I'm 24, and I've Been Having Tinnitus for 4 Years

Hi, my name is Vivi, and I'm 24. I discovered that I was having constant ear ringing (no pain) since 20. I think the root cause for developing such a problem is that I went through a lot of emotional distress from age 18 - 20 and I've always stayed up late (I get up late, too).

3 years ago, I went to an audiologist and did a comprehensive hearing test. The audiologist showed me a distribution graph and pointed out how I was on the side of the bell and not in the middle. She told me that my hearing is normal for people in their 50s. I was also told that ear ringing that I hear was caused by nerves, so no real cure for that. I have not experienced any pain, and there is nothing wrong with my inner ears themselves.

When there is noise, which there always is, or I'm occupied with something, which I usually am, I don't notice the ringing. But when I concentrate on listening to the ringing, I can definitely hear it, so obvious, and the ringing is more severe in my right ear.

Anyone here has the same/similar conditions? Any recommended remedies? Thanks.

 

Welcome @vivi-a

I'm not sure how the audiologist would be able to assert that, since even researchers aren't sure. It's probably a wild guess.

That is also something that cannot be asserted as we do not have the medical technology to be able to make such statement on a living person. We can slice up a cochlea to check, but it's better done on a dead "patient"...

Sorry, I know it's frustrating, but I wouldn't make too many assumptions around "my hearing is perfect".

 

The audiologist said that she thinks it's the nerves, if confirmed, then there would not be a cure, at least not medically proven, what she said saddened me.

I'm not saying my hearing is perfect, it is definitely not. I'm stating that the cause is not due to any illness in my ears but the nerves, and I wonder if anything would be helpful (like sleep better, eat better, less worry?), since medically there isn't, according to the audiologist.

 

I quote myself, and I want to add that I have not had any kinds of medications/injections that somehow caused Tinnitus, nor have I ever been exposed to an environment that is chemically harmful or too loud. To me, it is simply that I was going through too much (emotional distress) between 18 and 20 and I've not established a good routine so I'm left with Tinnitus. It really scares me sometimes...

 

I understand what you mean, but part of your hearing apparatus is the hearing nerve that connects the cochlea (inner ear) to your brain. I think this is the nerve that your audiologist is referring to. When that nerve goes bad it is common to say that it's a problem in your ear.
The fact that you have the hearing of a 50 year old at 23 shows your hearing apparatus is damaged. Maybe it's the nerve, maybe it's the hair cells, maybe it's conductive (do you know if your losses are conductive vs sensorineural - I suspect the latter if your audiologist told me it's "the nerve": that's what they say when they see sensorineural losses).

And yes, sleep better, eat better, worry less - all good things to do.

Your audiologist is correct that there isn't much of a proven treatment currently if your hearing nerve is damaged, but it's just a guess from him/her, so I find it a bit counter productive to reach a dead end based on an assumption that may be very far from reality. There are many causes for T: it is in your best interest to try to get a better idea of what it could be. There's a diagnosis flow chart here that I'd recommend for your perusal.

If you do feel qualified to reach this diagnosis then by all means go along with it, but my tinnitus-specific experience tells me that there could be something more going on with you, and you could be glossing over it. For a hearing nerve to deteriorate there may be more than meets the eye (i.e. "stress"). That could have important ramifications in time.

Please understand I'm trying to help you here. I have no skin in this game. T can happen for many reasons, including things that would be good to rule out fairly quickly with some imaging (CT/MRI).

Good luck!

 

Just don't believe that bullshit. Help is on the way.

Your ears seem to be heavily damaged. You need to protect them from now on.