Three Types of Hearing Issues — Lucky Me

[Daft_Wullie]

Hi everybody!

My first post. I've never really thought about going to a forum revolving around tinnitus, so I haven't really looked around too much, but I will. I live with three forms of hearing issues, two of which are tinnitus:

• Tinnitus - Most prominent on my right side, but I do experience it on my left. In fact, there are constantly two completely different tones, but it's the right side that grabs my attention. I feel that the right is a lower high frequency, and it varies in volume. The left is a sharper, quieter noise, but it's there. I can't tell you when tinnitus started for me as it seems like it's always been there. I do remember a time where my hearing would suddenly plug up and a sharp tone would emit in my head only to trail off into silence.
• Pulsatile Tinnitus - Not always there, but it seems to be a frequent companion as of late. Started in February when I lay my head down to sleep. I thought there was a party in the near distance, and I was hearing the base beat of their music. It wasn't until morning when I realize it was in my head. I notice it at work sometimes, but it usually starts when I get home from work and lie on the couch.
• Occasional muffled hearing/hearing loss and tinny sound in my right ear - Experiencing it now, actually. I have two tinnitus tones and my right ear is muffled and there is a tinny echo to everything. Each time I've seen a doctor for it, they say it will clear up. It does, but I know it'll come back another time. Not as frequent as the pulsatile tinnitus, but it usually comes back.

I'm also usually tired. Tinnitus keeps me awake sometimes, but I'm also a horrible sleeper. I've tried natural sleep remedies, but the ones that put me sleep won't keep me asleep. I don't really want to rely on pharmaceuticals, but I feel I may have to eventually.

That being said, I'm usually a happy guy, or I try to be. Even thought these issues are driving me insane.

Cheers!

 

[GregCA]

Pulsatile Tinnitus - Not always there, but it seems to be a frequent companion as of late. Started in February when I lay my head down to sleep. I thought there was a party in the near distance, and I was hearing the base beat of their music. It wasn't until morning when I realize it was in my head. I notice it at work sometimes, but it usually starts when I get home from work and lie on the couch.

I've had this new companion for a couple of weeks now too. I first noticed it when I woke up in the morning, and like you, I thought someone was having a party nearby.
It used to come visit when I'd lay down at night, but nowadays it's also present during the day. It's not as prominent as the other tinnitus sounds like the high pitch screeching, so I typically don't pay too much attention to it during the day as there are other sounds that mask it, whether natural or tinni-tonal...

 

[Daft_Wullie]

Did you ever go to a doctor to have the pulsatile tinnitus checked out? I know I should, but the lack of any therapy other than learning to deal when it comes to regular tinnitus has kind of deterred me from doing so. That being said, I've read that pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom of something much more serious, but that's information from the internet. My doctor, as I said before, just wanted to write me a prescription fro a sleeping pill.

I've joked with my friends that I have two horns and a percussion section playing in my head at most times. I'm just waiting for the guitars.

 

[GregCA]

Did you ever go to a doctor to have the pulsatile tinnitus checked out?

Not really, but I'm pretty sure it's from my cochlear otosclerosis.