Please Help. I Don't Know How to Cope.

[OzAndy84]

I'm 33 years old and work in an oil refinery. 3 weeks ago I was exposed to some louder than normal noise at work and have now suffered hearing damage in my right ear. Ear protection was worn at the time. It wasn't bad at first so I didn't seek help. A week after it happened I went to urgent care because I couldn't get an appointment with my regular doctor. I was told everything looked fine and that it was fluid in the inner ear and to take Claritin for 5 days to clear it up. I asked about steroids and was told no it won't help. So I took the Claritin and for about two and a half days it seemed to clear up completely. I was so relieved. And then it came back.

At this point I went and saw my regular doctor thinking I needed a referral for an ENT as I had no idea how the system works for these things. So I got see an ENT it's now about 2.5 weeks after the incident. I'm basically told the damage is done and nothing can be done. It is more in the low frequency but that I'm still considered "normal". I felt like I was blown off. I'm so scared. I was told my damage is very minor and that he wouldn't even bat an eye at it and that I'll be fine and was dismissed.

I understand that it's minor and I feel lucky about that part but the fact that it happens so suddently the difference sounds huge to me. When I work outside in the field I get relief as I don't notice because I have ear plugs in a lot of the time. I live alone and when it's quiet I can hear the difference. I've always been someone who enjoys my days off alone just relaxing and watching tv and now it's killing me. I can't stand the sound of my tv. Ive always refused to take antidepressants but I've never felt so depressed. I don't want to get out of bed I just want to sleep and not deal with it. Sometimes it feels like a low roaring in my head and I start having severe anxiety like right now which is why I am reaching out.

I don't know where to go from here. I don't know how to cope anymore. I don't know how to accept this or if I'll ever adjust. I want to quit my job but without my job I have nothing and nobody to support me. I don't know if I need to go to an audiologist. I don't think the damage is anywhere near enough to warrant an aid but I just don't know how to live like this. The ENT gave me no advice at all other than you'll be fine and no need to follow up.

Please help I really need someone to talk to that has hearing issues as I don't have anybody who's been through this. I don't understand why it cleared up and then came back. What did I do all wrong?

 

[GregCA]

If I were you I'd do a hearing test (at the audiologist) to get a better picture of what your losses are, and the kind of losses.
The Tinnitus may fade slowly as your ears start healing. It can be a long process.
Try to stay away from loud noises: take care of your ears!

 

[glynis]

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk.
Like @GregCA says,
Get a up to date hearing test from Audiology .
You might not need hearing aids but could offer you white noise generators if needed that play white noise and look like a hearing aid.
You set them below your tinnitus and your brain will work hard to pick up the masker and help your brains natural filter to block out focusing on your tinnitus....lots of love glynis

 

[Lorac]

@OzAndy84,
Welcome to the forum. I agree that you should have your hearing tested with an audiologist. I went through the same runaround with doctors when I lost my hearing in 2013. Unfortunately, there are many members here who have had similar experiences.
I don't really like the sound of the TV either but it doesn't bother me as much as it did in the beginning. I still choose to mute the sound when I watch alone but I am capable of tolerating the sound and enjoying programs with my family now. There is a physical response to tinnitus when it is new. The limbic system responds to the noise as if it is a threat. It is the"fight or flight" response and it would be really great if doctors would just explain that to new sufferers. The fear and panic you feel right now is perfectly natural and that high anxiety is likely to decrease over the next few months even if some of the noise stays with you. My best advice would be to keep your mind busy right now....reading, cooking, painting, learning, etc. You aren't alone. There are people all around the world who are experiencing this with you. Hang in there!

 

[OzAndy84]

Can anyone explain to me why my issues keep fluctuating? I will have 3 or so days where I barely notice any difference between my ears other than the sound of my own voice and then it's like something flares up and I go back to feeling like I'm wearing an ear plug on my right side and can tell a big difference. Feels like I need to pop my ear but it won't. Yet I've been told by the ent that my ears are fine and have no fluid in them. Please help. I can handle the good days and I feel like myself again but on these bad days I lose all hope and my mood just completely plummets.

 

[SilverSpiral]

Can anyone explain to me why my issues keep fluctuating? I will have 3 or so days where I barely notice any difference between my ears other than the sound of my own voice and then it's like something flares up and I go back to feeling like I'm wearing an ear plug on my right side and can tell a big difference. Feels like I need to pop my ear but it won't. Yet I've been told by the ent that my ears are fine and have no fluid in them. Please help. I can handle the good days and I feel like myself again but on these bad days I lose all hope and my mood just completely plummets.

I was told by an ENT that fullness/heavyness can be how the body senses cochlear damage, thats why people have this sensation in their ears following acoustic trauma. Not sure how accurate that is, but that's a better explanation than a lot of people get from ENTs. If it flares up with your voice you may have TTTS or some related middle ear stuff going on as a result of your hearing damage. Sorry you are experiencing this.

 

[Jaybeee]

I've read that the symptoms you are talking about can be anxiety related early on in the T journey. My T started with ear fullness which dissipated after a week but I now get a muzzy feeling at times and my right ear vibrates when there is a lot of sound. We do become very aware of sound early on and anxiety can cause all sorts of symptoms when we are fixated. It's a very distressing time and I am struggling big time. I feel your pain