Hi Meghan,
I'm truly sorry to hear about your severe spike, and even more sorry to learn that it has continued to endure for more than 3 months. I have read that most spikes that are acoustically-charged tend to dissipate within 3-6 months, so hopefully, you are approaching or passing your zenith so that your brain has an opportunity to adjust.
My story is not unusual to people here: after a month of very high stress and suffering from epigastric pain at night, coupled with heart palpitations, (which I later learned was being caused by a mild case of reactive gastropathy with very mild dyspepsia) I awoke on the morning of November 2, 2014 to hear the high-pitched screaming of Tinnitus in both of my ears. Like many, I had heard Tinnitus come and go through the years -- momentary reactions to either very loud noises, or passing phenomenon, but it never stuck around for more than 5-10 seconds on any given spell. Since then, it's been constant -- both ears, stronger on the left, with a pulsating undercurrent (though the pulsations are just louder pitched whistling with quieter moments in between each heartbeat, perfectly in sync). It's wrecked havoc on my life and my family, as I know it does for all of us Tinnitus sufferers.
For me, it's been a lonely condition -- there are no medical practitioners, even in the Boston Area which is renowned for its medical services (especially at the Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary, or MEEI, which I attended) that really fully understand Tinnitus, much less how to even diagnose it properly (forbid treating it!). My family, friends, and colleagues really can't empathize, though I have found some tools to communicate to them exactly what it is that I am hearing - such as
GeneralFuzz.net's ACRN utility; my sound is ~8300 hertz -- and that's what makes it more harrowing, that outside of Tinnitus Talk and some professionals at the American Tinnitus Association, there really aren't any people who fully understand and empathize. For this community, and for the resources it offers, however, I am extremely grateful.
As in most cases of Tinnitus, there hasn't been a defining cause identified -- but I have stumbled across a possible cure, thanks to
@engineerLA's protocols targeting the Eustachian Tubes. In my case, my ENT at MEEI initially suspected a Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (or "TMJD"), but follow-ups with a maxillofacial surgeon and my dentist ruled it out -- though they found some inflammation. Brain MRI, Brain MRA, Chest CT w/Contrast, and even Abdominal CT w/Contrast all revealed absolutely nothing -- except for some very mild dehiscence and/or retention cyst in my sphenoid sinus which, I am told, is fairly common (though
@Karen has encouraged me to keep checking this one out). The underlying behavior of my Tinnitus, though, was that I can control its volume by moving my bottom jaw to the left and the right (and the opposite ear grows much quieter when I do this). This, combined with other factors such as persistent popping of my ears when I swallow and yawn and a dull ache deep in both ears, has led me and my doctors to speculate I have some sort of prolonged ear infection that might be causing this. Inner Ear Infections are impossible to detect, because typical examinations only check for Outer Ear Canal Infections and signs of fluid retention right behind the ear drum - they can't detect infections of the Eustachian Tubes or the Middle Ear in general, and certainly not of the Inner Ear. Fortunately, I'm testing this theory after nearly curing my Tinnitus in one of my ears with a neti pot experiment several weeks ago -- and began a regimen of Antibiotics and Steroids today to control inflammation and combat the infection. We'll see if, at the very least, this leads to some more answers.
Anyways, that was long-winded way of saying that, for now, I'm in the Eustachian Tube/Inflammation/Infection camp of believing what has caused my Tinnitus. I have good days and bad days, like everyone, though I feel that I have some control over when my days are going to be good and they always involve heavy anti-inflammatories the night before coupled with solid, restful sleep.
Speaking of sleep, how are you doing sleeping? Are you taking anything that helps you at night? What about during the day? How quickly did you previously , and are you seeing similar hopeful signs that you might habituate again soon?
Sending you positive and optimistic hopeful thoughts for a wishful, silence, and blissful new year!
Kaelon
Member
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