Scared to Death — Afraid of My Tinnitus Being Permanent or Getting Worse

[Adam A.]

Hi everyone,

I've had tinnitus and a fullness sensation in both of my ears (as well as a possible hearing loss, not sure) for the last 3 days and am terrified of it being permanent, or of it being a symptom of some sort of progressive condition that I should get checked out for.

The ringing started the other day when I was trying to go to sleep. I went to bed pretty late, around 5 AM. And when I lied down I thought I might be hearing something in my ears. But, I just sort of shrugged it off and fell asleep. Two hours later I awoke and the ringing was louder. And so my panic began.

The ringing hasn't been overwhelmingly terrible exactly. Sometimes, I even think it's gone away when I'm in conversations with people or am watching a movie. I have to listen closely for it to realize its still there. However, the loudness of the ringing and the pressure also fluctuates. And sometimes it does become very hard to ignore.

I am afraid to death of this being permanent or it getting worse.

I went to Urgent Care yesterday to see if there might be earwax blockage in my ears that I thought might be causing it, hoping it was that simple. But the doctor said it wasn't, and that it was likely just allergies causing my tinnitus.

My dad, who is a pharmacist and who also suffers from tinnitus (which he attributes to him shooting guns when he was younger without protection) also says that my tinnitus is likely allergy related and that there is really nothing that I can do about it other than take Loratadine and wait it out.

I am trying my best to remain calm and to believe that the tinnitus is indeed simply allergy related. But I am a hypochondriac and so of course I have also been scouring the internet trying to see if the tinnitus was caused by something else in my life, something more serious.

I do sometimes go to clubs where the music is played really loud. A few weeks ago I sat right to a speaker and I actually had to move away from it after it started to hurt my ears. Additionally, I was at a Karaoke bar 24hrs before the tinnitus began where it also wasn't exactly quiet. So I'm thinking maybe it could be sound related?

However, I have also been having ear trouble with my left ear prior to experiencing my tinnitus. For the last few months, my left ear has been changing pressure; sometimes feeling open, sometimes full, sometimes letting out air when I breathe out. And I have been fearing that there is a problem with my Eustachian tubes, which may be linked somehow to my current tinnitus?

But I don't know. I've never experienced anything like this before. And I just don't want to lose my hearing.

So my question is, how long should I wait before seeking further medical attention? Or should I even wait at all? Should I go and see an ENT as soon as possible? Or could it really just be allergies causing these symptoms?

Thank you for reading.

Edit: I also had a bout insomnia the week and half before the tinnitus appeared.

 

[GregCA]

So my question is, how long should I wait before seeking further medical attention?

If I was in your shoes, I'd wait 0 days.
In the meantime, give your ears a rest (no loud music/noise/sounds, etc).

Good luck!

Should I go and see an ENT as soon as possible? Or could it really just be allergies causing these symptoms?

It could be, but it could also be something else, where time is of the essence when it comes to treatment.

 

[Contrast]

See a doctor again, and this time tell them this.

I do sometimes go to clubs where the music is played really loud. A few weeks ago I sat right to a speaker and I actually had to move away from it after it started to hurt my ears. Additionally, I was at a Karaoke bar 24hrs before the tinnitus began where it also wasn't exactly quiet. So I'm thinking maybe it could be sound related?

In all likelyhood I believe this is the cause.

I am trying my best to remain calm and to believe that the tinnitus is indeed simply allergy related.

However, I have also been having ear trouble with my left ear prior to experiencing my tinnitus. For the last few months, my left ear has been changing pressure; sometimes feeling open, sometimes full, sometimes letting out air when I breathe out. And I have been fearing that there is a problem with my Eustachian tubes, which may be linked somehow to my current tinnitus?

This has nothing to do with allergies, ETD or anxiety either. The ear is damaged because of dangerous noise levels.


(show this to a ENT or GP )

noise injury and it's symptoms
https://www.hear-it.org/acoustic-shock

noxacusis (noise induced pain)
https://www.statnews.com/2016/02/18/noise-induced-ear-pain/

hidden hearing loss

 

[Contrast]

The inner ear is a mysterious organ. Science still has a poor understanding on how noise can damage the ear. It's way more complicated then just hair cells dying (even though that's still true). The middle ear and E-tubes and 3 tiny bones could be damaged by noise as well based on what people describe (ear crackling after a concert or muscle spasms in their ear) We don't know know exactly whats going on because the field has little research. A general rule of thumb, if a condition is not life threatening, the medical world will not give a fuck meaning a cure or even treatment could be unlikely.

 

[Adam A.]

Thanks for the responses. I'll be seeing an ENT as soon as possible.

 

[Digital Doc]

Sounds like a delayed spike from recent noise exposures. See an ENT or not, the most important thing is to stop these repetitive exposures.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Your T will likely eventually fade.

