Not New to Tinnitus, But New to Tinnitus Talk

Miah

Miah

Member
Author
Feb 19, 2018
5
Tinnitus Since
08/2016
Cause of Tinnitus
Ear infection
#1
Hello, my name is Miah (me-uh) I am 19 years old and have struggled with tinnitus for coming up on two years. It initially started in July of 2016 when I got a bad ear infection. It was only in my right ear and was so quiet it hardly bothered me, I almost forgot about it. I was living my normal life and went to many concerts like a young girl and it got progressively worse. I was too afraid to look up what it was at the time so I was unaware loud noises could increase it so much (stupid I know ) I coped pretty well initially I would just ignore it and avoid quiet places, sleeping only on my left side with a fan on.

Eventually- about 3 months ago I began hearing it in my left ear as well. It would fade in and out, not a constant sound like my right ear. But now it varies and sometimes it seems as if the tinnitus is only in my left ear.

I can't tell if it's because it gets so loud in that ear i hear it more than the right. I feel as though I am going slightly crazy. It had also initially been a low pinched noise but now it is much more high pitched.

I also feel pressure in my ears pretty frequently and they pop constantly. I know I have eustachian tube dysfunction.

I am really struggling as I know no one else my age who has this. I feel so alone. And I'm living in fear of traveling and living my dreams as I know I'll have to bring this unwanted noise with me.

I'm obsessed with it really. I constantly plug my ears to listen for it, and anytime I hear a ringing noise- even if it's not coming from my ear I focus on it and panic. I just need comfort, I don't want this anymore.
 
#2
Miah said:
I was living my normal life and went to many concerts like a young girl and it got progressively worse. I was too afraid to look up what it was at the time so I was unaware loud noises could increase it so much
Click to expand...
When was the last concert that you had attended? How many concerts had you attended after the onset of your tinnitus (the onset is not the first time you heard it for a couple of days before it went away - it is the time when it turned on and never went away)? How loud is it now? Is it a hiss or a high-pitch tone?

If you stay away from noise for a year or two, there is a good chance that your tinnitus would fade or even completely go away. You are young and you have the best chance of recovering.

Check out the thread below where I summarize everything (27 tips) I learned about managing tinnitus after reading the posts on this forum for the past year.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822
 
#3
HI @Miah

Welcome to the forum. The first thing I advise is to stop plugging your ears and listening to the tinnitus. This will make your brain focus more on the noise and if you're not careful, make it more intrusive. If you use headphones my advice is to stop using them even at low volume. Since you have been diagnosed with ETD, I will assume you've been for tests at ENT? A referral to a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist for tinnitus treatment and management would be helpful. Please click on the links below and read my posts on tinnitus, which you might find helpful. Try to avoid quiet rooms and surroundings particularly at night by using a sound machine by your bedside. More is explained in my article below: Tinnitus, A Personal View.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
 
#7
threefirefour said:
That's kind of a vague answer. Does the brain make the tinnitus louder, or make it stand out more and harder to mask or ignore?
Click to expand...

Tinnitus is generated in the limbic system which is the part of the brain that is responsible for our emotions. Love, hate fear etc. The more the brain focuses on the tinnitus, this can cause stress, anxiety and fear - which often results in making the tinnitus louder and more intrusive. For this reason, it is advisable not to seek out silence rooms and surroundings, or deliberately focus on the tinnitus. This is the reason sound enrichment is recommend to be used at all times particularly at night. The brain and auditory system never switch off. Proof of this is when someone is in a coma, doctors often advise members of the patient's family to talk to them because the brain is still active.

Similarly, at night whilst we sleep the brain and auditory system are still active. If the brain hears silence, it has the ability to increase its background activity. In doing so it will also increase the tinnitus making it louder and more intrusive. Using sound enrichment, the brain is less likely to increase its background activity and the reverse happens. It will turn down its internal volume reducing the tinnitus as well. People that have tinnitus due to hearing loss, find that when using a hearing aid, the tinnitus over time becomes less noticeable. The brain no longer has to search for sounds from the outside environment that it couldn't previously hear, now that the hearing aid is supplying these additional frequencies.


Michael.
 
Last edited:
#8
Michael Leigh said:
Tinnitus is generated in the limbic system which is the part of the brain that is responsible for our emotions. Love, hate fear etc. The more the brain focuses on the tinnitus, this can cause stress, anxiety and fear - which often results in making the tinnitus louder and more intrusive. For this reason, it is advisable not to seek out silence rooms and surroundings, or deliberately focus on tinnitus. This is the reason sound enrichment is recommend to be used at all times particularly at night. The brain and auditory system never switch off. Proof of this is when someone is in a coma, doctors often advise members of the patient's family to talk to them because the brain is still active.

