt is an interesting idea, any comments appreciated. ENT doctor gave me an all clear and told me to live with it!
 

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