Hello, New Here with Tinnitus, Possibly Endolymphatic Hydrops and Questions for the Board.

Hello everyone

I am Alex F, very pleased to make your acquaintance.

So, my diagnosis is still ongoing, I am four months into suffering with tinnitus but I had my first ENT visit/hearing test yesterday. It all happened in rather a rush. Audiologist said I have some slight hearing loss, didn't seem too concerned about it.


Speaking to the ENT, he has signed me up for an MRI to find out what's going on in there. His initial thoughts are either ETD... because on the lead up to tinnitus I have had some sinus problem like symptoms... nasal blockage (bits of thick white nasal mucus, clear nasal symptoms, though not sure if they are related in any way to the T)

however he feels that the more likely diagnosis is endolymphatic hydrops due the T, ear pain and pressure, loss of hearing as per the hearing test and some dizziness and could possibly be from noise damage as I have used headphones a lot up to this point. (I stopped using them when tinnitus presented itself.)


Of course this is all speculation at the moment but naturally it has me very worried. I am trying to keep outwardly calm because I know from reading here that tinnitus can respond badly to stress. (I lost my grandmother last week and my tinnitus was really horrible during this time) However things feel pretty bleak at the moment.


I have been suffering with worsening T, a slow progression.

I started last September with a massive headache one weekend, and then after that I had "sinus like" symptoms. dizziness, head pressure, headaches... feelings of pain in cheeks, below the eye etc... then in October last year the tinnitus started in the right ear. Initially just the white noise but as time went by other noises began.

All in all its still overall reasonably quiet.


The headaches, cheek pains etc are largely gone... or at least nowhere near as powerful as they were... I get occasional pain in those areas now.


My T is predominately right ear, a lot quieter in my left ear, sometimes it feels like its only in one ear but there is definately something going on in the left as well.


Its mainly white noise, which is moderately loud. I'd say 5/10... I can hear it well in quiet rooms, but elsewhere it is mostly blocked, I can just about hear it most of the time at the office for example. When I have music/TV on, its quieter but I can still just about hear it.


I also have what seems to be a separate, tighter hiss, again on the right ear...


the intensity of these noises tends to vary, its generally noticeable but can sometime be louder than others...

I also have varying hum/tone/electrical noises. Again on the right ear. They are generally very quiet and fluctuating... not often a continuous tone aside from when lying down in bed, sometimes...

even in near silent rooms, I can mostly "just" about hear them. The volume tends to go up and down.

The thing that is concerning me the most at the moment, especially with the hydrops diagnosis hanging over me... is the ear pain and pressure.



If I could ask a question... what options are there for pain, with regards to the ear pain/pressure from the possible hydrops diagnosis?

Is there anything I can/should take to help with intermittent pain?

OTC painkillers, prescribed drugs, alternate treatments, etc? I know that many painkillers can be ototoxic so I am a bit uncertain what to do for that. Advice from the folk here would be much appreciated.


The ear pressure and ear pain, which is felt in both ears, again intermittently but can be mild to moderate throughout the day is bothersome and makes me stressed often more than the tinnitus itself.


So. that's me. My thanks to you for reading and I would appreciate any advice vis a vie potential hydrops/tinnitus pain control.

Many thanks and best wishes to you all,

Alex F.

 

Welcome to the form, Alex. Since most of us are not doctors, you can try to ask technical questions on hydrops and ear pains to the doctors in the Doctor's Corner. If not enough response for your questions in the Introduction (due to lower readership), you can try post it again in the main support forum. Perhaps there members with prior history of hydrops can share their experiences. You can also search 'hydrops' on this forum and you will see many prior discussions. Click the FORUM buttom on the top left, then type in 'hydrops' as search text. There is one thread that stands out as it was started by an ENT who has hydrops in the ears himself. Take care. God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/an-ent-doctor-with-tinnitus.17653/#post-205155

 

@billie48

Many thanks and for the link