Help, Tinnitus After Ear Irrigation, Should I Ask for Prednisone?

Hey everyone.

I've had tinnitus on my left ear since Monday night after an ear irrigation (on both ears) for an ear wax removal... three days already. anyways, yesterday my right ear started to hurt really bad. Like really really bad. it feels swollen, it hurts and it feels hot to the touch. Saw a GP on Tuesday, he found that my left ear was swollen and prescribed me some eardrops.

I'm seeing an ENT tomorrow, should I ask for prednisone? The ear irrigation is acoustic trauma? Is it too late for prednisone? Could my ear be infected?

i seriously need help. my psychiatrist thinks i need to be put on a psych ward because of suicidal thoughts.

please help me, I'm desperate.

 

please help me

 

When this suddleny comes on it’s extremely soul destroying. I’m only 2 months in with my T and it’s not pleasant at all.
What I will say is.... I’m far from an expert on this issue and there’s a lot of new emotions and issues that come with T but try to stay postive even though it’s so hard to at times. This may not be permanent.

Wait to see your ENT and see what they have to say.

Talk to your family and friends and people on here, they are extremely helpful and will always have a nice word of encouragement for you. This may not be permanent and I know it’s hard to stay positive but don’t suffer in silence.
If you feel alone or it gets too much go and see your doctor and speak to family and friends.

Stay safe and keep us updated on your progress.

 

Did you get your T from ear syringing?

 

Don't panic. (easier said than done)

Possibilities:

1. trauma from irrigation. Get an extended audiogram and consider prednisolone. Maybe try some nicotinamide riboside, nac, and magnesium too.

2. infection. you can ask an audiologist to get a tympanogram. that will tell you if you have a middle ear effusion. Has your dr had a look at the drum? if you have signs of infection, then ensure you are using an antibiotic that is ototoxic ie mullein ear drops. Which drops did you dr give you?

Acoustic trauma is sound related. If anything this is mechanical and/or ototoxicity.

It may not be permanent, so please try to stay calm. Try getting the above done, and get back to me on how you went.

 

Thank you!

Will an audiogram affect my hearing? I was scheduled for today, but I'm not that sure. I'm already on prednisone (50mg x7 days and then taper) as the ENT checked my ears yesterday. He told me the pain on my right ear was result of TMJ/bruxism, because parts of my cranium hurt and because I've had jaw problems since I was a kid, and my stress and anxiety levels have been through the roof in the past two months.

I've had a GP and an ENT look at my ears and said everything is fine, so it probably isn't an infection, or else wouldn't be prednisone, right? I'll buy magnesium today, and the others suplements you gave me. I'm very much more calmer right now, as the pitch is not high anymore and its changed to a buzzing sound (after the prednisone) which is more tolerable for me.

The ear drops contain neomycin sufalte, dexamethasone, polimixin b and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. I know neomycin is ototoxic, but there's no perforation in my ear drum and little chances of it coming right through my inner ear, and I already stopped using it because I'm on prednisone.

Thank you for your reply! I'll keep you updated. <3

 

I'm not sure, but it started 6 hours after the procedure.

 

Hi @paganismos

Before having ear irrigation or microsuction to remove earwax, it is advisable to apply olive oil eardrops 3 times a day to each ear, for 7 to 10 days before having the wax removed. Failure to do this can cause tinnitus. It also says on your profile that the tinnitus was caused by "headphones?". Headphone use is one of the most common causes of tinnitus. I advise you to stop using them even at low volume.

Please click on the links below and read my posts.
Hope you start to feel better soon.
Michael


https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

 

It just pisses me off. Why don't physicians say any of this beforehand? I only had drops done the day of my procedure (debrox). Are we as patients supposed to Google and scrutinize every little visit to the doctor's because these "professionals" are just so criminally incompetent? And then they chew us out for it when we do...

I really hope you get your ears sorted, paganismos... It seems like we're having similar experiences...

 

The health professionals that I've met have always advised that I apply eardrops 3 times a day to each ear, 7 to 10 days before having earwax removed. This seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

 

Thank you Michael! I've read your posts multiple times. The ENT who did the irrigation asked me if I had used anything and I said I used drops of glycerin the day before. He said perfect and continued. It didn't take long, it wasn't painful and the wax came out pretty quick without complications. I read people get tinnitus even when applying the drops, so... I don't know.

About the headphone use, I'm not sure. I'm on prednisone right now, after 76 hours after the onset, let's see how it goes. I may have multiple causes, from ototoxic medications (3 years using wellbutrin), TMJ (have two impacted lower wisdom teeth, bruxism), headphone use and irrigation lol, guess I'm doomed.

