My (Unusual) Tinnitus Story

Ok i am making this a separate thread because it will get all the info and accounts i have observed since suffering with this strange and in my case seemingly specialist-baffling-condition.

I started to play the game GTA5 and in doing so got a bluetooth in ear headset (just goes over one ear/in one ear) it was in my left ear to begin with. It was super, super quiet this thing even with the volume turned to max, however when it was on max you could hear the sort of 'white noise' hiss that some technology makes when on max volume, though this hiss was not loud in any way.

After playing for a few hours and removing the device the hiss sort of 'stuck' in my ear, but not bad. I repeated this over a week or so and the hiss would get slightly louder, but it was more what its like when you have been on the phone for a few hours to someone, not painful or even noticeable really in most cases.

I then switched the ear i used it on because i was concerned of damage. So i switched to my right ear but only for a few days and then stopped playing altogether. I also went on a training course with work which involved being on a moor which was seriously cold, my ears were painfully cold (as was my nose!) but nothing bad happened,or so it would seem.

Since that time the sound gradually got louder over a period of 4 days or so (after i had stopped playing), mainly in my left ear until it got to a point where it was scary in its volume, a high pitched screeching (reminds me of the bits in saving private ryan or the bit on copland when he gets deafened)

I went to my GP who said it was a huge amount of wax, and not to worry at all. I was booked in for syrnging however not for almost another month! so i couldn't bare it after 10 days (in that time i used olive oil as a treatment) it was very bad in my left ear and less severe in my right so both needed doing.

Went to a specialist who used a suction, went very well and cleared 100% of wax out of my ears, told me my ears are healthy and free of wax. The sound went by 70-80%. Until i got home some 2hrs later, when it returned full blast.

However now my ears would get hot, especially the right one, really hot! So i then went to another doc whom said my left ear had a perforated ear drum that had healed however it was a very old injury! (i had previously had that ear syrnged some 3 years ago but with no problems) and my right ear had redness and swelling! In the day its fine, i can cope, in the evening the sound is unbearable. My ear gets hot and then the sound comes. What is also strange is the ringing has shifted from my left ear to my right, same intensity just a different ear, has been this way for 3 days straight now. My left ear feels free of sound, though when i use my headphones to go to sleep with rain sounds etc i can still hear it ringing, just less noticeable than the right one.

As a point of note, stress/anxiety does not seem to effect it, the sound will vary in intensity as does the heat in my right ear (no longer my left) and does not seem to be effected by either hot or cold temperatures.

My fiancé is certain that this is a result of an impacted wisdom tooth (i did have some pain in my mouth in october this year and swelling/sort of infection in my gum from a wisdom tooth coming through on my right hand side of my mouth) but i don't want to cling to hope that may not be there. I also find myself grinding my teeth in my sleep a lot. For this to be the case would be a coincidence that the ringing started when i used the headset then i suddenly get wax AND wisdom tooth pain? lots of coincidence!

Every doc has said something different to me, the word 'rare' has been used lots as well as puzzlement and confusion and its getting me very angry and confused. I don't read any stories on the net or of patients having gone through what i am in terms of the cause, these things seem unique and strange to the docs I've spoken to about this issue:

- no trauma
- no loud noises
- no illness
- a gradual build up in noise (not seen anyone else say this!)
- hot ear
- ringing switching sides

Seing my 6 th doc tomorrow and going to the dentist to request a mouth guard and X-ray. Beyond that i am lost. Can anyone relate to this story, or have anything they can understand about it? As i type this, just so you know, the sound is almost gone, its very very quiet! the quietest its ever been...

 

Same. Just got it, bang, one day, no idea why. My affected ear is also constantly hot, no idea why. I also hear a crackling bubbling sound when I talk or swallow, no idea why. Been to a million doctors, no idea why. Great. Guess some people are just destined to get it. Which is not the best news you want to hear. Still, everyone seems to say that it gets better with time. I'm still not convinced as mine hasnt gotten any better in 4 months if anything, its worse. Try neuromonics. its expensive but has a good success rate. I dont care how much it is, i'd sell all my possessions and go into debt if i could find something that works!

