What Could Have Caused My Non-Stop Loud Ringing in the Ears?

[MelanieR]

Hello everyone! I am a 49-year-old female and my tinnitus started 2 years ago. It started out, coming and going and at lower frequency at first. I went to an ENT Doc & had a hearing test and he said, my hearing wasn't exactly where it needed to be but basically normal for my age. Sent me home with absolutely nothing.

2 weeks ago the left ear started a continuous, nonstop loud ringing to where it is really affecting my life in a very negative way. It's consuming and I can't concentrate. It is also I'm the right ear now too. I went to my regular physician and she did see fluid behind both ears and prescribed me nasal steroid spray and Sudogest (Pseudoephedrine). The ringing is just as loud and even louder at times. I am just at a loss on what has caused this. I can't fall asleep now, most nights, due to the ongoing loud ringing and that's even with a loud fan running in the background. I'm so scared I am just going to have to deal with this forever. Also, my ears pop every single time I swallow and the left ear, that rings the loudest, pops the most.

Any feedback, I'd appreciate. This is life changing and debilitating!

 

[GregCA]

I went to an ENT Doc & had a hearing test and he said, my hearing wasn't exactly where it needed to be but basically normal for my age.

That's a bit of a contradictory statement, isn't it? To me, if it's not where it needs to be, it means it's not normal for your age.

At any rate, we lose hearing as we age, and faster if we insult our hearing apparatus on a regular basis (like going to concerts, or working with loud machinery). Hearing loss is the main culprit for tinnitus, but there are some other causes too.

You can go down the diagnosis path with your doctor. This flow chart could help you both:

https://www.tinnitusresearch.net/index.php/for-clinicians/diagnostic-flowchart

Good luck!

 

[lucy_snow]

At any rate, we lose hearing as we age, and faster if we insult our hearing apparatus on a regular basis (like going to concerts, or working with loud machinery). Hearing loss is the main culprit for tinnitus, but there are some other causes too.

Did you mean that if one starts to wear hearing aids, the hearing will deteriorate faster? So we have to postpone the hearing aids as much as we can?

 

[MelanieR]

That's a bit of a contradictory statement, isn't it? To me, if it's not where it needs to be, it means it's not normal for your age.

I agree. I thought it was contradicting as well. So, why not suggest a hearing aid to help, right? I have an appointment on Thursday and am curious what they will suggest. Been taking the Sudogest and Steroid nasal spray, a week today. I also have a pulse, at times, along with the ringing. Some days it's so loud, I just want to cry.

Thanks everyone, for being so warm & understanding. It's nice to know, it's not just me.

 

[GregCA]

I agree. I thought it was contradicting as well. So, why not suggest a hearing aid to help, right?

I guess it would be useful to figure out if there is any underlying condition that causes the hearing loss (other than aging), because some root causes are treatable.

I have an appointment on Thursday and am curious what they will suggest. Been taking the Sudogest and Steroid nasal spray, a week today. I also have a pulse, at times, along with the ringing. Some days it's so loud, I just want to cry.

If you have Pulsatile Tinnitus (at times) you may have a vascular component. That's why it's important to go down the diagnosis route. Good thing you have an appointment coming to discuss all of this.

Good luck!

 

[GregCA]

Did you mean that if one starts to wear hearing aids, the hearing will deteriorate faster?

No, that's not what I meant.

 

[Peter61]

Hi Melanie,

A lot of people are confronted with tinnitus sooner or later in their lives. You may ask yourself: Where did it come from? Maybe you have to go way back in time. When you used to listen to music through headphones, when you went to a concert of your favorite rock band, when you went out with friends to a club, drinking all night and not being aware of the ultra loud noise that was blasted into your ears for hours on end. It has to do with your hearing "track record". What did you expose your ears to in the past? Because it works cumulatively. It's like a wall that's being built brick by brick by brick. Every time a little hearing damage is added, and the final outcome is permanently ringing ears. In my personal case I wish I had been more aware of the danger of loud noise exposure. But I didn't have a clue. I was a young kid, and I just loved loud rock music. Had they told me in advance about the vulnerability of the human hearing, I would have been much more cautious. But I was IGNORANT. And ignorance is your worst enemy. I wish they had warned me, that they had told me... My parents, my teachers at school, media campaigns on radio and TV... But nobody did. I was an ignorant fool and I damaged my precious hearing for life. And now I have to live with that. I'm learning, but it's a long hard rocky road. But I'm getting there. It just takes a lot of time. Life is not easy. For me it isn't anyway. For some others it may be, I don't know. But not for me. But it is what it is. I accept my fate. I deserve it. It's just what happens when you abuse your hearing. It's like 1 + 1 = 2.

