Going to Bed, Dropping onto My Pillow — Result: Ringing in My Ear

On 12/7/2020 I developed tinnitus out of nowhere as I was going to sleep. I dropped onto my pillow from a height and then began the hellish ringing noise that never went away. This only occurred in the left side of my ear for no apparent reason at all.

I went to an ENT and he said tinnitus was normal and ordered an MRI with contrast. He got the results and informed me there was nothing wrong with me, said tinnitus was normal, and dismissed me.

And now here I am, stumped and depressed not knowing what even caused my tinnitus. My hearing is fine since I scored perfectly on the hearing test at the ENT, I listen to music at comfortable volumes that isn't too loud for me, and no trauma to my ear ever.

I don't know if it is connected to the postnasal drip I have been suffering for months now. It has really hindered my ability to focus in class and do homework. I miss the silence so much. All I hear is a loud ringing noise 24/7. I don't enjoy anything anymore and have lost all motivation to do anything now. I still have hope as I'm scheduled for another ENT on Tuesday, but I highly doubt they are going to find the cause of it.

I just can't fathom why I got tinnitus out of the blue.

 

It's really tough to read this. I completely understand how you've been and empathize with the variety of negative emotions you have been feeling and continue to endure. It's extremely difficult to engage in actions or activities you once enjoyed, as if the whole world has gone some sort of ugly grayscale that you can't avoid. I know how this is, and for most people, this is how it is early on.

With that being said, there is still an opportunity for improvement going forward. Many people here on the forum will cite that range within one to three months, but it can happen at any time and there's no way to tell for sure. The best and only thing you can really do is keep going on with your life as best you can, even if each day to day is a struggle. On top of that, protecting your ears needs to be a priority in case they are currently healing.

If you read around on the forum, you will learn that your experience with the ENT is quite typical. It seems the overwhelming majority of them either don't know much about tinnitus or don't really care about you as a patient. It sucks hard when you reach out to medical professionals and they don't or can't do anything for you. It is incredibly despairing to reach out for help and try to take control of your health and no progress is in sight.

Should you need anyone to talk to for help or support, I'm certainly available. There are many others on the site who can perhaps lend you a hand or advice. This is, for the most part, a great community that is unfortunately bonded together by a terrible, cruel disorder.

 

It's quite common for tinnitus to appear out of nowhere.

Mine started 3 years ago after suffering a heavy cold. I have it in my right ear, it can be daunting at first but eventually over time you habituate to it and your brain filters it out, you get to a stage where you don't really notice it and it fades into the background. You will get spikes when it does appear louder for a time, then it will go back to a quieter level or can disappear for a time.

It's difficult at first but try not to concentrate on it - this helps the brain to recognise it as unimportant and aids the filtering out. Try to carry on as normal and don't give it the time of day, easier said than done at first but as you habituate it will become easier.

It can also just stop. I know a couple of people where the condition has gone away, in one case after seven years, by then the person said it wasn't a big deal as it didn't bother him. Don't let it get you down as you will become accustomed.

I live on a main road, at first the noise of the constant traffic was annoying, now when visitors comment how busy the road can be I tell them I don't notice it at all, this is how you can habituate to tinnitus too, and adapt.

 

@sadppp I could not have stated this better than @bellevueace above.

You are in the early stages and every detail you have shared with us is very recognizable for the early stages. I have been there and it was tough. But if I can get through, you can. And where I am at is that my tinnitus exists outside of my awareness. If it does happen to enter my awareness, it does not change my mood one bit, it does not even reach the level of annoying anymore. The process to get there might be slow, and you might not be able to speed it up, but then again, you can't slow it down either.

 

I 4ecently went to another ENT and they said that my ringing may be caused by the negative ear pressure in both of my ears.

She also prescribed me Lipoflavonoid and I want to know how effective this is?

Are these pills chewable or do they have to be swallowed?

 

Your ENT is a quack. Lipoflavonoid doesn't help tinnitus.
Otherwise none of us would be here.

They need to be swallowed.

 

Have you had a hearing test done as well? I don't know where you are but a lot of ENT practices in USA had Audiology people as well who will test your ears to see if you have hearing loss (which is what is causing my left-ear tinnitus).

 

Small dose of steroids might help and a prescribed vasodilator. Otherwise it could be anything.

 

My hearing test came up normal. My ENT is suspecting that my tinnitus may be caused due to negative pressure in both of my ears.

 

What steroids are you referring to?

 

Prednisone, but like 20mg... and something for vascular expansion, maybe Pentoxifylline.

Trial for a week, taper, and stop.

Xanax will also likely quiet it for you (but not treat the root cause).

Prednisone is well known to quiet it but it can also make it much worse tapering off.