First Day of Tinnitus

Hello fellas, I'm Andrew, and it is my first day of Tinnitus. And I don't even know if I can sleep today. I will probably be absent from work later. And if doesn't go away by next week, I'll probably leave my job. I am so scared, and anxious right now.

I know I know, I'm experiencing shock right now. It's a totally new environment, well more like new internal environment, so I guess we just have to adapt.

A curious thought suddenly came to me, I wonder our ancestors, like people from Ice Age experienced Tinnitus? lol

 

Welcome - and yes they probably did experience T.

 

Deep breath @AndrewBePositive. It is your very first day with tinnitus. It may go away, it may get better and it may not but there is no reason to draw conclusions on day one.
First of all, see your doctor. It could be something simple such as wax build up in the ear.
If you don't get the answers you want from your MD, move on to an ENT or an audiologist. Have a hearing test done.
There are so many causes of tinnitus and you must explore reasons before saying that you need to quit your job.

 

People from the ice age didn't have loud music, guns, and fireworks. Did you happen to expose yourself to loud sounds during the last couple of years? If you did and the tinnitus popped out of nowhere then it's likely that you'll have tinnitus for the rest of your life. I would try to get an ENT asap. Go to a clinic if you have to. A regular doctor can refer you to an ENT.

Also why would you quit your job? It'll just make things worse.

 

Do you have an idea of what caused the T to start? Loud noises, strong meds like antidepressants or antibiotics you're taking/quitting right now, any infections?

Also what is it like? Both ears? Low or high?

 

Hi @AndrewBePositive - go and see an ENT privately asap, get meds as a first step. Think about the rest later...it will be OK, you will be able to work. One step at a time.

 

Just woke up, and I would say it is better. The T is still there, but the volume seems lower. I swear I would party if this totally goes away in the next few days...

 

He wants to listen to t all day i guess!??!

 

Stay calm buddy! You are not alone, there are too many people who have this. just continue to do you job! Go to ENT, it may go away soon or get better. Dont freak out! The more you pay notice to it, the more it gets bigger! Ignore the T !!
How u got this anyway?

 

UPDATE:

oright 1 week later it's gone!!! i just went to thailand, and when i arrived back in the philippines it mysteriously disappeared. maybe the ear pressure from the air cured it? i had a very super strong headache that occured during landing, i thought my brain was going to explode from the pressure in my ears and head. i honestly dont know what happened.

i guess all that anxiety and check with the doctor was for nothing! LOL

so thank you for all ur kind comments. im glad the T is gone. i still dont know what caused it. but from my first day of T i got sensitive to loud sounds and protected myself and stayed away from loud noises.

P.S. the pop songs from spotify helped me with nights with T, since music covered the T sound....and also nature noise playlist.. LOL

 

I'm very happy for you!

However please consider this a huge warning from life. You had T for a while so your auditory system is probably damaged and it won't take much more damage for the T to return permanently. Please be very careful with noise exposure (parties, movies, shooting etc). Avoid headphones if you can. And look around the forum for additional preventive tips.

You got extremely lucky once; it would be a darn shame if you were careless and returned to this forum a few months later with permanent T.

God bless!!

 

Well it actually did just return! but it is so minimal now that i barely notice it, and it doesn't bother me during my sleep.

and what do you mean avoid headphones? i've been on earphones most of the time listening to music, and when u have T you need music right?

 

Earphones are notorious for causing hearing damage. Just be sure the volume isn't loud when you listen to anything on earphones.

 

yes, it's safer to listen through free standing units (e.g. the speakers in your laptop etc).

I can't explain why earphones seem worse than free units but there are many members on this board (including me) who had their T worsened by earphone/headphone use.

@Michael Leigh is the unspoken champion of a headphone free world around here.