My Story

[Ivan]

Hello, my friends!
Fourteen year old individual has come to share his story. My name is Ivan and I'm coming from a small town in Croatia. My hobbies are programming and playing bass guitar. Tinnitus is something I will regret the most in my life, and it's not because of the constant ringing. I'll tell you what happened on February 18th, 2013. The day started out normally -- went to school, programmed, played bass guitar. Now, it was afternoon and my sister's boyfriend told me to turn the volume down several times, but I didn't listen to him. When I went to sleep, I realized I had ringing in my ears. I am not sure why, but this is the thing that really kills me more than tinnitus itself.

Anyway, I've been to ENT doctor and he prescribed me BetaSerc pills and told me this might go away in two months, meaning it could go away in June of this year. Wish me luck!

I wish the best to all you tinnitus sufferers!

Regards,
Ivan.

 

[Royal&Bourbon]

Ivan,

Thanks for sharing your story. I have never heard of BetaSerc, but I looked it up, and I see it was developed in Europe and is prescribed in many countries for tinnitus as well as Meniere's disease symptoms. I hope this medicine helps you recover!!

The fact that you are very young is definitely in your favor. It is quite possible your tinnitus will resolve itself on its own. At the very least, over time you will notice it less and less and it won't bother you like it does now. Also, try not to blame yourself. How could you know listening to loud music would do this? Many posters on tinnitus chat boards blame themselves for taking a certain medicine, going to a concert, or doing whatever they believed caused their tinnitus. I have done this myself, so I understand your feelings.

The truth is, there is no way you could have known listening to loud music would do this! You are a normal teenager, and that is what teens often do -- listen to loud music. I did the same thing when I was your age, even when my mom told me to turn the music down. No, it is not good for one's hearing to do this for longer periods, but the vast majority of the time, listening to loud music does not spontaneously cause tinnitus, so you should not blame yourself. My tinnitus is from a head injury, and I often used to think about all the things that may have gone differently the day of my accident so that I could have avoided it. But then I realized doing this is just wasted energy.

However, it is important for you to protect your ears from now on and be careful in the future. Keep the volume lower, and really watch the use of i-pods or any ear bugs or headphones -- I believe these can concentrate the sound in your ears and be more dangerous than listening to music at a similar volume with regular speakers. Also, protect yourself in loud environments. If you find yourself in a situation where people have to speak louder to be heard, the volume or noise could be dangerous to your hearing and you should protect your ears by leaving or wearing ear plugs.

Best of luck to you.

Oh, and your English is fantastic!

 

[Markku]

Hey Ivan,

you are, to my knowledge, the youngest member of our site. That's anything but desirable, though.
I was about your age when I first got "floaters" (you are welcome to google it, if interested, but in essence it's vitreous debris that looks like cobwebs, spots, rings, etc... and moves around in your vision. Annoying!), so I know something about being hit with something that there's nothing much to be done about at a young age.

Tinnitus became later, and now I've got both; visual and aural problems Still, I'm managing! And actually living a pretty good and enjoyable life.

Just wanted to share that with you...

It's quite extraordinary how well you write for a 14-year-old! And I suppose your mother tongue isn't English? (Just a guess based on your country). You write better English than I do, and many English natives! Keep it going !

Now, let's get to some questions I've got on my mind...

How long had you played the bass guitar before the day, or that night, you noticed the tinnitus? Months, years?

Do you, generally speaking, like to listen to music at loud volumes?

I suppose you've now started paying attention to the sound levels?

A tip I'm going to give you right now, which I don't know if the ENT you visited already said: hearing damage / tinnitus can be cumulative. So... you don't ever want your tinnitus getting worse - that is, if it stays with you. Be mindful of sound levels, that's what's important!

Your tinnitus is still categorised as acute (i.e. lasted less than 3-6 months), and I hope the ringing subsides or goes away completely, like your ENT said might happen.

One thing that you might want to look into is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. There's a thread about this treatment in the "Treatments" section, and it's a treatment that's most effective within 3 months of tinnitus onset. I don't know if there's HBOT available in Croatia, but why not ask your doctor, if he or she happened to knew?

How loud would you say your tinnitus is? Do you notice it all the time, currently, or is it more of an annoyance only in quiet-ish situations, like when trying to fall asleep? Can you usually get a good night's sleep?

(Which brings to mind, feel free to complete the Global Tinnitus Survey that Tinnitus Talk is organizing )

By the way, I'm confident you will get over the self-blaming. You did what you loved; played the guitar, and even though your sister's boyfriend asked to tone it down, nobody expected you to know the risks of loud sound. There's just not enough awareness for tinnitus, and it's not your fault you got it. It really isn't.

Oh and, do you know if you have any measurable hearing loss? Did the ENT arrange a hearing test? (Often after acoustic trauma there's some hearing loss combined with the tinnitus).


I'm sure I didn't cover everything, and I'll come back if more questions come to my mind.
I'm sorry you have to go through with this. But you found a good community and hopefully you'll benefit from us and from the existing information that you can find here.