 

Neenie, sorry but thats quite not the same and its not what i was asking for. I didn't suddenly get it BANG, like that, it happened gradually over a period of 5 days or so, mine switched ears too AND I had wax.

You're saying you had all the above too? if not then its not the same, I need to know of people that have this as a result of a similar set of circumstances as well a similar or recognised relation to some of the unusual symptoms from normally documented cases.

I get that your hot ear is similar however i feel that for me this is in relation to the redness/soreness from the suctioning, i added that info here because, for me, it is the indication of an 'attack' about to happen (sound gets noticeable/loud when it gets hot) and might explain how its 'switched' ears, perhaps the large volume of wax in the left caused it there and now its gone (seems like there is no screeching at all anymore there) the soreness in the right is causing it in the right? i don't know, but it would be good to find others here that might know.

I am sorry to hear of your tinnitus and i hope you can get relief for it, i know how bad it can truly be. But thank you for the reply.

 

While ear wax is considered a "benign" cause of tinnitus, it is not without risks - especially if left untreated for some time; your doctor should (probably) have acted more quickly. Other than that, I would start with the basics: a hearing test! While I am not a great fan of hearing tests for determining if hearing loss is the cause of tinnitus, an audiogram can at least provide some clues if the cause is idiopathic to begin with...

 

I am trying to get an appointment with an ent for a hearing test. Harder than you think. I only had wax for 4-5 days max.

I have perfect hearing, seriously, even before the wax, perfect!

 

I'm curious to know more about your thoughts on this, cause I have also wondered to what extent my hearing tests are good proof of me NOT having T cause of hearing loss. I've had two independent hearing tests that covered the familiar 250-8000hz range with no sign of hearing loss. But why don't you think hearing tests are a good way of excluding or including hearing loss as a main cause of T? Because the loss could be hidden? The audiologist I went to in addition to the two different ENTs said tests over 8000hz is pointless cause we are not able to detect sound on those frequencies, the same person also told me that the test was conclusive, it did not show any sign of loss at all except from the normal loss range due to age. I guess they have an age template table and I was inside the normal range. I did a threshold test that clearly showed signs of severe H however, so I guess the audiologist became more occupied with that.

Almost needless to say none of the people in charge of the tests could even faintly suggest why I have mad loud T levels. When they don't see hearing loss they are totally clueless as usual. It's the only cause of T for most of them, although alot of people have T with no hearing loss they still stick to the same theories. It puzzles me.

 

See here:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/so-i-went-to-an-ent.2616/#post-23259

 

another element i wish to add, again this is about UNUSUAL symptoms or less documented issues i want addressing and focus on in this thread.

My tinnitus in the morning is SUPER quiet and over a period of hours increases in volume to the very loudest it can get.

Nobody seems to be saying this happens to them.

This happens every morning, every day, no matter how I've slept or how much stress i have been under. By the evening my ear is hot and the tinnitus is very loud.

Another interesting point: tinnitus is usually balanced in both ears, but mine is not, mine is always in ONE ear at a time (or actually both but very reduced in the opposite ear) this is NOT normal nor is it documented very well here or ANYWHERE.

Anyones thoughts on this?

 

UPDATE: visited my dentist this morning and has performed an X-ray as well as listening to my symptoms. What showed up on the X-Ray is an Impacted wisdom tooth, he even thought that the saliva gland(s) may have been infected as well.

He believes it is this that is caused the tinnitus (sort of makes sense as a month or two ago i had really bad infections in my mouth, soreness and aching in the extreme which i was told at the time was my wisdom tooth coming through) I am being referred to a facial specialist in hospital and might result in surgery to remove the tooth and fix it. (if not it may sort itself out or i may need antibiotics to perhaps alleviate symptoms) Though still not sure why it started in my left ear, but maybe as a result of the wax in that ear? hmm.

I also asked if removal of the tooth can cause the tinnitus and was told that it cannot or is very very unlikely. It will however take 6 weeks for me to be seen at the earliest!

 

Can you keep us up to date after the tooth removal please Zeo? Thanks.

 

I will however i have a further development.

