Four Years of Constant Tinnitus

In May of 2009, while sitting in my living room, I suddenly lost hearing in my left ear and started having ringing and a roar. I'm still deaf and the tinnitus is still there. It never stops. I went to a doctor at an urgent care and he gave me antibiotics and steroids. He didn't check my hearing. At the time I thought I had bad allergies and my ear was clogged. I didn't know I was deaf. The next day I put a phone to my ear and couldn't hear a thing. After that realization I have seen two ENT's, had an MRI, several hearing tests and several rounds of steroids. The tests looked okay and the steroids didn't work. Nothing has helped. I'm still deaf in one ear and have horrible tinnitus. It seems that I have adjusted to the deafness fairly well, but the tinnitus is horrible. It never stops. Not even for a minute! It seems the doctors and nurses I see all have the same thing to say, they don't know what caused me to lose hearing or to have tinnitus. I hear things like, "that's go to be aggravating" or "I know what you're going through, when I was younger I got it from time to time." I've not received any treatment nor I have I been referred to someone who may be able to help. As of now, I still have no idea what caused all of this or what can be done. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I need relief from this!

 

Thanks so much, Karen. Yes, I have seen an audiologist and I'm completely deaf in that ear. My right ear is perfect. Unfortunately, a hearing aid won't help. The only diagnoses the doctor has given me is Sudden Hearing Loss (SHL). I see an ENT and Audiologist on the 25th of this month. I think my main goal at this visit is to let him know about the frustration and agitation the tinnitus has caused. I've never been treated for the tinnitus. The doctors have always had a very aloof attitude toward it, so for the last four years I have tried to "tough it out." It's starting to get the best of me. What kind of natural supplements should I try? Dietary changes?

 

Hi Connie

I also lost hearing in one ear (a good amount), but a hearing aid can help tremendously. I agree with Karen, that anti-depressants or natural supplements, sound masking, and considering dietary changes, may make a difference.
We understand what it is like. Please be well!

 

Connie C -
There is a new type of hearing aid that is surgically implanted, which may help you. See the following:

http://www.wpbf.com/news/health/Boynton-Beach-man-touts-revolutionary-hearing-aid/-/8788734/21250678/-/a188jz/-/index.html

It cost a lot: $30-$40K. You may want to ask if this will work for you. If it can restore your hearing, it may also eliminate your tinnitus.

I subscribe to the theory that, for most of us, tinnitus is due to an imbalance in auditory signals between the left and right ears. Your hearing is completely one sided, causing an imbalance, hence your tinnitus. Your brain is sending the tinnitus signal to your bad ear, trying to compensate for the loss of auditory signals from that ear. This is similar to "phantom limb syndrome", when an amputee "feels" an amputated limb.

Although this news story is in Florida, this device is being surgerically implanted in patients across the US.

- Karl