Could My Constant Tinnitus Have Been Caused by Buspirone, Fluoxetine, Atorvastatin — Or Anxiety?

Hi, my name is Aron. I live in the North East of England.

I have never had tinnitus in my life before and it began in January. I regularly listen to loud music when I go for a run. But I have been doing that for years. Last year, my doctor increased the Buspirone I take for anxiety. I also had an ear infection in March due to earwax. I've been to an audiologist and they removed the earwax and gave me an ear bulb and after going back, both ears are now clear of earwax.

The ringing is just in my left ear. I don't experience it when I'm walking or moving. Only when still. I wonder if it could be the Buspirone, or if it could be triggered by anxiety? I have very high levels of anxiety.

The tinnitus bothers me the most when I'm lying in bed trying to read a book. I have listened to Tinnitus tracks on Spotify, they seem to dampen down the ringing for a few minutes but it quickly returns.

I have stopped taking Buspirone last Wednesday (today is Tuesday). In fact I stopped all the medications, so that's Fluoxetine and Atorvastatin.

I hear crackling for about twenty seconds and then a ringing-hissing for about 20 seconds and then it stops; then repeats.

Any advice please?

Thanks.

 

Hi Aron,

So sorry to see you here.

Please, do yourself a favor and stop using any kind of headphones, in-ear or over-ear for the rest of your life. Also, try not to talk a lot on the phone or at least use speaker mode. It is more common for those working in call centers to have acoustic shock.

Protect your ears while in noisy environments.

Maybe it's quiet enough that you don't hear it when walking.

You are still new to tinnitus and if you protect your ears from now on, you will have a great chance of full recovery in a year or two.

Also, there is a promising treatment for tinnitus hitting the market in almost 1 year (Dr. Shore's device from University of Michigan).

Don't stop your anxiety medications on your own as that may make everything worse.

You said you have been listening to loud music while running so it seems that your tinnitus is noise induced but, who knows, there may be other causes as well so don't stop investigating the root cause.

Do read success stories. They will definitely help you get through the dark days.

All the best.

 

Exposure to loud noise is one of the most common causes of tinnitus and typically, it's listening to loud music through earbuds, headphones, and headsets that is responsible for it. Exposure to other types of loud noise can cause it too.

Some medications can increase tinnitus or even cause its onset and therefore, Buspirone could be linked to the tinnitus but I doubt it, since you have regularly been listening to loud music when running and I'll assume whilst wearing earbuds. The tinnitus has probably been laying dormant for some time but at a low level, where your brain was able to comfortably ignore it. However, as one continues listening to loud music, the brain will no longer be able to ignore the tinnitus and it will make its presence known.

I advise you not to stop taking the Buspirone without first talking to your doctor. I also advise that you stop listening to audio through headphones, earbuds, headsets, AirPods, noise-cancelling and bone conduction headphones, even at low volume. Please click on the links below and read my posts: New to Tinnitus, What to Do?, Tinnitus, A Personal View. Start using low-level sound enrichment especially at night, more about this is explained in my posts.

You might be tempted to see an ENT doctor privately, I strongly advise that you don't, as you will get the best help and long-term aftercare for tinnitus under the NHS, that no private practice can match in the UK.

All the best,
Michael

New to Tinnitus, What to Do? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
Tinnitus, A Personal View | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum