Hey My Name is Christian!

[Christian_B]

Hello, my name is Christian, lives in Denmark, close to Copenhagen.

My Tinnitus first started exactly 3 weeks ago, the 09-07-2014 (dd/mm/yy).

I would like to explain a bit about how it started, cause it still seems rather strange to me..

So i woke up about 4:30 am, a had a weird ringing in my ears, like some noicy electric sound. First i thought it was my computer which is almost always turned on. I turned it off, the sound still wasn't gone. I tried to forget the sound, and like 1 hour later i fell asleep again. When i woke up it was GONE!

Since i live with my mom i told her about it the hours later, she said it was rather common to get T for a short period of time. So, i didn't think much about it, only a little bit since i've always been a bit anxiety about sickness and stuff like it.. but i went of to do my daily stuff, and the ringing still wasn't there.

The next night/morning at around 6-7 am, i woke up and the ringing was back! i was really scared and anxiety about it now, had a panic attack and literally banged my head into my hands.. couldn't sleep, and called my doctor when they opened, she said i should call the ear throat and nose doctor (sorry don't know the word).

The same day i had everything checked and he said my hearing was fine, actually better than most in my age (22) and he couldn't see any infection or something which he could something about.. and the strange thing was, the T was actually gone AGAIN at that time..

The ringing got back tho! the days after i can't remember exactly, i've tried since to ignore it at my best, but it's very hard at times, at least im back to stay with my friends and stuff but lately i've had hyperacusis as well which is really hard sometimes.. actually the hyperacusis seems more painful than the T itself.

So, the strange thing is the T went on and off the first days, now it's there 24/7, i sleep bad, the hyperacusis is even worse and things are up and down everyday..

I still have hope tho, my GP told me that the ear doctor i was at, is not the best and she told me to visit another, which is much better and knows way more about T and hyperacusis hopefully too.

Have anyone else here tried when your T started it went on and off the first days?

Thanks for listening!

 

[attheedgeofscience]

the ear throat and nose doctor (sorry don't know the word).

That pretty much is the correct wording - or ENT - when shortened.

The same day i had everything checked and he said my hearing was fine

I am assuming your hearing was assessed via an audiogram. If so, an audiogram proves essentially nothing. An audiogram was invented to diagnose hearing capability in the speech frequencies (0 - 8 kHz). It was not invented to diagnose tinnitus. There is specialized literature available which describes a better link between hearing loss and tinnitus using audiograms. But 99.9% of all ENTs would not know about this. For a start, using audiology to diagnose tinnitus, requires a full audiometric evaluation from 0 - 16 kHz.

actually better than most in my age (22)

Having better than average hearing in the modern (noisy) world of concerts, night clubbing, traffic, shopping malls, ipods, fitness clubs, etc. proves nothing. A large proportion of young people have relatively poor hearing, actually. Quite sad because it is so preventable. A clear sign that doctors and health authorities don't have the right focus.

So, the strange thing is the T went on and off the first days, now it's there 24/7, i sleep bad, the hyperacusis is even worse and things are up and down everyday..

A tinnitus which comes and goes is a relatively good sign. During the early stages of such episodes of tinnitus, it is really important to protect your ears from noise. If you do, there is a chance it will go away. Most tinnitus is noise-induced (even if the audiogram looks normal; normal hearing is defined as hearing < 25 db, but anyone who has developed as much as 25db hearing loss at any given frequency actually has a fair bit of damage to their inner ear; remember the energy carried by a sound wave doubles for every 3 db, so...)

A course of steriods may be a of help during the very early stages of tinnitus. It seems that you have passed this stage, however.

I still have hope tho, my GP told me that the ear doctor i was at, is not the best and she told me to visit another, which is much better and knows way more about T and hyperacusis hopefully too.

In terms of tinnitus, it makes no difference whether you visit a "good" or a "bad" ENT. Tinnitus due to inner ear damage is equally incurable. The best an ENT can offer is diagnose you correctly and ensure there is nothing more serious behind your tinnitus eg an acoustic neuroma (which is very rare). There are also on-going clinical trials; unfortunately not so in Denmark (to the best of my knowledge).

