My Tinnitus Is Almost Silent After 2 Months — Don’t Lose Hope If Your Tinnitus Is Recent!

Hello!

I just wanted to post my story for people who just got tinnitus to try and reassure them. I am 20 years old and French so sorry if my English is not perfect!

I got tinnitus 2 months ago from doing the Valsalva maneuver (I think). I did not know at that time that it could be dangerous and did it forcefully because my ear felt plugged. The tinnitus started almost immediately in my right ear. It sounds like a very high pitch and it was extremely loud (could hear it over the shower, traffic, bus, everything, I would say it was like a 7/10). A few days after, I got tinnitus in my left ear too (don’t know why). It was a lower tone and volume but was still quite annoying... On top of that, sounds started to hurt me, my ear was burning everyday when I would go to bed and the tinnitus was “reactive” (I would hear it even more in loud environment).

Of course, when it all started I was terrified. After a week I was completely broken mentally, could not sleep, could not think about anything else. I was making all my family and friends crazy with it because all I could do was complaining about tinnitus... I can honestly say that it was the worst time of my life. I am usually a cheerful person, but tinnitus really made me mad.

2 days after the onset, I went to see a doctor. She almost made fun of me and told me to try saline spray (I wasn’t even congested...)! 2 days after that I had an appointment at an ENT. He checked my ears and did an audiogram but everything was good. He said that I would have to live with it and that it was incurable. He gave me some Prednisone (5 days) but it did not do help (maybe it was too late already). So, after these 2 visits I was even more depressed. I was convinced that it would remain forever and that I would become crazy within a month!

However, and this is where it becomes hopeful, my tinnitus got better! After a month, it started to slowly decrease. First the volume went down, and then the tune also changed. Instead of a high pitch, it became like the sound of wind (much less annoying!). I was soooo happy! It kept decreasing to the point where I could only hear it when I was indoors in quiet environment. Now I can hear it outside only hear it from times to times, but it is totally manageable. I hope it goes away completely eventually but even if it remains like this, I know that it will be okay.

The reason why I am writing this post is because I feel so lucky that my tinnitus got better. I know that many people have it for years and still manage to live with it and I am really impressed by this kind of strength. On the first week after the onset, I spent hours on internet reading scary stories (I never should have done that, I know that now!). All the negativity only made it worse.

However, the success stories on Tinnitus Talk really helped me and I would read a few every night to give myself some hope.

So, now that I feel better, I just want to share with other people my experience so that they know that it can (and it most probably will) get better! Always remember that there is a big chance that your tinnitus will disappear in a few weeks or months and that patience is important when your tinnitus is recent.

So, don’t spend too much time reading scary stories on forums (except for success stories), don’t panic, take care of your ears and body while healing, and hope for the best!

After the onset, I stopped alcohol, smoking and loud environments for a month. I also started to take supplements (Magnesium and Propolis) to boost my immune system and made sure that I was getting enough sleep (even if it was sometimes hard with the hissing in my head). I decided to give myself some time to heal. Now, I think that tinnitus can actually be a great opportunity to learn about the auditory system and how to protect it! From now on, I will always be careful wit my ears.

Thank you for reading my story!

 

Some are just lucky and improve like you do very fast. Btw, congratulations. Enjoy it!

 

Please don't spoil this improvement with unnecessary loud sounds. Enjoy your life because if your tinnitus is quiet, you'll enjoy it much more.

 

Update 1 month after my previous post.

Tinnitus came back for no reason but it is very erratic.

It is much lower than it was during the onset. However, it is clearly noticeable when I am outside so that’s the annoying part...

On top of that I started to feel pressure in my ears and also heard water moving behind my eardrum a few days ago. I am able to pop my ears so I am a bit confused with these symptoms. Could it be ETD?

I believe that the noise will go away like it did the first time but maybe I’ll have to get used to it coming back from time to time.

How do you all deal with setbacks?

I try to stay positive but it is really affecting my concentration. I have to go back to school in a few weeks and I am worried about the difficulties that tinnitus may create in my studying. Do you have any tips on how to work and study with tinnitus or how to stay focused?

Thank you so much for your help, I will keep giving some updates when things get better!

 

It very well could be. I'm not as knowledgeable as some others on this forum, being a newbie myself, but you causing tinnitus with the Valsalva maneuver sounds like ETD to me. Also could be allergies or congestion from a cold that you had.

 

Ninap - your situation sounds very similar to mine. My tinnitus also virtually disappeared only to return a couple of weeks later. The good news however is that it did eventually disappear after a few months. Mine was an ear infection also, not noise induced as I first thought (fire alarm) Best wishes.

 

I'm about 2 months in with tinnitus. Like your's mine has been slowly improving. It started as a high pitch ringing and is now a soft hissing/fizzing most of the time. I've also had ~ 2 setbacks where it returned to being a loud ringing. They lasted about 3-4 days each before it lessened to a hissing/fizzing sound again.

I have otosclerosis though, not sure if that is what is suddenly causing it.

Has your tinnitus disappeared now?

Do you get random fleeting tinnitus? (tinnitus that goes away quickly).

Do you find that it is worse in the morning and quietens in the afternoon?

 

Any updates?

 

This is the best Success Stories post title I've ever read.

Congratulations on your improvement and on being clever enough to specify your post.

I wish you well.

 

Any update?