Formerly OK with Noise-Induced Tinnitus, Experiencing a Setback After Loud Training

Quick intro, I first developed tinnitus in 2007, when I was 27 February 3rd, 2007 was the first time I ever noticed it. I recall because I was in a hotel room that was super quiet, and woke up with an unexplained ringing. I served in the military and was exposed to plenty of bangs and booms. Also was a concert goer and loved loud music in my youth. To top it off I worked in auto body shops. The day prior to noticing my tinnitus, I was using a pneumatic drill that I pin pointed as the trigger of my tinnitus.

I went through the whole cycle of emergency room, ENT, follow up hearing tests and a trip to the VA. But it was relentless. My tinnitus was definitely here to stay. I was constantly holding my fingers over my ears, gauging the volume, pitch and severity. Constantly exposing myself to closed rooms, my car without the engine running, and outside at night time to expose how bad my ears were ringing.

My tinnitus is strange, as it started in 1 ear (left) and then transformed into both. My ENT said this is normal, as the brain will create a noise that is more even to maintain equilibrium. I’d say it was pretty loud. Could notice it pretty much anywhere, barring loud environments...

I worried myself sick, dropped weight, obsessed, hoped, bargained... pretty much desperate. But I had to keep living. I was planning a proposal to my girlfriend, working on a career, trying to live a normal life. And those motivators kept me going, despite constant worrying.

Now I didn’t chronicle my tinnitus (which I wish I had, though it may have lead to obsessing). But fast forward to 2009-2010 and I was completely fine with it. Like, it was always on my mind to be careful with loud noises. I constantly wore ear plugs at work, and just kinda got used to the ringing. It was a form of acceptance. I went through a crappy divorce and my tinnitus never changed. Just always the same ringing, a little louder in my left ear.

From 2010-present, I lived completely normally. I remarried, entered a new profession (law enforcement), had 4 kids, bought a house, and did 7 years of school while working nights in order to obtain my masters degree. All with tinnitus.

This brings me to 2 weeks ago. I was doing some training with colleagues, and we decided to carpool to the training site. Some of the training was above average noise, some was loud, and I wore hearing protection when I felt it was needed (I’ve become pretty aware of what is “too loud”). As we were driving in the morning, I noticed my left ear ringing.

I thought to myself “I never hear my tinnitus in the car”. And began obsessing over it again. Since that day, I’ve crashed and burned. It is like a total reset. I can now hear my tinnitus over just about everything, it is almost to the point that it causes dizziness. But I have too much responsibility to dive into depression. So this time it is more like annoyance. It is switching back and forth from left to right. Varying it’s pitch. Changing as I turn my head or lay down. Just crazy.

I had honestly not given thought to my ringing in so long, now it’s driving me crazy. I’m going through the same damn cycle all over again. Sick to my stomach, went to urgent care (said I have inflammation in my sinuses and gave me Sudafed and Flonase, which did nothing), obsessing, holding my fingers over my ears, sitting in quiet rooms. Just trying to figure out where it went wrong.

My hope is that nothing has gotten worse, but that I am experiencing some type of stress related relapse. I swear to anyone, as someone that has had tinnitus for 12 years, I beat this psychologically. And it took time and patience. I am hoping that the battle will be easier this time, as I have to relearn how to just set aside the ringing and keep living. Fingers crossed.

Before I go, I want to say that although there is no cure for tinnitus, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You do get used to it, it isn’t a death sentence, and you can live and accomplish lots. I am keeping a journal this time around. Going to try to see if I can chronicle this setback, as I am sure that with a lifelong condition it is bound to happen again.

I’d love to hear from anyone that has experienced something similar.

 

It might be a temporary spike. Temporary spikes can take over three months to clear. So if I were you, I would assume that it is permanent only if a couple of months from now it is still there, as loud as it is now.

 

Bill,

That is great advise and exactly how I’m approaching this. I’ve encountered several “temporary spikes”, usually due to lack of sleep or a night of drinking. These have gone away within the day they’ve started. Obviously this spike is going on 2 1/2 weeks. Going to get ready to face this all over again. Thanks.

 

My longest spike was due to a loud phone that blasted noise directly into my "bad" ear. It was gone after about 3 months, and it began to improve after about 6 weeks...

 

Hey all,

Posted my intro recently, I am a few weeks into my second battle with tinnitus. After some noise exposure (mostly with hearing protection), I noticed my tinnitus became louder, and different.

I have been really focusing on it which is obviously the worst thing to do. Tough at first. My tinnitus started in 2007, and it took me nearly 2 years before I felt normal. That is to say that I had conquered it emotionally, having experience no reduction in volume or change in persistence.

I’m in this for a second time, learning to cope all over again. I know that as we all get older, and our hearing starts to fade, we will go through our own battles with tinnitus. Just reaching out, venting, saying hi.

Joe

 

Many can habituate a second or third time.

 

I did, too. Tinnitus was constant for 28 years (had it since birth) then 2 years ago wham! got new sounds. Was a bitch but I'm mostly OK now. Still have bad days but can function pretty well.

 

Around a month In to my spike. Got an MRI tomorrow, I elected to do no contrast dye. A little nervous about the noise, but I spoke with a technician who was comforting and offered for me to use both ear plugs and ear muffs. I’ve been dealing with occupational noise for 20 years and ear muffs alone typically suffice. But I’m going to double up as not to further agrivate this condition. Any words of comfort? Thanks.

Joe

 

If you can, ask them for the make and model of the machine they're going to use and google its noise level. If it's low enough, you can rest easy.

Also I've been in an MRI twice with wax earplugs and had no T issues whatsoever.

Finally if you feel the machine is just too loud, feel empowered to just slam the panic button and get out. You are not honorbound to endure overly high noise levels, the button is there for a reason.

In a quiet enough machine, with proper protection, and with a panic button you're primed to use, you should be just fine.

 

MRI complete. Boy it was loud, but I know I’m at an emotional disadvantage and have a bit of a sound sensitivity. The technician was very comforting, and said that I feel uncomfortable at any time just stop the imaging.

I used the earplugs they provided, which were nice 3m foam and was expecting to also have a set of ear muffs. They said the earmuffs wouldn’t fit, but they packed the sides of my head with foam which helped a lot. There was only 1 portion that I found very loud, and I spoke up. They said that that was the loudest portion and that the next imaging was gong to be a different type of noise.

All together, I wouldn’t want to do it again. But once it stopped, and I was still wearing the hearing protection, I didn’t notice any changes to my current level of T. Maybe seemed a little louder because I was coming out of a noisy environment. Fingers crossed that I don’t get some random spike later on today/tonight.

Thanks for the replies, to those that did. I’ll update soon with the imaging results.

Joe

 

So I got the news back from my MRI. Imaging does not show any growths, or any masses. It does show that I have a sinus infection, which is what May have been the cause of my spike? Again, a month ago I noticed my ears ringing louder than normal and felt some accompanying dizziness. Doc is prescribing me amoxicillin to knock out the infection.

Anyone been through anything similar? I’d love some responses, maybe even if it’s about another post you’ve read.

Thanks, Joe.

 

It was probably the cause. Your T ought to improve several weeks or months after the infection clears.

 

JoeC100, are you still in law enforcement? Did you get through firearms ok without tinnitus issues? Trying to think through next steps in my career (taking BLET soon) and worried, even with protection, my tinnitus will flare up.