New and not new

Hi,

I'm a 45 years old man from Belgium. I had a very mild form of tinnitus for 35 years that got a lot worse since march 2013, after playing a DJ-set for 6 hours.
It feels like the ringing/hissing sound is in my right-ear, but that could just be me 'assigning' it there.
I also can modulate the pitch of my tinnitus, which means I can make it go 'zzzang' when I clamp my teeth, or when I rub my face or stroke my chin. Has anyone else experienced this?
I should get an MRI-scan today, which only makes sense if you would suspect a neurinoma, so I'm quite unsure if I actually will do it. I mean, 120dB at a couple of inches from my ears…? No, thanks is my initial reflex

 

I have had mild tinnitus for going on ten years and worsened it a bit by going to a pretty loud bar. I would suggest wearing ear protection if you're going to keep being a DJ.

I can modulate my tinnitus by clenching my jaw as well.

 

Welcome Lord of the Ring!

Geez... 35 years of moderate tinnitus. Would you say that you habituated to it until last month?

Have you tried pressing on the ear flap just in front of that ear to see what happens? It is supposed to be the acupuncture location for tinnitus.

 

Erik, Does that not suggest it could be TMJ related? Here is the TMJ doc video that I seen on TMD and tinnitus. I was prescribed a elastic mandular advancer (oral appliance)

Knowledge For Wellness- TMJ Disorder with...

 

I seen him initially in December 2010. The appliance is suppose to help with sleep apnea also. Just something to look at if interested.

 

I just thought I would bring it up. I didn't have any jaw problems either and no pain. Was just searching for a answer to my left ear T, when a relative brought up a TMJ doc. I seen him and he did a radiographic scan of my head and determined I have mild TMD on left side, that could cause T. Your case maybe different.

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Yes, absolutely, it didn't bother me at all. I only heard it when I went to sleep and I concentrated on it.
That's different now…

 

I did do that MRI-scan yesterday and will get the results next week monday.
Did anyone ever experience this:
My tinnitus gets louder when I'm driving in the car. My ear gets like closed, even if the road is a flat as it can be (we only have flat roads in Flanders, you know…) and I can't really open it anymore until I get out of the car.
This thing is very strange

 

Lord of the Ring,

As far as your concern about getting an MRI, I have had 2 of them. The first one was very loud. Of course, I was provided ear plugs and this helped. The MRI did not damage my hearing or worsen my tinnitus, but it was loud at times and I did not like it very much. I was also a little bit claustrophobic in the machine.

The second MRI was at a different hospital, and my experience could not have been more different! The machine seemed much newer and very modern. It was a GE machine (I'm not sure which company manufactured the first machine). I was so prepared for it to be loud and uncomfortable like the first one, but it wasn't at all! I was amazed at how much quieter it was. I of course still wore ear plugs, as was recommended, but it was never very loud. I supposed the nature of the scans ordered might have made some difference -- some parts or phases of an MRI just seem louder than other phases depending on what the machine is doing and what scans are being taken, etc., but my guess is that the newer machines have gotten a bit quieter due to better insulation and/ or better materials. Also, as you know constant noise at any dB is more damaging than intermittent noise at the same dB, and noise emitted from an MRI will be intermittent -- there will be pauses of quiet between each series of magnets drumming away as the scan is formed.

I just thought I would let you know this as this seems to be your only obstacle from having an MRI that you otherwise believe would be beneficial. Perhaps you can ask if the hospital you intend to go to has perhaps installed newer machines that are quieter, or perhaps you can search out another hospital or clinic with newer machines and ask about the dB volumes on them. My hearing did not change from the first MRI I had to the second so the difference cannot be attributed to that. I honestly would bet a lot of money the 2nd MRI was at least 30 or maybe 40 dB quieter than the first one -- I was amazed at the difference. Oh, and the second MRI also had a small window at eye level I could look through that totally cured my claustrophobia.

 

Hi Royal&Bourbon,

Thanks for your message, but I did indeed had the MRI already yesterday.
It was definitely an old and noisy piece of kit

 

haha well that's great you went ahead and did it! Sounds like you survived okay.

 

Finished my 10-day treatment with cortisones. Didn't help at all.

 

MRI Scan returned clean, no vestibular schwannoma or anything spooky

 

Since you live not far, you may be interested in the Antwerp Brai2n clinic. http://www.brai2n.net/ Unfortunately, the main physician, Dirk De Ridder, left for New Zealand. When he left there was a waiting list of 1.5 years. AFAIK right now there are without a physician (prescriptions are handled by an ENT colleague of his) but the medical assistants are still there and are doing routine treatments. I do not know if they take appointments now but it is worth a try. I have the email of the secretary if you want.

 

Yeah, I know about Dr. De Ridder and the Brain Clinic. The overall experience of people that went to the clinic, are quite negative (after Dr. De Ridder left).
Frankly, I don't expect great results from what they are trying to do. I believe more in hair cell regeneration and the implants they are testing in Maastricht.

 

So, how are things today?
I don't wanna put off anyone, but basically, I had my 6 month birthday of my new T last sunday and it is more or less the same. I had a good summer, that helped. I don't think of it as much anymore (which is basically the only 'cure'). Bit stressy nowadays, so it goes up a little. I think that in the end of the day, I don't allow this thing to control my life. That was my attitude in the beginning and it still is. I never missed a second of sleep due to my T. I never stopped doing the things I do, stopped working or what so ever. I had customer made earplugs and use them rarely (cause I avoid loud surrounding, which honestly, I did in the past as well).
My conclusion on T so far:
- You make yourself (your brain, that is)
- It's harmless
- It's seems to be stress related (stress up, noise up; stress down, noise down)
- It's not influenced by anything you eat, smoke or drink
- It's bloody predictable*

* one evening, I was still reading a book in bed. T was there (of course, where else would it be? Still downstairs plundering the fridge?). All of a sudden, it goes zzzzzz-zwoop (imagine a vacuum cleaner that you switch off and makes like a sucking sound) then up again, then again zzzzzz-zwoop and silence. Silence. I was like: yeah, I remember this, can't really be bothered by it. Kept on reading the book, feel asleep and the next morning my T was back as normal. It's always there in the morning. Like The New York Times on your doorstep. Very predictable