 

[MelanieR]

I am suffering tremendously with loud, high pitched, tea kettle sound tinnitus that is pretty much 24/7 and on a scale of 1-10, as far as loudness goes, it stays at between a 5 to 10 all the time.

I thought it was from starting Lexapro 4 years ago, as I know it does cause ear ringing. When the ringing started 4 years ago, it was lower and I could handle it... put it on the back burner... but in November 2021, I woke up with the loud, tea kettle screech in my ears and I'm seriously having a hard time dealing.

Has anyone else got this high pitched noise and habituated? I'm pretty positive mine is TMJ and stress related. I have anxiety disorder as well and been on benzodiazepines all my life from having chronic panic attacks. Coming off these would be impossible. I can barely function on them before tinnitus and now that I have such a catastrophic condition, that is honestly the worst thing I've ever dealt with, there's definitely no way.

I'm feeling so hopeless. Just seeking others that have it this extreme, for any feedback that may help. I'm at my wit's end. Thank you.

 

[GregCA]

Has anyone else got this high pitched noise and habituated?

I have. But to me habituation doesn't mean it doesn't bother me anymore. I just don't get surprised by it anymore, nor do I feel any anxiety (or just rarely). I also don't talk about it anymore either. It's just there, it still sucks. Every once in a while it makes life really difficult.

Give it more time... I don't think you can really accelerate the timelines that much.

Good luck!

 

[MelanieR]

Thank you Greg for the feedback. I have started on a low dose of Lexapro because my anxiety got so bad, I had terrible thoughts and checked myself into a mental health facility. I had to choose between mental health and my life or the ringing. My main problem is not sleeping at night, even with a handful of sleep meds and now trouble masking the Tinnitus at bedtime because it's insanely high pitched and loud. I'm a stay home Housewife, so I am hearing this 24/7. Even with white noise it still screams over it.

I pray for a cure for this beast someday.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I also have a pulse, at times

Those that have fluid in the middle ear, often hear their heartbeat. That's because the blood vessels around the ear will usually pulsate the fluid (which temporarily replaces air) in the middle ear. Don't be concerned about the pulsating, it's not pulsatile tinnitus.

my ears pop every single time I swallow and the left ear, that rings the loudest, pops the most.

Your problem could stem from nasal congestion related to allergy, a sinus condition, but doubtful a chronic upper respiratory infection.

Try gargling with warm salt water, which can help clear the Eustachian tubes. Sucking on candy or chewing gum may also help.

If nasal steroid spray and Sudogest Pseudoephedrine isn't helping, talk to your doctor about antibiotics. A two-hour window between taking an antibiotic and other medication may be needed.

 

[nogg]

Hello MelanieR, I can certainly understand you distress, and I wish there was a fix I could offer. I would at least suggest that you shop around for an ENT who specifically specializes in tinnitus. Most ENTs don't really seem to focus on it and I suspect are not very knowledgeable or interested in it. The ENTs I went to many years ago told me 1) You don't have tinnitus. 2) You have a functional hearing problem (I'm crazy) and suggest you see a therapist. They also seemed to have no concept of hyperacusis. Only the 3rd ENT I saw understood the problem, diagnosed the hyperacusis and told how he had 3 or 4 patients a year with the problem. Unfortunately at that time, he had no other suggestions than to use hearing protection. That was almost 40 years ago, so I can excuse the lack of knowledge at that time. But, the point is to find an ENT who works with tinnitus patients. Your doctor was good to recognize the fluid buildup, something the ENT should have been able to do, which might say something about your ENT.

So, I ran across this video the other day where a doctor (I think) talks about tinnitus and suggests some exercises. I especially like his explanations of what could go wrong and how the Eustachian tubes are often involved. I think the video is worth watching just for that. I haven't tried the exercises that he goes on to demonstrate, but for some people it might have some benefit, and certainly no harm. So, I encourage you to watch the video so see what you think.