Persistent Tinnitus After Epidural Blood Patch (EBP) to Treat Cerobrospinal Fluid (CSF) Leak

Hello everyone,

Last 28th June I had an EBP (Epidural Blood Patch) to treat a spontaneous CSF (Cerobrospinal Fluid) leak. My symptoms were stiff neck and tinnitus. After the patch, the stiff neck resolved quickly, and one week later the tinnitus was on and off and it even resolved for 3 days. It also became more pulsatile.

However, 7 days ago, I woke up in the morning and there was this high pitch humming in my right ear, and it’s been there 24/7 since. Nothing makes it better. It only stops when I talk or when my ear catches an external noise i.e. dishwasher, TV… which makes it very intermittent and difficult to live with.

I had an audiometry done last Friday and there’s no hearing loss. Ear pressure was also good.

Has anyone experienced my symptoms? Any success stories?

Thanks so much.

 

@AliasM had a similar issue I think. Check out some of her posts.

 

I got tinnitus from a lumbar puncture, only to have it get worse after listening to a second doctor three months later and getting a blood patch that was thought to correct the problem.

How is your tinnitus doing now?

 

I’m sorry to hear that.

Mine is still the same. It’s like a vibration that stops with any incoming sound. But as soon as the sound stops and there is silence, my ear drum starts vibrating. It’s very uncomfortable because it’s very intermittent. Monday I’m going to see my neurologist again for a check up. On the last one he said that if the tinnitus was still there, he might do another blood patch but, to be honest, I’m not sure what to do because my headaches are gone, it’s just the tinnitus lingering.

I hope you feel better soon.

 

Hi there! Just a little update on my tinnitus.

The good news is that now it’s fading away. I can hear it less often. I went on a holiday recently and I was completely distracted to the point that at nights I couldn’t hear it at all. But then I came back home and it’s now very mild; comes and goes. So it’s encouraging.