New at This Tinnitus Thing. Just Went to My Doctor...

So I first got the ringing in my left ear a week ago, just as I was finishing taking antibiotics for an infection in that ear. I went to urgent care over the weekend and was given azithromycin, and still the ringing persists. I went to my primary doctor this morning. He said that my ear looks fine, though there may be a little bit of fluid trapped there. He diagnosed me with eustation tube dysfunction and tole me to take Sudafed for the next week. He also gave me a referral to an ENT, and told mer to make the appointment for two to three weeks from now. I guess I just need a little support because I'm not feeling too optimistic at the moment. I've read a lot of stories about people getting permanent tinnitus from ear infections, and I'm worried that I'm going to be in that same boat. I just need my peace and quiet again. Has anyone else had tinnitus go away after an ear infection? Is there still a possibility that mine will go away? Should I go to the ENT sooner that the two to three weeks my doctor told me?

 

Hello there... I would follow doctors instructions and go see the ent. Only time will tell but be optimistic you are very early on and like in MOST cases tinnitus resolves on its own your might too soon. God bless you

 

Thanks for the encouragement, I need it right now. I was actually hoping that the doctor would find something wrong with my ears, something that could be fixed, but he said that me ear looked good except for a little bit of fluid that "might" be trapped there. I have an appointment with the ENT set up for next week, I'm really hoping that he can do something for me because I'm feeling really discouraged right now.

 

You should be fine but it may take some time.

Sounds like (pun intended) you didn't get it from loud music or anything. I used to get ear infections as a kid and the ringing would go away after a week. Yours may be a little more affected by it, but you should be okay soon.

Just stay busy and mask out the sound when you can so that you become less stressed. -- Its a known fact that stress will make your T worse (no matter how you got it).

Hang in there!

 

Thanks for the reply. I went to the ENT last week. Turns out I have some minor hearing loss in the upper range, and thew ENT said that was what caused my tinnitus and that it was for life. I left the doctor in suck a despondent state of mind that day. Thanks for the encouragement John, I need it now and I hope you're right. This tinitus thing has been a nightmare...

 

The ENT doesn't always know for sure so I would stay hopeful that it will pass. -- I've also been told that the mind will actually decide to ignore it after a few months (habilitate?) so keep your chin up..

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being so loud that you can't hear people talk, how do you rate your T volume during the day?

They say that we aren't supposed to monitor the levels but I find that impossible to do..

 

Thanks, I really hope the ENT is wrong and this living Hell will eventually pass. I guess on average I would rate my T between a 5 and a 7...

 

Yeah, that is about where I'm at. -- Fun times.

I just starting reading a book that someone else on this forum recommended. -- I really didn't want to recommend it until I tried out it's method for 40 days but think it will help you get a jump start on your recovery if you start reading it.

It's called "Make Miracles in Forty Days" by Melody Beattie. -- I paid 3 cents for a used one on Amazon and it may be 3 cents well invested. -- Can't hurt to try at least.

 

I've had mine for about a month and saw an ENT on the 9th. Seeing an audiologist at the moment. We're probably at a similar stage and I've been finding it very hard to deal with. Night time is the worst part of course. Like you, I'm trying to stick to reading the more positive stories. It's still so hard to imagine that people can learn to live with it and just not care. Fingers crossed

 

I got T since july, the first two ENT's I saw told me I would get "used" to it but would never go away. This made me even more anxious than I already was. Not wanting to give up, I found an ENT who at least had published some articles on T on another city, made the travel two weeks later and he told me that "Treating T may be a long road with many curves", and most ENT's unfortunately don't have interest on it because it's not something you can do a surgery or prescribe some meds.

I wonder now what would have happened if those first doctors didn't freak me out at the beginning. I'm trying to heal and have a better outlook, but It's difficult not to think about the damage that is done with this "it won't go away" thing. I guess doctors should at least talk about habituation, people who can take T out of awareness and even the cases that it gets better on its own, not just give a life sentence and move to the next patient in line like a lot of them seem to do.

 

John Meyers, has the book helped with your T at all? I just got the T like 3 weeks ago out of nowhere and my anxiety is at a 10. I can not believe how my life has changed in 3 weeks.

 

Welcome to the group. My tinnitus started around 3 weeks ago and I thought I was going to lose my mind. I immediately went to the ER and was referred to an ENT. I too was horrified to find out that I didn't have anything in my ears and the only thing that helped was making a post on this board. My tinnitus did ease up a bit and I would say it has gone down from a hair raising noise to just an annoyance. I would recommend staying away from any loud music and even avoiding talking on the phone if you can. This is still all new to me and I'm hoping it will improve some more. As an ENT would you recommend that people with tinnitus wear earplugs when they can? Thank you and best of luck, it will improve.

 

Why bump a thread from 2015?