Teenager with Tinnitus

[thomas1234]

Hello!

I'm 16 years old and I have minor tinnitus accompanying high frequency hearing loss (~16000 hz). The cause of my tinnitus/hearing loss, however, is unknown. I've always been vigilant about wearing ear protection while playing the drums (I don't play anymore, though), and I generally refrain from turning up my MP3 player's volume while using headphones. In addition, I've never had any blunt trauma to my head or anything of that sort. I went to an audiologist recently, who was unable to find a cause for this, but he expressed a bit of concern about the high frequency hearing loss slowly creeping downwards.

Other than introducing myself, I was wondering if there are any other teenagers here who have a similar case of tinnitus without a known cause.

Also, it's amazing that there is a whole forum dedicated to the support of this kind of thing--I don't personally know anyone else with tinnitus, so I'm pretty happy to find this!

 

[Markku]

Your story reminds me a bit of Ivan.

Check his introduction here: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/my-story.1464/

Have a good week, and thanks for joining us!

Markku

 

[Hudson]

thomas1234,

I have had tinnitus since I was 17 as well. If your tinnitus is pretty mild as you would put it (it's all subjective of course) then you should have a relatively easy time habituating to it if you stay busy and exercise I would guess. It's too bad that you can't point out a specific cause of your tinnitus, but it sounds like some mild hearing loss is the culprit. Does your tinnitus sound like a high pitch static noise, maybe like an old TV left on that's on mute? That's the way mine is. I have read a lot about it, and that type of tinnitus is often due to very high frequency hearing loss. My advice to you is to always use ear plugs when doing anything loud. That includes going to a bar, going to a fireworks show, shooting any guns, mowing the lawn, and more. If you are afraid a sound is too loud, it just might be.

If you follow those rules I would say you're going to be good to go for a long time. Hang in there buddy.

 

[thomas1234]

@Markku - I'm glad to be part of the community!

@Hudson - Luckily, my tinnitus is pretty mild; I generally don't notice it during the day, but when I'm at home I notice it pretty often. It's kind of bizarre that I don't know what specifically caused it. And the tinnitus sounds pretty much like what you said--a high pitch ringing. Concerning earplugs, I'm not really the partying type, but I've still recently started to carry around a pair of disposable foam earplugs in my wallet.
The main thing I'm concerned about is the tinnitus/hearing loss getting worse over time; the feeling of uncertainty just exacerbates the issue. If I may ask, has your tinnitus/hearing loss gotten worse since you were 17?
And also, thanks for the morale boost!

 

[Markku]

Age-related hearing loss may exacerbate the perception of tinnitus, but you don't have to worry about that for a long while.

Of course tinnitus can and for some has worsened, but if you use hearing protection and avoid ototoxic (drugs that are harmful to ears) medications, you should be fine and the tinnitus shouldn't increase.

There are exceptions and since this is life, there are no guarantees for tinnitus staying the same or any of us seeing tomorrow. But you need to try and live your life without constantly fearing what something might become, or what is the worst case scenario, etc.

It's at first hard, but you'll learn it and the part of taking care of your hearing will become a habit quickly.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

Happy days,
Markku

 

[thomas1234]

Thanks for the response; that seems like a good way of looking at the situation. Might as well not dwell on things that I have no control over.

 

[Bella21]

I'm 18 and have what my doctor says is severe tinnitus. My noise is exactly the sound described about like high pitched TV static. I hear it all of the time even when there is background noise or when I'm driving. I saw an audiologist and ent specialist who said I have slight hearing loss in the left ear but not enough to intervene. He basically said I have to learn to live with it, which is very difficult considering it affects my life considerably. It's worse during the night so I only sleep on average about 3/4 hours a night. It's nice that there's a thread just for teenagers as I don't know anyone else who has it that I can talk to as my friends really don't understand

 

[iamgrmm2]

Hey! Sorry about that you have to suffer. Fellow teenager here i'm jacob 15 years of age. Last 2 weeks my T started yet I remaind positive and busy making me not notice it a week after onset. I don't know if this is temporary since some have T that last no long than 6 months I guess I fall in that. But be positive. There's hope! The more you listen to T the more it becomes worse! It's like a bully, the more you give it attention the more it hurts you ignore it and you'll be good. For now I hear my T only in a closed room with no fan on not outside kinda mild I guess. But the previous 2 weeks was blaring bad. Don't let T take over your life go on and do your normal day to day things. For now I'm planning to buy earpeace earplugs along some musician's plugs after saving money after all I love music and I won't stop because of T. "LIVE A LIFE YOU WILL REMEMBER!"

