New Here, Tinnitus Since the 1990s — As I've Gotten Older, It's Gotten Worse

[pleinairman]

Greetings! I just came across this forum. I've had tinnitus off and on since the 1990s. As I've gotten older, it's gotten worse.

The sounds are probably pretty much like everyone's - hissing steam, the occasional distant musical banging on a pot lid.

Used to be, the sound was just in the right ear, but the past year I'm now hearing things in stereo.

Lately, for a tympanic membrane retraction in one ear, I've been taking 2nd generation antihistamines (Zyrtec and Allegra generics), but it seems these make the tinnitus worse. I've read that tinnitus is a common side-effect of antihistamines.

 

[billie48]

Welcome to the forum. Have you checked with ENT if you have hearing loss? That can cause tinnitus for some people.

 

[pleinairman]

Years ago, I went to an audiologist who did some testing, nothing found. More recently, I've had hearing loss in the right ear -- where the tinnitus is worse -- and once the tympanic membrane retraction eases up, my GP is sending me to another audiologist.

 

[billie48]

Perhaps you can try the hearing aids. Some countries allow patients to try them first and if they don't work they can be returned to the vendor. Not everyone with hearing loss will develop tinnitus and not every tinnitus from hearing loss can be helped by hearing aids. But for some hearing aids do help to reduce their tinnitus. Nothing hurts to try them if they can be returned.

 

[Francis212]

You ever thought about getting allergy shots? I read that allergies make tinnitus worse.