I Got My Tinnitus Today

[Thatguy]

Hello, my name is Dennis and I am 16 years old. I was partying from 22:00 to 2:00. There was alot of loud music but it didn't bother me. I had a fun time. When I got home when the time was around 2:30. I heard my tinnitus. I had gotten twice before but they would only last up to 20mins and I would never get it again. The first time happend to me around 1 year ago and the secon time a half year ago.

I've had my tinnitus now for about 11 hours. It dissapeared twice but then came back when I heard some irritaiting noises such as someone banging on my door etc. I am really scared. Getting tinnitus and becoming blind were the two things which would scare me to death. I am thinking positivly and my dad is saying it will be gone in about a day or in worst case a week. I had depression for about 2 years because I got bullied which leadd me to sucicdal toughts and attemps. None of that is happening now but I am scared that this tinnitus can lead to those toughts again.

Can you guys on here which have had it for a time tell me what you think. I want honest opinions.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Thatguy
Hi Dennis. If you listen to music through headphones then I advise you to stop even at low volume. If I were you, then I would never listen to music through headphones again. Please click on the link as the post titled: New to tinnitus what to do, you might find helpful
Best of luck
Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/

 

[Thatguy]

@Michael Leigh will it dissapear? I has before, its the first time ive had it for such a long time. Ive read that with most people it will dissapear within days or weeks. What do you think in my case? I really need this advice from anyone at this point.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Thatguy Dennis, I am unable to tell you that your tinnitus will go away but I suggest you give it time. Please follow the advice in the post that I have written and don't be tempted to listen to music through headphones and keep away from loud music.
I believe your tinnitus has been coming on for some time. When you had tinnitus in the past and it went away within 20 mins to 24hrs this is a warning that you must be careful of being around loud sounds. Hopefully you will make a full recovery. To give yourself the best chance follow the advice in my post as I believe it will help you. Please click on my profile; you will find many articles that I've written on tinnitus that you might find helpful. There are also many people at TinnitusTalk with very good advice just ask.
Michael

 

[Thatguy]

@Michael Leigh ok thank you for everything, but 1 more question. should i use earmuffs daily? i always use them when i study math or when i go to sleep. is it dangerous for my hearing? should i use them right now so maybe my tinnitus wont get worse?

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Thatguy It is not a good idea to wear earmuffs or to sleep with them. Only use ear protection when using noisy equipment like a lawn mower power tools etc. When your tinnitus improves or goes away, and you're at a night club use noise reducing earplugs.

These will only lower the amount of sound entering your inner ear but won't impair sound quality. Wearing earplugs, earmuffs, ear defenders when you're not in a noisy environment can make your ears more sensitive to sound and that's not good for you. Please click on the link below and you'll find: An Introduction to tinnitus. It was written for people new to tinnitus and is more-in depth than the first post I sent you. I hope you find it helpful.
Michael
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/an-introduction-to-tinnitus.12100/

 

[LadyDi]

Hey, @Thatguy: Get to an ENT immediately, tell him you have had extreme noise exposure, and ask for a course of steroids. You need to do this as soon as possible after the exposure event for it to do any good. Be very gentle with your ears over the next few weeks: don't listen to headphones, avoid loud noise of any kind or wear ear plugs if you are going to be exposed to loud noise. You also should try taking the supplement NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) for at least three days, 500-600 mg three times a day. Promotes healing of your inner ear hair cells. Can buy it in any health food store.

Re. ear muffs: Your ears need to hear some sound or you put yourself at risk of hypercusis. So I don't think using ear muffs in a quiet room is helpful unless there is something going on that is distracting you.

Also, I respectfully disagree with Michael Leigh. After you get through the next few weeks, I personally think using headphones is OK -- if you keep the volume very low, always. It's the volume that's the problem, not the appliance. Sound therapies for tinnitus, administered by professionals, use head phones. Ear buds are more dangerous so I might switch to head phones that cover your ear, not buds that go into your ear canal.

And goes without saying: Don't do this again! You very likely will recover from this incident. But if you abuse your ears enough, one day you won't.

