Hello! My Tinnitus Started One Random Afternoon for Unknown Reasons

Hi everyone, this is my first time on here. I have been reading up on tinnitus since it all started with me back in August last year and it seems to be such a complex minefield as to why people get this.

Mine started one random afternoon. My thoughts were I can hear morse code. It was coming from my left ear! I was so frightened when I realised it was in me and after a few days of it and sleepless nights I booked to see my GP, he thought he could see fluid but said it wasn’t much but prescribed antibiotics. I took them and it did start to get better and subside getting fainter and less attacks of it. Well of course I thought great job done, bye bye to it ..... a couple of weeks later it was back with avengence! I took another trip to docs who looked and said all looked normal now which I thought was strange. After several trips back and fourth to my very nice but baffled GP I urged him to refer me to ENT, I waited quite a few weeks for appointment in this time ear was bad then better , then bad then better and so on. Appointment day arrives my ear felt fine (typical) but nevertheless I knew it would return. During the appointment they carried out various tests including hearing and checking the Eustachian tubes. All tests seemed fine. After the tests he called me in and said all looked fine but that they would refer me for MRI scan as it was one ear. After a tense few weeks since before Christmas I have had the scan and the results have just come back clear. He said I have to live with it.

My heart goes out to everyone of you who are suffering with it in some form. I am six months in now and I have been keeping a diary of attacks. I do suffer from congestion now and then and have wondered if this is related. I do have a few self theories about my tinnitus but I am no doctor. Cannot help but feel that self educating myself on it is the only way I may get to the bottom of it. Thanks for reading

 

Welcome to the forum,

all of us were and are in discovery mode when tinnitus first hit. To go from silence to ringing is a bit odd and all of us were thinking....just what the heck is going on. There are no clear reasons why tinnitus comes into our lives. Once it does come into your life and if it stays....Then say to yourself that IT IS....WHAT IT IS. I have tinnitus and I shall do my best to protect my ears, but still live my life.

Tinnitus is something that can and will test your patience. I been at this for over 30 years and at times it still tests mine. It will take time, effort, patience, self love, support and most importantly...a GOOD attitude.

Mindset is very important when it comes to dealing with tinnitus. Tinnitus is an emotional creature, if we are negative, then it can feed on it and just become further annoying. I highly suggest that you get as much love and support as possible. Reach out to the forum, family, friends. Talk things out and get lots of positive feedback.

It is unfortunate that we have tinnitus, but we can still have a good life. My tinnitus is horrible and louder than the freeway noise, but I still smile, laugh, love and enjoy this precious life

Be well....

 

How do you sleep with very loud tinnitus? Mine is quite mild in general but sometimes i have spikes and find it very hard to sleep than.

 

Thank you Fishbone and Carly for the response and welcome.

Yes I have now learned to accept my sporadic tinnitus attacks as part of my life now.

Carly sometimes mine is mild and I can sleep with it but yes a severe spike will keep me awake. I have also recently wondered if when it is at its worse that hormones play a part for women, mine is worse during a certain time of month but I can get it other times. I have read that an increase in water can effect the middle ear during these times. I have been keeping a log of when mine happens to see if this is true. Xx