Just Joined the Club: Tinnitus Started After I Was Sick Quite Possibly with COVID-19

Hey all,

I was lucky enough to have this start about 2 weeks back. It is very annoying as you all know, especially in the morning and at night. I wanted to ask everyone what could have been the cause.

1. I am a 38-year-old male who has used his share of headphones over the years but none recently when this started.
2. I don't recall the exact moment it started but it started after I was sick quite possibly with COVID. This is unconfirmed but I had almost all the symptoms. On and off with some really bad headaches, extreme fatigue and really bad cough that really only lasted a day. The headaches themselves stand out because they were unbearable and I usually never get headaches.
3. I did not take any medication but I did take some Tylenol which someone gave me but I only noticed afterwards that it also had caffeine and codeine in it. I took maybe a total of 4 of these when the headaches got bad. This was over the course of a couple weeks and not all at once.
   
4. The ringing is only in my right ear and is always here. It sounds like the noise you typically here in a very quiet room, except louder.
   
5. I have been under a lot of stress due to work related and money related issues caused by the virus.
6. I have some neck tightness I suspect is due to poor sleeping and I read this could be possible reason.
7. I also thought it might be caused by earwax as a day or night before it started my inner ear felt itchy and I jammed my finger in there while sleeping. my doctor said this couldn't be the cause as ear wax wouldn't reach the auditory system.

I am worried about possibly losing hearing in this ear. I did call my doctor who said to give it a few weeks to see if it goes away on its own. It has not and I hoped someone from the community could speculate on the reasons this happened and what I could possible do before it's permanent.

I have tried listening to some tinnitus video on YouTube and to my surprise it works in stopping the ringing however it only lasts about 10 minutes before it returns.

Thank you for taking the time to listen

 

Hey there, really sad to welcome you to the club. Hopefully your stay won't be permanent.

Viruses, stress, TMJ issues, and earwax have all been known to cause tinnitus. However, it's really impossible to say which of those has caused your tinnitus, especially through an internet forum. I suggest seeing an ENT to get a proper diagnosis, either through telehealth or after lockdown is over. In the mean time, you should avoid loud noises, headphones, and ototoxic drugs, and see about taking a magnesium supplement. Also try to keep your stress levels down [which I know is much easier said than done]

You probably aren't going deaf in your ear though, unless you're experiencing other neurological issues, but it doesn't seem like you are. Lots of people [like myself!] have perfectly good hearing and tinnitus. Since you've only had it for a few weeks, there's still a chance it could go away.

 

I am sorry to hear of your discomfort and hope you start to feel better soon.

You have said that you have been a regular user of headphones over many years. You may or may not know, one of the most common causes of tinnitus is using headphones. Typically, it is using them for long durations and at too high a volume without realizing it. The tinnitus may have been present at low level for quite a while without you noticing it until now. Although you have said you haven't used headphones recently, when were you last using them as this may give an indication of the cause of your tinnitus?

Take care
Michael

 

Hi there. I'm sorry you've got tinnitus. Hopefully things have improved since you posted.

I also got tinnitus this year, started in Jan after a nasty virus. I'm in California and have been told it was too early for it to have been COVID, but I suppose I'll never know for certain one way or the other. I too experienced many of the same symptoms and it felt strange at the time.

Anyway, I also had hearing loss (mainly in one ear), dizziness, hyperacusis, and ear pressure. The hearing loss was very concerning (afraid it was permanent), the hyperacusis was painful, and the tinnitus and overall slow improvement was stressful. I was told the virus likely caused severe inflammation in my Eustachian tubes. It was hard to be patient with my body and expectations. However, all eventually improved after a few months. Hearing was restored, thankfully. Still have some some minor ear pressure and Eustachian tube dysfunction, probably due to lingering inflammation or scar tissue; and of course the tinnitus. The ringing is constant, but I've learned to manage. I didn't think I would get to the point that I could. I believe you can, too.

I met with an ENT who unfortunately was not much help. I recommend meeting with an audiologist if possible. They should be able to diagnose whether your hearing loss is sensorineural or conductive and thus determine if treatment is necessary/possible.

If you're looking for coping tools, I found this adjustable white noise machine allows me to enjoy watching TV/movies when the ringing is bad because it drowns it out without distracting from what I'm watching. The Rain Rain app has many background noise options that do the same to help with sleep. I was initially told to sleep with my head slightly elevated, which I did for a 3-4 months, but I stopped after I felt it was contributing to neck tension. I don't know if stopping improved the ringing, but sleeping normally definitely made my neck/shoulders less tense, which makes me feel better overall, which I think has just helped my ability to cope. Along with these tools, adequate rest, hydration, and less/no alcohol have also helped me manage the ringing.

I was very distressed the first few months of this year. It felt awful. But I eventually improved and believe you will, too. Keep us updated on your progress. Take care.