Trying to Cope with Tinnitus and TTTS After Flying: Is Anxiety Making It Worse?

[JAA1989]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself and, if possible, get some support with what I have been dealing with.

Seven weeks ago, I flew with a cold and landed with a blocked ear. That night, I managed to pop it (though now I worry I should not have) and was in a lot of pain overnight. The next morning, a doctor came to see me, diagnosed an ear infection, and prescribed antibiotics, pain relief, and ear drops. The pain subsided quickly, but my ear stayed blocked until after I flew home. Thankfully, the flight back was pain free.

As soon as I landed, I noticed ringing in my ears. I should mention two things here:

1. My ears were ringing during the trip. I know because I texted my friend about it, though it did not bother me. Maybe it was quieter then? I will never know for sure.
2. I found old texts to friends saying I sometimes had ringing at night but could easily tune it out. Unfortunately, I cannot remember what that sounded like since I am now so focused on how it sounds now.

Since the ringing became noticeable six weeks ago, my life has been a struggle. I am barely able to work and constantly feel anxious. I would say the ringing is moderate; I can hear it faintly over the TV but not in the shower, although if I focus, I can hear it in most places.

The ringing has also changed since it began. It has moved into my "good" ear, and now I have developed TTTS in that ear as well. My toddler is honestly the only thing keeping me going right now.

I feel like everything has worsened because my anxiety is through the roof. I do not understand any other reason for the TTTS in my good ear, plus the increase in sounds.

I am trying so hard to stay positive, but I am terrified of this getting worse and keep reading conflicting advice. Should I be protecting my ears? I have had two hearing tests, both of which came back fine. If I knew it would stay at this level, I feel like I could manage it over time, but it already seems to be changing.

Is it possible that my anxiety is making this worse? I know TTTS can be triggered by anxiety.

I am so confused about whether I should be protecting my ears or just trying to live my life and ignore it.

Thank you so much for reading this long message. I really appreciate it if you made it this far.

 

[Mikeyblue]

What you're describing captures the typical emotions that accompany the onset of tinnitus. I became familiar with this feeling myself back in 2019. Anxiety undeniably plays a significant role in how one copes with it—something easier said than done, I know, as I am currently experiencing a spike myself. However, I assure you that improvement will come, even if it feels slow. Trying to eliminate the tinnitus or fixating on the sound will only heighten your anxiety and perpetuate the cycle. The best advice I can offer is to be patient and avoid setting deadlines. If the tinnitus doesn't fade, know that, with time, you'll learn to habituate to the sound. Allow yourself that time, and try to relax as best as you can.

P.S. For now, avoid overprotecting your ears in everyday life. Live normally, but steer clear of very loud environments for the time being to let your emotions and ears settle. When you're ready for louder settings, wear ear protection. I use Loops and find them effective.

 

[JAA1989]

What you're describing captures the typical emotions that accompany the onset of tinnitus. I became familiar with this feeling myself back in 2019. Anxiety undeniably plays a significant role in how one copes with it—something easier said than done, I know, as I am currently experiencing a spike myself. However, I assure you that improvement will come, even if it feels slow. Trying to eliminate the tinnitus or fixating on the sound will only heighten your anxiety and perpetuate the cycle. The best advice I can offer is to be patient and avoid setting deadlines. If the tinnitus doesn't fade, know that, with time, you'll learn to habituate to the sound. Allow yourself that time, and try to relax as best as you can.

P.S. For now, avoid overprotecting your ears in everyday life. Live normally, but steer clear of very loud environments for the time being to let your emotions and ears settle. When you're ready for louder settings, wear ear protection. I use Loops and find them effective.

Thank you so much for responding. I really appreciate it. I'm trying incredibly hard to keep my anxiety in check, but with a history of generalized anxiety disorder and OCD, this is the toughest battle I've ever faced!

I truly appreciate your support, and I will keep going, as I must.

Thank you again.

 

[Mikeyblue]

I've had OCD since my teens (I'm 36 now). I always say tinnitus is my kryptonite. When I first got it, I was constantly caught in catastrophic thinking, focusing on the sound, and monitoring it. This is the vicious loop of OCD: negative thoughts and sound monitoring.

Even now, during a spike, I still monitor, but my emotional response is much less intense compared to when I first got it. With the initial onset, the emotional impact was the hardest part, with lack of sleep, overthinking, and anxiety creating that vicious cycle.

Eventually, I reached a point where I thought, "I don't care how loud it is; I'm getting some rest." Progress was slow, but one good night's sleep turned into two, then it was two steps forward and one step back. Over time, I went a whole month with mostly good sleep, and I realized I hadn't even thought about the tinnitus. This is habituation and it can take weeks or months, but it does happen.

Stay positive

 

[LukeYoung]

I am not sure if it is related to the flight—maybe the pressure buildup and popping caused something. I have had a similar experience before, but it was much worse than just tinnitus. After being blocked for five days straight, once it finally unblocked, I experienced intense reactive sounds and metallic, alien-like cicadas mixed with white noise, which had previously been a source of relief for me. Thankfully, it did pass with time.

It could be anything. If you truly had an infection, I would expect you to experience pain, not just symptoms from barotrauma. Also, if the infection started before the flight, there might have been other signs. Personally, I would not take antibiotics unless I was absolutely certain I needed them. Taking them "just in case" would not be enough reason for me.