Hi Everyone....

I am 17 years old and new to tinnitus.

Here's my story:
October 20th, I went to a very noisy concert, the first and only (and LAST) concert of the sort I have ever been to. I left with my ears feeling muffled, unsurprisingly, but this dissipated with the hour after I went home, and I had only dreadful tinnitus left afterwards. It didn't go away until almost a week later but it was such a great feeling to experience silence and sanity again.

Now I'm back to square one. Friday, I woke up unusally early and...the tinnitus for whatever reason had returned and I instantly began to panic. I think it may have to do with me stupidly listening to music on earbuds again after the tinnitus finally resolved, although I can assure you it wasnt at a riduclous volume or anything.

Of course, it's still here now, although it has quieted down considerably and is now present only in my right ear (which, for the record, I believe my right ear is a little more sensitive than my left as the eardrum was injured when I was 3 but healed successfully). I've finally been able to get deep sleep much more easily now but when it first came back...it was close to impossible and I was getting sporadic, faint 2-3 hour naps through the day at the most. REM sleep was impossible.

Is there any hope for me, am I worrying too much? Are these signs optimistic and could it ever go away again? I just feel so stressed about this....I know it's only been a few days but I feel scared. T_T

 

Hey Alexa,

don't feel scared. It sounds to me like you have every chance of recovering completely. Are you by chance a natural worrier? It's likely that you've triggered an anxiety about your hearing, and you're paying much more attention than you would have before the concert raised your worry-level.

Please, please don't be scared. Everything really will be OK.

DD

 

Yes, I am definitely worrisome (and very pessimistic) by nature. I also have depression along with lifelong anxiety issues, so I think I especially don't mix well with tinnitus...For what it's worth I'm also not taking any medication right now for my aforementioned mental health issues (I stopped taking them almost a year back). I mention this just because I have read certain medications can cause or irritate tinnitus, so that influence can be ruled out.

I'm trying really hard not to worry myself sick. I am feeling a little more hopeful since I've noticed it quiet down some more in the past few hours, but still scared by the different stories I've read online.

Also: last time I had tinnitus and went to the doctor, they said I had fluid in my right ear and prescribed me some drops to dry it out. I guess the loud noise level exacerbated the fluid there or something causing that bout of tinnitus, but now I'm starting to wonder if water got in my ear again and maybe that's causing my current battle. I'm not sure though, since it already disappeared in my left ear....

Thank you for your response. And sorry for writing so much ><

 

It sounds like you may need to see your GP again, more to handle the anxiety than anything else. It doesn't have to be permanent, but you need to squash that fear, which is making every a hundred times worse.

When I had my "episode", I'd also stopped taking my meds (tapering off). I'm certain that exacerbated my anxiety.

You need a strong stomach to do internet research. My own experience is that you can find exactly what you're looking for, whether it's good or bad. My theory is that people write about what motivates them to write; so you'll find a lot of scare stories. If you really want to search the web for help then start with "tinnitus success stories". These stories truly helped me turn the corner. We're starting to collect a few of them on this forum. Start with the "Introduce Yourself" forum, and trace some of the postings from their first to their last.

And pfftt!! You call that writing so much?! You should see some of the essays that appear on this forum.

Look after yourself, and allow yourself to hope (even *know*) that everything will be OK.

DD

 

Thank you both for your supportive replies. I think I'm starting to feel less anxious now. I guess I will report back later with how things decide to work out.

Just one other thing I would add is I seem to have become much much more aware of every sound around me in the past few days. Little small sounds that would not have caught my attention before. It's kind of strange wondering if a sound is coming from your head or not...I think this also ties in with my anxiety. I had the same experience my first go with tinnitus and it luckily I got over it, it just seems a little more pronounced now.

