Virus Caused Tinnitus

[Sparkle92]

Hi everyone, I got tinnitus after a a bad flu like head cold that lasted about a month (in November). I got intermittent tinnitus during the end of the virus. My dr had me go on Flonase and Claritin. I tried that for a week or so. The tinnitus then didn't bother me since it was on and off and not disruptive. I have also got 2 more head colds in between then and hay fever symptoms the past few weeks but are subsiding now. However, I woke one morning (February 29th) with loud, constant ringing that is still with me. I went to my ENT and he said its from allergies, TMJ and stress. I tend to be somewhat of an anxious person. My question is, has anyone had a similar experience to mine, getting tinnitus from a virus? Can this be permanent since its been so long? Does anyone have success in it reducing or going away?

 

[glynis]

A warm welcome to the forum Sparkle92.
Viruses can cause tinnitus and also your ears are the last to get better.
I see you mention since then you have had more colds.
A mucous linctus can help move any unwanted mucous in your tubes and steam inhalation.
Time is a great healer and for some people the tinnitus will go away altogether but for some it can remain or come and go.
You will get lots of support on Tinnitus Talk around the clock so post away on the main forums....lots of love glynis

 

[Sparkle92]

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. And thank you for the welcome! I am having a hard time dealing with the constant ringing, do people habituate easily or does it take a while? I'm so glad I found this site, it's nice to share stories and have support from people that have it. Thanks again!

 

[billie48]

I am having a hard time dealing with the constant ringing, do people habituate easily or does it take a while?

Can this be permanent since its been so long? Does anyone have success in it reducing or going away?

Welcome to the forum. Whether T will go away or not eventually is not easy to know. Is it possible? Yes, there are people whose T vanished, or faded to barely audible level. Some took a supplement and it works for them. Most though just habituate to T over time even if it doesn't go away. The body has the ability to do habituate to T if you don't put up a painful & negative resistance to the reality of living with T. How long to habituate depends on the person and the severity of T. But it is commonly quoted that from 6 months to 2 years or so. But again it is highly variable. I took 3 years because I had both ultra high pitch T & severe H and I was panic prone before T & H.

Many members get better and post their success stories including myself. A few years back I was literally overwhelmed by both T & H, and I thought I would never enjoy life again. But here I am living a normal & absolutely enjoyable life. I listed in my story some of the helpful strategies which work for me. If you have time, check these stories out. Don't panic and despair. Give it some time. Try some masking to soothe. You will find that as you keep more calm and positive, T will become less intrusive. Take care. God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

You may want also to read the most read success story 'Back to Silence' with a simple effective strategy by IWLM:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/back-to-silence.7172/

 

[MattYYZ]

I suspect I got it from a bad ENT infection but wasn't virus, was either a reaction to mold in a hotel or the mold treatment they were using ( and trying to hide ) in the hotel. See my introduction for the full story. I have had it constantly for 18 months and have tried a number of ways to deal with it. No success yet.

For years my Dentist had been telling me that I grind my teeth and my wife would say that I don't - she would hear it or see it at night. It is so confounding that someone trained specifically in dentistry wouldn't at least thinking of daytime grinding - (bruxism). I found a better dentist recently over a separate issue and he was the first one to mention this. And at 47, I realized I had been a bad daytime teeth grinder my entire life. But I had always pictured it as a sawing/grinding motion so I never thought of it - it's more of a constant clenching and very subtle grinding. The muscles in my TMJ were some of the largest he'd ever seen - so that creates intense pressure constantly very close the ear. I mentioned this to my ENT specialist and he said TMJ pressure can cause tinnitus. Only in the last 3 months have I been working on it to just release the pressure. No success with tinnitus but my Dentist is happy.

Best of luck.

 

[Sparkle92]

Thank you Billie and Matt for your replies. its encouraging to know people habituate and for others it fades or goes away. I checked out your success story @billie48 and I want to thank you for posting such great advice, that is an inspiring story and gives me a lot of hope. Positivity and keeping busy I realized is very important. Thank you for posting your story.

@MattYYZ that is interesting about grinding your teeth. The ENT I went to asked me if I clench my jaw and he thinks I have a little tmj. A chiropractor I saw also said I have tmj yet my dentist said I don't have it. I don't know what to believe. I have been stressed the past couple of months as well and I have noticed my jaw is tense and clenched throughout the day. I am going to try and relax it and see if it helps. I think reducing stress as well would be of benefit.

 

[mjf009]

Hi. I had a nasty virus just over a week ago now. It effected my nose, throat and my left ear became completely blocked. As the virus has subsided and the fluid in my ear has started to go I have a low rumbling noise in my ear. It sounds like a car engine. At first for a few days it came and went however when it went every time I moved my head I could hear like a fluttering noise in my ear. It's now been constant for the last 48 hours and it's driving me crazy. If I move my head it goes for a second and then returns also if I put my finger in my ear it goes. Has anyone had this before and does anyone know what has happened to my ear? I'm hoping that it's some kind of inflammation in my ear and as it goes down it will go. It's day 7 now since this all began. I will report back if there's been any change.