Check out
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

I didn't read all the above comments, but did peruse a fair amount of it, and ran across many good points on both sides of the argument. What strikes me is there seems to be an underlying assumption (of course I may be wrong on this) that all brains and neurological systems are created equal. The way I see it, that's simply not the case, so everybody's way of dealing with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis is going to have to be highly individualized.

I read a book many years ago called "Adrenal Syndrome". A lot of the book touched on the residual resiliency of people's adrenal glands as they respond to life's stresses. Very low resiliency often resulted in months/years of chronic debilitating exhaustion following a stressful event(s) in their lives. Very high resiliency indicated essentially the opposite. The author broke this down into some rough numbers:

25% of people have low resiliency, meaning normal life stressors will often send them into some degree of a tailspin.
25% of people have high resiliency, meaning that no matter how severe a stressor comes into their lives, they will be able to cope without becoming debilitated to any degree.
50% of people fall somewhere inbetween.

I believe there are some kind of corresponding numbers for a person's brain and neurological resiliency as well, which can greatly affect the ability to cope with tinnitus. (I believe adrenal resiliency also plays a major role in our ability to cope). -- Based on these assumptions, it's pretty easy for me to conclude that what may be overprotection for one person will be underprotection for another, and vice versa.

I think the main point to understand for someone new to tinnitus is that their path forward is going to be a lot of "testing the waters". Generally, IMHO, it's going to take a few weeks or months to get important insights that will help us achieve a healthy balance. In all likelihood, most people are going to learn from experience when their over-protecting or under-protecting.

I've come to believe however, that in those early months, if one is going to err in either direction, it should be toward overprotection. It just seems to me the consequences of underprotection (which could result in permanent injury) in those early times are much more dire than the consequences of overprotection--which as I understand, generally results in temporary setbacks.

Doing a number of things to better support the brain and neurological system and the body's stress response (adrenal glands) is quite high on my list of recommendations I would make to anybody with tinnitus. Doing so might even prevent phonophobia or OCD, etc., as we go through our learning curves -- Just my 2 cents worth.

Relative newbies to tinnitus are likely to find all the information/opinions above quite confusing. So here are a few common-sense rules to follow:

1. The best protection of all is avoidance. Even the best earplugs can't guarantee complete hearing protection so those relatively new to tinnitus are best advised to avoid prolonged loud noise exposure - especially amplified sound at for example live concerts and sports events. This may involve lifestyle changes.

2. When in doubt, use hearing protection. In the many tasks we all do through the week, some will inevitably involve exposure to noise - which may be at higher levels than we at first realise - so using hearing protection for many of these is only sensible.

3. Build quiet into your day. It's not a good idea to be wearing hearing protection all the time - so you need to give your ears a break by ensuring that there will be quieter times during your day when hearing protection isn't necessary.This may involve changing your routine. Use soft masking noise and light music (not using headphones) to avoid "silence" where tinnitus is most noticeable.

4. Don't stress about stress. Tinnitus newbies are forever being told that the thing which makes tinnitus worse is stress. But while it's true that how you are feeling at a particular moment can make tinnitus temporarily louder, it won't have a lasting effect. But prolonged loud noise exposure can make tinnitus permanently louder. So don't stress about stress - but do be concerned about noise.

 

[Contrast]

Thanks for the responses. I'll be seeing an ENT as soon as possible.

and make sure they know about the loud speakers at a club causing noise induced pain.
That crucial element will prevent you from being misdiagnosed.


I don't believe most doctors misdiagnosis people, I think most people aren't giving doctors information about what caused noise induced pain. Please keep us updated on your case. Hope you get better, and you probably will based on what is observed on this forum.

 

[Starthrower]

However, I have also been having ear trouble with my left ear prior to experiencing my tinnitus. For the last few months, my left ear has been changing pressure; sometimes feeling open, sometimes full, sometimes letting out air when I breathe out. And I have been fearing that there is a problem with my Eustachian tubes, which may be linked somehow to my current tinnitus?

Thanks for the responses. I'll be seeing an ENT as soon as possible.

Be sure to write down all the questions you want to ask the ENT because you will forget or be pressured into only having a fifteen minute allotment time for your appointment. Make every minute count.

It could be allergy related according to the first quote above? So maybe the ENT will be able to diagnose the symptoms.

You will be okay @Adam A.

 

[JohnFox]

See an ENT. Don't want to scare you, but my sudden hearing loss (right ear) and tinnitus, AND hyperacusis all happened very suddenly, at night, 7 months ago, for no apparent reason. And apparently it is permanent. Way too early to panic, but do go and see a ENT soon. Keep us advised.

 

[attheedgeofscience]

Or could it really just be allergies causing these symptoms?

Newbies have a tendency to over-complicate the plot and search every avenue for answers: however, more often than not, noise exposure is the culprit. Reading your story (and background), my two cents is that it is not allergy related in your case.

When it comes to loud events, there is a go-with-the-flow attitude in this world, and hence people will unknowingly abuse their ears because… well, because… everyone else does, right...?