 

[MikeP505]

@Thatguy

Your best bet is to avoid any loud noises for a long long time. Listening to "background" music should be fine. The kind of music that is low yet you can still hear it. What @Michael Leigh says is good advice. Ear buds, headphones, cell phones and real cheap speakers are nasty. The quality of the speaker is horrible. There may even be feedback from cheap wiring or jacks that you never hear, but do damage to the inner ear. If you attend loud events like parties, concerts etc, make sure you ALWAYS carry a cheap pair of foam earplugs. Some protection is better than none.

Also not that not all tinnitus and hearing loss is due to noise however this is in my opinion the main cause. Some Tinnitus sufferers never had loud noises in their lives yet still have issues with tinnitus and hearing loss. There are many many drugs out there than can contribute to inner ear damage.

Protect your hearing as you would your eyesight. Protect your hearing like you protect your teeth by brushing regularly. Once you damage the inner ear enough, you end up like most of us on here. I see so many people walking down he street with ear buds in and cell phones lit up. I can only imagine how many more cases of tinnitus and deafness will arise in the near future. Be smart about everything you do. I was a drummer in many various bands and I know how great loud and clear music sounds and makes you feel. Trust me, don't do it buddy!!

Keep us posted and remember, you are not alone in this.

Mike

 

[Michael Leigh]

Also, I respectfully disagree with Michael Leigh. After you get through the next few weeks, I personally think using headphones is OK -- if you keep the volume very low, always. It's the volume that's the problem, not the appliance. Sound therapies for tinnitus, administered by professionals, use head phones. Ear buds are more dangerous so I might switch to head phones that cover your ear, not buds that go into your ear canal.

I respectfully disagree with Lady Di on using headphones. I have written many posts on this same topic. I have counselled many people that have tinnitus, habituated and gone back to listening to music through headphones at low volume and their tinnitus has become worse.

I hasten to add: My advice not to use headphones is for the people whose tinnitus was caused by loud noise exposure. In my opinion, once the cochlear, in the inner ear has become damaged by loud noise exposure, it is much more sensitive to sound and therefore, I advise not to listen to audio through headphones no matter how low the volume is set.

However, I appreciate that some people do not notice any adverse affects to their tinnitus when using headphones, but I advise if one chooses to go this route then do it with extreme caution!
Michael

 

[LadyDi]

You and I will agree to respectfully disagree, @Michael Leigh, no problem. I have asked my doctors and audiologists about this and they all agreed it is a volume issue, not a sound delivery method issue. Still, better safe than sorry. So for some, perhaps avoiding head phones all together is good idea. I certainly don't use them often.

You gave @Thatguy a lot of good advice.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@LadyDi
Many ENT doctors tell their tinnitus patients that is perfectly fine to listen to audio through headphones as long as the volume is kept low. People that have contacted me for help with their tinnitus in distress because of listening to ENT Drs telling them its ok to listen to music through headphones. Equally, there are ENT Drs that tell tinnitus patients under no circumstances listen to music through headphones even at low volume.

A person whom I'm counselling at the moment her Audiologist told her: " It's fine listening to music through headphones won't do any harm as long as the volume is low - it will actually help your hyperaucusis". The lady in question is often in tears when talking me on the telephone, after following bad advice from a so called professional.

With all due to respect to ENT Drs. They know about the anatomy of the ear but the majority of them have never experienced loud intrusive tinnitus. It is all right for them to tell tinnitus patients it's fine to listen to music through headphones. If the person's tinnitus gets worse they will not be the one enduring the suffering.
Michael

 

[gary]

Can you guys on here which have had it for a time tell me what you think. I want honest opinions.

Hi Dennis, my honest opinion is from the gut. I think you will be fine in week if not in less time. Just being 16 I feel you will bounce back, just don't push you're luck & when it gets better/goes away, don't forget to come back and let us know.....

 

[GregCA]

You and I will agree to respectfully disagree, @Michael Leigh, no problem. I have asked my doctors and audiologists about this and they all agreed it is a volume issue, not a sound delivery method issue.

