Probably the Worst Thing That Can Happen!

Well folks i just saw a nurse, and very pleasant nurse at that. She looked in my ear and she could see the lump of hard wax. It's right up against my eardrum. My ear canal is also waxy. Apparently this can alter ability to hear high frequency sounds because it restricted the eardrums movement. I suppose this kinda explains the feeling of fullness and muffled hearing.

So what are you going to do about the wax, my friend. It needs to come out. Did you try the daily olive oil drops to soften it?
 
Panicking now because the Spike from the day after the short microsuction hasn't gone down. What do I do? So the microsuction has permanently worsened it!? :(
 
Get the wax out of your ear. And try to chill out. Stress can seriously mess with your ears. I know how hard it is to have tinnitus at such a young age. I got it at 17 from a concert and I freaked out. Things will get better for you. Just hang in there, bro.
I can't see this getting any better at all. I woke up early this morning, only to find it had got even worse. This got me thinking, and apparently there had been some thunder in the night. Thing is, I had my window wide open because it was so hot, and my tinnitus ear was facing outwards. I'm trying to work out from other people of the exact timing, because I woke up at 4 am and shut my window. This tinnitus is like nothing I've ever had.

Got it on Sunday morning, supposedly due to some bowls smashing and cup smashing in Kitchen Friday noon
Gets WORSE Wednesday afternoon, having had the short and interrupted micro-suction day before
WORSE AGAIN this morning. Being informed that it actually wasn't that loud, the thunder.


You know, I never thought the bowls smashing at the beginning of this thread, would actually do anything because I had not long before foolishly pushed a big amount wax far into my ear trying to get it out, which made me bascially deaf - so surely that must have somewhat protected my ear a little? Even during the suction, the huge amount of wax would've made it some decibels quieter. Anyhow I'm half convinced that this ongoing hearing loss/struggling with high frequencies , and fullness of left ear, is not even the wax. I think I have sudden hearing loss or something, hence why the tinnitus might be getting worse.
 
Not kidding guys it just keeps getting worse. Even perhaps a new tone this morning. Nevertheless, I'm being told the thunder was not loud and apparently it happened at 6am when I shut my window at 4am. Just massively concerned that maybe there is a permanent hearing loss and that wax is not responsible but who knows if it's literally against my eardrum. The inability with high frequencies etc.

Olive oil is being used by the way. Anyway the sound is like a morse code sound, so I might have just under a second of no sound, then it starts again. I don't know if wax against the eardrum is capable of doing that? I don't see how because it's just getting louder...
 
This needs to be said.

All I'm going to say, and I saw that @Deamon22 has had an issue, is that if sound levels were very hazardous, you are probably going to feel pain.

I mean, 147db I've seen? In the very worst possible scenario yes 147db is going to cause alot of pain. I certainly was lucky enough not to feel pain and most people don't feel pain. Yes most people may hear a loud POP. In most procedures you'll hear a pop. I certainly did. But it didn't hurt. It was more uncomfortable. Decibels that feel uncomfortable and far far less than 147db.

Furthermore, something has to go quite wrong, and for an extended period, to cause harm. My tinnitus has got louder since the suction, but it just seems so unlikely for the suction to really have caused a long term issue. My microsuction was unsuccessful because I told the nurse to stop about 10-15 seconds in. Most of those seconds were spent not actually sucking anything out and we took two short breaks whilst I decided whether to carry on.

  • I felt no pain during the procedure at all, just a bit uncomfortable
  • The nurse was well trained, and used very advanced equipment to get an accurate position
  • It's actually statistically far more unlikely to have issues from a suction. The reason it SEEMS like everyone is having an issue is because it's mostly only the minority who've have a problem who come to the forums. It's a small minority - remember that. And it's safer than irritation - which can be just as loud for a longer period of time
  • This Prednisone drug by the way - yes it could help but many report worsening of tinnitus
There is too much scaremongering here on tinnitus talk. Way too many people saying that even an Audiovestibular Physician ignores micro-suction dangers. Wrong. We just spoke to a well known audiovestibular physician, who has studied tinnitus and hearing loss for decades. Got their PHD in audiovestibular medicine. Even they say it's the safest method. We absolutely should not be these people. There may be some careless ENTs who don't care but most of them do care and specialise to a great extent, especially in the UK I don't know how things are in the States.

