I'm Fairly New to This Whole Thing... Is It Possible for My Tinnitus to Subside in Time?

Hi all,

I recently uprooted from my life in New Zealand as a recruitment consultant in IT to go and work in Berlin, Germany. I arrived July 30th and work went well for the first two weeks, except for the fact that the airline lost my luggage and I was living out of hand luggage for two weeks, all the while hunting for flats to sign up to which is tough in Berlin.

Anyway, a colleague invited me to a club in Berlin for her 30th, where we had a great time outside dancing, and then later on indoors when they closed the outside area. I had some speed which was on offer, which I normally do not do as I am already quite an anxious and wound-up person. I left the club at 2:30am and got home, unable to sleep and in a panic for the next 16 hours as to when sleep would come for me and why I had done this to myself in a foreign country on my own.

Eventually I found sleep at 8pm that evening, and went to work rather gingerly that Monday. On Tuesday, I noticed a faint ring in my left ear which I dismissed as unimportant for the remainder of the week. Then, I read stories on Google and realised I might have had Tinnitus. I panicked and went to ED, two ENT surgeons and a GP who all told me it was likely to be stress-induced and that I needed to calm my anxiety and it too should pass. I had audiograms done which demonstrated a high-frequency hearing loss in the left ear, however the ENT surgeons pointed out that it is impossible to know whether this damage existed before the night at the club.

I have since had to fly home to New Zealand as this was taking its mental toll on me. I was crying on the phone to family and having panic attacks and feelings of guilt as to why I had done this to myself. I have been home a week now, and have had the tinnitus for five weeks without too much change. Ativan attenuates the noise and my GP prescribed me Quetiapine to allay anxiety and help me with sleep which is definitely working. I also take 20mg Citalopram daily which I have done for the lat eight years.

My concern is: can this fade away, or is it not likely to because of the hearing loss? If it can't, will I be able to live with it because right now that feels like a tough ask. I want to go back to my job in Berlin, but don't know whether I should because I may feel the same over there again- isolated and alone.

Advice greatly appreciated.

 

It's possible for tinnitus to subside, just give it some time. Takes vitamin to see if any can possibly help your tinnitus and I think for now you should focus on your mental health and getting better mentally. I've had tinnitus for 6 weeks and I still have hopes of it going away. But it does take a toll on me. But we have to keeping on striving forward. I heard exercising helps, vitamins, and massages on the head and neck is what I do.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Noise Induced Hearing Loss.

 

Yes

 

Ok judging by your story it seems like your tinnitus is pretty mild since you could easily ignore it for a whole week. It probably got worse once you've read all the negative stories on the internet. By 'got worse' I actually mean your perception of it got stronger as it is now the main focus of your attention.

I can really relate to you and I can only advise you to sort your anxiety problems first and you will see that your tinnitus will subside or at least become less of a nuisance in time. Moving to a new country and starting a new job plus the other unpleasant events that happened in such a short time span can have an enormous toll on your body and mind.

I myself am a foreigner living and working in Berlin. I was also on antidepressants (Escitalopram) and suffer with health anxiety. It will all get better, just give it time and be kind to yourself. I know it sounds new-agey but it really helps. I also go to therapy weekly, you might want to try that if you come back to Berlin (it is payed by the health insurance and yes my therapist speaks English). About the "isolated and alone" part, it's hard to make friends in a new country in just a couple of weeks, give it some time and it will happen. There is quite a community of people from NZ here, I am sure you will make some friends .

Cheers and good luck!

SkyHigh

 

support hearing loss research if you want tinnitus to go away.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...g-loss-regeneration.18889/page-61#post-369238

 

it doesn't matter how many people vote yes to make you feel better, the reality is your inner ear has permanent damage and the brain will always be capable of generating the tinnitus signal. Tinnitus can go away and came back as long as the original damage still presist.

 

Mine's vanished. Explain that.

 

How did yours vanish? I've heard of family members, their tinnitus vanished. Did you take certain supplements or how?

 

I took some gingko at first but the $35 pricetag for 30 tablets became a bit steep, so I stopped taking them after finishing one packet. I don't think they had any effect really. But it just slowly disappeared after about two and a half months since I exposed myself to a vibrating gong from hitting the rail of my garage door with a rubber mallet. It's been over three months now. I still get some soreness in my eustachian tube though (which was in agony after the gong), which I want my ENT to look at. I booked an appointment two weeks after my initial accident for September 25th, so I may as well make use of it.

 

I'm so happy your tinnitus went away! Now just protect yourself a lot more cautiously and enjoy your silence and I hope your visit to the doctor all goes well

 

Hi @trc

Please read my post below which you might find helpful. Afterwards, click on the link at the bottom of the page and read my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View.

All the best
Michael

New to tinnitus what to do?

