Hello All. I'm Mitchell. Unknown Source of Tinnitus, Started 2/19

[Mitchel]

Hello, My tinnitus started out of the blue 2 weeks ago. Screeching cicadas in both ears. Darned loud (although I'm not sure what is average, can't imagine it worse). All I know is that if I walked into a room that sounded like this, I'd immediately have to leave!

Not sure of the cause. A few things a few days before it came on;
-I had some sort of cold where my voice was almost gone for three days.
-I remember waking up a few days before with a very sore neck, possibly falling asleep in a bad position.
-I had recently started Sildenafil and did take it a few nights in a row.
-I take Ibuprofen pretty often, probably once a week or so.
-for the first week of tinnitus had lots of head and base of skull pain. Not so bad now .
-Been to many loud concerts over the years.

No treatment yet other than a hearing test a few days ago and an MRI today.

Well, that's me so far.

Just wondering how in the world I'm going to live the rest of my life this way, if that's what's in store.

Look forward to talking to you.

Please let me know if any of this seems (almost said "sounds") family and any tips for a newbie to cope.

Thank you!

 

[Contrast]

Been to many loud concerts over the years.

This is the root pathology of your tinnitus, caused by hearing loss from noise abuse.

 

[Mitchel]

Thought that is a leading cause. I did see Led Zeppelin in '77 so at least I have that.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Mitchel Often there's introduction posts where noise exposure, medication use and soreness of jaw and/or neck are all mentioned. With that, sometimes hearing loss isn't shown by available testing.

When multiple aspects of subjective tinnitus with physical tinnitus are reported, sometimes it's about different parts of the nervous system communicating with each other. Nerves and muscles of physical areas can associate to nerves and two muscles in the ear(s). You could see some relief in time, if there's physical stress/trauma that can be corrected.

Let us know the results of your hearing test and MRI, then we can talk more about any possible treatments.

 

[Mitchel]

Thanks much GS, I will let you know the results. (Northern Californian here too). Forgot to metion my GP started me on 13 days of Prednisone last Friday.

 

[Gman]

Hello, My tinnitus started out of the blue 2 weeks ago. Screeching cicadas in both ears. Darned loud (although I'm not sure what is average, can't imagine it worse). All I know is that if I walked into a room that sounded like this, I'd immediately have to leave!

Not sure of the cause. A few things a few days before it came on;
-I had some sort of cold where my voice was almost gone for three days.
-I remember waking up a few days before with a very sore neck, possibly falling asleep in a bad position.
-I had recently started Sildenafil and did take it a few nights in a row.
-I take Ibuprofen pretty often, probably once a week or so.
-for the first week of tinnitus had lots of head and base of skull pain. Not so bad now .
-Been to many loud concerts over the years.

No treatment yet other than a hearing test a few days ago and an MRI today.

Well, that's me so far.

Just wondering how in the world I'm going to live the rest of my life this way, if that's what's in store.

Look forward to talking to you.

Please let me know if any of this seems (almost said "sounds") family and any tips for a newbie to cope.

Thank you!

It could actually be a few things you mentioned that actually finally triggered it, but it's highly unlikely any one could tell you conclusively. Could be your neck. Ibuprofen is known to be ototoxic. Loud concerts over the years would likely have played a role too, but the actual trigger ... who knows...?
If you look after your ears and do not subject them to loud noise, do not take known ototoxic medications, then there's a possibility it will diminish in time. People can recover, but there's no telling.

Please look at the Mutebutton thread in the treatments section. There's a device which will be released in the (hopefully) not too distant future that might become a viable treatment. There's also research going on in terms of restoring hearing loss.

 

[Mitchel]

Hello fellow tinnitusers, especially you who initially replied and those who may in the future, I need the support.

Just a reminder; I'm a 59 male who heard a fair amount of loud music and have likely taken too much ibuprofen over the years. Tinnitus hit me suddenly in both ears 2 weeks ago.

Great news is the MRI was negative except for some sinusitis. Doc has me on an antibiotic for that and I'm in my second (last) week of prednisone, tapering off. No noticible change to tinnitus in both ears. My head/neck pains are less @Greg-sacramento bud still come and go. That's about it so far have a massage scheduled for tomorrow, which is rare for me. This masseuse works my brother over and he calls her "the doctor" as she has relieved migraines and even vision issues. I think I'll wear ear pods and listen to rain.

Other than that I've kept off caffeine, alcohol, and NSAIDS, three things that used to go in me regularly. Have a follow up audiology appt next week then I guess off to the ENT.

I've a couple good days, mentally, where I wasn't very bothered. Other evenings unable to sleep and those are scary thinking of the rest of my life will likely be like this. I'd mortgage the house to cut the sound by 50%. But I have a great wife who has mild tinnitus in one ear her self.

Thanks ladies and gents. Please chime in, I'm all ears!

 

[Phendran]

Welcome to the fold.

 

[Mitchel]

Welcome to the fold.

Thanks Phendran, not the club I wanted to join but the members seem awesome.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I take Ibuprofen pretty often, probably once a week or so.

You will want to find a drug to replace it with. Ibuprofen is ototoxic.
http://hlaa-sbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Ototoxic_Brochure.pdf

Just wondering how in the world I'm going to live the rest of my life this way, if that's what's in store.

There's a chance that it will fade. Wait until you are 2-3 months in. If you experience fading, it ought to continue fading.

any tips for a newbie to cope.

Play nature sounds when you are trying to sleep. The goal is not to mask your T, but to give yourself something else to listen to besides T. At first, you will continue focusing on your T. However, after about 15 minutes you will catch yourself focusing on the nature sounds. The sounds of crickets work well for high pitch T.
For more tips, see
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

 

[Mitchel]

The goal is not to mask your T, but to give yourself something else to listen to besides T.

Good advice, thank you. I'll try crickets again. Since my tinnitus is similar to crickets (spend up, stepping on their squeaky disc brakes) I've avoided bringing more to my party. Tapering off of a 2-week run of prednisone which hasn't helped. Hopefully I'll be lucky and in time it will fade.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Since my tinnitus is similar to crickets (spend up, stepping on their squeaky disc brakes) I've avoided bringing more to my party.

Psychologically it is easier to listen to the sounds that you know you can turn off than it is to listen to T.