UPDATE 2: went to another doc today after the dentists that said he would be surprised if it turned out to be my tooth! He did however prescribe me some Amitriptyne Tablets which will help me sleep and MAY stop the noise or reduce it.

He also checked the ear that is making the loudest sounds, i.e. my right ear and said there was no swelling or redness now and when he opened my ear the sound got much louder! this puzzled him.

Its a total circus this, i have seen 6 doctors, 2 nurses and a dentist and ALL giving me different diagnosis!

How my symptoms are now: the tinnintus used be a 8-9 (volume wise) during the day, its now a rough 7 or so, when my ear is hot and maybe a 5 or so when its not hot. I wonder if its reducing somehow? the frequency seems to fluctuate a little as well, its not quite as constant a 'tone' anymore?

 

Just to clarify, theres almost no such thing as perfect hearing. Tests are not that rigid and we all have degrees of degraded hearing compared to when we were kids (if you didn't have a damage back then of course) I think we need better tests cause I'm a little skeptic based on experiences. My tests are all fine, meaning no severe hearing loss. I don't think the test detects slight losses or minor losses, so the audiologist only compares the result to a template table, your either inside or outside the normal levels as far as I know. If there's any audiologists here then please correct me.

In addition to this we have the almighty frequency debate of course. Is 250-8000hz a good enough range to exclude hearing loss etc. But that's a separate debate almost. Point is I'm not sure if the standard hearing tests represents a good enough tool to detect hearing loss.

 

Tell me about it. The more people you see the greater variety of fluffy explanations and theories you will get, except from this one thing: They don't know what caused it and they don't know how to get rid of it. For your sake I hope the latter isn't the case, but seeing more docs could give you more headaches. I hope it settles.

 

I tried a tablet just now and after a short while the heat has gone out of my ear and the sound is much quieter!

 

Same here Neenie. There's alot of people sharing the same stories. From no T to mad T overnight. Makes you wonder how and why etc. Not knowing the cause is a second burden.

 

@Zeo Actually, I have similar tinnitus in my left ear. It hasn't swapped ears, but it is majority on left and a little on the right. The sound about doubles by 9 hours through my day. Check and see if jaw or eye movements change the frequency or loudness of your T. They can be subtle.

 

Lisel yours is rare then like mine, check your teeth! How long you had it?

 

@Zeo, only about a week. I've had ringing in my other ear much longer, not sure if it's related. But yes, I knowingly have TMJ issues and hopefully will see some improvement with T along with the TMJ.

 

What is TMJ?

 

Re: impacted wisdom teeth, I had all 4 impactions removed after the onset of my T. Was told by a lazy ENT that it might help the problem - did not make any change with T levels, but I was experiencing a LOT of pain from the wisdom teeth so it definitely helped tremendously in that respect.

 

Temporomandibular joint. Basically where you lower jaw connects to your skull. TMJ disorder usually stems from having an uneven bite. Grinding your teeth at night is actually a symptom of it. As are tinnitus, toothaches, and headaches as a few other major indicators.

Also, funny timing. I got into the car after a long long night in lab and barely being able to focus on my T. It shifted to my right ear. And as I type this, is shifting more back to the left. So huh! More similar than I thought, even.

 

Its cause for concern if it shifts ears arrantly, it should always be balanced.

I have always had issues with my teeth, i had too many teeth for my mouth and had to have lots removed, then i didn't brush them so i have lots of fillings, root canals and even a gold tooth. I ALWAYS grind my teeth at night, I'm talking 10 years+ i wake up with numb or sore gums/teeth. Im getting a mouth guard to sort that out.

I would be surprised that all this is not my wisdom tooth as I've had lots of infections/swelling and agony in my right side of my mouth recently and may even be infected as my dentist said.

Is there a cure for Temporomandibular joint issues?

 

A mouth guard is actually normally what they start you off with to treat TMJ issues. According to the orthodontist I am seeing, it is enough for most people. I'm not sure if the mouth guard you're getting for the teeth grinding is the same type.

I don't think there is a "cure" per say. Depends on the cause, I suppose. But wearing a mouth guard at night is no big deal, I can't complain. They can also do surgery and replace the joint, but the success rate on those is not so good.

