Can a virus cause tinnitus?

[Rolson77]

Two months ago I had tonsillitis. During this time I developed tinnitus. It's been two months today since it started and I've had enough of it. I'm really scared it'll never go away. I was really hoping my ear was just inflamed and would recover. It hasn't. I can't sleep. I can't concentrate at work. The amount of work I get done in a day has rapidly decreased as I can't focus. I'm exhausted. It reduces me to tears. Was the tonsillitis a coincidence? I just don't know why it's started now. I look after my ears. Never use cotton buds, am always the one who gets laughed at for wearing ear plugs at gigs. I'm just so fed up.

I used to get it at uni after a night out and one day it wouldn’t shift for a couple of days and it really threw me. I would then avoid going anywhere near speakers in clubs.

Then in my late 20s I got it I think just after I had my first child. I ended up using the toy that played white noise for her, for me at night! It really helped. I had it for a long time but it went. I’m sure it then came back again with my second child but not as bad.

I think the problem is Drs don’t know much about it.

Did you have it in both ears? The fact that mine is only in one makes me feel so off balance. It's been two months of hell.

Totally anecdotal but I've had it since the Covid jab. Came on pretty much overnight. So yes I think totally possible.

My GP referred me to ENT for a tinnitus management program. I don't know if that may help?

I’ve had tinnitus for 25 years now. It can be a bit annoying sometimes but it is something I’ve got used to. I saw an ENT consultant about it and he asked if I took antibiotics because there are some that can cause it. Did you have antibiotics for your tonsillitis?

I need to give the GP a call. Chronic Dr avoider but think I may give them a call on Friday.

I've had it since starting to take antidepressants.

Tinnitus like symptoms. If your virus gives you post nasal drip you may well get some ear discomfort and disruption. Likely to be temporary

I didn't. No. I didn't go to the dr. Just looked in my mouth and saw huge tonsils then rode it out. It only lasted a few days.

Ask for an iron test, my tinnitus gets worse when my ferritin nosedives. It's pretty common for women to have low iron

Weirdly even though I had it for ages I can’t remember! After night outs both. But long term possibly it was one side. I don’t think it was both..
But not the same side each time. I have it mildly now but I’m on some tablets which it can be a side effect of.

I've had it since I developed hypothyroidism. You get used to it. Try not to focus on it was the best tip I was given, the less you think about it, the more it fades into the background.

I hope i get used to it. It's so loud. Like a bell ringing in my ear constantly.

I would definitely recommend white noise to get more sleep. Or very quiet talk radio until you get a white noise machine.

I got tinnitus after having Covid, it’s in both ears but much worse in the left. There’s nothing the doctor can do so I’ve had to learn to block it out. It’s definitely worse if I’m tired so I need a bit of background noise to sleep. It used to drive me up the wall when DH watched TV in bed but I need the noise now!
You will learn to block it out, it just takes a little time.

I had it for many months after catching Covid, though fingers crossed seems to have settled.

Tonsillitis can absolutely cause tinnitus, and a severe infection can even perforate your eardrum (this happened to my daughter). If this has happened your eardrum will heal. Residual fluid from infection in your middle ear can also cause it. Go see your GP and I second using white noise to help.

I put a podcast on as I find white noise about as annoying as the tinnitus. But yes, sound helps.

And I've had a new layer of tinnitus on top of what I already had since the first time I had covid.

Also have had it since covid so probably 3 years now. It has definitely lessened in that time though I don't notice it much now unless extremely tired

Yes a podcast would do the job!
where we live I can hear the main road at night so even that helps with a window open.

Yes of course. Ears, nose and throat are all very much connected. I would see a doctor and also ask for an ENT referral if it’s affecting your life that much.
It can disappear though on its own so don’t lose heart. It did for me.

Oh really?

You have my sympathy, it's bloody awful. I hope you are able to cope with it.

One of my friends has had hearing loss after the jab and now has a hearing aid on one side and then she apparently found out it was a recorded side effect so it would make sense that tinnitus was too. Seems like getting covid causes it too - so we can’t win!

I've had it since I had Covid last year and then an ear infection. You do get used to it - reading this thread made me tune into it and it's really quite noisy! But I don't think about it much day to day.

It's definitely lessened since I first had it too. I went to a very loud gig a few weeks ago and had another layer of tinnitus on top of my usual - that was very annoying because I wasn't used to it. But it only lasted a day.

I didn't realise it was an acknowledged side effect. My GP flagged it but I wasn't aware there were others.

I'm.sorry for your friend, that must be so difficult - thinking you are doing the right thing and it results in a disability. Just awful