I Need help

Tomorrow would be exactly 3 weeks since I started hearing ringing in my ears. I'm praying that it would go away as I dont see how I can continue to live like this. Any advice or input is greatly appreciated.

Here's what happened.
Two saturdays ago I went to a club that had really loud music with some friends. As soon as I went home I started hearing the ringing. I searched online and read that it should go away in a week or two. It didn't so I went to an ent who told me he saw no damage and my hearing was also good. He seemed to just tell me to deal with it and said it may go away in a month.

Now here's the problem. I dont only have ringing, My ears feel clogged and they pop and hurt also. I told him this and he really didn't have much to say about it because he said everything looked fine.

What can be done about the pain and clogging/popping? Also is there a chance that this nightmare will soon go away since it hasn't been a month yet?

EDIT: Also my ears feel very sensitive.

 

It could go away and I really hope it does. However it's worth looking into hyperbaric oxygen therapy which is best done within 3 weeks of onset. Also perhaps ask your doctor for steroids. It doesn't help everyone, but my view is you may as well try everything when you can.

Where do you live? I know different countries recommend different things, so my advice is getting researching ASAP. Don't hesitate to ask any q's, there are plenty of people on this forum who are very knowledgeable.

 

I live in NYC. Any advice on what I should do asap would be greatly appreciated. I don't have a regular doctor and the ENT I went to just acted like I had to deal with it. He didn't give me much hope. So i don't know where else to turn.

Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since I've gotten it. So please give me some advice on what I could do asap.

 

Chances are good it will go away. No hearing loss is a good sign. In the mean time google around where you live, Maybe find a different ENT. I found this:http://nysinuscenter.reachlocal.com/?scid=3036546&kw=22360368&pub_cr_id=44614195905

 

Give this thread a read www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy.211/.

I also have t from clubbing, although over a period of 3 nights and all the same symptoms. I was also told I was fine. I had 17 sessions daily excluding weekends in the oxygen chamber and it did help a bit. My doctor said in her experience it has about 50 percent success rate. I'm not sure how much it costs in the US, but it's not cheap in the Uk.

So if I were you I'd get booked into a chamber for Monday.

 

Yes, Oxygen chamber asap ...

positive side note, when I was in India a friend who loves swimming dove too deep and her ears popped and cracked underwater. they hurt a lot and she had ringing ... I offcourse was telling her to see a doctor asap and do whatever she could do to find out what happened and cure ... It lasted for more than a month but it went away in the end. So it is possible ... nevertheless, no need to wait around and lose time ... I regret going to india for 4 months 3 weeks after onset. They were doing AM 101 tests in Belgium but I chose not to cancel my trip instead ... I would cancel all my travels in the last 5 years if I could have the chance of doing that treatment back then ... alas ...

 

The sensitivity is hypercusis, and the clogged/pressure feeling often goes along with it. All are common when tinnitus first starts.

The following is from a post by Per in this thread: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...nnitus-and-others-dont.2259/page-2#post-20421

"In many people with hyperacusis, an increased activity develops in the tensor tympani muscle in the middle ear as part of the startle response to some sounds. This lowered reflex threshold for tensor tympani contraction is activated by the perception/anticipation of loud sound, and is called tonic tensor tympani syndrome (TTTS). In some people with hyperacusis, the tensor tympani muscle can contract just by thinking about a loud sound. Following exposure to intolerable sounds, this contraction of the tensor tympani muscle tightens the ear drum, which can lead to the symptoms of ear pain/a fluttering sensation/a sensation of fullness in the ear (in the absence of any middle or inner ear pathology)."

As far as what you can do in the near term, in addition to HBOT, you can ask an ENT for steroids. Steroids if used during the acute stage can minimize inflammation and give the damaged hearing/hair cells a chance to recover. Not many doctors in the US will give you steroids for T though.

 

Hi Rai,

I'm new to the forum, but not new to tinnitus. I know it's impossible to hear now, but even if your tinnitus doesn't go away, you will be alright. I have been living with it for 6 months after a loud concert and it isn't easy, but I am living my life more or less normally. It will not be as bad as it is now forever, there are many, many ways to learn to cope.