The onset of loud intrusive tinnitus can be very traumatic for most people. I use the words loud and intrusive, because tinnitus comes in many forms and intensities. When it is mild, moderate or occasionally heard in quiet surroundings it is usually not too bothersome and a person can go about their daily affairs quite happily and unperturbed by this anomaly. This type of tinnitus usually comes on gradually and in some cases it’s associated with hearing loss, as we get older and the usual treatment is the wearing of hearing aid/s.

Tinnitus can be caused by other things: an underlining medical problem, build up of ear wax (cerumen). Jaw problems. Some medications and even irregular blood flow through the body causing Pulsatile tinnitus. There are a plethora of other conditions that can be responsible. However, the most common cause is exposure to loud noise or music that has been played at high levels causing some damage to the cochlear in the inner ear.

This type of tinnitus can be loud, intrusive and very debilitating. Often leaving a person at a loss and not knowing which way to turn to escape the nightmare that has suddenly come upon them. Your Dr has probably told you, it’s tinnitus and nothing can be done, you’ll just have to learn to live with it. I remember those words as if it were yesterday resonating through my mind and thinking, live with this for the rest of my life, impossible. So I fully understand how difficult it can be for someone new to this condition to take this in and believe it to be factual.

If you are having difficulty sleeping you might have been advised to try a night time sedation or an ant-depressant to help cope with the stress and anxiety that often accompanies tinnitus. These medications can be helpful especially in the early stages and they don’t have to be taken long term, so it’s something to consider. They can act as a safety net so you don’t become too down.

A referral to ENT will usually be recommended. In the mean time try to keep occupied with something you like doing, as it helps to distract the brain from focusing on the tinnitus. Avoiding quiet rooms during the day by playing low level non intrusive music such as classical in the background can be helpful.

At night a sound machine placed by the bedside playing nature sounds or listening to favourite mp3 tracks or Cds are good. Keeping the volume just below the tinnitus is ideal and set to play throughout the night until morning. It takes time to get used to sound therapy so please stay with it. Whilst in a deep sleep it supplies the brain and auditory system with sound enrichment. Over time the tinnitus is pushed further into the background helping to make its perception less noticeable during waking hours.

In the early stages of tinnitus, if one chooses not to use sound enrichment sleeping can sometimes be difficult and there’s also the chance of the tinnitus becoming more intrusive as sleeping in a quiet room can allow the brain to increase it’s own background activity. In doing so it will also increase the tinnitus making it more intrusive during waking hours.

There is a tendency for newbies to try and cure their tinnitus which is quite understandable. There are many remedies, treatments and concoctions out there. Some affordable others quite expensive. I am not adverse to trying to help myself but want to say, there are charlatans and con artists eager to relieve someone in distress of their money so please be careful. Even tried and tested treatments I wouldn’t recommend a person try until they have been seen at ENT. Often a person after been seen at ENT is advised to wait a while.

The reason being. Many people habituate to tinnitus within six months sometimes a little longer and it has been known to go away. The ear is a very delicate organ and many Drs prefer to wait before investigating further and then suggesting a treatment. If other problems are experienced such as: pain in the ears, deafness, dizziness or balance problems this is of more concern and a person will usually been seen quicker.

It is best to have a word with your GP if you’re feeling stressed or depressed in any way, as previously mentioned there are treatments available. Leaving things alone until ENT advise you of the next step is the best thing to do in my opinion. Don’t try to fix anything or throw large sums of money at treatments that you have no way of knowing whether you’ll get any relief.

It is not advisable to listen to audio through headphones even at low volume and keep away from loud sounds. By all means go out but anywhere that plays loud music then wear noise reducing earplugs.
Take things slowly and one day at a time. Read some of the positivity threads and ask other members for advice. Many people eventually habituate to their tinnitus and go on to lead a happy and fulfilling life even though it may take a little time.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

Hey Tim,

I had a very similar story to your story. I got it at a DJ set during my summer internship very far away from home. I have always had very high anxiety and depressive periods but I was doing generally well until the tinnitus happened. I was shocked immediately after exiting the club at how incredibly loud the ringing was. But my friends who I was interning with at the time assured me they had the same thing and that it definitely would go away.

I had two days of really loud ringing. Within those two days I read online every horror story to ever exist. I just reassured myself over and over again that my T would be permanent.

Then I did something smart and actually went to a doctor in Tokyo. He diagnosed me with acoustic trauma -- my test was worse than yours -- and prescribed me with steroids. He told me that fixing my hearing was his priority and the tinnitus would go away with time. I, of course, didn't believe him. Why would there be so many people online spreading stories of permanent tinnitus and hopelessness if it would just go away. I became so obsessed with listening to it. Even though it was getting significantly quieter, I was collapsing mentally. I even started thinking about suicide.

I had to cut my internship short and fly back home. This was a relatively good decision. In my 2 months back home, my mental health got significantly better as I was spending time and receiving support from loved ones. I also visited another ENT who reassured me that my hearing was nearly perfect and prescribed me with two supplements to keep taking. I slowly restarted doing things that used to give me joy and just the ability to create something even post tinnitus made me hopeful. I would have several consecutive days of course where I would freak out about tinnitus but majority of days I would forget about it.

