Hi folks,
I'm going through a tough time right now, trying my best to fend off depression and anxiety. I thought I'd introduce myself and share a summary of my experience so far.
December 1, 2024
My girlfriend (35) and I (39) decided to test our hearing using a stupid YouTube video I found online. I couldn't hear past 13 kHz in either ear, while she could hear up to 17 kHz. I was surprised and curious. I turned the volume all the way up on my iPhone 14 Pro Max and played the 17 kHz tone directly into both ears. I still couldn't hear it. Then, we played the full frequency sweep at maximum volume. It was so loud that I could feel my ears vibrating, but afterward, I began to hear an 11–13 kHz tone in my head. My girlfriend, thankfully, was unaffected.
December 4, 2024 (Wednesday)
I traveled to England for a work event. After arriving, I took a nap and then went to a bar that evening. It was quite loud, but I avoided the speakers and stayed at the back. I left after a few hours. The ringing from December 1st was still present.
December 5, 2024 (Thursday)
I took a packed train to the airport and flew home after my work event. Although nothing particularly loud happened, it wasn't a great day for my ears.
December 6, 2024 (Friday)
I saw an emergency out-of-hours doctor. He examined my ears and said they looked retracted, likely due to the flights, and reassured me that things would improve in a few weeks. This is when panic, anxiety, and stress began to set in. I started focusing on getting better sleep and distracting myself with video games. I also ordered some earplugs.
December 13, 2024 (Friday)
I spent the entire day cleaning the house and taking things to the local dump. My left ear was still muffled, and the high-pitched ringing persisted. A friend snapped a plank of wood I'd asked him to throw away about 7–10 feet away from me. When it broke, it felt like someone had stabbed my ear. The muffled sensation worsened immediately, though the ringing stayed the same. Later that evening, the muffling returned to its baseline.
December 14, 2024 (Saturday)
I called my BUPA GP, who prescribed Otomize for my ears. Since I didn't have any infections and had read that Otomize could worsen or cause tinnitus, I decided not to use it.
December 16, 2024 (Monday)
I managed to get a cancellation appointment with a private ENT specialist. He examined my ears and performed a hearing test (only up to 8 kHz, as extended frequency tests aren't available in Northern Ireland). My results were above average for my age. A pressure test showed slight movement in my left eardrum but nothing significant. He considered prescribing prednisolone but decided against it after seeing my hearing test results. He scheduled a follow-up for April 15, 2025, to determine if I'll need a scan.
December 17, 2024 (Tuesday)
I had an appointment with an NHS GP. It was a quick check of my ears. There was no earwax, and my blood pressure was normal. Nothing further was suggested.
That brings me to today. I had terrible sleep last night and woke up at 4 a.m. with the loudest screaming in my ear. It was unbearable. Yesterday morning, the sound had reduced to a hiss, which gave me some false hope, but it didn't last.
I've noticed that while sounds don't hurt my ears or seem louder than usual, the more noise I hear, the more my ears feel full and muffled. Popping them doesn't help. Could this be muscle contraction or Eustachian tube inflammation? When my ears feel muffled, I also notice tightness or spasms around my temples and cheeks, mostly on the left side, which is my worse ear.
I know there are no definitive answers and that no one can fix this. I've read every thread and forum post I can find. I joined this forum to share my journey with others who are suffering. I honestly don't know how long I can live like this.
Additional Notes
In the first week, the headaches were much worse. It felt like constant tension headaches, which have since eased. Now, the headaches only return when my ears feel full, but they're milder.
I tried Sudafed for a few days, but it didn't seem to help, so I switched to paracetamol. I avoided ibuprofen after reading it's ototoxic. I've been taking magnesium supplements that my girlfriend had lying around, though I don't have much hope in them.
Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions. I'd love to hear how others cope.
I'm going through a tough time right now, trying my best to fend off depression and anxiety. I thought I'd introduce myself and share a summary of my experience so far.
December 1, 2024
My girlfriend (35) and I (39) decided to test our hearing using a stupid YouTube video I found online. I couldn't hear past 13 kHz in either ear, while she could hear up to 17 kHz. I was surprised and curious. I turned the volume all the way up on my iPhone 14 Pro Max and played the 17 kHz tone directly into both ears. I still couldn't hear it. Then, we played the full frequency sweep at maximum volume. It was so loud that I could feel my ears vibrating, but afterward, I began to hear an 11–13 kHz tone in my head. My girlfriend, thankfully, was unaffected.
December 4, 2024 (Wednesday)
I traveled to England for a work event. After arriving, I took a nap and then went to a bar that evening. It was quite loud, but I avoided the speakers and stayed at the back. I left after a few hours. The ringing from December 1st was still present.
December 5, 2024 (Thursday)
I took a packed train to the airport and flew home after my work event. Although nothing particularly loud happened, it wasn't a great day for my ears.
December 6, 2024 (Friday)
I saw an emergency out-of-hours doctor. He examined my ears and said they looked retracted, likely due to the flights, and reassured me that things would improve in a few weeks. This is when panic, anxiety, and stress began to set in. I started focusing on getting better sleep and distracting myself with video games. I also ordered some earplugs.
December 13, 2024 (Friday)
I spent the entire day cleaning the house and taking things to the local dump. My left ear was still muffled, and the high-pitched ringing persisted. A friend snapped a plank of wood I'd asked him to throw away about 7–10 feet away from me. When it broke, it felt like someone had stabbed my ear. The muffled sensation worsened immediately, though the ringing stayed the same. Later that evening, the muffling returned to its baseline.
December 14, 2024 (Saturday)
I called my BUPA GP, who prescribed Otomize for my ears. Since I didn't have any infections and had read that Otomize could worsen or cause tinnitus, I decided not to use it.
December 16, 2024 (Monday)
I managed to get a cancellation appointment with a private ENT specialist. He examined my ears and performed a hearing test (only up to 8 kHz, as extended frequency tests aren't available in Northern Ireland). My results were above average for my age. A pressure test showed slight movement in my left eardrum but nothing significant. He considered prescribing prednisolone but decided against it after seeing my hearing test results. He scheduled a follow-up for April 15, 2025, to determine if I'll need a scan.
December 17, 2024 (Tuesday)
I had an appointment with an NHS GP. It was a quick check of my ears. There was no earwax, and my blood pressure was normal. Nothing further was suggested.
That brings me to today. I had terrible sleep last night and woke up at 4 a.m. with the loudest screaming in my ear. It was unbearable. Yesterday morning, the sound had reduced to a hiss, which gave me some false hope, but it didn't last.
I've noticed that while sounds don't hurt my ears or seem louder than usual, the more noise I hear, the more my ears feel full and muffled. Popping them doesn't help. Could this be muscle contraction or Eustachian tube inflammation? When my ears feel muffled, I also notice tightness or spasms around my temples and cheeks, mostly on the left side, which is my worse ear.
I know there are no definitive answers and that no one can fix this. I've read every thread and forum post I can find. I joined this forum to share my journey with others who are suffering. I honestly don't know how long I can live like this.
Additional Notes
In the first week, the headaches were much worse. It felt like constant tension headaches, which have since eased. Now, the headaches only return when my ears feel full, but they're milder.
I tried Sudafed for a few days, but it didn't seem to help, so I switched to paracetamol. I avoided ibuprofen after reading it's ototoxic. I've been taking magnesium supplements that my girlfriend had lying around, though I don't have much hope in them.
Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions. I'd love to hear how others cope.