I can absolutely see how people have had major problems with microsuction. This again, is normally when the procedure is not a smooth one, or it takes a long time, or the instrument gets blocked. The one thing any qualified doctor will tell you is of the amount of patients who have been far too influenced by the internet. Again, if a suction is going to hit 150db, you are going to know about it because it will hurt. It's frustrating me really because I've heard this from many doctors about how their expertise are mocked by people who think they know what they're talking about. If microsuction actually produced sounds loud enough to easily destroy your inner ear, it absolutely would not be a common procedure. Here in the UK, it's actually replacing syringing so it's about to become extremely common. Doctors would not allow this is such a big risk was involved.

@Bill Bauer, you have said that the incidences regarding harm to the ear from microsuction would be below 5%. Correct, but no where near the actual figure. I'm awaiting a response to an audiologist who has a special interest in tinnitus about a potential figure. Bill, if it was 4%, 3%, even 1%, there is just no way micro-suctiom would be implemented in the way it is today. I'll get back to you on this one.

Yes, my tinnitus suspiciously got louder the afternoon after the suction. I still have hearing loss after the suction (though I'm assuming it's wax but I'll find out soon enough). I'd be surprised if this suction has actually caused problems. Age happens to be a factor. I'm 15. If I was 55, the chances might be slightly higher.

Folks. Having a bad experienced with microsuction is unfortunate, not to be expected.

While I'm at it, @Bill Bauer, where are you getting these "3 month spike means permanent". Wrong again. You don't even know this Bill except from personal experience and online "reports".

Perhaps I shouldn't have even tried with the suction, having suspiciously come from with a new tinnitus from an incident I had in the kitchen where some bowls smashed. But look, I'm going to be incredibly surprised if this suction really has permanently worsened it. I will respond here once I've received responses from these audiologists. I have their contact because I've seen them before in person and they've responded to me before.
 
Why could it be getting worse day by day? I'm starting to hear new tones in there? I've been wearing over the ear headphones because it eliminates the blocked feeling in the left ear which is scaring me, so I was thinking of the occlusion effect? But they don't actually fill the ear canal because they are over the ear not earbuds? It just keeps on getting worse literally daily... very very worrying. I was playing high frequency sounds briefly to test, to which by the way my left ear is still useless as the frequency raises, but I don't see how that could cause a spike because I know people who use high frequencies to mask their Tinnitus? I don't understand, like I literally do not get this?? Huh?

You've given me the best advice @glynis, any ideas?
 
is worsening by the day I don't get why I'm not exposing myself to loud noise..
Sometimes it can take a couple of days for it to get to its maximum volume. After that, hopefully it will begin fading.

You might consider asking a doctor for something to help you with your stress. (It is possible, although I am not sure how likely it is, that it is getting louder as you spend more and more time being under a lot of stress.) I don't know much about this. Make sure that what they give you is not ototoxic (is not on the list below): http://hlaa-sbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Ototoxic_Brochure.pdf
 
Sometimes it can take a couple of days for it to get to its maximum volume. After that, hopefully it will begin fading.

You might consider asking a doctor for something to help you with your stress. (It is possible, although I am not sure how likely it is, that it is getting louder as you spend more and more time being under a lot of stress.) I don't know much about this. Make sure that what they give you is not ototoxic (is not on the list below): http://hlaa-sbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Ototoxic_Brochure.pdf
Mm. Like even this evening I'm hearing two new tones alongside the existing beeping going on. Really has me quite confused.
 
I've definitely been under huge amounts of stress with panic attacks her and there so I would understand if stress has done this.

I had a one very stressful day, 5 days ago, and my tinnitus is still quite noticeably worse. I can't speak for everyone but I know stress is bad for my ears/brain. I've experienced it countless times. Although it took me some time before I really accepted the reality of it.
 