The absolute most important thing to do right now is to not panic. Stress and anxiety only make it worse. If you need to go to a psychiatrist or psychologist and get anti-anxiety or sleep medication just do it. You wont have to be on it forever.

That said, your tinnitus may fade in time. I've read many stories of it going away after six months, after a year, and after a decade.

I think hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a good thing to try if you can afford it. There is a non profit center in Ohio (Sarah's Garden) that does dives for about $120 or so a dive. In addition, they are angelically kind, understanding people. I had treatment there at about 4 weeks after onset and while it didn't cure my tinnitus, it did heal me in other ways. Though they did have two people who had gone there previously at about 7 weeks after onset and had found relief - whether this was the HBO or time is hard to say. It doesn't work for everyone, no matter how early you go. But even later, it can help a little. I read someone else's post here that said a woman found a degree of reduction in volume with HBO even after years of t. If you can, get on a plane and get out there. They're quick, you could be out there getting treatment by Tuesday morning.

Other than that, just breathe. Everything will be okay. If you need any recommendations of doctors (I am also located in NYC and have seen a ton of ENTs etc. about it and know the good ones now), I would be happy to provide you with some help. I know a psychologist who actually has tinnitus and was a God-send to me in the beginning. Very kind man.

I wish you well and I know how bad it feels, believe me. I think everyone here knows how scary it is, and especially those with noise induced T know how much regret comes along with it. It's a process, and not an easy one, but you will heal if you work at it, even if not in the way you're wishing for right now.

All that said, I of course hope yours fades away soon, but if it doesn't, you too will be able to comfort someone in the future without feeling agony about your own t. It's possible.

Let me know if you need any names or numbers and take care of yourself.

 

I'm in nyc (queens). Is there anywhere I can go in ny or nj for the hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

I have about 2k in savings. I'm not sure about the cost of these things but would that be enough?

Also are there any doctors in my area that would do the steroids? I will try anything at this point.

 

Hey Rai,

I'm pretty sure I exhausted all my options when I was looking for something near home (I took about a month's leave from work to go to Ohio to get treatment).

There are places in the city, but they're primarily attached to hospitals, which means they can cost thousands of dollars per dive and there's a lot of bureaucracy to get through which costs you valuable time. A lot of the chambers at hospitals look at you like you have three heads if you asking for help with tinnitus and many just wont treat you because your condition isn't insured. The best I could find was Mamiodes in Brooklyn and 1. the place was scary. 2. they said they'd get back to me (in the most soothing of tones) and then never did 3. They charged me a few hundred bucks for the pleasure. Luckily I saw through that mess and caught the next flight to Toledo.

If you want to do HBO, just go to Ohio. The ticket isn't that much. If it's available, there's a little house you can stay in there for very little per day. There's some paperwork to fill out, but you can definitely be in the chamber by Wednesday morning at the latest if you really move on Monday. They're very kind, they've treated tinnitus before and that in itself is worth the trip down there.

Don't underestimate the worth of a kind person in all of this - people's good energy can heal, too.

Here is their website: sarahsgarden.org

 

Hi Rai,

I am not a doctor, so I can't advise you what to do and I definitely don't want to tell you what to do with your money. I would advise calling Sarah's Garden on Monday and seeing how they can help you if that's the route you want to take. If you want to see an ENT, Dr. Ian Storper (you should be able to google him pretty easily), is a good person to see. I don't think there are ENTs that do or do not prescribe steroids as a rule - they go based off of their diagnosis of you, but he is knowledgeable and kind, just make sure to ask him a lot of questions.

 

Rai, you have been given quite a bit of advice here in the last 24 hours. You need to chill out and get a grip. Tinnitus will not kill you. First relax, so you can think straight. Ask your ENT for something to calm you down, he may even prescribe something over the phone, talk to his nurse, ask her if she would talk to him, about giving you medication.

In the mean time, hang out here if you like. Most of us, have been through the exact same thing you are experiencing now. You will start to feel better. The unknown is fearful, anxiety and fear will actually make your tinnitus worse. Make it easy on yourself...