 

Absolutely - that's your brain paying attention to what it now perceives as danger! Think about all the noise that goes on around you, and the lights that you can see. Maybe there's a washing machine on the spin cycle, or car headlights going past. They're probably loud, and bright, but (until now) you haven't been aware of them. Now imagine a blue flashing light passes by outside the window- that really gets your attention. Or a police siren in the distance. Your brain is tuned to keep you safe, and you've kind of trained it to be worried about your years over the last few days, and so you're spending a lot of time processing what you hear. It's good news really, since it means that you'll relax gradually and let it all fade into the background. Like an inflammation.

 

Hi, it's me again already. Well, my tinnitus shifted to my left ear for some reason. I'll try not to rapidly update here everytime something happens since I don't wanna be annoying, haha, I guess it's just comforting to get more informed/experienced opinions and answers is all...but anyway I guess something I should have added in my earlier posts is that my tinnitus, while it has been diminishing, has also been fluctuating from ear to ear. This has been getting less frequent though and since last night it had only been in my right ear and rarely shifting at all during yesterday before night, so that is why I did not bother to mention it. I kind of assumed it was gonna just stick to my right ear until it hopefully decides to leave again since it didnt shift at all today either, until now.

So I guess what I'm asking once again is: should I be worried? It's kind of frightening. It disturbs me when it fluctuates at night because I can be falling asleep on "the good side" and then it switches sides and I don't want this to happen anymore. Is this any sign that it could continue stay? Quiet as it is now...I don't want it...It kind of sounds like one "eeee" sound, like an electrical frequency or something, and a little like a cricket, sort of. It is highpitched, but faint. It just bothers me so much, it shouldn't be here. >_<

I know this is just an introduction area so sorry for spamming all my questions! I really appreciate all replies.

 

Alexa you got good advice from DD and MArkku, i just want to add that protect your ears from loud concerts from now on wear earplugs and give your ears rest from ear buds. Dont fret whether its permanent or not it will drive your anxiety through the roof. Make sure you get needed rest and sleep try masking with a fan or what Markku suggested Jim's tracks are good I use them too.

Get an appointment with your ENT the sooner the better, have your hearing test. Keep us posted!

 

That's again almost certainly because you're focused on it. It's a hard loop to get out of (you're worried about the noise, the worry makes you focus on the noise, and around you go in a vicious cycle); but it can be done. As Markku says, try to avoid situations where you will naturally focus on it, and train your brain to distract itself when you notice you're paying attention to the noise. Something like, reciting the periodic table, names of Shakespeare plays, actors in your favourite TV show, tracks from favourite albums, anything.

Don't worry about how often you post - take that off your list of worries right now!

 

Hello everyone, here's my update:

Well, last night as I was falling asleep my ears had a strange sensation. I'm not sure how to describe it, it felt like some kind of pressure or something inside them and after that the electrical frequency sound I described earlier pretty much vanished from my ears (at this point it had gone into both my ears for some reason). It was a great feeling. Right now today I've been experiencing mostly normal silence, which is an amazing relief. For some reason earlier it briefly came back in my right ear, then very very faintly in my left ear, and right now it just switched back to my right again. Haha what perfect timing. It's quiet, so much more quiet than it's ever been, which gives me more hope this will all resolve soon after all.

Anyway, I hope I don't sound silly, but something that is bothering me a little is I can't determine whether or not these distant chirping insect sounds I hear are part of the tinnitus or not, as I have read some people's tinnitus manifests as the sound of crickets...I know at this time of the year, most of those bugs should be dead already and I'm pretty sure I wasn't hearing them last week before my tinnitus returned. I've asked my whole family if they hear it too and the answer was a resounding no, except my sister (who actually has had permanent tinnitus since we were little kids, which she describes as sounding like loud static noise...I think she's so strong for tolerating that for so long).

but since I've been experiencing what I think is hyperacusis (also temporary, I hope!), EVERY little thing sounds much louder and closer than it was before. Probably due in part since I got so focused on listening for my tinnitus the past few days. So it makes me wonder if they are there, and my hearing is just more sensitive or something right now....I dunno. I kind of hear them pretty much everywhere in the house so I'm not sure. I think it must be in my head. Plus I hear it if i cover my ears. Right now the chirping is pretty faint.

