- Mar 31, 2017
- 2
- Tinnitus Since
- 2013
- Cause of Tinnitus
- One loud sound via earbuds at high volume
Hello. I am new and I found this forum as I was searching on how I can support my spouse. What I thought was just a phase, I am finding is really a beast called "tinnitus" and it doesnt go away very fast. And it takes a toll on a household 
I want to be supportive but I realize I need to understand what is happening. I want to "fix" it becuase it pains me to see my formerly very active, athletic husband, seemingly debilitated by something like his ears bothering him? I get home from work and he is wearing noise canceling headphones and it is hard to engage in conversations that are hard t hear. It is frustrating as a spouse but I know he is frustrated but I keep looking for other options than what the ENT presented. Which is pretty much... wait and see if it gets better.
In 2012, he wore his earbuds with his iphone. Once he pressed a game app, the phone was somehow set on the highest volume and as a result a loud sound pierced his left ear.
That was the start. He had a few weeks of intense ringing and after about a month he went to an ENT. given a tinnitus dx and Found to have hearing loss in the low frequencies. Follow up in 3 months.
Within 3 months it got better and he didnt follow up. He would have occasional flare ups but nothing too uncomfortable.
In Feb of 2017, he went on a plane trip. Since then he has had fullness, constant buzzing, ringing. Went back to ENT and the PA said he had low frequency hearing loss, reverse slope audiogram, and she thought may be cochlear hydrops. Prescribed diuretics, and low salt diet. My husband is an active runner and usually with long runs, needs to replenish with salt tabs and electrolytes. So currently he is watching his salt intake and has not taken the diuretics. I considered making appointments for accupuncture and chiropractor but wasnt sure what else to consider.
Thanks for this forum and just for listening to me vent. First time I have really articulated any of these emotions since I really thought the ringing would just go away. Don't we all want it to go away??

I want to be supportive but I realize I need to understand what is happening. I want to "fix" it becuase it pains me to see my formerly very active, athletic husband, seemingly debilitated by something like his ears bothering him? I get home from work and he is wearing noise canceling headphones and it is hard to engage in conversations that are hard t hear. It is frustrating as a spouse but I know he is frustrated but I keep looking for other options than what the ENT presented. Which is pretty much... wait and see if it gets better.
In 2012, he wore his earbuds with his iphone. Once he pressed a game app, the phone was somehow set on the highest volume and as a result a loud sound pierced his left ear.
That was the start. He had a few weeks of intense ringing and after about a month he went to an ENT. given a tinnitus dx and Found to have hearing loss in the low frequencies. Follow up in 3 months.
Within 3 months it got better and he didnt follow up. He would have occasional flare ups but nothing too uncomfortable.
In Feb of 2017, he went on a plane trip. Since then he has had fullness, constant buzzing, ringing. Went back to ENT and the PA said he had low frequency hearing loss, reverse slope audiogram, and she thought may be cochlear hydrops. Prescribed diuretics, and low salt diet. My husband is an active runner and usually with long runs, needs to replenish with salt tabs and electrolytes. So currently he is watching his salt intake and has not taken the diuretics. I considered making appointments for accupuncture and chiropractor but wasnt sure what else to consider.
Thanks for this forum and just for listening to me vent. First time I have really articulated any of these emotions since I really thought the ringing would just go away. Don't we all want it to go away??