Tinnitus? Please help

[Jlavoie 14]

Hi @Zazz and @MARC thanks guys! I appreciate the responses! It’s the only issue I’m struggling with currently and it’s been a challenge for me to get use to it and just stop wondering what caused it and if there’s anything I can do to make it better! It mostly bothers me at night trying to sleep and when relaxing but I just need to work really hard on trying to ignore it. I fixate on it so much it’s not helpful. And it’s hard when some days it’s like non existent and some days it’s so loud and bothersome.

[Jlavoie 14]

Hi everyone! Currently having a lot of anxiety about my ears ringing.. today it seems much worse than it’s been in a while. Does anyone else have spikes where it’s louder some days than others? I went on a tinnitus forum and was so doom and gloom and really stressed me out. Also, has anyone experienced habituation? Where eventually you stop obsessing over it and it doesn’t seem so bad? 

[MARC 431]

I have had Tinnutis 24 hours a day seven days a week for some time. I told my ENT and internal medicine physicians about it and they said it is pretty common and that they have it too and to live with it and I have done so. My ringing, whistling and buzzing is primarily in my left ear.

[BrightPhoenix 78]

Make that followup with the ENT.  They know more than your PCP/GP.

I've had tinnitus since I got ear infections in both ears back when I was 10.  You learn to live with it.

My tinnitus got a bit worse over the past few months but they've coincided with my allergies getting much worse as well.  Your bad cold probably did something to your eustachian tubes, so go see your ENT - they can help you get treatments to clear them up.  If the last thing that caused your tinnitus was a cold, it was most likely something related to the cold so I wouldn't be too worried.  On top of that, may I remind you to NOT LOOK UP GOOGLE when you do this.  Go to your ENT first.

[BrightPhoenix 78]

17 hours ago, Jlavoie said:

Hi everyone! Currently having a lot of anxiety about my ears ringing.. today it seems much worse than it’s been in a while. Does anyone else have spikes where it’s louder some days than others? I went on a tinnitus forum and was so doom and gloom and really stressed me out. Also, has anyone experienced habituation? Where eventually you stop obsessing over it and it doesn’t seem so bad? 

Yes.  I've had a spike for the past month myself, and on occasion I get brief spikes that last maybe 5 minutes.  I will repeat myself, go to an ENT, they will help you figure things out and communicate to them that you have health anxiety and would like to have your concerns addressed so you can get proper medical reassurance.

[Jlavoie 14]

@BrightPhoenix thanks so much for your help! I will set up an appointment with ent- I’m less worried about anything bad rather just stressed about the impact it’s had on me and if it’ll hang around for a long time- I’m glad to know you do get use to it after a while. It definitely seems like its related to my cold I had- kinda weird it went away for a bit now back full blast. Appreciate the response. Sometimes just knowing it’s common and millions of other people have it helps me move on.

[BrightPhoenix 78]

8 minutes ago, Jlavoie said:

@BrightPhoenix thanks so much for your help! I will set up an appointment with ent- I’m less worried about anything bad rather just stressed about the impact it’s had on me and if it’ll hang around for a long time- I’m glad to know you do get use to it after a while. It definitely seems like its related to my cold I had- kinda weird it went away for a bit now back full blast. Appreciate the response. Sometimes just knowing it’s common and millions of other people have it helps me move on.

If, and I emphasize IF it does stay around, and once again I will have to repeat myself - IF - your brain will be able to cope with it.  I think medical reassurance should calm you down, even if your ENT says he or she can't find anything wrong with your ear and you get your litany of tests to check, if they can't find anything wrong, then you're in the same position I was in.  It sucks, but as long as your actual hearing isn't affected, you should be ok.  This is IF.  Hopefully they find your cause and will help treat it.

I had ear plugging/increased tinnitus troubles after a cold and it didn't clear up even though the cold went away for a week or two.

It's a common condition.  But don't assume the worst.  And I will repeat myself, do NOT Google it.  You WILL find stuff that will fuel your anxiety. 

Here's another anecdote.  A coworker of mine several years ago was using one of those Asian wooden spoon pick swab things to clean out his earwax - he ended up screwing up and shoved the earwax too far back into his ear, but he had no idea because he couldn't see it.

His hearing got worse, and for a good two or three days he developed really bad tinnitus in that ear.  Me and some other coworkers had to practically yell at him to go to the doctor, and they could easily tell there was impacted earwax (fancy way of saying earwax was stuck).  The moment his ear got irrigated?

He said it was like he was released from some sort of prison.  This isn't the same as your condition, but since you said it started after your cold, you have a clear link - it's not like it popped up out of nowhere.  So a link should help your ENT figure out what's going on.