Best of luck and stay strong,

Markku

 

[Karen]

Hi, Ivan, and welcome to Tinnitus Talk!

The others (above) have given you great advice, and asked some really good questions. I am glad you went to your doctor right away, and that he prescribed the BetaSerc for you. It is possible that your tinnitus will subside, or even go away, within the next two months.

If the tinnitus does not go away then, however, I want you to know that it will get better with time. When my tinnitus began (from loud noise), I was really afraid at first. However, within a few months, I had habituated to it, to the point where I didn't even think of it, except when things were very quiet. That same scenario could happen to you. Until it does, please (1) protect your hearing; (2) make sure you get plenty of sleep; (3) be calm; don't worry, and continue doing the things you love to do.

You've joined a great community; we support one another and share information about the latest research developments. We're glad you joined us!! Please keep us updated on your story; we care!

 

[Ivan]

First off, I would like to say thank you for all the compliments, tips and personal experiences.

Since all of you mentioned earplugs, I'll just say that at first I had infection on my left inner ear, and then it moved to my right inner ear, and once I actually visited ENT and was diagnosed with tinnitus, I immediately bought earplugs.​

​

The fact that you are very young is definitely in your favor. It is quite possible your tinnitus will resolve itself on its own. At the very least, over time you will notice it less and less and it won't bother you like it does now. Also, try not to blame yourself. How could you know listening to loud music would do this? Many posters on tinnitus chat boards blame themselves for taking a certain medicine, going to a concert, or doing whatever they believed caused their tinnitus. I have done this myself, so I understand your feelings.

Oh, man, this is something that really bothers me. I got to the point when I would notice my tinnitus only at night, and since Thursday, when I got these pills for bronchitis, my tinnitus has toned up. I asked my doctor if it could worsen my tinnitus, but she said it couldn't. Now I'm all paranoid and don't know if bronchitis made my tinnitus louder and when it heals, will my tinnitus get to the normal level, or is it because of the pills I've taken. The pills are Panatus forte, they contain butamirate. Anyone knows something about it? I've done my research, but got no useful information about its effect on tinnitus.

Hey Ivan,
you are, to my knowledge, the youngest member of our site. That's anything but desirable, though.
I was about your age when I first got "floaters" (you are welcome to google it, if interested, but in essence it's vitreous debris that looks like cobwebs, spots, rings, etc... and moves around in your vision. Annoying!), so I know something about being hit with something that there's nothing much to be done about at a young age.

Unfortunately, bad things happen and we cannot change all of them. Do you know how you got it? Sometimes I see random small black dots flying around, but I did my research on Internet and got to the conclusion that it happens to everybody occasionally.

I'll answers questions in order you asked them.

I suppose your mother tongue isn't English? (Just a guess based on your country).

How long had you played the bass guitar before the day, or that night, you noticed the tinnitus? Months, years?

Do you, generally speaking, like to listen to music at loud volumes?

I suppose you've now started paying attention to the sound levels?

English is not my mother tongue.

I play bass guitar a year and a few months, but in February, I started playing everyday with my volume maxed out.

Of course. I remember my friends telling me how can you listen to music so loud, and I told them because I can. Haha, and now here are the consequences.

Oh, boy, of course I do. I have earplugs with me everywhere I go, because you can never know when you'll need them.

You've joined a great community; we support one another and share information about the latest research developments. We're glad you joined us!! Please keep us updated on your story; we care!

I'm glad I joined, as well, and thank you, and others, for caring!


Before I conclude this post, I'd like everyone to know I've read all posts, even if I didn't quote everybody equally. One more thing, I hope it isn't against the forum rules to have a discussion in section for introductions.

Oh, almost forgot, I've completed the survey a few minutes after posting my first post, Markku.

Regards,
Ivan.

 

[James]

Hi Ivan,
I really hope the ENT doc is right saying that it may be temporary. Reminds me of a Led Zeppelin I went to, my ears defiantly were ringing after that show. It was ridiculously loud. My ears recovered somehow. Sleep well.

 

[Ivan]

Thank you, James!

 

[click]

First off, I would like to say thank you for all the compliments, tips and personal experiences.

Since all of you mentioned earplugs, I'll just say that at first I had infection on my left inner ear, and then it moved to my right inner ear, and once I actually visited ENT and was diagnosed with tinnitus, I immediately bought earplugs.​

​

Oh, man, this is something that really bothers me. I got to the point when I would notice my tinnitus only at night, and since Thursday, when I got these pills for bronchitis, my tinnitus has toned up. I asked my doctor if it could worsen my tinnitus, but she said it couldn't. Now I'm all paranoid and don't know if bronchitis made my tinnitus louder and when it heals, will my tinnitus get to the normal level, or is it because of the pills I've taken. The pills are Panatus forte, they contain butamirate. Anyone knows something about it? I've done my research, but got no useful information about its effect on tinnitus...
... Regards, Ivan.

Hi Ivan,

I think it would be a good idea to ask your doctor whether she is absolutely sure that the butamirate is not ototoxic. Obviously bronchitis shouldn't be ignored but you need to be sure that she has given you something safe - that won't affect your tinnitus/ears/hearing - and there are usually alternative drugs available. At least it will ensure that she questions her decision. If the doctors in Croatia are anything like the doctors in England, then they need everything repeating a few times before they take you seriously.