@JoshuaD2002 ,
Tinnitus can change sound and strenght and add sounds and be in one ear or both or head.
The change can happen for a reason or for no reason at all.
When changes happen you need to stay calm and try not let the unwanted emotions that come with it cause you an emotional wobble/anxiety and low mood.
Over time you will get to know what is normal and when to get your ears checked so try to not let your tinnitus rule the day.

I'm finding it hard to post at the minute as my wrists are painfully swollen and my enlarged bone joints at the base of my thumbs due to arthritis are to painful to type and needing my hand and thumb splints on both hands.

love glynis
take care.
 
Thank you and sorry @glynis
Upon testing high frequencies in my left ear I think I aggrevated it a bit more because I had to turn it up quite loud. Of course I did this for a short amount of time and it wasn't overlly loud but it seems to aggrevate the tinnitus, with a new very high pitch faintly going every 5 seconds. Crazy how things that small can have an effect, like playing a frequency no higher that 12KHz. I've heard people do this to block out the tinnitus but it just got worse for me. Why on earth are tiny exposures doing this.
 
None of my sounds seem to be a constant sound. They'll stop and start randomly. I'm really hoping something will change for the better when the wax is out. I've never had spikes for things as tiny as this? Crazy...
I haven't helped myself by shouting in an argument today, whilst wearing over the ear headphones (not for music obviously but to eliminate the blocked feeling in left ear). Maybe some occlusion effect but I wouldn't expect much because the occlusion effect regards objects actually in your ear canal.
 
I had a one very stressful day, 5 days ago, and my tinnitus is still quite noticeably worse. I can't speak for everyone but I know stress is bad for my ears/brain. I've experienced it countless times. Although it took me some time before I really accepted the reality of it.
mm. Weirdly mine seems worse on a daily basis with all these new tones popping in. So strange...
 
Interestingly I have experienced a case many times before where I do a high frequency test then I end up hearing the frequencies for some time after.
 
Hi @JoshuaD2002 ,
I know your a 15 year old young man if I remember in your posts and now I can tell your reaction to your sound has improved and you won't sound so panicky and thats a good sign .
Stay positive and try not think negative as thinking negative will only bring you down so keep your chin up and keep going forwards in life.
love glynis
 
Interestingly I have experienced a case many times before where I do a high frequency test then I end up hearing the frequencies for some time after.
Otherwise really weird stuff. Doing the high frequency tests certainly aggravated things (very high frequency tinnitus as I mentioned above). There were points where I played a frequency of 12KHz quite loud in my left ear (not with earphones), to hear it but for a short period? And, not crazy loud by the way. Only 30-40% volume on my phone.

These things really don't jump out as things that should be aggravating my Tinnitus and making more tones happen.
 
It would seem since doing a test with 12KHz for a few seconds at like half volume, things got worse?
Before people say - frequencies above 10KHz are actually much safer at high decibels in terms of hearing damage than below 10KHz... so I seriously don't think a few seconds of 12KHz sound at moderate volume would have done anything. Seriously my ears must be more fragile than the bowls I broke...

Thing is, you get these really popular videos that play 11.5KHz in your ears, and it says listen at moderate volume. I think I must be really sensitive to very high frequencies because even at low volume these frequencies are kinda uncomfortable, and have seemingly aggravated my tinnitus situation - so those videos are defineteley not for me!!
 
Another mistake made. I close my ears with the flaps of skin on the ear to monitor the tinnitus, and upon removing my fingers, the left ear (one with bad tinnitus and OLIVE OIL),squeaks as I remove my fingers. Not too loudly but... wow I'm just stunned I might as well never go near sound again my tinnitus is so sensitive to sound!
 
Do you experience similar things Bill?
Yes. Someone posted a link to a YouTube video with the sounds that resemble his or her T. I got a spike after I listened to those high pitch sounds. Then I found a site that helped one to measure the pitch of one's T. Got a spike. After having those two experiences, I decided to never listen to any high pitch sounds like that ever again.
 
upon removing my fingers, the left ear (one with bad tinnitus and OLIVE OIL),squeaks as I remove my fingers
It is doubtful that this kind of a sound will cause any damage (especially permanent, irreversible damage!). Try to not do that again, but don't lose any sleep over it.
 

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