Just Recently Got Tinnitus

Hi, I'm 19 yrs old and just got mild tinnitus about 5 days ago, and it has diminished a little since then. I went to an ENT and did a hearing test, according to its results I have no hearing loss. I've read that certain steroids can help with tinnitus, and when I asked the ENT about this he said they only help people whose tinnitus is associated with hearing loss.

I was wondering what people's opinions are about the chances I might have of this diminishing or even going away at some point, and whether I should seek to get a steroid prescription in spite of the fact that I have no damage to my hearing associated with the tinnitus.

I'd appreciate any advice people have about potential treatments for tinnitus as well.

 

HI @Person123

The important thing is to know what caused your tinnitus? The most common cause is exposure to loud noise. Typically it is using headphones at high volume levels without necessarily realizing it or, going to places: clubs, concerts where loud music is played. If your tinnitus was caused by headphones use, which is what I suspect. I strongly advise you not to use them for at lest 3 months even at low volume. If you choose to use them after this period then keep the volume as low as possible and don't use them for too long without giving your ears a rest. No more than 1hr at a time.

If you want my honest opinion on this and if headphone use has caused your tinnitus. Then I advise you to never ever use any type of headphones again even at low volume because it's just not worth it. The misery that tinnitus can cause believe me you don't want it. The amount of people that contact me saying, their tinnitus was low after they habituated, and returned to using headphones and kept the volume low. They notice after a while the tinnitus increases and will not reduce to its previous level. My advice only applies if your tinnitus was caused by " headphones or exposure to loud sounds.

Please read my post below: New to tinnitus what to do, and click on the links at the bottom of the page.
All the best
Michael

New to tinnitus what to do?

The onset of tinnitus can be difficult for a lot of people to cope with. It comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. 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 also be caused by an underlying medical problem, build up of ear wax (cerumen). Jaw problems. Some medications and even irregular blood flow through the body causing Pulsatile tinnitus. One of the most common causes is exposure to loud noise or music that has been played at high levels that can affect the cochlea in the 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 noise. 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 nighttime 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 is 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 averse 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.

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 Doctors 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 your ENT advises 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.

I advise not to listen to audio through headphones even at low volume especially if the tinnitus was "noise induced" and keep away from loud sounds. By all means go out but anywhere that plays loud music then wearing noise-reducing earplugs, the type that has attenuation filters would be a good idea. 18 to 30 decibels reduction should suffice. While reducing external sound they will not impair sound quality.

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

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/

 

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the response,
I'm not fully sure as to what the exact cause was, although I do suspect wearing earbuds may have caused it or at least contributed to it. But yeah I don't think I'll be wearing earbuds or headphones anytime soon if I ever do again. The tinnitus is mild, and the ENT said, according to the hearing test, that I have no damage to my hearing.

Do you think it might be helpful to get some sort of steroids for this? And I was hoping if you might have any idea what my chances are of this diminishing or going away.

 

@Michael Leigh has given you good advice
IMO your chances of having this fade away are good as long as you give your ears a chance to heal. Avoid loud places and no headphones, use earplugs if using power equipment, ect....
People don't understand just how delicate your ears are.
As far as steroids go, there are members here who believe they do help if taken within a week or so of noise exposure. If you have a chance to get on it, you can give it a try

 

HI @Person123

As I suspected your tinnitus was caused by headphones/earbuds. Believe me this was the cause and nothing else! Many people with tinnitus show no damage to their hearing or hearing loss. As my post mentions above: Do not try to treat your tinnitus with anything including steroids. Just leave your ears alone for now and give them time to heal.

The chances of your tinnitus diminishing are good providing you follow the advice that I have given in my post above and on the LINKS that I have given you. Please read them and follow the advice. Hopefully in time your tinnitus will reduce to a low level and you probably won't be aware of it for most of the time. When this happens you will feel a sense of relief and you will believe everything is fine and you can sail off into the sunset and carry on as before. If you do this, then you will be making a BIG, BIG, Mistake. I am sorry to shout but I'm very serious about this.

