Struggling with Constant Tinnitus from Earwax / Microsuction

[Abbie]

Hi,

I've been browsing this site since my issues began and thought I'd post myself. (I think I honestly just need to vent).

I've always had issues with blocked ears (earwax) but they usually clear with a bit of olive oil. This time my right ear was blocked for two weeks, this time accompanied by ringing. The ringing increased until i panicked and went and got it micro suctioned at the hospital. After the wax had been removed, the ringing immediately decreased, but since then, it's been the same constant ringing, hissing sound and it's driving me insane. Today is the first day I've had to call in sick to work because I can't sleep or eat or do anything but think about this horrible noise.

After they had done the micro suction, they said there had been a bit of trauma to the ear and that it was bleeding, but it was nothing to be worried about. It's been over a week since the microsuction, but around a month since the ringing began, and I'm so frightened it won't ever go away. I loved reading and writing and going to quiet spaces like libraries, and I'm so frightened that the peace I got from those activities is gone forever and I've ruined my whole life. I've never been suicidal but I'm finding myself having fleeting thoughts of ending it every day I wake up and realise it's still there. I'm only 23 and can't imagine how I'll ever lead a happy life like this.

 

[ShaunR]

Hey Abbie,

For starters your life is not ruined, not even close to ruined. Even if the hissing/ ringing sticks around you will get used to it. For the majority of people it becomes a none issue. However, chances are that in a few weeks or months the ringing will ease or disappear completely.

Right now you're stuck in a fight and flight state. This will increase your awareness of the tinnitus and make it sound so much louder and invasive; I know this because only a few weeks ago I suffered the same problem after a noise insult. Once the anxiety and stress came down so did the tinnitus. Right now my tinnitus is back to its normal hissiness which I only hear if I focus on it. I love reading and quiet and even with tinnitus I can still enjoy these things.

Following on from the above, do your best to stop listening for your tinnitus. I bet you keep walking into quiet rooms and listening for it? Or keep covering your ears and seeing if it's gone away. Stop doing this. Let it be. All you do is feed into your anxiety. It becomes a vicious cycle.

The trauma they talked about will be a scratched ear canal. So don't spend your time over analysing the word 'trauma'. Sounds awful but will be nothing serious. If they'd burst your ear drum etc you'd know about it!

Stay away for negativity. There are also those who love to spread the negativity and drag others down with them. This will only serve to make you suffer more. I know because I've fallen into that trap more than once. The majority of people come on here to seek help, get better, then are never seen again. Me included... I'm too scared and paranoid to write a success story lol.

First and foremost take this as a warning from your body to stay away from loud noise. Look after your ears always. Unfortunately things can get much much much worse. Hyperacusis and noxacusis are beyond awful. Again I speak from hard earned experience.

I can almost (because we all know nothing is 100% certain in life right ) guarantee that this ringing/hissing will be a non-issue for you in a few weeks, maybe months; you'll wonder what you were stressing about.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[koffee_monster]

Hi @Abbie,

I'm sorry to hear that the ringing did not subside after getting your ears cleaned.

It is especially important in the first few weeks to take your time. Don't do things in a rush. Sadness or fatigue are very normal feelings. My advice would be to avoid thoughts about tinnitus affecting your future negatively (easier said than done, I know).

I am at my two-month mark with tinnitus.

Many people on here are able to cope and live with the sound. I feel quite a bit better than I did one and a half months ago.

Try to avoid headphones, alcohol and stress. In the first weeks, I experienced two nights where I needed background noise to fall asleep. I used the "Chrome Doze Noise Generator" for this on my phone (Chroma Doze | F-Droid) at 15% volume on my nightstand. It's open-source and allows you to create personalized white noise. Many alternatives can be found on this forum. It is important to put this background noise on a timer (an app like tasker can be used for this or the IFThisThenThat app), your ears need rest during the night. Continous (low) noise is not a problem but quiet hours while you sleep are ideal. I set my phone to shut down after an hour and a half.

Make sure to properly protect your ears from excessive noise and carry hearing protection (e.g. foam earplugs) in your bag or purse. Many on the forum noticed that once you have tinnitus, you are more sensitive to worsening. Don't overdo it, use it if some sound causes you noticeable discomfort.

Take care of your oral hygiëne as it can affect tinnitus.

Keep us updated! I hope you improve quickly.

 

[Abbie]

Thanks so much both for the replies and advice. I was in a very negative headspace writing that! Totally right about the fight or flight, once I got over the initial anxiety it got a lot less intense.

Unfortunately it came on in the left ear since. No clue what's caused it, could be a number of things! Deffo not noise induced, I've spent most of my life doing mostly silent activities. It's still a huge struggle coping day to day, but I guess that will improve once I get used to it. My doctor told me he thinks it's caused by stress/anxiety and that it will 100% go away... I guess it's just a case of waiting to see if he's right! I'm not even 2 months in yet so all I can do is hope.

I hope you're doing well with yours, take care and thank you for reading

 

[AnonymousPie]

How are you doing lately @Abbie?

 

[Abbie]

Hi @AnonymousPie, thanks for asking

Unfortunately, still struggling quite a bit. I have a very loud, pitchy whistling in one ear and a tone in the other, it never changes at all now. It's hard coming to terms with the fact that I was perfectly healthy at the start of this year and now I could potentially have this thing for the long haul. I went for all the tests - I have perfect hearing, no detectable damage, MRI all clear, so it's quite frustrating not knowing what's causing it, and that there's nothing I can do but wait to see if it goes or sticks around. I suppose I was just incredibly unlucky and the microsuction caused something to go wrong I manage to cope day to day by masking with music, reading the success stories on here and hoping it'll fade away.

Hoping you're well and doing okay

 

[AnonymousPie]

Hey @Abbie, as I said before, I understand how you feel, you're frightened and it's normal, but you're still in early stages so please have faith. Things can and will improve.

I had an acoustic trauma from microsuction. I got ear fullness, TTTS (ear spasms to any sound), distortions, extreme hyperacusis and 10/10 tinnitus. All of this completely settled after a month. Went away from 10/10. And tinnitus to 1 or 2 out of 10. Didn't even barely hear it. It's recently spiked I think due to stress and meds but it ebbs and flows so I'm having faith things will settle again and they will for you.

Please only read success stories. Stay away completely from negative posts here including microsuction posts. Those people aren't you nor your experience. You will get through this. Ears take a long time to heal and settle.

Hugs!

 

[Albapv]

Hey, @Abbie.

My father-in-law had acoustic trauma a couple of years ago to his eardrum, from a firecracker that exploded next to his ear on New Year's Eve. He lost some of his hearing and had hiss and beeping sounds. But in a few months he fully recovered... I'm not sure about the time it took him to recover, but I'm pretty sure that by that summer he was OK - so not more than 6/7 months. I'm telling you because this case looks similar to me (a trauma), so maybe you have a chance. Not sure, I hope you do.

(Sorry for my English, not a native English speaker).

 

[Abbie]

Thanks for taking the time to reply @Albapv, anecdotes like this are always great to hear

 

[Abbie]

@AnonymousPie, I'm super sorry to hear about your experience with this and do hope the spike calms for you! Really appreciate the positive comments and advice, makes me feel a lot less negative about it all.

 

[Biaxca]

Hey @Abbie, did your symptoms resolve?