Please Help, Very Scared, Tinnitus in Right Ear Became Worse from Sleeping on It?

I have had T for around 4 weeks now and it has changed and moved into my other ear, but I was learning to cope with it.

I have this sound in my right ear that has always been intermittent and high frequency but it only went off at certain sounds. (This sound is on top of about 3 different constant sounds)

But today I went to sleep, on my right ear, for the the first time since I got T and I woke up from the ringing in it, it was that loud. Its really high pitched and piercing and constant. And sometimes even changes tone.

I'm so so scared, I didn't know sleeping on that ear would make T worse, I don't know what to do an I'm panicking, please help, I can hear it over everything now

 

What caused your T? When i sleep on my right ear i notice my T more because of the occlusion effect but it should not cause a spike like you have, that's strange.
I have spikes from time to time too, calm down it's maybe temporary

 

My T started after a sharp object went in my ear cannal. Okay well this is my first ever spike so I'm scared

 

Have you tried some sound therapy when going to sleep?.you know some ambient background noise like rain? or any other tinnitus therapy sound.Even i after having it for a few months now and it spiking i still use background masking.

It's so much easier to fall asleep with,one advice though do not turn it up too loud.

 

Yeh I have, I was sleeping better, but now I cant sleep because im scared

 

Have you been to a doctor? I would see an ENT as that seems strange that it would increase by sleeping on your ear. I notice mine too when I sleep on my side due to the occlusion. I now sleep on my back with a sound machine.

Best to you.

 

Being only 4 weeks in your tinnitus is still not settled and in my experience might go up and down a bit in an unpredictable way. Try not to stress about this new development. Stress is probably your worst enemy in terms of your brain letting the tinnitus signal go down again. Some amount of stress is probably unavoidable, but try to actively do things that will distract you or help you feel more relaxed. Also be sure to eat healthily.

There is every chance that todays spike will settle again. I am in the middle of a spike that has lasted three weeks so far. Its bloody awful, but there is not much we can do about it other than try to manage our emotional response and stay healthy. And avoid loud noise, of course.

Just a thought... do you have ear wax blocking the ear canal at all? That might explain the t getting louder. Or maybe some wax got pushed against the ear drum? Might be worth sticking a few drops of olive oil in your ear and giving it chance to soften up any wax just in case.

Spikes for me usually seem to amplify the most high pitched components of my t, and to make them more piercing. I reckon your t will smooth out again, and it is quite possible that when it comes out of the acute stage in a few more weeks you will find it is a bit lower than what you were starting to get used to. Certainly there is a good chance that the nature of the sound will mellow out, and if you are really lucky it may even fade away. So don't panic and don't lose hope.

 

I would see an ENT too, it seems very strange...

 

Absolutely, if you have not already. If the t came from the ear drum being punctured then there is a good chance it will go away when the ear drum is healed, and your current spike may just be a stage in that healing. But best to have someone keep an eye on it.

 

Hi Artypaws
I would see your doctor get your ears checked for wax build up.
Sleeping on that ear might be jaw related and clenching teeth so have a read up on temporomandibular joint problem TMJ as could be the cause.
Spikes usually settle down after a few days so try not to panic....lots of love glynis

 

Artypaws,
I would have your ear checked by your doctor for a perforation from the sharp object .

You could have a ear infection brewing also.
Please let us know how you go on...lots of love glynis x

 

Thank you for all your replys, I asked my doctor to reffer me to an ENT but he refused. He said for me to use Olive oil and to use antibiotics incase I have an unseen infection. He says my ear drum is fine and has no hole.

Should I take the antibiotics and see how it goes, I cant sleep from how piercing the sound is, I tried masking

 

Hi ,
Take the antibiotics as could help.
play natural sounds at night and right through the night set below your tinnitus sound.
The magic works through the night as your brain works hard picking up the natural lower sound and your brain filters out the tinnitus over time so wont focus on it during the day and will get you sleeping better too.

Try some lavender on your pillow help you relax and the sense of smell is a great distraction?
Dont worry if miss the odd night not sleeping while you adapt to sound therapy through the night and you will soon sleep and notice a positive difference ......lots of love glynis

 

thank you, do you know if flucoxacillin is safe

 

Yes it should be .
It's usually only medication in strong amounts in hospital but anti inflammatory medication can cause tinnitus .

The ear infection itself can do more damage if not treated properly........lots of love glynis

 

You can look up the side effect profile of the medication to see if tinnitus is a side effect. Where do you live by the way? I ask because I am wondering why you need a referral from your doctor to see and ENT? Is it insurance related? If he is refusing, you might want to get a doctor who is going to allow you to participate in your own treatment. The fact that he turned you down is outrageous in my opinion. It is your hearing. If it is an infection, the antibiotic should help but you want to make sure you do not have any hearing loss related to any of this.

 

Thanks

And I live in the UK so I had to be reffered to see a specialist. I felt quite sad that he refused, and he was stumped about all my problems

 

See another doctor and get into an ENT, as others have said if you have fixable damage there is at least a chance the tinnitus can be treated with it.
Secondly regards your tinnitus, I can't speak for everyone but I remember when I first got my bad version it took a while to settle. Started as very piercing noise in right ear, moved to both, went back to right. Then settled and became a more muffled noise of a couple different tones which were much easier to live with. I'd say it will settle for you in a form that is more bearable than you have now. Try some masking noises, there is usually a noise than can equal and cancel your tinnitus sound and you will sleep. I used to turn a tap on slightly in my ensuite and this cancelled mine out totally. Later learnt to sleep without that as well. Very rarely, like maybe twice since then I still get woken up by an extra piercing night. Get up walk around, have a cup of milk and it drops back.

 

Hi @Artypawz ,
I live in the US and can access care differently. I would consider going to see another doctor as soon as possible and ask for and ENT referral. That fact that your doctor was "stumped" tells me you need a specialist.

Best wishes to you.

 

Ditto on all the above advice. I have suffered panic attacks etc, but you must learn down. I have just left a very stressful marriage, and now going through divorce procedures. So with the stress my noise has changed. When it happened or I feel my heart racing,, the adrenalin wants to make me run away. But obviously it's not gonna make any difference, because the noise will come with me. Now I learning to take charge, I say to myself "So what, it ain't gonna kill me" it triggers the fear in you, the. You can't sleep, then you get more anxious, then you can't sleep more. And the cycle just goes on. Ask docs for some sleeping /tranquilliser meds for a month of do, just so if can get you into pattern of sleep. Go to you tube, tap in tinnitus music / sounds. Lots of music of wind, waves, babbling brook etc. best of luck, if does get better

 

This happens to me not infrequently. Do you have any post-nasal drip? I think that sometimes crap from my sinuses irritates my eustachian tubes.

It is unlikely to be serious or last forever.