Hey Guys, I Am 14 and Need Help

I can hear ringing when ever I am in a quiet room or plug my ears, I am 14, never went to any concerts in my life and rarely used headphones ( like only 7-11 times my whole life, most of the time at a very quite volume) I have been having this for as long as I remember, it came to my attention a month ago when I started reading about tinnitus just for knowledge, I went to the head of the ent department at the largest hospital in my area (he also had training on modern ways of treating tinnitus) I told him my problem and he told me it's completely normal, is this really normal or not? My life had been miserable for the past month because of this.

 

There is a difference between a condition being "common" and a condition being "normal".

Tinnitus is common, but not normal.

 

It's normal in that millions of people have it and they live completely normal lives without any problems. Just like you have been.

 

I'm afraid this is not normal at all but if you had it all your life and didn't affect you you'll be fine.

 

I don't know.... if a person has to go into a quiet room or plug their ears and only then can they hear tinnitus... I would put that more in the normal spectrum. If you deprive yourself of sounds and try and listen for something, you're going to hear tinnitus. Same as if you punch yourself in the nose, you're going to start bleeding.

It's when you start to hear it 24/7 that I call it abnormal. My opinion only.

Either way, the OP should not worry about this. It's common, and he will be just fine.

 

Well, thanks guys for all the replies but I have had this for as long as I remember, however it started to annoy me when I researched tinnitus, I researched tinnitus because I thought that I had pulsatile tinnitus, a month ago I woke up with my left ear making heart beat like noise and it got louder whenever I for example touched a body part, it was really weird and it got annoying, so I did a research and learned about tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus, but because it was a heartbeat like sound I thought it was pulsatile tinnitus, I told my parents and then went to the doctor, he treated my problem and then it was all fine until I remembered that I could hear a ringing sound when in a very quite place, like when in a locked car and the engine is off or when in a room with no AC on and is completely quiet, so I went the doctor again and he told me that I didn't have tinnitus and that tinnitus is not like that and that is should stop going on the internet cuz all what is on the internet is related with more serious problems, but I wasn't convinced because not all people I asked could hear that sound, so I came here for help, for the past month I have been really depressed, sorry for the bad grammar and thanks.

 

And guys if you have an explanation for this or a cause please write it down because it would greatly help, my father told me a few explanations for that one of them is that I am hearing the blood rushing in my ears.

 

Hi @JeanChamon, I am so sorry you're having a hard time, but I'm glad you found us.

I think something to consider is that you say you've never been bothered by this until you started researching it, though you've had it a long time. That sounds more like a problem with anxiety than a problem with tinnitus. If you can hear ringing in a quiet car, then you do have tinnitus, but it sounds very, very mild. It sounds like you are taking care of your ears, make sure you take care of the rest of your body as well. You're very young and have that to your advantage. You can set your body up for life starting now (no drugs, loud noise etc.) Those can all mess with your nervous system etc.

If you have anxiety, which I think a lot of people who suffer from tinnitus have (many have tinnitus but don't suffer from it - like me, now ). Then it might be worth your time to have your parents help you find a psychologist to go talk to. I had anxiety issues when I was teen, though I didn't really understand that then, and talking to someone really helped.

Is tinnitus normal? That depends on your definition of normal. If you really talk to people, especially as you get a little older, you're going to find that everyone's very human bodies have little "flaws." Few people are walking around in totally, completely, flawlessly perfect health. They have tinnitus, a little hair loss, a recurring hangnail, acne etc. Everyone has something. My little sister doesn't have tinnitus (at least the way I define it), but she hears her heartbeat in her ear on one side when she lays her head down on the pillow. I had that too, for most of my life, even before I went to a far-too-loud concert and got tinnitus.

If an ENT checked you out and gave you the all-clear, then the tinnitus will not physically harm you. I would focus on learning to manage your fears and getting help to do that if you need it. It is a good skill set to have for life.

You'll be okay, and if you need support, we're always here : )

 

awbw8, thanks for being nice but what is the cause? I don't listen to music or anything, I rarely go out, as I spend my time at home either playing video games or watching tv.

 

Hi @JeanChamon, "what is the cause" is the eternal question of many, many people with tinnitus. I know my cause because it was obvious (loud concert - tinnitus afterward.)

Many people never know. I don't know a lot about you and can't get inside of your head to hear what you hear, or what affects it. If you've had it for your whole life, it could just be the way you're wired, which is okay. We all have little genetic idiosyncrasies.

Tinnitus is a symptom, so any number of things can cause it (the same way many, many things can cause a stuffy nose). It's not just loud noise that does it. If you've really had it all your life and been treating your body well, then it is likely nothing you did, so don't blame yourself and try not to become obsessed with a "why."

If you really feel a deep need to know "why," or at least explore the question, then I would still ask your parents to help you find a caring psychiatrist. That person would have medical and psychological knowledge. They can answer your medical questions and help you talk through any issues as well. Also - they're going to spend 45 min. to an hour with you as a rule, not try and rush you out of the office like an ENT might.

OR

If you find yourself interested in the question (in a healthy way) and like medicine, you can grow up and study the brain and / or ear It's good to be curious, but not to let a worry take over your life when it doesn't need to.

 

Several possibilities...

1) High fever at some point in childhood
2) Ear infections as a toddler (scarring the eardrum and/or damaging the inner ear)
3) Ototoxic medication used for certain childhood diseases
4) Head trauma
5) Complications during pregnancy and/or birth (eg. loss of oxygen/viral infection of the mother - this would typically lead to hearing loss, as well, however)
6) Low birth-weight (depending on the severity, this can lead to either mild and/or severe hearing loss; the hearing loss may go unnoticed due the frequencies (= the parts of the cochlea) affected).
7) Blood vessel misformation near the inner ear.

...

8) Noise

 

9) Sitting in a quiet room/car with no/little sounds.

10) plugging your ears

Sometimes it's just that simple and is nothing for you to worry about.

-Mike

 

Yep! had the same thing my. whole life..in fact I used to TUNE IN to my soft T at night as a child to fall asleep! I thought everyone heard what I heard in a quiet room or closet while playing hide and seek! and perhaps many do!

Like I said in chat, don't worry about it, sounds more like anxiety. Stop reading about it..stay off forums...you will be ok and continue to protect your ears!

 

Just for the sake of not confusing the OP, sitting in a quiet car or plugging your ears doesn't make a "T-free" people hear T the way a sensory deprivation chamber would.

If you hear some kind of ringing in those situations, you probably do have some kind of very mild T.

 

I did respond to @JeanChamon by PM, at his request, but also will mention here: I think what he is dealing with now is extreme anxiety over his tinnitus and would be greatly helped by proper, professional treatment of said anxiety. I agree with @awbw8 in this regard. I know everyone here means well, and its kind that so many of you have responded. But telling someone not to fret, when they are in the throes of anxiety or panic, won't get the job done.

 

Hey, follow up, all: After some more PMing with Jean, I may have over-reacted. He sounds like he's just done a bit too much consulting with Dr. Google. Sorry if I was an alarmist (although I do take anxiety seriously).