- Mar 29, 2020
- 82
- Tinnitus Since
- 1/30/2020
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Stress and years of using earbuds/headphones
Hi, my name is Walt. I have been lurking here long enough so I probably should introduce myself. My tinnitus started on January 30th, 2020. I woke up around midnight and was astonished to hear 3 note tones in my right ear(g major triad). I was puzzled since I wore earplugs to sleep, it can't possibly come from anywhere else other than my own head. Then I realized it is in fact my right ear that was making the noise.
In the subsequent weeks, things just went downhill from there little by little.
About two weeks in, my left ear started with a few minor beeping sounds, and not long after that both of my ears have an extremely high hiss. As if things can't get any worse, about two months in, my right ear developed new sounds that are loud enough to be heard outside (extremely intense laser-like drilling sound in both ears).
I also have developed hyperacusis, very high frequency sounds become extremely loud. I also find that my tinnitus is very reactive to other sounds, when I go out I can only hear a distorted version of what the sound should be, and I hear it all the time. Small and quiet spaces, inside of my car is becoming impossible without some noise, the moment I step in, I feel my right ear is being drilled by an electric laser. When I go sleep at night, if I don't have some kind of noise, my entire brain is just bombarded by a polyphony of noises, lasers, drills, hiss, some high-frequency some low. Sleep has become near impossible, I probably have not had a single restful 8 hours in the last two months. I was prescribed Trazodone, Hydroxyzine, and Ambien. But I took very few does of them due to my belief that they are not good for me in the long term. At best, with meds, I get 6 hours of bad sleep. My sleep has taken a turn for the worse lately as my tinnitus has worsened again, and I managed (luckily) 2-3 hours last night.
I am basically at a point of despair right now, since my tinnitus seems to get worse continuously, even though I haven't been exposing my self to harmful noises. Due to the COVID, I was able to work from home since March 3rd, but that has not stopped my tinnitus from getting from bad to worse.
Prior to this development, I had been in a great deal of stress and anxiety over an infection that I had acquired. However that has been resolved prior to my tinnitus from starting. I have always loved music and (over)used earbuds and headphones. However in the last year or so I barely listened to any, and only used earbuds on buses and office settings. So my tinnitus could be noise-induced, but honestly, I am not sure. ENTs are useless and normal audiograms came out fine. I have tried Acupuncture and vitamin supplements to no avail.
I guess my main question is, will it just linearly worsen like it has in the last two months? Or is there something I can do to stop this madness?
I feel my life is over despite everything else going well for me. I have thought about suicide, but when I think of my loved ones, I just can't bring myself to it. But, if this condition worsens to a point where I can't bear it, I don't know what I will do.
Thank you.
In the subsequent weeks, things just went downhill from there little by little.
About two weeks in, my left ear started with a few minor beeping sounds, and not long after that both of my ears have an extremely high hiss. As if things can't get any worse, about two months in, my right ear developed new sounds that are loud enough to be heard outside (extremely intense laser-like drilling sound in both ears).
I also have developed hyperacusis, very high frequency sounds become extremely loud. I also find that my tinnitus is very reactive to other sounds, when I go out I can only hear a distorted version of what the sound should be, and I hear it all the time. Small and quiet spaces, inside of my car is becoming impossible without some noise, the moment I step in, I feel my right ear is being drilled by an electric laser. When I go sleep at night, if I don't have some kind of noise, my entire brain is just bombarded by a polyphony of noises, lasers, drills, hiss, some high-frequency some low. Sleep has become near impossible, I probably have not had a single restful 8 hours in the last two months. I was prescribed Trazodone, Hydroxyzine, and Ambien. But I took very few does of them due to my belief that they are not good for me in the long term. At best, with meds, I get 6 hours of bad sleep. My sleep has taken a turn for the worse lately as my tinnitus has worsened again, and I managed (luckily) 2-3 hours last night.
I am basically at a point of despair right now, since my tinnitus seems to get worse continuously, even though I haven't been exposing my self to harmful noises. Due to the COVID, I was able to work from home since March 3rd, but that has not stopped my tinnitus from getting from bad to worse.
Prior to this development, I had been in a great deal of stress and anxiety over an infection that I had acquired. However that has been resolved prior to my tinnitus from starting. I have always loved music and (over)used earbuds and headphones. However in the last year or so I barely listened to any, and only used earbuds on buses and office settings. So my tinnitus could be noise-induced, but honestly, I am not sure. ENTs are useless and normal audiograms came out fine. I have tried Acupuncture and vitamin supplements to no avail.
I guess my main question is, will it just linearly worsen like it has in the last two months? Or is there something I can do to stop this madness?
I feel my life is over despite everything else going well for me. I have thought about suicide, but when I think of my loved ones, I just can't bring myself to it. But, if this condition worsens to a point where I can't bear it, I don't know what I will do.
Thank you.
