Permanent Tinnitus from Yawning

Hello!

I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember, specifically when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I lay in bed at night and could hear a faint buzzing sound, like many, I thought that's what silence sounded like.

I had spikes that'd last a few seconds and sounded like my ear was being cupped and then would ring. I knew that was normal and common so I didn't freak out about it.

One morning in January of 2021 when getting ready for work, I yawned which for some reason amplified the ringing in my ears from a 1 to a 7. I got incredibly anxious -- sweating, heart racing, and even had diarrhea (TMI) -- because the ringing was lasting for more than a few seconds like I was used to. I went about my day and the ringing stayed. Then a week, then a month, and the ringing was still there.

What made this yawn different than the thousands of other yawns I've had in my life? No idea.

Here's what I've jotted down in my notes so far about my tinnitus to eventually share with my doctor/ENT/audiologist:

• Take 800 mg - 1000 mg of Ibuprofen a week for chronic migraines.
  • Stopped taking it for 2 months to see if I could prevent spikes. Spiked anyway.
• Currently taking Bactrim (antibiotic) for at least 10 years straight for hormonal acne from PCOS.
• Take vitamin D and Magnesium supplements.
• Clench teeth while sleeping.
• Ringing gets so loud that it wakes me out of my sleep.
• Muscle tension in neck and head.
• Usually a loud hiss.
  • Long term spikes that last days or weeks (17000 - 18000 Hz).
• Right ear rumbles when I hear a car engine.
• Hissing/ringing is in both ears but can be louder in one ear (switches).
• Ears sometimes feel full/stuffy with a tickling sensation.
• Listening to 13000 Hz+ silences tinnitus for a few seconds.
• Reddit Tinnitus Cure works but only sometimes and for just a few seconds.

I'm currently experiencing a prolonged spike now, at least I hope it's a spike. Really hope this isn't my new normal as this high-pitched ringing is hard to mask and I can hear it all the time. With my chronic migraines, this is pure torture.

I had a panic attack for the first time in YEARS because I couldn't stop focusing on the ringing and freaked out over the fact that this is my life now.

Despite this, I'm still optimistic about getting treatment and hope to find something that works for me. I'm not even aiming to completely remove tinnitus (though that would be ideal!!), just to turn the volume down a bit.

I look forward to learning more about tinnitus and being one day closer to a cure! <3

 

From my experience tinnitus can lessen over time. Mine took about two and a half years. Nothing much happens for a long time. In fact things can get worse but your teaction to the sounds lessens. They mean less and less. You begin to sleep normally again. This is when the magic can happen.

From trawling the forums for years I found nothing that really worked except Promethazine for sleeping and healthy nourishing foods.

There are no miracle cures from the outside but the body can heal from the inside.

Good luck.

 

Ibuprofen and antibiotics are ototoxic to a certain extent, long term use of those could have caused it. You can get tinnitus from neck issues as well, as I’ve read, maybe the yawn did something there. Otherwise unfortunately I have no idea.

 

I think you should get your jaw and neck checked out. Maybe tension from yawning caused something there.

 

No follow up?

I doubt a yawn could have caused anything permanent. We’ve been doing it since the dawn of time.