When your tinnitus reduces to a very low level which is quite possible providing you follow my advice, then it will give you a false sense of security. You will feel the bad days are behind you and everything is fine now. What many people are not aware of is that the tinnitus is still there waiting in the background to STIRKE. Believe me it will if you do something stupid like using headphones as you did before or going to places where loud music is played. All of a sudden, the tinnitus is likely to return with a vengeance and ferocity that you wouldn't believe is possible!

If you want to give yourself the best chance possible of making a full recovery and for this to be maintained for years to come, then I advise you to never use headphones again and if you go to clubs or concerts use noise reducing earplugs. You still have to be aware of loud sounds at these places, as earplugs are no guarantee of full hearing protection.

I wish you well.
Michael

PS: I advise you to start using a "sound machine" at night by your bedside. Try to avoid quiet rooms especially at night. More is explained about sound enrichment in my posts.

 

Grr, I spent $400 on two new pairs of headphones shortly before my accident.

 

If earbuds or any noise caused tinnitus then you do have permanent hearing loss

let me explain, Most hearing loss test are horribly out of date and do not keep up with current research about hearing loss

Most audiogram test only measure two things
1: Human voice range without background noise discrimination (0-5000hz)
2: Pure tonal noises (0-8000hz) without background noise discrimination

Hearing loss relating to difficulty hearing speech in background noise/complex listening environments goes completely undetectable by standard audio-grams. A general rule of thumb for tinnitus is that the louder your tinnitus is the more hearing loss you have. Mild tinnitus would indicate very mild hearing loss, so mild that it may be completely unnoticeable to you but won't stop higher brain functions from generating tinnitus.The goal is to protect your hearing so it doesn't get worse and possibly goes away if hearing naturally recovers to an extent. Give your ears time to rest and hopefully it will go away.

here's some info about tinnitus and hearing loss sharing a proven connection
AKA why your local ENT is wrong

Hidden Hearing Loss: M. Charles Liberman PhD

Roland Schaette talks about tinnitus research...

What is Hidden Hearing Loss, and How Is It...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28087419

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4208401/


Alternatively neck and jaw problems like TMD and direct head trauma can cause tinnitus.
There is no evidence stress causes tinnitus all by itself.

 

yes, it would be helpful to get a steroid, especially in an acute phase.

I'm regretting not getting a steroid 7 months ago!

No guarantees but it's the best current treatment option.

 

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

 

To look on the brighter side, you just got $400+ worth of advice from Michael Leigh. So I think you came out ahead! If I may chime in, I've come to believe--and I think this is in concurrence with Michael--that once a person has developed their first episode with tinnitus, they're almost certainly going to be vulnerable to it the rest of our lives. And appropriate steps must be taken to protect our sanity and never having to endure a severe and protracted case of tinnitus/hyperacusis.

Given what I noisy world we live in, I think an investment in a good set of ear plugs--like Ear Peace--goes a long way in protecting ourselves in environments where sudden noises can occur--like airports, airplanes, places like weddings and others where loud music can be very irritating to sensitive ears, etc. Those Ear Peace plugs are extremely comfortable, adjustable to different noise reductions, and almost completely inconspicuous. There are others that I've heard are good, but these are the only ones I've used, and was impressed by the money positive testimonials on Amazon.

All the Best!

P.S. Personally, I think you've in the process of dodging a bullet. And in that process, have the opportunity to learn some important life-long ear protection skills, both for yourself and your inner circle of family and friends. -- Don't let them do foolish or careless things either!​

 

So no more ASMR videos with headphones?

 

Hi guys, thanks for all your comments and advice. I'll look into getting those adjustable earplugs, I was just wondering, Michael, why don't you think taking steroids for this might be of benefit? You seem to have considerable experience and knowledge about T, I was just curious why you seemed opposed to the idea of taking steroids.

