What Efforts Did You Take to Rule Out Underlying Issues of Your Tinnitus?

[chaLLas]

I also think that tinnitus is primarily caused by hearing loss and that reversing that will quieten tinnitus back down. I guess I'm in that boat because my tinnitus clearly started after an acoustic trauma.

Nevertheless I often read about people that got rid of their tinnitus (even if primarily noise induced) by fixing some kind of underlying issue, like fixing TMJD, taking a specific supplement, adjusting diet, going to a chiropractor, taking a specific drug etc.

That raises the thought that even if tinnitus started due to noise, there may be an underlying issue that even worsens it - but initially may not have been enough to trigger tinnitus by itself. If that even makes any sense ...

Did you try to rule out any underlying issues regarding you tinnitus and if so, how did it work out? What types of doctors did you visit?

I find it a very hard thing to do because the doctors I visited never took me serious (classic for a tinnitus sufferer). I also had the feeling that they were not very professional ... I think to find such an underlying issue (especially TMJD and poor posture/neck etc. ...), you need someone that really looks into your stuff and understands. It is very hard to find a doctor in my region that takes stuff seriously. So just because I have already visited many many doctors does not mean I actually ruled out the underlying issues ... I guess the search must go on.

 

[another sean]

none. I was certain it was overuse of headphones even thought the ENT wanted to check everything including my kitchen sink

 

[Jenny_S]

Hello. My onset tinnitus started as soon as I'd been exposed to loud sounds a few years ago. Then my ear popping reaction to sound a few hours after the acoustic reflex/tymp test and now after a recent voiced fire alarm...morse code after a week of my ear feeling full and dull pain. I had no problems with my ears before the original incident so it is very, very unlikely these are coincidental in my case.

I understand when you talk about checking for underlying problems especially in terms of worsening the condition and can give you as the sufferer some peace of mind but it could be you are chasing a cure that you'll never find. It may only help those whose tinnitus came completely out of the blue to find a cause. However I am not a health professional and if you feel that some good (and you have the income) can come from your search, carry on.

 

[Tinniger]

Looking at it logically, it is quite unlikely that a tinnitus caused by a noise event will be accompanied by further TMJ or neck problems.
That would be like looking for fleas in a disease caused by lice.
There are people who have lice and fleas, but this should be the big exception when rational considerations are made.

 

[Drone Draper]

none. I was certain it was overuse of headphones even thought the ENT wanted to check everything including my kitchen sink

I guess if you don't have nationalised health care, they want to make money off you, lol

 

[GregCA]

Did you try to rule out any underlying issues regarding you tinnitus and if so, how did it work out? What types of doctors did you visit?

Visited GP, ENT, neurotologist. Did blood panels, CT Scan, MRI, oral prednisone, intratympanic injection... finally diagnosed otosclerosis and did surgery.

You seem to know your root cause: acoustic trauma. I don't know that there is much more digging to do since you already have a reasonable cause.

 

[Tex]

You'll have better luck making note of what you've had or did to rule out what makes it spike.

 

[Ken219]

I had an MRI to rule out a tumor. That was 30 years ago.