I have been experiencing literal tinnitus spikes recently, including sharp, high-pitched beeps accompanied by physical sensations. I've been researching conditions like typewriter tinnitus, neurovascular compression, middle ear myoclonus, and Tensor Tympani Syndrome.
Does anyone have suggestions for dealing with 24/7 unmaskable Morse-code-like beeping tinnitus? Or recommendations for finding a specialist who is familiar with this specific issue?
The beeping is uniform, high-pitched (at least 12kHz or higher), and cuts through everything. I can hear it anywhere and in any environment. Sometimes it also causes physical sensations, pain, or even shock-like feelings in my ear.
Background:
I have had bilateral idiopathic tinnitus for over 5.5 years, starting at age 22. Things escalated 2.5 years ago when my right ear suddenly developed severe tinnitus and idiopathic hearing loss while I was doing something as ordinary as checking a website. My tinnitus is louder than everything else and constantly changes — from screaming to hissing to pulsing. Scans so far have shown nothing conclusive. The condition has completely devastated my life.
Before this current spike, I occasionally experienced beeping sounds and tried carbamazepine a few times. I'm not sure if it ever worked, but it definitely isn't working now. Despite taking it, the beeps have been constant since I woke up a few days ago.
At this point, I'm dealing with unmaskable and sometimes painful Morse code beeping on top of the existing unmaskable screaming, blaring, and pulsing tinnitus. It feels like my ear doesn't "qualify" for any specific diagnosis, even though my hearing is terrible (but not completely gone yet).
I've barely slept, and sleep was already difficult because lying on my left side triggers spikes in that ear. Now both ears are unmaskable.
It's particularly frustrating because, just last week, I started some holiday time off and even had a couple of days where the tinnitus seemed less chaotic, and I didn't notice it as much. Now, however, the sharp chirping and beeping have completely destroyed even the few things I could still manage to do.
It's impossible to function for more than a moment without being overwhelmed by the beeping. I can't stop thinking about whether I'll ever return to, at the very least, the previous state I was in.
Does anyone have suggestions for dealing with 24/7 unmaskable Morse-code-like beeping tinnitus? Or recommendations for finding a specialist who is familiar with this specific issue?
The beeping is uniform, high-pitched (at least 12kHz or higher), and cuts through everything. I can hear it anywhere and in any environment. Sometimes it also causes physical sensations, pain, or even shock-like feelings in my ear.
Background:
I have had bilateral idiopathic tinnitus for over 5.5 years, starting at age 22. Things escalated 2.5 years ago when my right ear suddenly developed severe tinnitus and idiopathic hearing loss while I was doing something as ordinary as checking a website. My tinnitus is louder than everything else and constantly changes — from screaming to hissing to pulsing. Scans so far have shown nothing conclusive. The condition has completely devastated my life.
Before this current spike, I occasionally experienced beeping sounds and tried carbamazepine a few times. I'm not sure if it ever worked, but it definitely isn't working now. Despite taking it, the beeps have been constant since I woke up a few days ago.
At this point, I'm dealing with unmaskable and sometimes painful Morse code beeping on top of the existing unmaskable screaming, blaring, and pulsing tinnitus. It feels like my ear doesn't "qualify" for any specific diagnosis, even though my hearing is terrible (but not completely gone yet).
I've barely slept, and sleep was already difficult because lying on my left side triggers spikes in that ear. Now both ears are unmaskable.
It's particularly frustrating because, just last week, I started some holiday time off and even had a couple of days where the tinnitus seemed less chaotic, and I didn't notice it as much. Now, however, the sharp chirping and beeping have completely destroyed even the few things I could still manage to do.
It's impossible to function for more than a moment without being overwhelmed by the beeping. I can't stop thinking about whether I'll ever return to, at the very least, the previous state I was in.