 

I'm 26 and also just got my T 4 days ago. Also went to ENT today, coming back with no problem with hearing test and possible cause is due to stress from uni. My ENT said T should fade away when I relax more and when the exam period is over. Like others, I also believe you have a good chance your T would go away on its on. Try not to think about it, listen to soft music in the background (from computer or so, not from ear/headphones), eating/staying healthy and active, keep busy with work/hobbies.. all of these I've been doing more of for the pass few days and I'm already feeling better (T feels a bit softer as well). Best of luck!

I feel you. Just a month ago I bought myself my first pair of bluetooth headphones (not as pricey as $400 though) and was enjoying the freedom of having no cable tangles and listening everywhere I got. Sadly, T recently forced me to put them away (for now).

 

I use ear buds at work at low volume and have no issues at all I'm pretty sure a bit of music is a good therapy for hair cells and T provided you can control the volume and surroundings are quiet enough

 

What if you're into hi-fi audio and like to crank it up a little bit? I only just bought a new hi-fi system earlier this year.

 

It depends how adept at playing with fire you are.

 

@Emperor-Drax

Keep a DB meter in hand and dont go over 85db that's pretty loud already inside a quite room and you will be fine given your history of no acoustic trauma

 

Fire Walk With Me.

 

He has had an acoustic trauma. He Might be fine, but there is a very real (possibly small, but who knows) chance that he will Not be fine.

 

He said he got a 80 DB hit for a second that's not an acoustic trauma, even if it was 120db

 

It was a massive blast of sound that caused a significant amount of pain (plus ongoing T/H) for some weeks. If it wasn't "loud" per se, the reverberation of the impacted metal was penetrating.

 

My advice is to listen to your ears and see how you feel. I have been an Audiophile for many years. When I first got tinnitus 22 years ago, I was unable to even listen to my HI-FI system at 30 to 40 decibels as my ears hurt so much due to hyperacusis. It took 2 years until I could listen to my music through my HI-FI. Each person is different. Take your time and I advise do not be tempted to crank up the volume as you are most likely to regret it.

Michael

 

HI @Person123 If you wish to alert me at anytime please write my name as @Michael Leigh then I will see an alert. I have had tinnitus a long time and yes, I do have "considerable" experience with it. Particularly "noise induced tinnitus". This is also backed up with corresponding and counselling people with noise induced tinnitus. I am still learning because no-one knows it all. There are also some very well informed members in this forum, who I regard as having considerable knowledge of tinnitus too and are able to give some great advice. Some are new to tinnitus and others are seasoned, and veterans to it.

I live in the UK and I am almost one hundred percent sure that no GP or ENT doctor will prescribe steroids for anyone new to tinnitus for treatment. Saying that, I have read posts in this forum that some people have benefitted from using a course of steroids for helping with exposure to loud noise. Under these circumstances, I tend to agree with @Contrast Have a word with your GP/PCP and if you can get a prescription for a course of steroids it may help.

If you do find steroids help I advise you to still be careful and follow the advice that I have given. I believe if you return to using headphones, even at low volume then you put yourself at risk of making your tinnitus much worse.

All the best to you
Michael

 

We'll talk more hi-fi gear sometime. At 32, I feel like a dinosaur in the age of earbuds and soundbars!

 

The statement above proves that you have some kind of a religious belief that is immune to new observations/reality. His experience (got T that had thus far lasted for over a month after being exposed to an 80 dB sound for a fraction of a second) proves that those "85 dB for X hours can damage hearing" guidelines are meaningless when it comes to what sounds can cause tinnitus.

It is my understanding that "T due to an acoustic trauma" means T was caused by a one-time noise, where as "noise-induced T" means that T was caused by a lifetime of ear abuse.

 

With respect you are quite young and my no means a dinosaur. I am 58 and look over 10 years younger if what people tell me is true...lol It would be interesting to discuss HI-FI with you. Although my system to some Audiophiles is modest I consider it High-End for my standards. I am quite fastidious and extremely critical about sound quality. To give you and idea. I use mains power conditioners to filter the electricity before it reaches my HI-FI as so many Audiophiles do. I use specially screened mains cables, Interconnect cables and speaker cables. My equipment stands for my HI-FI are quite special in that they help to remove as much vibration as possible reaching the equipment as this can impair sound quality. My listening room is acoustically treated to get the best sound quality from the room. I could go on and on but that's for another day.