If you really want to have your very best shot at your situation, then see an otologist or a neurotologist. You can also try to find a professor of ENT. Regular ENTs simply don't have knowledge of tinnitus.

Take care (and take care of your ears too - use earplugs!).

 

[Christian_B]

Thanks for the answer.

I also have clogged ears many times a day and this clicking in my ears when i move my jaw and eat stuff.. Is that "normal"?

 

[attheedgeofscience]

Thanks for the answer.

I also have clogged ears many times a day and this clicking in my ears when i move my jaw and eat stuff.. Is that "normal"?

Tinnitus is best diagnosed in conjunction with the patient's history ie. did you have a period of sickness when the tinnitus developped or did you have dizziness? Did you by any chance have a case of whiplash (eg. either from a car accident or from an accident during soccer practice?). Did you bang your head? If tinnitus develops "out of the blue" - and without any other symptoms - it can be a sign of an inner ear infection. In most cases (90%), however, tinnitus is due to noise exposure (either prolonged or acute).

If you have no other observable symptoms eg. fluid behind the ear or an abnormal tympanometry, then the feeling of fullness is usually associated with osmotic processes in the perilymphatic liquid inside the inner ear (which requires specific salt concentrations to be maintained at all times). This is known as inner ear overstrain - and the main culprit is noise exposure.

Many people have some degree of clicking when eating or moving their jaw.

If you want to be thorough about your diagnosis, then you should have the following:

1) See an ENT (audiometry and tympanometry; if tympanometry is abnormal you can request to have a visual inspection of your Eustachian tube - which is done via the nose under full anesthesia).
2) See an neurologist.
3) Have an MRI scan (head and neck).
4) Have a CT scan of your airways.
4) See a chiropractor (neck evaluation and jaw evaluation).

But to be honest, it is usually not worth the effort - and the results will almost always come back clean. Most public healthcare systems will often also not offer such thorough evaluations (for tinnitus). Only if you specifically suspect something is wrong - for whatever background reason - should you be thorough about it.

 

[Marlene]

Hi Christian,truly sorry you've got this going on,tinnitus can bring all kinds of noise,clicking can be just one,never heard of when eating but it's possible,best one to ask about that is maybe your dentist,go get a check up,maybe your bite is out.Lots of us on TT get this ear fullness( clogged ) ,you can be one of the fortunate ones it will simply just all stop,yes it has be known to do just that.Read up on past post on site it will help you understand this noise better. Lots of info,have good old read.get that dental appointment,let dentist take a look . Get your dr to get you into ENT,as this has just all began. Stress will make it worse,lots here will testify to that. Get back lets all know how you get on .will be thinking of you X

 

[Christian_B]

I was in a car accident 7 Years ago. I doubt that could have anything to do with it. I actually felt a bit Dizzy the days the T started, but not rly anymore. Ive always had this bad habit stretching my neck. And for the last 2 Years Ive had this bad tooth in the right side so i only chew with my left side..

 

[attheedgeofscience]

Ive always had this bad habit stretching my neck. And for the last 2 Years Ive had this bad tooth in the right side so i only chew with my left side..

Well, that would be your starting point then (x 2). Systematically chewing with one side is going to lead to problems at some point - compare that with only supporting yourself using your left knee when walking; that too is going to create problems, sooner or later.

I will be leaving this thread again.

Take care.

 

[Marlene]

Things happen as you say your accident was while ago,but that doesn't mean that was cut and dry ,you say you stretch your neck got to be a reason why you feel need to do that? I'd say get neck XRay,I had a CT scan last year hey I only had 2 neck bones out of place,so had them sorted,lot easier,not gone but easier Christian. I'd not stretch neck anymore can be doing more harm than good.Go see dentist in regards to your tooth,get that sorted,at least that will help on its own to your bite.That would have affected your ears.Make appointment today,don't put it off.
I get balance with my tinnitus,but yours stopped,that's good trust me,you can forget about that.one off. Stay in touch.

 

[Christian_B]

Yeah i might call the dentist tomorrow, and maybe get someone to check my neck and jaw perhaps.

Thanks again!

 

[Christian_B]

The T itself is actually not the worst, it's more the "reactive tinnitus" or call it hyperacusis. It's not always there, but mostly, even my own voice can sound electric and irritating for my head..