 

[randomguy27]

I have had tinnitus since I was 10 and as a kid I thought it was completely normal even though I had suffered depression and being a complete recluse in middle school. Im 16 now and the "ringing" hasnt stopped for a single second and I still try to live life to the fullest. Also lipo flavonoid doesnt work.

 

[EmMay13]

ive always had really mild ringing in my ears when it was silent, im only 13 and it has gotten to the point where i cant think properly or sleep in the past few weeks. i can usually hear things really loudly, my family jokes about me having super enhanced hearing and i always listen to music on the quietest volume because it is always so loud but now my ears ring for hours at a time late at night when have to get up early for school the next morning.

 

[EmMay13]

I have had tinnitus since I was 10 and as a kid I thought it was completely normal even though I had suffered depression and being a complete recluse in middle school. Im 16 now and the "ringing" hasnt stopped for a single second and I still try to live life to the fullest. Also lipo flavonoid doesnt work.

i thought it was normal when i was little thinking that your ears heard ringing when there was nothing else to hear because it would happen when it was quiet

 

[MarmiteKFC]

I am 14 and I have mild tinnitus in my right ear. Honestly, when I first had it I freaked out and started to cry which made it real worse. Just ignore it and enjoy your life. If you focus on the sound it will get louder. You just have to wait as it will take from days to even years of T from going away. But don't let it scare you just enjoy your life and have a good summer vacation!

 

[MarmiteKFC]

ive always had really mild ringing in my ears when it was silent, im only 13 and it has gotten to the point where i cant think properly or sleep in the past few weeks. i can usually hear things really loudly, my family jokes about me having super enhanced hearing and i always listen to music on the quietest volume because it is always so loud but now my ears ring for hours at a time late at night when have to get up early for school the next morning.

You should go to the doctor to check out your hearing. I got my ears flushed at the doctor and they found a papertowel lodged in my ear, because I was protecting myself from loud music. Pretty much loud music at dance and papertowel was a culprit. Then I went to the hospital and they found out that my right ear was irritated and said you should take a rest. Sorry for boring you out with the story, so I mean just go to the doctor tell what happened and they can check your medical history, do a ear flush and yeah. Basically, stay away from loud noises, crank it low and yeah. It will go away some time.

 

[Ian Aldred]

Your story sounds a lot like mine, at age 15 I noticed a blocked up feeling in my left ear that caused me significant high pitch hearing loss accompanied with an intense high pitch ring in my ear. I went to several doctors including audiologist and ENT's, all of them have no clue what causing it. Apparently I'll just have to cope with it. Will I did for 4 years successfully. However, recently about twin months ago it got even worse for no reason. I mean it is unbearable, I have insomnia because of it and severe anxiety. At times I've even been contemplating ending it all just to stop the noise. All the regular coping methods have failed me. Again I went to the doctors and the said the hearing did get worse but they gave me NO damn solutions. I can't keep going like this. I need a solution, if not, I'm almost certain my quality of life will keep decreasing. Also I hate how doctors are so not understanding of my suffering, it's like it's no big deal. But to me this is the worst thing that could happen, I need quite, I can't study for college as well anymore, my girlfriend is becoming worried of my depression and anxiety as well. I hope you my friend unlike me won't get any worse. If anyone is reading this please help me with some ideas of what I can do. I'm growing more desperate by the day. It is slowly ruining my mental health day by day. I was happy before it got worse a few months ago. I just don't know what to do anymore. How can this happen to young people like us? I don't want to be on this planet any longer than I have to. God take me home soon...