Yes! I'm not using headphones since the onset, not even low volume. I have no choice but to wait.

 

@paganismos

It's good that you've beem reading my posts and please keep doing so as I believe they will help. If you were regularly using headphones? Only you will know this. Then it's most likely they have caused the tinnitus. Think and be honest with youself because most people use them at too high a volume, and the result is often tinnitus. The good news the tinnitus is likely to reduce with time and could go away. I advise you to never use headphones again. You will know this already since reading my posts.

I wish you the best of luck
Take care
Michael

 

Yes, I guess it could be one of the reasons. I've been to gigs and concerts without protection and also used headphones for long periods of time. I hope it goes away, since I'm young and I'll be taking proper cars of my ears fron now on.

 

You are on the way to making a good recovery, because you have been honest with yourself as to the cause of the tinnitus. I had a feeling it was headphone use and loud noise that were responsible. Start using sound enrichment at night and when you go to gigs use good quality "noise reducing" plugs. You still need to be careful. I would keep away from the clubs until your tinnitus shows signs of improvement.

Best of luck
Michael

 

Everyone should read Michael's posts. You cannot gain his wisdom unless, you have years/decades of raw experience. He is a GREAT asset to this forum and you folks are very lucky that he is so caring and takes time out of his day and posts here...

 

@paganismos did they use a syringe to put the water in or an irrigation kit?

Try to think about and focus on the T as little as possible. There is a school of thought that says quite a few people have short term tinnitus lasting weeks or months and that increased focus and fear about it means it's more likely to persist. May or may not be true and very hard to think your way round I know! Try to use sound in the background to block most of it out to help with the not thinking about it

 

Thank you @fishbone and I say the same to you. Your posts are based on many years experience and are full of positivity to help someone believe, that having tinnitus doesn't mean you can't go on living life doing everything that you want to.....

 

That is it. DONT EVER DO electrococlheaography, caloric test, ear syringing, microsction, etc you will get T or worsening of T.

 

It was a syringe procedure done by an ENT (not a nurse) at a clinic. I think he used a syringe to put water on it. I'm much more relaxed today! I could sleep just fine yesterday, and didn't thought about it. I'm kind of accepting it now, if it goes away fantastic, if it doesn't i'll manage somehow. I've been through worse things in my life and happily i've overcome every single obstacle. The tone I have now is a buzzing sound, not that loud, it's more quiet. I think it's caused by prednisone. But yeah, I'm not worried about it now, I hope it stays that way for a while, I don't want anxiety and I see my psychiatrist three times a week and we'll see a way to manage and sort things out.

 

I got worsening of T/H from doing caloric test which is ear syringing.

 

I already did ear irrigation man, there's nothing I can do. In other questions, shoul i undergo an audiometry test, or will it worsen my t?

 

leave it alone for now (audiometry is safe), dont let the ENT/Doctors touch your ears. They are idiots who make matter worse. One doctor diagnosed me with aids/syllaphus as the reason why i have T

 

I have two appoitments with ENTs next week. What do you mean by "don't let them touch your ears"?

 

@paganismos if it's quiet already that's a great sign!!

 

Dont let them do any ear tests on you like acoustic reflex

 

No ENT has ever advised me to use ear drops beforehand. In my opinion they are not to be trusted and are lesser doctors than others. Question everything and then question again. Refuse their treatment if you doubt them or if they are arrogant. You can always get a second opinion too.

One ENT performed micro suction on me whilst I had acoustic trauma before I had a chance to react (being somewhat out of it from the trauma). I had only a bit of cerumen (ie the normal amount) anyway. I don’t know if it caused me more damage, but things are not getting better.

 

Whilst I agree he does have quite a lot of solid advice and have read his posts, I get the impression that he believes all tinnitus is caused by headphone use or loud music, because that’s what caused his.

By the way a lot of ENTs won’t even look for an underlying medical condition.

 

lmao, I kind of agree. It seemed funny when he told me that I was taking a step towards recovery because I have accepted that T was caused by my earphone use haha.

I am fortunate to have an excellent healthcare plan! It's not hard to get appointments with specialists quickly, so I'm seeing another two this next week, to hear a second and third opinions and options of treatment. There are some really good doctors here, who care about the patient and engage in the treatment.

 

Well only you can determine if headphone use was a cause or not. So I’m not disputing what he said because I don’t know you or your situation.
Great to hear there are some good and caring doctors where you are. There needs to be more. Just make sure you ask a lot of questions about any possible risks in any procedure or test they recommend. And remember you don’t have to do any of them if you don’t feel right.

 

Michael is very wise and I kinda like what he says. It makes sense but even Michael knows that not all tinnitus is caused by loud music and headphones