That makes sense to me (it's also what all the doctors/audiologists I have seen have said). Whatever happens downstream from your ear drum is independent from the reason why your eardrum is vibrating. It's the vibration of the ear drum itself that triggers everything else downstream, whether it's vibrating because you are wearing headphones, or sit away from speakers.

What's possible however is that headphones may be less forgiving of "user errors": there isn't much room for acoustic energy to escape (if you screw up the volume for instance). Also there may be a natural bias to listen to sounds at higher volume when using headphones, and not realizing it. Finally, when using headphones, you may be isolating your ear from other external sounds (depends how isolating the headphones are), which may have an impact on your condition (just like wearing earplugs would).

 

[sol auerbach]

hey dennis.
im a massive party animal myself.
im 31, heavymetal head, major dance music fan, etc...
i came down with tinnitus 5 years ago as a result of partying and going to rock concerts
many years without wearing earplugs.
you MUST wear earplugs.
if kids call you a pussy for wearing earplugs, just ignore them.
your ears and your sanity are too valuable.
ive had tinnitus for over 5 years now.
it was excruciatingly ragefully painful for a few months, but i learned coping skills
and how to live life without it bothering me.
have no fear. over 50 million americans have it.
eveyrone here has it or did at one point.
being that youre young, i wanna say this:
you can actually have tinnitus without it bothering you.
ive had it for 5 years. while i still have my occasional bouts with hyperacusis and issues with certain real life noises,
the actual ringing in my ears hasnt bothered me in four years.
maybe two or 3 times for a day or two whe ni was under a lot of stress, but there's plenty of resources on this page that help tinnitus not be a problem for those of us who have it.
lets hope it goes away, but there's plenty of hope and help if it doesnt.
always wear earplugs at music events or when on roaler coasters.
never give up hope.

Sol.

 

[sol auerbach]

oh and no, dont wear earmuffs or earplugs whe nyoure not in a very loud noise situation.
that will make you sensitive to regular noises if and when you uncover your ears annd you'll come down with hyperacusis, plus when you wear earplugs or earmuffs when there's little or no noise, you're gonna hear your tinnitus much louder actually. you MUST wear it when youre at parties or any place thats playing music even remotely loud. have it on you in your pocket wherever you go just in case you end up going unplanned to a loud music atmosphere.

 

[Thatguy]

Wow thank you guys so much for all the love and support xoxox The thing is i never go to parties. This was my first real ever party. I had danced and listnend to the high music nonstop for 4 hours. The party was on Monday 22:00 and ended on Tuesday 2:00. Today is Wednesday and the time is 11:14 here in Sweden and I still have the tinitus. Its alot better, maybe because im starting to get used to it or maybe because i dont know what to do and im desperate. I've tried mushing bananas and then gently massaging them on my ears, not in but on the ears. It didn't work. I never go to parties but the time I did i get tinitus, really odd. But i read some posts on here and started to think why I maybe got my tinitus so easily. I drink alot of energy drinks, i play alot of video games on the computer (first person shooter games, but i never use loud sound, its always so i think its okay to play, i hate playing when its very loud) and i use q-tips. Maybe one every two months. My mom said the reason why i had tinitus was beacuse my ears were very dirty so she "cleaned" my ears with q-tips. I dont know if ill get my hearing back, its really scaring me. Tinnitus is nothing new to me, ive had 3 teachers who have had permanent tinnitus. But its still hard to getting used to. Another thing im wondering, does tinnitus help with dyslexi and focusing? Im a person full with ideas and passion but i was always so lazy to perform them but after getting tinnitus i feel like im always "on alert". Im always performing these ideas and saying the things that are on my mind. I feel like im gonna get some great results on my up coming math tests if i keep going like this.

 

[Thatguy]

Btw when im in the gym, or in the train. Should i use earmuffs? There is alot of noises going around, Or even at home there is some wind sounds really bugging me. Would it be a problem if i used my earmuffs so i dont have to hear that anymore? And whats a ent? Cant i just go to the hospital and they will fix it? I live in Sweden btw.

