- Mar 15, 2024
- 2
- Tinnitus Since
- 12/2023
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Unsure (Cold, Long Headphone Usage, Stress)
It's been almost a year now since my tinnitus and other symptoms started.
Things began when I was dealing with a cold or possibly COVID-19 (I never got tested). On the first day, I noticed a faint ringing while trying to sleep. By the next day, the noise grew louder as the day went on, becoming unbearable by night. Alongside the ringing, I also experienced a feeling of fullness in my ears and a cracking noise whenever I swallowed.
While the ringing isn't as severe as that night, it and the other symptoms have persisted. The tinnitus is mostly in my left ear, with a faint noise in my right ear that I barely notice unless I press against it. If I lie on my right side, the ringing shifts fully to the right ear, which is strange.
I've had several doctor visits since this all began. The first doctor I saw, a general practitioner, noted some light redness in my ears, prescribed blood flow medication, and recommended I see an ENT. After waiting a month for the ENT appointment, I left disappointed. They only cleaned some earwax, performed a basic hearing test, and told me, "It's tinnitus; you just have to wait and see." They also prescribed Ginkgo, which didn't help.
I had another ENT appointment a few months later. They repeated a hearing test (apparently using the results of the first test), didn't physically examine my ears, and suggested it might be a jaw issue. I followed their advice and visited a dentist, who determined my wisdom teeth needed removal. Unfortunately, the extraction didn't affect my tinnitus at all.
Since then, my tinnitus has fluctuated. Some weeks are manageable, but others are much worse for no apparent reason. Whenever I get sick, it spikes but usually settles down again over a few weeks.
Two weeks ago, I had a cold, and my tinnitus spiked again. Last week, it improved, and I was feeling good until Thursday, when I suddenly experienced a loud noise in my right ear, where the ringing had always been faint. That new noise faded after a day and a half. Then, on Saturday night, while getting ready for bed, I used nasal spray to help with my clogged nose (as I had on previous days). After lying down for a few minutes, the ringing in my right ear suddenly became much more noticeable, and the tone changed.
It's hard to describe, but it shifted from the usual mechanical "eeeeee" to a sharper "iiiii" or "EEEEE." While the volume seemed the same, it was much harder to ignore. Ever since, the tinnitus has felt inconsistent—sometimes louder on the right, sometimes equally in both ears, and occasionally back to the left being dominant.
I'm feeling pretty defeated. The ENTs haven't helped much in identifying the cause. I haven't been able to habituate because the tone and intensity keep changing, and I feel like I'm struggling alone. The only person who seems to understand is my father, who has been living with tinnitus since a bad ear infection 15 years ago.
I'm now waiting for a head MRI and trying to find an ENT who specializes in tinnitus.
Does anyone have tips on how to manage this? I'd really appreciate any advice or help.
Things began when I was dealing with a cold or possibly COVID-19 (I never got tested). On the first day, I noticed a faint ringing while trying to sleep. By the next day, the noise grew louder as the day went on, becoming unbearable by night. Alongside the ringing, I also experienced a feeling of fullness in my ears and a cracking noise whenever I swallowed.
While the ringing isn't as severe as that night, it and the other symptoms have persisted. The tinnitus is mostly in my left ear, with a faint noise in my right ear that I barely notice unless I press against it. If I lie on my right side, the ringing shifts fully to the right ear, which is strange.
I've had several doctor visits since this all began. The first doctor I saw, a general practitioner, noted some light redness in my ears, prescribed blood flow medication, and recommended I see an ENT. After waiting a month for the ENT appointment, I left disappointed. They only cleaned some earwax, performed a basic hearing test, and told me, "It's tinnitus; you just have to wait and see." They also prescribed Ginkgo, which didn't help.
I had another ENT appointment a few months later. They repeated a hearing test (apparently using the results of the first test), didn't physically examine my ears, and suggested it might be a jaw issue. I followed their advice and visited a dentist, who determined my wisdom teeth needed removal. Unfortunately, the extraction didn't affect my tinnitus at all.
Since then, my tinnitus has fluctuated. Some weeks are manageable, but others are much worse for no apparent reason. Whenever I get sick, it spikes but usually settles down again over a few weeks.
Two weeks ago, I had a cold, and my tinnitus spiked again. Last week, it improved, and I was feeling good until Thursday, when I suddenly experienced a loud noise in my right ear, where the ringing had always been faint. That new noise faded after a day and a half. Then, on Saturday night, while getting ready for bed, I used nasal spray to help with my clogged nose (as I had on previous days). After lying down for a few minutes, the ringing in my right ear suddenly became much more noticeable, and the tone changed.
It's hard to describe, but it shifted from the usual mechanical "eeeeee" to a sharper "iiiii" or "EEEEE." While the volume seemed the same, it was much harder to ignore. Ever since, the tinnitus has felt inconsistent—sometimes louder on the right, sometimes equally in both ears, and occasionally back to the left being dominant.
I'm feeling pretty defeated. The ENTs haven't helped much in identifying the cause. I haven't been able to habituate because the tone and intensity keep changing, and I feel like I'm struggling alone. The only person who seems to understand is my father, who has been living with tinnitus since a bad ear infection 15 years ago.
I'm now waiting for a head MRI and trying to find an ENT who specializes in tinnitus.
Does anyone have tips on how to manage this? I'd really appreciate any advice or help.
