Hello :)

Hello everyone!

My name is Melina, I'm 24 years old & from Australia.

I've had tinnitus in both ears for as long as I can remember, but since I hit my adult years I seem to have it all the time. I experience mostly ringing, and it's especially loud and constant in my right ear, although the volume fluctuates at times, and since flying overseas a year and a half ago, I have also developed occasional pulsing/thudding in the same ear. I have fluctuating tinnitus in my left ear also, but it is very mild in comparison, and sometimes isn't there at all, and experience faint tinnitus that I have confirmed is caused by TMJ (fluctuates with stretching & I can "hear" it in my jaw/neck as opposed to ears).

I had my hearing tested a couple of years ago, and discovered I have very minor high frequency hearing loss in my right ear (no idea how since I don't listen to loud music nor expose myself to loud environments - probably happened when I was a kid?) I am still holding onto the hope that my tinnitus is not related to hearing loss though & that something can be done! I have a history of ear/sinus issues as well, including Eustachian tube dysfunction, and it's always worse on the right side (ie, right side of nose feels blocked, puffy right eyelid etc.)

I am a naturopathy/nutrition student and I fully support the idea that tinnitus can be diet related, as I believe is partly the reason for my own. I get terrible post-nasal drip and congestion when I consume dairy, and I'm aiming to cut this out entirely to see if there is a true correlation (I'm pregnant atm so not quite yet). I also notice that my tinnitus gets extremely loud if I drink alcohol, and I suspect it's because the drinks I have consumed in the past (I don't drink at all now, obviously) have had an extremely high sugar content. I also plan on severely reducing my sugar intake & will post back with any results.

Anyway, sorry for such a long post!

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

Welcome Melina!! And congratulations!!

 

Thanks guys! First baby, due in March

I have developed some nasty rhinitis from pregnancy & it's not helping my tinnitus at all!