Hello all,
A little more than three months ago (late October), I had a sudden onset of intrusive tinnitus, really for the first time in my life except for a few short bouts years ago.
I am 42, and in generally good health.
I believe my tinnitus was caused by ototoxicity after taking two pharmaceutical-level doses of ibuprofen over a 48-hour period for pain and swelling following dental surgery (a failed root canal) and having a back injury.
I had never taken ibuprofen much before in my life. Had I known the ibuprofen would do this, I wouldn't have taken it. I feel stupid, but I can't take it back now.
The doctors I have seen seemed skeptical about my ibuprofen theory. But I feel pretty certain that was the cause as there was nothing else to explain it.
I have seen two ENTS. One, about two weeks after onset, at a university-research hospital. They did extensive audiological tests, found that my hearing was within normal range except, of course, for the "mild high-frequency loss" that so many people with tinnitus say they have. They told me the drop-off was barely below normal range. The ENT there told me she expected my tinnitus would "resolve itself with time" and that it could take months.
However, after about four weeks and noticing very little improvement, I saw another ENT for a second opinion. This one did not do any audiological tests, just looked in my ears with the otoscope and listened to my story. He then told me, bluntly, that my tinnitus was almost certainly permanent, would not get better and would likely get worse with age. (He said he has had tinnitus since childhood and seemed almost bemused by my distress over it.) He prescribed Xanax, which I have just in case I need it, but I have NOT been taking it.
My tinnitus is highly variable. There have been many times when I could barely hear it for hours on end. Then, it will build up slowly to a louder volume. Sometimes I hear a single tone in my right ear – it has been dominant in the right ear.
Sometimes I get a high-frequency "hiss" in both ears.
When it first started, I would wake up in the night with a loud single tone in the center of my head. That seems to have stopped now. I also would hear the "crickets" sound sometimes, but that hasn't happened in a few weeks.
However, while those two things seem to be an improvement, overall, it does not seem to be diminishing greatly. I have not gone a full day without noticing it.
I'm wondering, after three months now, and based on the experience and knowledge of people here, what chance I have of seeing significant improvement within the next three to six months, or even by the time I reach a year. I suppose it's too much to hope it will go away entirely. If it would just diminish down to a lower level, I feel like I could habituate to it. The fluctuations to a louder volume, however, always bring my mind right back to it.
I am trying to go on with my life as normal as possible. I'm still working, going to social things, etc. It's not easy, though.
A little more than three months ago (late October), I had a sudden onset of intrusive tinnitus, really for the first time in my life except for a few short bouts years ago.
I am 42, and in generally good health.
I believe my tinnitus was caused by ototoxicity after taking two pharmaceutical-level doses of ibuprofen over a 48-hour period for pain and swelling following dental surgery (a failed root canal) and having a back injury.
I had never taken ibuprofen much before in my life. Had I known the ibuprofen would do this, I wouldn't have taken it. I feel stupid, but I can't take it back now.
The doctors I have seen seemed skeptical about my ibuprofen theory. But I feel pretty certain that was the cause as there was nothing else to explain it.
I have seen two ENTS. One, about two weeks after onset, at a university-research hospital. They did extensive audiological tests, found that my hearing was within normal range except, of course, for the "mild high-frequency loss" that so many people with tinnitus say they have. They told me the drop-off was barely below normal range. The ENT there told me she expected my tinnitus would "resolve itself with time" and that it could take months.
However, after about four weeks and noticing very little improvement, I saw another ENT for a second opinion. This one did not do any audiological tests, just looked in my ears with the otoscope and listened to my story. He then told me, bluntly, that my tinnitus was almost certainly permanent, would not get better and would likely get worse with age. (He said he has had tinnitus since childhood and seemed almost bemused by my distress over it.) He prescribed Xanax, which I have just in case I need it, but I have NOT been taking it.
My tinnitus is highly variable. There have been many times when I could barely hear it for hours on end. Then, it will build up slowly to a louder volume. Sometimes I hear a single tone in my right ear – it has been dominant in the right ear.
Sometimes I get a high-frequency "hiss" in both ears.
When it first started, I would wake up in the night with a loud single tone in the center of my head. That seems to have stopped now. I also would hear the "crickets" sound sometimes, but that hasn't happened in a few weeks.
However, while those two things seem to be an improvement, overall, it does not seem to be diminishing greatly. I have not gone a full day without noticing it.
I'm wondering, after three months now, and based on the experience and knowledge of people here, what chance I have of seeing significant improvement within the next three to six months, or even by the time I reach a year. I suppose it's too much to hope it will go away entirely. If it would just diminish down to a lower level, I feel like I could habituate to it. The fluctuations to a louder volume, however, always bring my mind right back to it.
I am trying to go on with my life as normal as possible. I'm still working, going to social things, etc. It's not easy, though.
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