Tinnitus

[Puppupandaway]

I'm really suffering with tinnitus at the moment and wanted to hear other people's experiences of it. I've had my ear wax microsuctioned, I'm on antibiotics for an ear infection but I feel like this tinnitus is separate. I'm due to have a hearing test once the antibiotics are finished.

What is your tinnitus like? Mine is like the hum of a boiler when the heating is on. It is very loud at night, waking me up. My hearing is muffled because of it. If I clench my teeth, I get awful whistling tinnitus too. Anyone else?

I'm wondering if it's linked to perimenopause. I'm 46, healthy with no other health issues. My BP is fine. But my periods have been going haywire the last few months and I've been quite emotional when they do arrive.

Thanks.

I have 3 different noises, whooshing, hissing and humming. One is definitely caused by my jaw. I grind my teeth at might so that probably doesn't help. One is from when I had labyrinthitis years ago and gets loud when I'm tired. The other, I don't know. Maybe just the sound of being alive! If you get sensitive to tinnitus it can seem really loud, but if you don't think about it it can go away for long periods. My GP recommended distraction!

My definitely is worse when I’m tired or overdoing it. I try hard not to tune into it otherwise it’s worse. I got mine when I had covid. I’m sure your ear infection will be aggravating it. CBT techniques are good as there is no cure as such.

Mine started three years ago after surgery. I had an MRI and there was nothing sinister. I forget about it most of the time. Now I've read your post I can now hear it....

I had this and then lost my hearing a couple day later. Was on antibiotics, ears were cleaned and yet still jo hearing. Had to have a hearing aid.

@jadey1991 This is what I'm worried about. I just have a feeling that it is heading this way. I never mentioned on my original post, but I've also had distorted hearing for the last 2 weeks. Everyone, including myself, sounds robotic. All music is out of tune. Like the black keys are being played instead of the white on a piano. It's really quite worrying, plus the awful tinnitus on top.

I had the exact same thing. Except I had a buzzing sounds like bees had a nest in my ear(best way to describe it). I would recommend you see someone ASAP. I went to Royal London Hospital. X

I started with pulsatile tinnitus in one ear 18 months ago. Infections were excluded. Since then I can tell you my heart rate at any time just by listening because it's banging away clearly and constantly in my head. An MRI showed an incidental pituitary cyst but nothing else, private hearing test said hearing ok, NHS said slight loss? Hearing feels fine to me.
It whistles and pulses in the right ear too at times but the constant pulsing in my left never ever goes away.
I use white noise at night, helps a bit.

@jadey1991 Did they say what it was? Did you have the distorted music sounds too? I've been told not to do anything until I've finished my 5 day course of antibiotics.

They said I had a perforated ear drum. Don't know how. I didn't have the distorted music. The antibiotics didn't work for me. But hopefully it helps you. How many days have you got left on the antibiotics?

3 days left...Really hoping they kick in soon and fix it! Thanks for your reply xx

Bless u hun. Please do let me know how you get on x

Will do, thank you xxxx

Had to see dr again this morning. I woke up with extremely loud tinnitus, feeling sick and my eyes wouldn't stop flickering. It passed after I vomited. Dr is now saying I've got an outer ear infection, so I've been given an ear spray and I've got to stop the amoxicillin as I'm getting diarrhoea with it. He's thinking I may have Ménières. I've got a referral to ENT as apparently audiology refused my referral due to my age. Crazy. There could be a 22 week wait for my appointment to the hospital. Really hoping it settles down now I've kind of hit a peak with my symptoms. I've also booked in for bloods, he wants to check my thyroid, sugars etc. I did ask about perimenopause but he thinks my symptoms are too localised for it to be linked to it. Who knows. Merry Christmas to me!!

Oh no I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully the spray will help settle it.. sounds rather silly the audiologist refused to see you. Maybe booking on yourself at specsaverd might help?
22 week wait ? Omg that's a long time. I fo hope the spray work for you. Bless you. X

I’m at the doctors today too as mines getting worse. I’ve had it for years but it’s all the time now and it keeps me awake, it’s worse with stress and I am stressed at work.

Mines like when I was young and went to a loud concert and ears would ring for a bit afterwards- that’s what mines like.

It's just awful having tinnitus. You don't value your clear hearing until it all goes wrong!

Good luck at the gp @Sybila and thanks @jadey1991 for your supportive messages. I'm a bit better today, no vertigo. The tinnitus is still there, but I had about 6 hours of clearer hearing yesterday (with no out of tune music) so although it's gone bad again there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.

Have a lovely Christmas everyone xx

That's wonderful to hear op. Hope it all goes back to korma for you. And your most welcome. Have a lovely Xmas and New year x

Hey @Puppupandaway - how is your tinnitus now? Did it ever improve? Xx

Hi @PurpleJam2234

I still have tinnitus and I'm being seen in ENT in a few weeks. I kept having vertigo during Dec and Jan, was put on medication to help and was sent for an MRI. The mri showed I have something called vascular looping around nerves in my brain which has led to me getting a more urgent referral. But, for about 4 weeks, my symptoms have been improving and all I'm left with is annoying tinnitus. They're saying it's not menieres and it's more likely linked to the nerve issue. I'm hopeful they will say that it is controllable with medication, don't really fancy brain surgery!

Interestingly though, I have had toothache for a few weeks too which is a cavity on a tooth right next to my dodgy ear and my sinuses. The dentist said it could be causing my ear issues....I'm having it extracted next week and will wait to see if the tinnitus disappears with it!! Stranger things have happened.

Thanks for checking in xx

Update: ENT appointment today. Dr is very confident that I have Ménière's disease. I have to keep on the betahistine and have regular follow ups to get a full diagnosis. I cannot drive while it's investigated. Thanks to everyone who offered advice.

I’m so sorry! How are you feeling about it all? X

Remarkably calm @PurpleJam2234 It actually feels ok as I was really worried it was linked to my brain and would involve surgery! Hopefully I will be fine on the tablets and can start driving once it's settled. I'm seeing my dr again in 3 months for further assessment so at least I'm not being left alone with it. The biggest shock was that he said I've got to try and cut out caffeine, I'm a chocoholic!!! Gonna take a lot of willpower to stop chocolate.

Thank you for asking xxxx

Hey @Puppupandaway How are you now? I hope you are better. How's the tinnutes I am going through thr same thing. 🙃

@Babybop67 Hi! I'm doing really well thank you. I have had no further attacks of vertigo since starting the betahistine in March, my hearing is no longer distorted and I don't get the pressure any more.

The only symptom which persists is tinnitus, But, the dr told me that there is no cure for it and to remember the mantra "silence is not your friend". So when the tinnitus ramps up, I just try to ignore it as best I can by turning up the tv or music, distracting myself. It does get easier, some days I forget it's there. He said it's not dangerous to have tinnitus it's just something I've got to learn to live with. Compared to the other symptoms I've had, tinnitus is the least problematic so I've come to terms with it.

I did contact DVLA, they were happy for me to continue to drive as long as my vertigo continued to give me warning signs and it didn't involve drop attacks. That was a relief.

How are you?

Thanks for sharing. So glad you are feeling so much better. Would you say that your tinnites had reduced in volume since ear has been sorted. Did they find any any hearing loss?

I've got tests coming up but my tinnutes is very bad. Loud noises makes my tinnutes worse. So trying to get to terms with it at the moment. Covid, flying caused it i think.