Okay, I think that's enough rambling for now. Thanks everyone again for your posts and advice. I really appreciate the feedback I've been receiving!!! Hopefully I'll go to an ENT soon.

 

Thank you. I wish I could say I was feeling so optimistic right now...It's proven hard for me to stay as positive as others are. I kind of keep beating myself up about attending that stupid concert, I feel like if I'd never gone there, then none of these problems would be occurring for me right now, so I'm sort of in a cycle of anger at myself at the moment. I feel so mad knowing my ears were normal before that, even more mad that they went back to normal a few days afterwards and then this just had to come back. I keep wondering what did I do to my ears this time.

Right now I'm hearing crickets in my right ear and a faint electrical sound. Earlier the crickets and the quiet electric sound switched to my left for a little while which was annoying. It just keeps switching around again, it'll probably be in my left again before I'm done writing this post. Basically, my relief last night and part of today was short lived. I kind of knew it was too good to be true.

I will be going to an ENT soon, but to be honest, I'm not really that hopeful. At all. Also, I know in my original post I said it started again on Friday, sorry: it actually started again on Saturday. Either way, it's nearly a week with this nuisance again and I feel like it's just not gonna go away. I try so hard not to stress myself out about it and not focus in on it and everything...but it's just such a struggle. I was really looking forward to a lot of big things I had coming next month and now I'm just feeling apathetic about it all. I don't feel like myself anymore. I'm scared this is going to still be here when something really special I had planned rolls around which makes me upset.

Also, I've grown to hate the sound of crickets and any chirping insects immensely, haha....If this miraculously does go away then I could very happily go the rest of my life without hearing one ever ever again. I can't say I ever liked them very much anyway.

 

Hello Alexa,

I am sorry to hear you are having problems with tinnitus. Please take care of your hearing from now on and I hope your tinnitus resolves itself very soon!

Have you tried some supplements like magnesium? It is said to be beneficient in noise trauma, according to wikipedia. Also, should the tinnitus keep bothering you, it is a good idea to visit an ENT doctor after all. There are various meds like betahistine that help some of the tinnitus sufferers.

And last but not least, stay positive! I have been where you are, some days were good, some days were hell and I have done some really crazy things to get rid of tinnitus. It is still there and it even started spiking a bit since 2-3 days but still I am much better now. Your T will also improve! Hang in there!

P.S. regarding crickets, one of my friends has a large, venomous spider in a glass tank. I don't know what is it's name, but it is one of those tarantula-looking ones My point is, the main food of this spider are living crickets. They were extremally loud when I stayed overnight once. You wouldn't even realize you have tinnitus in such environment haha!

 

Here is another update on my tinnitus today: The cricket noises have almost ceased and my left ear is quiet right now (however it will not surprise me if things fluctuate today). The electrical frequency sound is a little louder than yesterday in my right ear, but I have to say its really not bothering me much. And last night I slept perfectly and soundly.

As for supplements, I have been taking vitamin b12 and lipoflavinoid that my mother got me, except now I read lipo pretty much only works for Meniere's....T_T

While I'm mostly pessimistic, I also have a glimmer of hope it could still go away, but tomorrow makes it a week with this. so Im accepting the fact it could be permanent. I do seem to be habituating it already. Last night I was able to do something I love, crocheting, without paying any attention to it, and although it might sound funny, it eventually struck me while I was working, hey, I can still do everything I enjoy with this. My main fear is just that it could get louder, which terrifies me...as I'm honestly not so sure I could continue to cope with it then.

Also, a question: for some reason when I swallow my ears do this popping/crackling thing sometimes. Does anyone know what this could mean? It wasn't doing this prior to my tinnitus returning. I think it may support my theory that I have fluid buildup again? Maybe the ENT can clear them out? I wonder if that way my tinnitus would also cease. Hmm.
http://www.medicinenet.com/eustachian_tube_problems/page2.htm

Thanks again everyone for your advice and for welcoming me here, since it looks like I could likely be sticking around after all.

