Sudden Onset of Tinnitus After a Two-Day Cold

[Ballet]

Hi Everyone. I'm hoping you can help me. I've seen several doctors who've suggested various things for my severe tinnitus from going home and having a glass of wine to taking antidepressants, and trying acupuncture and psychotherapy.

The tinnitus is so severe that I can't fall asleep at night without medication.

My tinnitus started in April after a two day cold. It never goes away. The hearing aids help during the day but nothing helps at night except prescription drugs.

I think there's a connection to my two day cold. I'm desperate for help.

 

[Leila]

Hi there @Ballet,

I'm sorry to hear about your sudden onset of tinnitus. Do you know whether your cold has been an ordinary cold or something COVID-19 related? Not that it is going to make a difference when it comes to your tinnitus but there are quite a number of people around here whose tinnitus got triggered by either COVID-19 itself or the vaccine.

It takes a while for your brain to adapt to the new noise and there will be some relief. As for the glass of wine one of your doctors suggested, that's something I personally wouldn't recommend at all, especially when the wine is of the red variety, because it makes my tinnitus and hyperacusis skyrocketing every time I have as much as a sip.

I hope you will be feeling a little better soon.
Best regards, Leila

 

[billie48]

Welcome to the forum. Have you tried masking with white noise or nature sounds for sleep? You can also use Melatonin to help with sleep.

 

[russiancarl]

Sorry to hear you are struggling. Has your tinnitus changed at all in the past month since onset? Any good days or bad days mixed in? Or any change in trajectory at all?

I was searching through forums to find people who have had spikes similar to mine (which I think is either random or from an allergy attack mimic-ing a cold) and from what I saw of the people with cold spikes, it could take 5-6 weeks to heal, sometimes 2-3 months. But vast majority resolved eventually.

Hang in there, it is tough, but there is still hope it will improve.

Have you been trying white noise or relaxing sounds, like rain or water, to help you through the day or sleep?