I am now back in my university and three months into tinnitus. I had to change some habits to accommodate for my tinnitus but honesty most days I am barely bothered by it. I think for me (and possibly for most people with mild/moderate tinnitus) it is the idea of having permanent tinnitus that is equally as bad as the sound. But I think I am pretty much over that mindset now. I am pretty happy, able to carry on, able to study and very much fine. The tinnitus is still there (only in quiet rooms and sometimes in super anxious situations) but I have hope that it will disappear completely. I've also read in multiple stories that it usually does in the case of acoustic trauma.

Just know that the horror stories don't represent the norm, those are the exceptions. I just wanted to reach out because I honestly think the anxiety that all the online stories gave me played a role in the progression of my tinnitus (if not definitely to my approach of it). In reality my life is exactly the way it was except I go to picnics instead of concerts. (Of course I empathise with people who have it much worse). At this point I feel that I can live with my tinnitus, and it wouldn't be the end of the world if it didn't go away (of course I'd really prefer if it did but that's something else). So if you want to talk or have any more questions please feel free to write. I honestly don't go here that often anymore but I'd be happy to talk whenever I do.

 

Brain is always able to generate tinnitus signal. That really doesn't matter too much

 

Random question:

May I ask what your diet consist of?

 

Weet-Bix for breakfast. Helga's pumpkin seed bread, peanut butter sandwiches, Vegemite on toast, medium rare steak, homemade margarita pizza, chicken, pasta, immeasurable amounts of tea, and the occasional Quarterpounder Meal.

I forgot to mention I take magnesium and Executive B daily.

Nothing really special about my diet. I just think I got a "get out of jail free" card this time round because this was my very first acoustic trauma incident, so I'll take it as a good kick in the arse.

 

Wow your diet is awesome!!

And you sure did! I'm glad it went away so quickly.

Did you get any Hyperacusis during onset?

 

Yes, severely for some time. But it's died down significantly in recent weeks. I still flinch whenever I hear a moderately loud noise, like the damn cat pushing something off the kitchen benchtop, but I think it's more like some form of phonophobia now.

 

You are so new into this, give yourseld 7-10 months and you will see improvement.

 

Your T is on your left ear?

 

Yea. I’m not coping that well. I’ve been crying and having anxiety attacks. I just want a sliver of hope that it can at least diminish.

 

In my first year, my t goes up and down and even went away for days just to come back because someone slammed the cupboard too hard. It is now permanent part of my life and i guess in a way i have to see the positive side of it. People need to realize that just because your t went away doesn't mean it will stay like that. It's not like getting a paper cut and everything heals back to normal in a few days.
Even if your t goes away...protect the living crap out of your ears..you are given a 2nd chance at a quiet existence...take every opportunity

 

The first six months we're unreal, seven months later my tinnitus started to even out but it has gotten better, it's over a year now.

 

I would reiterate what someone else said. Focus on what you can do, especially mental health. Reduce stress, exercise, and keep your mind active and engaged in other activities to reduce the tendency to focus on "the sound." Whether or not the tinnitus actually goes down or not, you will be improving your tools and coping skills. For distractions: good conversation with friends or family on topics you like, TV shows, movies, video games, you name it. Preferably things that are engaging, but not stressful, so that might rule out some video games. It can also help to have some ambient background sounds going on. Sleep with a sound machine on. I think sometime you can definitely count on is your mind adjusting to this newly found noise over time, to the point where you remove emotion from it. Try to listen to the sound without judgement. That helps in reducing stress. If it goes down, or away, all the better! Mindfulness meditation, focusing on the breath, there are lots of tools to help shift your focus away from the noise. If you are really in the thick of it and completely panicking, I found Valium to help considerably (from the point of being in tears, to being able to cope.) Of course seek a doctor's advice there, it's highly addictive if you take it too frequently. Over time, I no longer need sleeping pills or the occasional Valium. Everyone's path is different, but you should be able to reduce stress, and let your mind make friends with it. I was suicidal the first few weeks, thought I was going to quit my job for the next few months, and here I am maybe year and a half later and I am not suicidal, I kept my job, and am coping much, much better, even though the sound is still ever-present and has not subsided. Oh, one more thing. Try to get a good night's sleep. The will really help with coping skills. Running on fumes was a sure way for my coping skills to go out the window. I did require sleeping pills on and off the first several months, but now I can sleep through the night and it's not waking me up in my dreams like a crazy alarm. (For reference, my tinnitus is also from noise induced hearing loss. 8khz and above is now replaced with a wall of frequencies/noise. I haven't measured the dB's, but it's very loud to the point where you can't really escape it.)

One more thing, I believe in the early stages you really have no control over your emotional state with this. This is your brain freaking and panicking saying "danger, something is wrong internally!" I had zero control initially and was in tears literally for weeks.