[Jlavoie 14]

@BrightPhoenix you are soo helpful! Thank you so much! I am going to set up an appt with ent to see if anything can be done and like you said if not, I will adjust to it over time. Need to stop obsessing... it doesn’t help anything and definitely makes it worse

[Jlavoie 14]

@BrightPhoenix hello! I have made an appointment with ent but it’s not for a few weeks.. do you have any coping techniques for times when the ringing seems much louder? I’m struggling a lot right now. I’ve been so good recently and the past few nights my ears have been blaring compared to what they’ve been. Then I panic it will stay like this... since this all began a year ago it’s fluctuated so much. It pretty much went away all last summer and then bam back again since October but have had times where I barely notice it. My anxiety is through the roof right now. Tips would be much appreciated! Thanks so much!! 

[BrightPhoenix 78]

You should work on trying to get an earlier appointment if possible.  And since I've lived with it all my life I can't tell what kind of coping techniques are necessary.  I generally "forget" about it when I do stuff like engage in extracurricular activity (some biking).  I guess it's really hard when it's something new to you vs something you've lived with all your life.  Like I usually play music or games or I hang out outside and I can't hear it during the daytime, but it can get annoying at night.

Is there a therapist you can talk to?  I'm generally bad at giving psychiatric advice.  I'm not an expert but the main thing is if the ringing comes and goes *but your hearing is still fine*, which it sounds like it is for you then I wouldn't be too worried.  Do remember, lots of people live with it, you've had other people in this thread tell you how they have to live with it.  *This does not mean it is a longtime thing for you*.  It could be something simple like allergies, or maybe some wax stuck in your ear, or it could be your sinuses causing issues (do you have sinus problems?  I do).

[Jlavoie 14]

@BrightPhoenix I unfortunately can’t get anything sooner 😞 I do appreciate your response which is helpful! I do have slight allergies so it may be that. I worked hard on my breathing last night as I was trying to fall asleep and honestly it helped a lot. It helped calm me down and somewhat ignore the ringing. I worked hard in the past on not hyperfocusing on things and struggling a bit at the moment. Small reminders like this honestly help me refocus and chill out a bit. Until I can be seen I’m going to work hard on not checking if the ringing is still there and just ignoring it the best I can, drawing attention to it is only making it worse and fueling anxiety which is making me on such high alert! Once again I really appreciate the response! 

[Ironman 198]

1 hour ago, Jlavoie said:

@BrightPhoenix I unfortunately can’t get anything sooner 😞 I do appreciate your response which is helpful! I do have slight allergies so it may be that. I worked hard on my breathing last night as I was trying to fall asleep and honestly it helped a lot. It helped calm me down and somewhat ignore the ringing. I worked hard in the past on not hyperfocusing on things and struggling a bit at the moment. Small reminders like this honestly help me refocus and chill out a bit. Until I can be seen I’m going to work hard on not checking if the ringing is still there and just ignoring it the best I can, drawing attention to it is only making it worse and fueling anxiety which is making me on such high alert! Once again I really appreciate the response! 

Have you tried a white noise machine or something to drown out the ringing?

[Jlavoie 14]

@Ironman I do have a white noise and fan going which helps I’m just so fixated on it that it’s making it worse sadly. But working very hard on not doing so. And I sleep on my side so sometimes that increases the sound since we ear is down on the pillow

[Ironman 198]

3 minutes ago, Jlavoie said:

@Ironman I do have a white noise and fan going which helps I’m just so fixated on it that it’s making it worse sadly. But working very hard on not doing so. And I sleep on my side so sometimes that increases the sound since we ear is down on the pillow

Hmm.....it's a matter of at least taking your mind off the ringing.  Is it just white or actual sound, like waves on a  beach?

[Jlavoie 14]

@Ironman it’s just the snooz brand white noise machine... maybe I should try a sound instead!

[BrightPhoenix 78]

Yes, white noise works.  I usually have Youtube audio playing while I try to fall asleep.  I also play a little bit of solitaire on my phone or something simple and relaxing to help me fall asleep as well.

I still suggest you find a psychiatrist to talk to.  Simply talking to someone who knows how to deal with these situations will help you deal with the waiting period.

[Ironman 198]

1 hour ago, Jlavoie said:

@Ironman it’s just the snooz brand white noise machine... maybe I should try a sound instead!

It would need to be something like an actual sound that can pull your mind away from your ears.  Nature would be good,  I am not sure about a rainstorm because it would sound too much like white noise.

[MARC 431]

I have  had Tinnutis for so long I am used to it. A friend of mine who is a physician has it too and he at one point had trouble dealing with it too. At this point I wish my Tinnutis was my biggest issue to deal with in my life so I try to put things in perspective. 

[Doug97 19]

I've had tinnitus forever, I notice it gets much worse when my anxiety is bad.