I'm so sorry to hear that you have tinnitus at just 14 years of age but hopefully your age will be an advantage and you will heal quickly. I hope so.

As your tinnitus is so new please do contact your doctor and ask for confirmation about the bronchitis prescription - there is a strong chance that your tinnitus will go away if you are careful... ie. don't take anything that may worsen it and keep away from very loud noise.

I've noticed too that you program (I like the site ). Make sure you're sitting properly at the computer with your back and neck in the right position. I've been programming for over 30 years and I know that long hours of concentration at a computer haven't helped my neck/back etc. They do say that bad posture can cause tinnitus.

Good luck!

Click
@Ivan

 

[Ivan]

Hello, @click.
I think butamirate is not ototoxic because I woke up not noticing my tinnitus. I think bronchitis made it louder, but it's quiet right now. The only mistake I've done today is going to Zagreb by (old) bus. I was right above the wheel, so it was kind of loud, but hopefully it didn't have any effect on my tinnitus. ENT told me that exposure to a little louder noise should not have any effect on my tinnitus unless I haven't been exposed to it for too long. I've been riding in a bus for 45 minutes. Hopefully he doesn't consider this as too long.

My age might be an advantage, so I am actually happy I didn't get tinnitus at older age.

If programming were a girl, I'd marry it! I never knew that sitting with bad posture can cause tinnitus. Thank you for telling me! Oh, and I'm happy that you like my site. I tried to act professional, and I sometimes find it kind of funny.

I'll ask an off topic question, do you make living by programming?

Regards,
Ivan.

 

[click]

Hi Ivan,

I think you're right - sitting above the wheel could be a bad move but I shouldn't think it's worsened your T - may be best avoided in the future though.

Really pleased that your T is quiet at times and that you woke up not noticing it - that must be a good sign!

Yes, I've made a living at programming since way back in 1980 when I started (on mainframes). But, more importantly, I've enjoyed almost every minute of it. It's obvious that you also love it which is great. We're lucky to have found something that we enjoy doing.

I'm moving more away from it now because I'm expecting my first grandchild in June. Hopefully I'll just do mornings at the computer and then the rest of the day away from it - that's the plan anyway.

Good luck and take care.

Click

 

[Deep]

Hi Ivan

I too have recently got Tinnitus, I am also young (19) and I program too! You may want to read my most recent thread on what I am doing to improve my T. Do not worry about noises that you suddenly become scared of due to T for example; Hoover, lawn mower, bus wheel, etc.. These types of noises range from 60 - 80db's in sound pressure and would have to be constant for at-least 2 - 3 hours within 5 - 10 meters of your ears before you could even consider damage being done.

Stay away from headphones, they channel the sound down the ear canal, but if you have to use them set the volume to 10 - 40%. Let your ears rest between sessions, and juice yourself up on healthy things to let the ears heal (if any healing needs to be done).

This is interesting:
- http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/decibel-exposure-time-guidelines
- http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/noise_education/young/eng_young_html/m1/images/graph_1_2_b2.gif

Also what type of computer do you program on? I find that when I am by my mac laptop for hours on end, my tinnitus goes up in volume temporarily, could be due to the fan aggravating it or the magnetic field the screen gives off, who knows... Have you experienced this?

Luka

 

[Ivan]

Hello, Luka (@Deep).

Thank you for providing such a helpful information! When you said 'Stay away from the headphones, they channel the sound down the ear canal', did you mean that my tinnitus will immediately worsen if I use headphones loudly?

I used to program on my PC, but now I use my laptop which has Linux Ubuntu. When I programmed on my PC, the fan masked my tinnitus. Right now, my laptop provides the same exact sound as I have in the ears, only a lot quieter. I am not sure why your tinnitus gets louder, but it could be due to bad posture, as click said.

 

[Deep]

Some good points, ah yes I am in the process of installing ubuntu on my desktop computer, looking forward to it.

Nah you can use headphones but make sure you set them at a reasonable level, your T may flare up slightly after use but should settle down to normal, although I have recently learned that my T fluctuates spontaneously, so sometimes when your T seems louder it is due to your mind set, or some other factor. Yeah posture plays a big role, I wake up hearing silence and gradually the T sets in because I allow myself to find it. But right not it is on its best behavior so I am going to go enjoy myself for a bit, hope this helped, BYE FOR NOW!

 

[Georgia]

Hey ivan its nice to hear the story of someone whose around my age and is still in school. I hope you get better, I don't think Tinnitus like that is permenant so hopefully you'll make a good recovery. Take care of what you have, we often don't realise how precious these things are until something ruins them or we lose it. If your pills don't work there are lot of things to try, so don't lose hope. And because your T is hopefully temporary then these could speed up healing. If you still have it then seriously keep trying! If it isn't genetic then I am positive there is stuff you can do about it.
Acupressure
Herbal remdies
Eating certain foods can prevent a hearing loss.

Good luck