Similarly, at night whilst we sleep the brain and auditory system is still active. If the brain hears silence, it has the ability to increase its background activity. In doing so it will also increase the tinnitus making it louder and more intrusive. Using sound enrichment, the brain is less likely to increase its background activity and the reverse happens. It will turn down its internal volume reducing the tinnitus as well. People that have tinnitus due to hearing loss, find that when using a hearing aid, the tinnitus over time becomes less noticeable. The brain no longer has to search for sounds from the outside environment that it couldn't previously hear, now that the hearing aid is supplying these additional frequencies.


Michael.
Click to expand...
Okay thanks for the in depth answer. Very helpful.

TL;DR It makes the tinnitus louder and your brain focuses on it more.
 
#17
threefirefour said:
That's fine. I founf it weird how you went from extremely vague to extremely detailed. That's one way to handle that situation.
Click to expand...

My first answer was concise but as you say was vague. I have been typing a lot today and my fingers were/are starting to ache. I knew the only way to answer your question properly was to write it in full and unabridged.
 
#20
Miah said:
Hello, my name is Miah (me-uh) I am 19 years old and have struggled with tinnitus for coming up on two years. It initially started in July of 2016 when I got a bad ear infection. It was only in my right ear and was so quiet it hardly bothered me, I almost forgot about it. I was living my normal life and went to many concerts like a young girl and it got progressively worse. I was too afraid to look up what it was at the time so I was unaware loud noises could increase it so much (stupid I know ) I coped pretty well initially I would just ignore it and avoid quiet places, sleeping only on my left side with a fan on.

Eventually- about 3 months ago I began hearing it in my left ear as well. It would fade in and out, not a constant sound like my right ear. But now it varies and sometimes it seems as if the tinnitus is only in my left ear.

I can't tell if it's because it gets so loud in that ear i hear it more than the right. I feel as though I am going slightly crazy. It had also initially been a low pinched noise but now it is much more high pitched.

I also feel pressure in my ears pretty frequently and they pop constantly. I know I have eustachian tube dysfunction.

I am really struggling as I know no one else my age who has this. I feel so alone. And I'm living in fear of traveling and living my dreams as I know I'll have to bring this unwanted noise with me.

I'm obsessed with it really. I constantly plug my ears to listen for it, and anytime I hear a ringing noise- even if it's not coming from my ear I focus on it and panic. I just need comfort, I don't want this anymore.
Click to expand...

Hi,

i'm also still young as i'm turning 20 this year, but i have T for 7 years now starting in 2011 when i was 13. I have similar story as you, it started slowly and in the beginning was not problem at all. Barely noticeable noise. Then i lived normal life as anyone else like the doctors advised, using headphones, meeting up with my friends, listening to music and ignoring loudness of my environment. Then in the end of 2014 it became a problem :(

My advise is to take care of yourself now, your recent spike that is 3 months old still have a chance of healing and going back to what it was before.

Maybe Eustachian tube dysfunction is also triggering T and making it louder? I would check, curing it if possible maybe will change some things.

As for loneliness i think it's common for T sufferers, it's also in my case (n). No one understands, no one knows how it is to live with it. Making friends with other T sufferers in real life is also hard, because most of us avoid loud situations so we hide at home in our safe quiet castle.

Take care, avoid loud noises to give your body a chance for healing and be brave. If you feeling lonely or have questions, you can always post here and we'll answer ;)
 
#21
threefirefour said:
Wait that makes it louder?
Click to expand...

I don't think it makes it louder, but it may appear louder as it is not mixed with other sounds that would typically come into your ears.
Since it's the only signal coming in, it's also an easy thing for the brain to latch on. It's the reverse process from "sound enrichment".
 
#22
GregCA said:
I don't think it makes it louder, but it may appear louder as it is not mixed with other sounds that would typically come into your ears.
Since it's the only signal coming in, it's also an easy thing for the brain to latch on. It's the reverse process from "sound enrichment".
Click to expand...
Interesting. Seems to be the opposite in my case. My tinnitus is much quieter in silent rooms.
 
#25
People try to support each other. I am living with this beast for almost 30 years. I have my spikes. I cry. I wish there was a way to minimize the sound. I am currently in a relapse, spike. I've been there before and know it takes time to adjust. Please be civil and help. There will be new people looking for help and probably find this forum. Support each other.
 

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