 

[Thatguy]

Btw i've only listened to music through headphones this past one month or two. And i always keep it in a volume i think is fine, not to loud or not to little.

 

[Thatguy]

how can i give them rest? My day consist of watching videos online and playing video games. I also have school tommorow, and there is alot of sound everywhere there. In the hallways, dinning rooms etc? Should i wear earmuffs when im in school. Im really scared.

 

[Michael Leigh]

how can i give them rest? My day consist of watching videos online and playing video games. I also have school tommorow, and there is alot of sound everywhere there. In the hallways, dinning rooms etc? Should i wear earmuffs when im in school. Im really scared.

@Thatguy

Dennis, I have already advised you that wearing earmuffs is not a good idea. If you find noise levels around you too loud, then this might be an indication that you have hyperacusis, sensitivity to sound. This will probably improve but if things persist get a referral to ENT for tests.

You say: "how can I give them a rest?" I assume you mean give your ears a rest from sound? If your tinnitus becomes severe enough, believe me you will soon find a way of giving your ears a rest but I hope it doesn't come to that.

Follow some of the helpful advice from members on this thread and hopefully things will improve for you soon. My advice again, is not to listen to music or any other audio through headphones even at low volume.
I wish you well
Michael

 

[Thatguy]

@micheal Leigh what is a ENT? I even been to the doctor yet, should I wait or go?

 

[Michael Leigh]

@micheal Leigh what is a ENT? I even been to the doctor yet, should I wait or go?

ENT stands for: Ear Nose and Throat. See your GP/Doctor and discuss with him/her about what you've been experiencing tinnitus etc. It is very early days for you but if things persist your Dr will probably refer you to ENT for tests. My advice is to see your GP/Doctor as soon as possible.
Michael

 

[MikeP505]

@Thatguy

Get your butt to the doctor soon and let him/her know what you are experiencing. No one can say for sure ear buds/muffs are causing your onset of tinnitus but it could very well be. Many drugs also have been known to cause this in some people. Think of everything you have taken as far as medication or recreation drugs, and any other loud areas you may have been in. You will be surprised just how loud some areas are. Have you been sick in the past? Do you grind your teeth during the day or night? Any jaw related issues? Tons of different things may start your T. Think of everything and go see your doctor. It never hurts to be referred to an ENT ( Ear Nose Throat Specialist) for further evaluation and testing. My best advice is to purchase a bunch of those cheap foam earplugs you use only once and discard. Keep a pack in your pocket. If you get into any loud areas, put the puppies in your ears and continue with your day. Protect your hearing like you protect your teeth by brushing. Just use common sense as it seems your hearing may be delicate to begin with.

Keep us posted buddy!!!

Mike

 

[Bobby B]

If it feels loud then wear earmuffs
Muffs or plugs don't change the inner ear so there is no danger wearing those even in silent times.
Millions of people use plugs in their sleep and no one has developed permanent hyperacusis as a result.

The sound sensitivity "risk" described here is just a Brain temporary effect that's goes away Shortly - but loud sound inner ear damage does not go away easily

I would use muffs in the gym for the time being - if it feels loud it's just a way your body is using to ask you to protect your ears until they heal a bit.. Don't ignore and don't push your ears ..be patient in a few months it's going to be better provided you protect your ears

 

[Kazue]

Welcome! I'm just a year younger than you. I suspect my T is from loud music over the years even though my hearing is excellent. I recommend NOT wearing earbuds in quiet places because that will make your ears search for noise. When your ears search for sound, they'll be extra sensitive. Quiet sounds like doors closing and water running will drive you mad. However, feel free to use ear protection of you're going to noisy places to prevent further damage. In your case, I wouldn't listen to any music for the next month since your body is healing. If you really can't fight that urge then play the music through a speaker so it won't be directly in your eardrum. Play it very softly to avoid anymore damage. Try take some magnesium and other important vitamins/minerals just to help your body heal. I wouldn't say this is permanent but I would definitely say go to an ENT and get a hearing test done. I wish the best for you. Keep us updated.