Speak soon.
Michael

 

Hi guys, I've recently been a bit paranoid about certain- what might be considered as "everyday"- sounds. I was wondering if I could get some input as to whether I should try wearing earplugs around them or avoiding such sounds altogether.

So some things I'm a little paranoid about are-

• Air conditioners
• Some outdoor noises (wind going through trees/tree leaves; birds chirping)
• Cars driving past

I'd appreciate any thoughts on whether I should be cautious or wear earplugs around these things, and I was wondering about the AC in particular, I'd also appreciate @Michael Leigh 's input

 

HI @Person123

The last thing you want is to start feeling paranoid about tinnitus and sound sensitivity. The quickest way to do this, is to start overusing earplugs. They can cause all sorts of problems which I have written about in posts on my "started threads". Please click on the links below and take your time, and read each post. Read them in full and not skim through them.

You are new to tinnitus and my advice to you, is to take your time to learn about it and not try to rush things. If you take your time to absorb information then you will save yourself a lot of stress. Try not to worry too much.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/ear-protection.12216/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-complexities-of-tinnitus-and-hyperacusis.25733/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-negative-counselling.26669/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/positivity-and-tinnitus.12060/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-complexities-of-tinnitus-and-hyperacusis.25733/

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

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/

 

I'd recommend falling asleep to light jazz music (or anything that pleases you) at a low to moderate volume. After almost four weeks, this seems to have helped zap out my sound sensitivity in my right ear, leaving behind only the faint inner brain sound of crickets and CRT TVs.

But yeah, like Mike says, try not to freak out and don't use the ear plugs too much. If it started as an acoustic trauma, your ears are acting like a frightened cat, with fur sticking up, jumping like a giant flea at any perceived threat. They time to calm down and purr again.

 

Hi guys, thanks for the responses,

So I think you were right @Michael Leigh that I was being a little too paranoid about some sounds. I've read through your posts except the ones on staying positive and avoiding negativity so far.

So when I woke up today I actually think the tinnitus got slightly better. I wasn't sure if it was because I had habituated a little bit, or if it was the tinnitus itself that lessened, but I think it might have been both the tinnitus lessening and also partially due to habituation.

Later on, I went to the gym, where music was playing, and I had brought these noise-reducing concert earplugs with me in anticipation of this. On the way to the gym, which is in the town I'm in, there was a kind of festival going on, and there was some considerable noise I think, on my way to the gym. I tried to block some of it out by covering my ears, but not all the way there I think. I think I was only exposed to the noise and around the festival for maybe around 2-3 minutes, covering my ears for at least some of the way to the gym, though.

So I wore these noise-reducing earplugs in the gym, in which music was being played, and left after 20 minutes. I used these earplugs with these black noise-inhibiting attachments, which are the most protective of all the attachments. I left at around 20 minutes because my right ear actually started to hurt a little, which i suspect was due to the music.
I think the tinnitus actually got slightly worse after this, and I guess it was because of either the music in the gym, the sound that the festival made, or some combination of these.

It might've just been stupid of me to go to the gym where music was being played in the background, I thought perhaps the music wasn't that loud and, with my noise-reducing earplugs, the music wouldn't be a problem. It honestly didn't seem like a problem with the ear plugs in.

Sorry if this post isn't too coherent, I'm just a little tired and depressed right now to be honest.

I've also been driving around a little bit today, so I'm not sure if the noise of my car and other traffic contributed to this. So while I think I understand that I can't be too paranoid about more quiet sounds, I think I also have to make sure I don't expose myself to too loud of noises.

I don't know guys, I kind feel at a loss, I'm not really sure what sounds I should try to avoid or what sounds are fine.

I'm not sure if this slight worsening of my tinnitus is a temporary spike or not either. Sorry guys I don't mean to sound depressing or anything, I could just use some advice on my current situation.