Hello. I am going on 4 months with tinnitus in my right ear now. Reading the forums I thought was time to join and share my story as I can see the amount of support from others.
My tinnitus started in January. Had some headaches in sinus area above the eyes and some ear fullness. I typically get a sinus infection each year (lots of allergies) and when the symptoms came on in January I went to the local urgent care and was given Augmentin which I have done basically each year for the past several years. After about a week my right ear felt complete fullness and clogged up and around that time my tinnitus started. I went to see a ENT who said I had inner ear fluid and prescribed me prednisone. That seemed to help my ear issue but the tinnitus remained. I went back to my regular ENT (was getting at the time allergy shots) about 8-10 days later and did hearing tests, etc. and he said everything looked fine but ordered a cat scan of my sinuses which came back clear. He said nothing else I can do. Then I went to another ENT and by that time the pain in my right face along the TMJ area and down the side of my neck to my trap was getting worse. (Longtime teeth grinder, sometimes wore nightguard) and have gotten 3 crowns in the past year.) He seemed more caring, did another hearing test (fine) and said my ear/hearing was fine. He said the facial pain could be Trigeminal Neuralgia or TMJ and had me have a MRI (came back clear) and then wanted me to meet with a neurologist to assess the TN. Via a virtual appt the neurologist reviewed my MRI and said he is 99.9% sure I do not have TN and no issues seen on the MRI. So my next step is a TMJ specialist.
The first few months were horrible. Whenever I would sleep the pressure on my head would make the tinnitus louder and many sleepless nights. That aspect finally faded and with melatonin and sleeping med I can sleep now. There are many days where I need to mask the sound with my phone/apps/earbuds as only can deal with so much but my concern is by doing so that slows down habituation if I am stuck with the tinnitus. My anxiety has decreased to more or less frustration now. I am trying various things that I have seen others try to see if it works. I can make my tinnitus louder by jutting my jaw outward. Still have a lot of jaw soreness and can feel as it seems like my right condyle pops outward when I open my jaw. My tinnitus and my jaw issues are on the same side, my right side so maybe tinnitus tied to jaw issues, not sure.
I really do not know what caused my tinnitus (always under stress) or if resolving my jaw issue will help. Just like others I am in the everyday process to try to figure out what can help my tinnitus.
KWC
My tinnitus started in January. Had some headaches in sinus area above the eyes and some ear fullness. I typically get a sinus infection each year (lots of allergies) and when the symptoms came on in January I went to the local urgent care and was given Augmentin which I have done basically each year for the past several years. After about a week my right ear felt complete fullness and clogged up and around that time my tinnitus started. I went to see a ENT who said I had inner ear fluid and prescribed me prednisone. That seemed to help my ear issue but the tinnitus remained. I went back to my regular ENT (was getting at the time allergy shots) about 8-10 days later and did hearing tests, etc. and he said everything looked fine but ordered a cat scan of my sinuses which came back clear. He said nothing else I can do. Then I went to another ENT and by that time the pain in my right face along the TMJ area and down the side of my neck to my trap was getting worse. (Longtime teeth grinder, sometimes wore nightguard) and have gotten 3 crowns in the past year.) He seemed more caring, did another hearing test (fine) and said my ear/hearing was fine. He said the facial pain could be Trigeminal Neuralgia or TMJ and had me have a MRI (came back clear) and then wanted me to meet with a neurologist to assess the TN. Via a virtual appt the neurologist reviewed my MRI and said he is 99.9% sure I do not have TN and no issues seen on the MRI. So my next step is a TMJ specialist.
The first few months were horrible. Whenever I would sleep the pressure on my head would make the tinnitus louder and many sleepless nights. That aspect finally faded and with melatonin and sleeping med I can sleep now. There are many days where I need to mask the sound with my phone/apps/earbuds as only can deal with so much but my concern is by doing so that slows down habituation if I am stuck with the tinnitus. My anxiety has decreased to more or less frustration now. I am trying various things that I have seen others try to see if it works. I can make my tinnitus louder by jutting my jaw outward. Still have a lot of jaw soreness and can feel as it seems like my right condyle pops outward when I open my jaw. My tinnitus and my jaw issues are on the same side, my right side so maybe tinnitus tied to jaw issues, not sure.
I really do not know what caused my tinnitus (always under stress) or if resolving my jaw issue will help. Just like others I am in the everyday process to try to figure out what can help my tinnitus.
KWC
