Hello... Tinnitus Louder Than Ever!

I am glad to have found this site and you all! My initial bout with tinnitus was about 11 years ago. I used to work in construction, so I am certain that my tinnitus came from loud noises, plus the dozen or so concerts that I went to 10+ years ago. Over the last 10.5 years or so, my tinnitus has virtually been non-existent. I remember that initially, my tinnitus was fairly loud, but at the time, I decided that I was not going to let it get the best of me. Shortly thereafter, my tinnitus gradually subsided and over the last 10.5 years, I only heard it occasionally at night or when my allergies were bad.

This brings me to last week. I have been having trouble with both of my ears over the last month - pressure, feelings of wetness, noise sensitivity, dull ear pain, etc. Due to these symptoms, I went to my doctor. My doctor confirmed it was due to allergies and/or sinus congestion, and he stated that my ears were also full of wax. He offered to clean them, but I said "no, I will just clean them at home with a bulb syringe." I really just didn't want to pay the extra money and plus I had done it plenty of times myself in the past.

So, last Thursday night, I put a few ear wax softener drops in each ear and then syringed both of my ears with the ear bulb. During the process, I got very dizzy, which always happens, and then it quickly subsided. Unfortunately, I greatly aggravated my tinnitus (which I have never done), and it is now louder than ever before. It is high pitched and constant, and I have to try hard not to focus on it throughout the day. The last week has been a big struggle, and of course I have been mightily upset at myself for syringing my ears. The difference in my tinnitus this time vs. the last 10.5 years is that the noise seems to be a loud, high-pitched, central head noise, not specifically one ear ringing louder than the other like it always has been. What a pain!

I never knew that syringing with an ear bulb could cause tinnitus. If I did, I doubt that I would have done it. Anyway, I am not completely down yet as I know that tinnitus usually gradually improves over weeks/months/years, if not completely goes away - like it has for me in the past, but it is hard to control my emotions. I also know that my attitude towards this event, my continual ear symptoms of pressure, wetness, etc., and my mind focusing on the noise is not helping the tinnitus. Due to my continual ear symptoms, I am seeing an ENT in 2.5 weeks. I plan on telling him about this syringe experience, but I am confident that he will probably just shove the tinnitus to the side and run some tests.

Anybody else have a similar ear experience from syringing? Any success stories of tinnitus after ear syringing? Is it possible I could have damaged my ear - like aggravated/perforated my ear drum? Thank you for reading.

 

Hi Gopher,

Maybe your ears got irritated, and that is why your Tinnitus is louder now.

When my ears get irritated, or get exhausted, my T increases.

I would bet that your sound will settle in some days... just let your ears to take rest and recover.

And try to relax, because Anxiety can cause that a T increase last longer.

 

Would there be nights when you would listen for it and would hear silence?

I feel the same way. Let's hope for the best...

 

welcome to the TT talk forum

 

Welcome to TT. Sorry to hear about your new round of tinnitus A lot of people here have gotten tinnitus after syringing their ears. My own tinnitus started around the same time I had been cleaning my ears with syringing but I am not 100% certain that this was the cause, or the only reason. A lot of the members do claim that they got tinnitus after their ears were syringed or the wax was removed by an ENT with a suction device. Good luck, hope you recover soon.

 

No....I never heard complete silence. Over the last 10.5 years, I just learned to accept it and focus on what I was currently doing. Eventually, I was able to ignore it and not listen to it.

This new bout of tinnitus is tougher, but I am trying to reteach myself. Thank you all for the welcome! It is nice to have a website dedicated to those that have tinnitus.

 

@Gopher,
Try taking a daily antihistamine and use a nasil spray and do steam inhalation and that should help you .
Good luck at ENT and till then keep using olive oil etc to soften ear wax .
Love glynis