 

[Thatguy]

Well this is incredible. The swedish system of treating people is pretty f***** up. I went today to the hospital. They wouldnt let me in the ENT because they said they have a 1 month waiting time because of so many people with tinnitus. Ok i get that. So instead they send me to the kid emergency. After waiting there for 6-7 hours and doing 1 hearing test they tell me my hearing is fine and they dont know what they can do with my tinnitus. They told me to buy two types of headache and muscle relaxing pills and see what happens with time. I told them i have problems with sleeping and they said dtheres nothing they can do. They told me its tinnitus and in worst case i just gotta get "used" to it. I have lost all hope. If the tinnitus does not go away by the end of this week im positive that its permanent. I would understand if i was a bit older but i did not want to get it at this age. I dont know what to do. Im hopeless......

 

[Vinnitus]

Well this is incredible. The swedish system of treating people is pretty f***** up. I went today to the hospital. They wouldnt let me in the ENT because they said they have a 1 month waiting time because of so many people with tinnitus. Ok i get that. So instead they send me to the kid emergency. After waiting there for 6-7 hours and doing 1 hearing test they tell me my hearing is fine and they dont know what they can do with my tinnitus. They told me to buy two types of headache and muscle relaxing pills and see what happens with time. I told them i have problems with sleeping and they said dtheres nothing they can do. They told me its tinnitus and in worst case i just gotta get "used" to it. I have lost all hope. If the tinnitus does not go away by the end of this week im positive that its permanent. I would understand if i was a bit older but i did not want to get it at this age. I dont know what to do. Im hopeless......

Don't assume it is permanent after just 1 week. There are reports of people where it disappeared completely after 3 months, 6 months, a year or even a decade. Thinking it is permanent might even contribute to it actually becoming permanent, as Tinnitus is aggravated by stress. It might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[Jomo]

be careful with the steroids....everyone here will tell you get them right away...when you do get them i would suggest testing yourself out on it first....i was prescribed methylprednisolone 4mg tablets pack...they make you take 6 pills the first day...that is insane in my opinion even though the dosage is low.....i had 4 tablets...2 at breakfast and 2 at lunch.....i had the jitters and insomnia....could not sleep...stopped taking them and had withdrawal the next day...the funny part is i asked the doc if i would have withdrawal and he said i wouldnt because of the low doseage...WRONG!!!! so please be careful....i will say that while on it my T did stop and the sensitivity in my left ear seems to have subsided....still have T but i am much older than you....your chances are much better than mine...hang in there man and wear ear plugs in only LOUD situations....regular noise is important.

 

[MikeP505]

@Thatguy

Welcome to the medical nightmare of finding help for tinnitus. Honestly, there really is nothing they can do other than possibly help with other symptoms like sleeping, anxiety and depression that comes with living with this nasty noise. I wish I could give you more positive feedback but medical systems everywhere are overloaded and wait times are huge. Just try to find a family doctor you can trust and go from there. Hospital emergency wards and walk-in clinics are pretty useless and send you on your way with the "live with it" nonsense. I am not sure if you can purchase Melatonin supplements where you live without a prescription. Here in Canada they sell them in the isle that has vitamins. I find taking a 3mg tablet before sleep helps me to get to sleep quicker.

I have had my family doctor long before I had serious tinnitus and hearing issues. He really is useless with helping my condition and it's up to me to find answers and best ways to treat some of the nastiness associated with tinnitus. When I go and see him, I practically DEMAND he do this or that!! lol. Because tinnitus can start for so many different reasons, the medical community is still stumbling with this problem. You will have to be so patient and realize nothing will happen overnight.

I sure hope this is not permanent for you. In the very least if it is permanent, I hope it remains low and less bothersome. Keep protecting your hearing the best you can. Those tiny little hairs in the Cholera are very delicate and once they are harmed, they die off. No one has found a way to make new hairs grow again but they are working on it!!!

Hand in there buddy. The more you learn, the easier it gets to cope with.

 

[Jomo]

Also drink lots of pinneapple juice...its a natural anti inflammatory