Advice Welcome!

Hello,
First post for me! I have had constant tinnitus for over 20 years now. I had initially read up and it scared me so I stopped reading and just got used to it. However in the last few years it is very loud..hear essily over all activities...sound machines don't even mask it. It is a very high pitched static( but not screeching) with mild pulsing , in my right ear but JUST this week my left ear is joining in at a lower volume. I feel some pressure and slight discomfort. I am getting over a virus that turned into sinus infection, got antibiotics yesterday..
My problem started with a flight 20+ years ago, had a cold virus/ congestion and was in excruciating pain the entire flight...upon landing my hearing was down by 75% and ringing was happening. Within short time my hearing resolved but the tinnitus never did... I went thru sudden loss of my husband almost 2 years ago and the volume went much higher and never stops. I feel fortunate that it is a sound I can habituate to..but with volume increase it is becoming more unnerving and stressful.
Is there any hope? Has anyone else developed T after a flight?
Was wondering if hearing aids help..I do have a bit of hearing loss now... Also do the gentle pulsing constant 24/7 waves mean it is definitely blood flow issue? Oh I want to add also- both my eardrums were punctured at different times..one 30 years ago, the other ear, 4 yrs ago.both from Q-tips! Does this injury cause/contribute to T? AND...yesterday the doctor said my eardrums had a cloudy, not clear look...
Again thanks, Mary[emoji135]

 

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk Mary.
I think the virus is the cause of your spike and even when you feel better it can take longer for your tubes to clear and the pressure become normalised .

Steam inhalation or a moucous linctus will help.
A up to date hearing test and seeing a audiologist will see if hearing aids would be beneficial or white noise generators.
Might be worth getting your BP checked also but if your hearing is down you could be picking up your pulse from your carotid artery...lots of love glynis

 

Thank you Glynn is. No problem with blood pressure..had the heart screen done and I have minimal carotid blockage...that said I am changing my diet!

 

@Bella39
Hi Mary.
It would be a good idea to get a referral to ENT, so tests can be carried out on your auditory system. Do you listen to music through headphones or attend venues were loud music is played? It is a good idea to use a sound machine at night but the sound should be kept slightly lower than your tinnitus. I explain more about this in an article that I have written about tinnitus, in the link below. It also covers coping methods and treatments that you might find helpful.
All the best
Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

Thank you for responding,Michael. I will read your article!

 

A year ago I did have testing done, due to the volume increase...Yes cilia in both ears were damaged..slight right ear hearing loss...I told the ENT that it happened from a flight and he said, "No, it doesn't happen from that"...But it did!

 

I didn't develop T from a flight, but every flight I've taken has made my T permanently worse.

 

For me it is the pressure..is it for you? Or the noise?

 

Definitely the pressure for me too, my eardrum ruptured on my first flight.

 

@Bella39
Hi Mary,
When you say that you have cilia in both ears. Do you mean "stereocilia"?

 

I don't know, the audiologist told me the hair cells in cochlea were damaged.

 

Oh my, poor girl. Had you a cold??

 

No, I never had a cold on any of my flights.

 

I haven't always had pain on subsequent flights..but one or two times , severe pain..and you wonder what are you doing to your ears! Now I am wondering if I should forgo flying..sad but wondering!? It's so very loud now..

 

Hello Michael, Did you mean to send me the link of your conversation with frayact? You mentioned article, so I thought I'd check..
I started reading about TRT..and currently have icy rain ambient sound playing..which I already understand the benefit and receiving some relief

 

I had what was likely a severe infection of my inner ear and suffered sudden and complete hearing loss accompanied by severe tinnitus starting about 3 years ago. The hearing loss is complete deafness and the T has been constant and strong enough to keep me awake at night and has resulted in a real changes in my life. Since this all started, I have been searching for solutions and coping mechanisms from holistic methods to medications and changes in diet and exercise routines. I have also gotten hearing aids as turns out my good ear has poor hearing as well. The bad ear hearing aid is set up with a masking function set at the highest volume setting available which sometimes covers the T. Other times it isn't enough. I have had hearing aids for over 2 years now.

What I have experienced going down this path is that at times the masking function is helpful as it gives you a temporary escape but it doesnt make the T go away. For me, what I have recently come to realize is that by acknowledging the T in this way, I have given it a value and I have been trying to establish a corresponding counter value to cancel or offset. This has had the effect of inadvertently making it a part of my existence as I am constantly at war with it.

Recently I have given up wearing this hearing aid with the masking function and what i have experienced is a lowered awareness of the T as it has truly begun to become a background noise. This has been a very profound experience for me that is so hard to articulate to anyone who cannot understand the horror that this ailment can mean.

Before spending big $ on hearing aids capable of masking function, download an audio file and put it on your phone or an ipod and put one earbud in your bad ear with the masking function white noise on it and try it for a while to see if it helps.

Good luck.

 

Thank you so much for your response! I will certainly give the ipod a try..what type of audiofile and at what volume for masking?Last year when I went to the Audiologist, I was given the hearing aid with masking...I returned it within several days..or else I would be paying the $2000. I was not able to cope with a new high pitched sound...it irritated my system which is opposite of what I wanted of course! I have wondered if the audiologist was really that sharp..I didn't feel like he was. My question is.. wouldn't there be other sounds or volumes to try for me? If I recall he made the ring tone higher pitched than my T sound...Is this what you have/had?
Anyway if anyone can explain more on that I would appreciate it!
Finally I want to say that I can relate and I'm sorry for all of who have to go through this! I am glad I reached out today. It is good to know that others do understand. ~Keeping strong and attempting calm! Mary

 

It's gotten worse with every flight?
I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have eustachian tube dysfunction?

 

Yus. After every flight.
I think so too. I've done some tests over the years at my ENT, they've always showed unequal pressure in my ears. Apparently my right ear has slightly abnormal pressure and I've been getting the same result for years. My T is worse in this ear and I have several different sounds in it. This is the ear where my ear drum ruptured during a flight.

 

@JacktheDog ,
I have complete hearing loss in my left ear since 2013. I tested twice for hearing aids but the increased sound caused increased tinnitus and actually lowered my ability to hear. I also find that masking sounds cause an increase in my tinnitus. My mother is very happy with her hearing aids though. She has some loss in both ears but not much tinnitus.
This condition is very hard to articulate to people who don't experience it. It's good to have people on this forum to commiserate with. I have stopped being at war with my tinnitus but I have had to change my life to accommodate it. It is a part of me now.

 

Here is one that works for me, and as you will see on the menu there are literally hundreds of different sounds to try:

CELESTIAL WHITE NOISE | Sleep Better, Reduce...

If it works, follow the link and I think the file cost $6 or something for an 8 hour file. I have this loaded on an ipod that i clip to my pillow at night and when I am struggling i put it in and it helps me drift off.

I spent $6000 on hearing aids and have the one set up for masking T sitting in a drawer. Ipod + audio file + good set of earbuds that don't pop out = $250, same effect.

I look like a secret service agent when walking around work with an earbud in one ear and the wire tucked under my shirt to ipod in shirt pocket

Hope this helps.

 

Silly question probably but have you tried Dymista nasal spray (using it whilst facing downwards to reach the ET)? I know it has to be taken for several months to be effective.

 

I have all kinds of cortisone nasal sprays, prescription and non-prescription. They don't relieve ear pressure.

 

It sounds to me it was the pressure and not the sound in the plane that caused your problems? Could this be so? I am worried about flight since I am going to fly for ten hours or more nonstop soon.

 

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