 

Alexa, a week is honestly nothing. Among doctors, acute tinnitus is considered to last up to ~ 3 months. Still there are people who had their tinnitus go away after 2 years and even more so don't worry about it staying for a week. There is a big chance it will go away very soon, especially if it fluctuates.

Easy to say, but stop measuring your T so often and checking if it is there. It was one of my mistakes, thinking about T the whole hours, days, weeks. Think about it this way - if it already was gone once, then it most certainly can be gone again. Who knows, the silence may come anytime!

Take a look at what I wrote some weeks ago: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-is-90-emotions-10-real-sound.662/

How loud your T is depends a lot on how emotional are you towards it. Try not to worry too much and it will be better!

The popping and crackling while swallowing is the sound of eustachian tubes opening and closing. I have the same thing and my ENT doctor said it is nothing to worry about, it is very common and in my case might be caused by allergies. Indeed I did hear this long before my T has started... I just didn't pay much attention to it.

 

I hope you're right about it going away soon. I keep having these short periods of total silence like it's trying to go away, but then it comes back, and the loudness and tone of it has been frequently changing. It also seems like my posture influences it oddly. I hate how quickly I can go from feeling like "hey I can live with this" to hopelessness. I'm really trying my hardest not to overthink it and take everyone's advice.

 

> I hate how quickly I can go from feeling like "hey I can live with this" to hopelessness. I'm really trying my hardest not to overthink it and take everyone's advice.

Although you're not enjoying those transitions, you're being mindful of your mental approach to the whole thing, and that is definitely progress. Transitioning your focus from the sounds to your reaction to the sounds is absolutely key. Well done (UK) / good job (US)

DD

 

Thanks, but I have to admit that yesterday was very rough for me...I was actually having some suicidal feelings and kept crying. I feel so alone and like this stupid thing has really broken me. I just feel crushed and I'm definitely not hopeful it will go away again anymore.

 

Just posting again as I have somewhat good news, I guess. Today I went to the doctor and they said I have fluid in both my ears now, so they gave me some nasal spray and antibiotics, which I took....It sounds gross, but i did feel liquid drain down in my throat and then I noticed a reduction in the volume of my tinnitus and even experienced silence for a short while, which was surreal. I've also had a physical ache in my ears all week that's starting to dissipate. I started to feel like me again. but now I'm experiencing some fluctuating tinnitus that's bothering me, and it's a different tone than I've experienced before. It's high pitched, so I'm starting to feel a little upset again....

It's hard staying positive but the doctor also told me 1 week is too early to say it's permanent. I also have a fear that, even if it goes away, it's gonna keep coming back or somehow fluid is going to keep getting in my ears, and it's just going to be a non stop cycle. :/

 

To be honest I think you are extremally lucky and you don't appreciate the fact you will likely be tinnitus-free very soon

Stay positive because it is good news. And you heard silence too, what else could you wish for?

 

The crickety sounds and electric frequency that keep firing off randomly in my ears is just really testing me right now. I can't help but stay afraid it's not gonna go away, so I had another nervous emotional evening today after feeling somewhat decent earlier. It's turned me into a trainwreck for the time being...I hope it doesn't sound like I'm not taking everyone's advice to heart, because I'm really trying my best, but it's just a challenge. I know this is just day one with this medicine and I did have some positive results earlier, so now all I can do is wait and see what else happens. And my mom is making an appointment with the ENT on monday, which hopefully they'll have something good to say... I'll try to be more optimistic and not jump to conclusions that it's permanent anymore.

 

Alexa. We have all been where you are. The past weekend has been awful for me. My T is very high pitched and different sounds. Found out I was low on vitamin D so took a pill Sat morning. Its been awful since. Stress and anxiety mzke it worse. Keep a fan in your room to sleep with. Listen to music.this is not fun. Just want it to calm doxn

 

Hey alexa, this is a really late response, but i am in a similar situation as you- did your tinnitus ever dissipate? Thanks!