Water in Ear Makes Tinnitus Worse

[Chapppy]

Hi, I have had tinnitus for the last ten years or so and have been able to handle it fine. The maybe 5 or so months ago its ramped up something chronic in my left ear. The various noises and horrible full/blocked/hearing loss feeling are leaving me with anxiety and I am at my wits end.

That feeling has been coming and going for the last few months and I have finally pinned down that whenever water gets into my ear is what triggers this awful increase in noise and fullness. I have started wearing earplugs when I wash my hair in the shower and when I surf but sometimes the water gets through. It seems I am not able to complete a simple task as washing my hair without the water making it 100 times worse. It then takes about a week for it to slowly go back to normal tinnitus (if there is such a thing!).

I have a hearing aid that is meant to help reduce the noise, but even with the volume on full (so much that it hurts my normal tinnitus ear) the ringing is still louder than the hearing aid. Like I do not notice any difference at all.

Has anyone else noticed that water makes their tinnitus way worse? Does anyone have any miracles stories of tinnitus being significantly reduced? I am at a total loss here as it is really starting to give me some serious anxiety

 

[Kolisar]

Hello @Chapppy , and welcome.

Your post is a perfect example of the fact that everyone experiences tinnitus differently. Another recent post:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/posts/285683

is about how swimming calms @HeatherC 's tinnitus down.

I would recommend searching the forum to see if anyone else has experienced what you are experiencing.

I would also, if you do not receive an answer here, suggest that you re-port your question in the "Support" section.

I wish I had an answer, as while not water induced, I have has a couple recent spikes that have not dissipated so I can, somewhat, understand your frustration.

As for the anxiety, it will be difficult, but try not to focus on it. Stress is known to make tinnitus worse, and can result in a vicious cycle, anxiety feeding into the tinnitus, and worsening tinnitus symptoms causing more anxiety.

There are a few posts that I often recommend people read, they are about how positivity can help with tinnitus.

In the first, @billie48 wrote his success story demonstrating how positivity helped him habituate.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

The next two are both by @Michael Leigh (who I strongly recommend you search out other posts he started as he has a wealth of knowledge on tinnitus and a talent for clearly presenting that information). In the first he wrote about the importance of positivity:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

and in the second, he wrote about negativity and tinnitus

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

Try to hang in there. It will get better, either in that it will go back to normal, or you will learn to handle it. And we are here when you need someone who understands what you are going through.

I hope your tinnitus calms down soon, please keep us updated on your progress.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Hi @Kolisar,

I would like to thank you for continuing recommend my posts and other members posts, to people that visit this forum for help with tinnitus. Some are clearly in distress and need positive and uplifting advice that won't reinforce some of the negative thinking that is often perpetuated about tinnitus beyond the walls of this forum.

Please keep up the splendid work
All the best
Michael

 

[Kolisar]

I would like to thank you for continuing recommend my posts and other members posts, to people that visit this forum for help with tinnitus. Some are clearly in distress and need positive and uplifting advice that won't reinforce some of the negative thinking that is often perpetuated about tinnitus beyond the walls of this forum.

Thank you. I do my best to provide the best advice I can to help the others members, as I was helped when I joined. I recommend your posts when appropriate because they are excellent and it would be a disservice to the poster to whom I am responding if I attempted to paraphrase or summarize them, so it just makes sense to direct them to the original source.

Again, I thank you for your kind words.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thank you. I do my best to provide the best advice I can to help the others members, as I was helped when I joined. I recommend your posts when appropriate because they are excellent and it would be a disservice to the poster to whom I am responding if I attempted to paraphrase or summarize them, so it just makes sense to direct them to the original source.

Again, I thank you for your kind words.

You are welcome Kolisar and I wish you well.
Take care
Michael

 

[Core2Duo]

Please read this succes history:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...onstant-ringing-in-my-ears.24206/#post-284730

 

[HeatherB]

Hi @Chapppy
I'm in no way an expert on these things but if you are getting a full feeling in your ear it is perhaps worth looking into Eustachian Tube Disfunction (ETD) or issues with the ears draining properly after getting water in them. Both these things worsened my tinnitus but thankfully they can also be treated. Good luck!

 

[Chapppy]

@HeatherB thank you!

 

[Duncan L]

Hi Chappy - I see you are a surfer. This immediately raised an alarm bell for me as I can relate to your symptoms. What you are describing sounds remarkably like "Surfers Ear" or exostoses of the ear canal. Many surfers who spend a lot of time in the water get this chronic condition which is quite simply a narrowing of the ear canal due to bony growths. Also one of the associated conditions is T surprise surprise. When it gets to a certain point, water gets trapped in your ear compounding the issue. Anyway might be worthwhile getting someone with an otoscope have a look to confirm.