 

Can i just add that my tinnitus sounds like something i couldn't quite figure out, but now i know!! remember those old CRT's Tv's? (old big, fat TV's) you recall when you would turn them off or sometimes when the tube was dying in the tv, the high pitched whine? its exactly that sound but right in my head/ear and super loud!

If the sound doesn't get me then the hotness of my ear does, which in turn reminds me of my sound, I'm still disgusted by the lack of knowledge, understanding and help for those with this condition and I'm not standing for it.

 

Also can anyone tell me if this has happened or is supposed to happen with typical tinnatus:

- when i lie down its much much worse
- randomly the sound goes away for long periods, then its back louder than ever
- fluctuation in sound levels constantly throughout the day but not following any particular pattern
- severe hypersensitivity to sound on occasion (i get this around 3-4 times a day) sounds become VERY loud, e.g. plastic bag will be deafening if someone crumples one near me
- tinnitus sound becomes so loud it feels like my head is vibrating/buzzing with electricity and i feel a hint of dizzyness

 

@Zeo,

All those things are common with T. The hypersensitivity is called hyperacusis (H).

For a more detailed description of H see http://www.hyperacusis.net/ and read the different subjects.

 

Cool, is that a permanent thing? again because i won't be able to work at all anymore if it is! My only solution is to have earphones on all day/night every day/night with rain sounds on it full blast. I also experience it worse when i grind my teeth or my jaw hurts….. mainly when lying down.

EDIT: in the causes section of that site it does not mention tinnitus at all.

I am starting to think this is a tooth/jaw/TMD/TMJ related issue...

 

Do a search on H here on TT and you will find different posts on this subject. H is treatable to a certain level, at least its known to decrease by time, I hope thats true in my case as well but its a long stretch it seems. According to the research I have read about 40% of all people with T also have H, the severity of the condition varies greatly of course.

To check if you have typical symptoms (like TTTS) then read this section:

http://www.hyperacusis.net/hyperacusis/tensor+tympani+syndrome/default.asp

 

UPDATE 3: I've been in communication with the specialist ENT that did my suctioning and he is now passing my info on to very prominent tinnitus specialists which is awesome but i have also noted something interesting.

Today i woke with 90% of the tinnitus gone! seriously, as i type this i would say its about 20% of what it was!! I think its increasing in sound though, very slowly. (hence why i say 20% and not 10%)

So i put it all together, what i think this is and this is what i have found and it is why i think what i have is actually BRUXISM. This is from an email I sent to the ENT specialist yesterday:

"I have noticed that i catch myself in moments of being anxious or tension (i.e. most of everyday life) clenching my teeth together or grinding, i do this subconsciously. When i wake, perhaps over the last 10 years or more i have numb teeth/gums/jaw and often headaches too (i thought the headaches may have been as result of my neck/nerves) looking back though they could be tension headaches.

The last few months have been quite anxious ones but was slowly calming down. Today i tried a little test out which was to see if it was a TMJ/TMD related thing and the tinnitus in now in my left ear with my jaw on that side aching a lot more than the right.

I have had a sore jaw all day today in fact and feel my jaw is somehow not right? When i grind now to test, the sound is somewhat louder too (on left side) i could be imagining all this however if it was dental related it would not surprise me, i have a long history of teeth related issues; having too many teeth in my mouth, root canal, gold tooth, infection/swelling recently from the wisdom tooth pushing the other teeth, neuralgia, lots of fillings and much more."

As i type this now i notice my jaw aching again just being where it is and in doing so the sound increases! when i grind on one particular side of my jaw, the sound increases in that ear, but gradually returns to a certain level.

I think last night i slept well, my jaw does not hurt nor did it feel like i had been grinding in my sleep, i felt good (possibly because i had the sleeping tablet and slept very well)

The ENT is pretty sure (from his email) that its either my wisdom teeth and/or jaw related physical issues relating to TMJ/TMD.

 

Its always quiet in the morning then gets louder…. ENT recommends i use a hearing aid with a special frequency to stop the noise but will be very costly.