Aren't We Cash Cows for Bad Doctors? Permanently Sick and Ready for Everything

Hi everyone,

What a great idea, this forum. I am sure I am going to find other opinions than the ones of the last two doctors I met, my 'family' GP and an ENT. They were a bit surprised that I was making such a fuss about my involuntary talent of being able to listen to some natural noise from my body. After all, I don't have cancer (for the moment, at least). It depends on a mixture of factors and there is no cure. I am just stressed. And when I will no longer be stressed, I am going to forget about it. When I asked the ENT if he thought it could get worse, he actually said - seriously, literally - "only God knows".

It seems that my insurance will be paying the wrong person for this question.

Getting out of there I really thought that it is unethical for a doctor to say that 'there is no cure' when he does not know the answer. Maybe for my tinnitus there is no cure... but shouldn't we try at least some before making such a statement?

And yet, I do understand their opinions. The old me with my old tinnitus would have left that office without rage. For over 5 years, I heard a mild noise from my left ear. It was louder when I was tired, and that was my body telling me to go to bed. It was covered by pretty much anything happening around me. It was with me when I was alone and in silence.

I did try to get rid of it in the first ten days that I had it. The ENT doctor did not diagnose it but still offered me a cortisone cure. Three or four sessions. It works in 50% of cases. What magic ratio is 50%, isn't it? I mean, less than 50%, you might just leave it. And when it does not work, unluckily, it was still worth it. I wonder if this 50% chance is science or marketing.

Years later, a friend that is a physio told me that it was probably my jaw. It is not straight, I have been creating some imbalances for my neck. I should look for a specialist. I can make it go away. She suggested an osteopath specialised in that area. I wrote down some notes.

A few months later I am seeing a physio for some pain in my knee. After the knee is 'treated' (actually, it still hurts) I ask him if know how to treat my problem. He says he has done the course. I trust him. After three sessions, he is really not that confident in what he is doing. He tells me that maybe I should try acupuncture. My tinnitus gets worse. I don't know if it is because of the treatment to my neck or for other reasons. I also saw the dentist some weeks before, and I had to go back because a new filling was not right.

But now I can hear my tinnitus ALL the TIME. And so I find the osteopath. She is not the jaw specialist that she says she is. Osteopathy is not a recognized medicine, I guess they can write what they want. She has many patients of my age, with tinnitus, stress. I wonder how many walk out of there without it, but I don’t ask. We meet once a month and retrospectively, I understand why. 6 appointments is 6 months. I guess people get better in 6 months, particularly if their problems are stress related. Things change, the summer comes, ... whatever. She helped with my reflux. I know I am lactose intolerant now. But she touched my face once in 6 months, got an honest salary for the time we spent together, and my tinnitus is unchanged.

In fact, it is as bad as it ever was. The bad days are really bad. Life is stressing, not just the tinnitus. I am overworked, anxious for my work situation, profoundly sad for an event concerning my family. Doctors see me and say it is stress. Of course I am stressed. My 2 years old daughter could probably say that I have changed in the last couple of months. Everyone in my position would be stressed. But people without a loud, broken television behind their ears, go through these inevitable life events more easily. I would like to be like those people. They might be stressed, but they smile more often than I do.

So now, I have taken things a bit more in my own hands. Eventually, I met one of those osteopaths that puts my bones back into place. He is late to one appointment and does not charge me. He really wants me to get better. He works with a dentist that gives me a splint for sleeping. It's been a month now, nothing changed on the noise front. The best thing I did was to start using an acupressure mat every evening. Since using it, I actually sleep. I haven't been walking up and down the apartment for hours during the night, two or three times a week. It improved my head, but not my tinnitus. I am taking supplements, but I will not self-medicate. In a couple of months I will get the levels checked. Next, I will see a dentist again. My wisdom teeth are annoying. Basically, I will do everything that can improve my health, tinnitus or no tinnitus. I plan to be more active in the spring. We are getting baby no 2 in March, I am a bit afraid that he will affect my sleeping. I will do whatever I can to be a happy, energetic father and husband, instead of a sad, complaining human being.

I think it makes sense to get used to it, but I would also try to look at the causes of my tinnitus. Deal with it. If it is TMD, is it possible that the tinnitus stays even by dealing now with its causes? What would have a good doctor recommended? I have a transfer letter for a neurologist. What can I expect from him?

Feel free to enlighten me...

 

Servus, Serg! Welcome to the forums!

Firstly, I want to extend any comfort that I may to you with regards to your condition. You seem to be having it rough, as do many here, and for quite some time. Your story is fraught with so many shortcomings of the medical industry that it is really sad to see how often this happens to sufferers of this symptom.

I will have to echo your generally negative sentiment towards doctors. I am sorry to hear that even in Austria, you are facing medical professionals that do not really want to help you but rather treat you as a paycheck. I thought this was a problem mostly here in the United States, but as I read more from others across the world, I see this as an epidemic! It is utterly destroying when you try to do whatever you can to reach out to the professionals for help, only for so many of them to be completely dumbfounded or have the bedside manner of a prison warden.

My grandmother has always had a very distinct aversion towards doctors, and I always criticized her for it. While I still think she takes it too far given much of her medical concerns that she is trying to self-treat, I am starting to see more and more truth in what she says. It appears to be the case that for many conditions, doctors don't know what the hell they are doing! Unfortunately with a symptom such as this, that appears to be the case.

I think you are doing wonderfully in your attempts to do whatever you can to have your general health addressed. This is probably wise and likely the only thing those afflicted with this can do besides just wait. This new osteopath you have found seems to be one of the rare exceptions to the rule of doctors not really caring for their patients. Perhaps through continued therapy with them you may find some sort of respite.

I want to congratulate you on your second child, and I hope your family and you have wonderful health going forward. It is my hope that this addition to your life will provide another source of strength and encouragement to keep going and fighting through this utterly cruel symptom.

I am sorry that I do not have much to add on the topic of TMJ issues, as I do not think that applies to me (however I have not had this evaluated...) I do wish you the best going forward and that you might find some valuable knowledge or support during your time here.