Is My Tinnitus Flare-Up from Allergies, ETD, Middle Ear Infection or from Something Else?

Hello, I'd say close to most of my life I had extremely mild tinnitus from headphone usage at a young age.

However I started a manufacturing job a year ago. About 6-7 months back I had a very bad ear ache one day when putting in my ear plug in my right ear. That week my tinnitus in my right ear grew incredibly loud. So loud I could here it over people speaking, even over the presses running themselves. I was given prednisone and a nose spray. I thought I got better? But now that I think of it I was staying extremely busy, would listen to music at a level that would mask it completely while driving, and when home I would throw myself into a video game or something while wearing a headset with a stream in the background which they would usually have music going. I don't remember it bothering me much.

But 2-3 months ago my mother was diagnosed with Ménière's disease.

Now I'm completely unsure if my recent "flare up" is due to allergies, and eustachian tube dysfunction. Or if I just had habituated myself to not pay attention and then when my mother brought her symptoms to my attention it made me completely dial into my tinnitus? My doctor gave me prednisone over the phone despite me feeling like I had a middle ear infection to some degree.

And eventually I went into a urgent care center to actually have my ear looked at since it wasn't improving and the prednisone was making me feel horrible. He said I had swimmer's ear however I have finished my medications and the ringing remains.

Since then I visited an ENT she said she saw no signs of infection and said my audiogram was healthy for my age, but said I was having eustachian tube dysfunction and that even if I had surgery it wouldn't improve my tinnitus. I've struggled to get any sleep these last few months and overall my mental/physical health has declined drastically too from my tinnitus constantly being at the front of my attention despite masking.

I was literally just reaching a point too that I felt really good in life and felt like I was ready to take on anything. And now I feel literally the complete opposite.

I am afraid of the future and at 23 years old that's not a good feeling at all. Could this just really be my life now?

 

Are you sure your hearing is fine with the history of loud noise exposure?

 

You might want to identify the forum members who have ETD, and find out whether or not treating ETD might help with tinnitus...

 

I believe so, that's what the ENT told me at least. It showed both sides were a steady line. They were coming off of a number 20 which I imagine was decibals or something