My Journey So Far: Tinnitus After COVID-19 / Stress

I had a very traumatic & stressful year, nearly losing my Mum and family issues.

After I started to recover from COVID-19 myself (2 months ago), I noticed ringing in my left ear. I also have a "fullness/pressure" on the left side of my head, - I haven't been able to "equalize/pop" my left ear for 2 months.

I have also been suffering from hyperacusis - although this got to a point where it was much improved, however I blew my nose one evening (10 days ago) and really hurt my left ear and the hyperacusis returned. Seems to be improving slowly now.

I have seen an ENT, I had an MRI & a hearing test - both were fine. He has prescribed me a steroid inhaler to see if it frees up my eustachian tubes, and has said that stress is probably the cause of the ringing, and that it will fade and go in a matter of weeks.

One thing I have noticed since seeing the ENT is that if I move my head right back (stretching my neck) - the volume of the ringing is REALLY loud.

I also have a tender spot on my jaw next to my ear (which I mentioned to the ENT, to which he said wasn't important).

Do you think the ENT is correct, and it will go away in time?

Given that my tinnitus volume changes when I move my neck, and that I have a very tender spot on my jaw next to my ear, is it worth me seeing a cervical chiropractor?

Many thanks for reading

 

Welcome to the forum. It seems likely that your tinnitus is somatic in nature and that either the jaw or the neck may be the culprit. Regarding the effectiveness of cervical chiropractor, there are reports of people been helped by seeing them. You may want to do a search on that in the forum to see how others say about this service. Good luck. God bless.

Here is a success story from using a cervical chiropractor:

My Tinnitus Is Cured (Upper Cervical Chiropractor)

 

Thank you so much for your reply. I have read that success story with interest; I will email my doctor and ask if I can be referred to a cervic chiropractor.

At the moment, I am trying trying very hard to ignore it, never focus on it... Already it's bothering me less. Over the weekend I was having negative thoughts, wondering whether I will ever get my life back and it was frightening the life out of me.

 

Reading about chiropractors, I am not sure I trust them, so I was considering an osteopath instead.

I have read stories where both chiros and osteos have made tinnitus worse, so now I am considering a physiotherapist?

Really confused which to go for. My medical insurance will pay for either option, but only one. Penny for any thoughts please?

Chiro, Osteo, or Physio?