Please Help ;) What Do I Do Now?

Hi, I'm new to TinnitusTalk but I really need some support at the moment. I've had tinnitus for over a year now, started when I was 13/14, and it's really bad at night and now it's starting to make me frustrated during the day. I can't even remember what silence sounds like anymore.

(this will be pretty long)

I went to my family physician yesterday and she wrote me a referral to see an audiologist. I saw one today and completed a hearing test. Apparently everything is normal; I have normal hearing, normal eardrums, all that is normal. So she said that they can't do anything where hearing loss isn't present.

I'm the type of person who self-diagnoses, researches stuff for my personal issues more than research for schoolwork. I have been looking into Widex Zen Therapy, and I have read lots of studies on the benefits and how it works. I don't know what all of you personally think about this treatment, but I believe it is worth trying for my case. I have listened to the example Zen tones and it really does mask the ringing in my ears.

I wanted to mention this to the audiologist I saw today, but she didn't leave time for many questions. And now I'm at home and wondering what to do. I know that hearing aids can sometimes relieve tinnitus, but there's no way an audiologist will talk about them to me. And now I'm so frustrated at myself, at my tinnitus, and everything. I can't get help for my tinnitus because I have normal hearing. And YouTube videos entitled "1 HOUR OF TINNITUS SOUND THERAPY" only seem to make the ringing louder. And my parents don't really get what's going on, I merely drag them to the appointments that I make myself.

What do I do? School is coming up in September, and I'm finding that my tinnitus is even evident during the day, and worse when it's quiet during tests and exams. I know that something like a hearing aid or tinnitus masker in the ear will work for me, seeing as I'm very active and probably won't benefit from pillow speakers or sound therapy generators only at nighttime. If anyone has any advice for me, please respond below. I'm only 15 and I'm overwhelmed with anxiety every day, and I am having more depressed/suicidal thoughts recently. I'll post a poll below of what I think my current options are, but if you have any other advice, please please please post it. I'd really appreciate it

 

HI @limitlesspilot

I am sorry to hear that you are going through such a difficult time with tinnitus as the moment. Hopefully with advice that I and other members give it will be of some help.

It says on your profile cause of tinnitus unknown? It would help if you could answer the following questions. One of the most common causes of tinnitus is exposure to loud noise/sounds. Typically, it is listening to music through headphones, earbuds, earphones or headset. Before the onset of your tinnitus did you regularly listen to music using the devices I have mentioned? Attending clubs and concerts where loud sounds are often present can also cause tinnitus. Did you go to these places regularly?

Please read the post below: New to tinnitus what to do, which you might find helpful. If you do use headphones at the moment to listen to music I advise you not to even at low volume. You do not say what part of the world you live? If you live in the UK, then I advise you to seek help via the NHS and not to try treating the tinnitus yourself with Widex Zen Therapy.

All the best
Michael

New to tinnitus what to do?

The onset of tinnitus can be difficult for a lot of people to cope with. It comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. When it is mild, moderate or occasionally heard in quiet surroundings it is usually not too bothersome and a person can go about their daily affairs quite happily and unperturbed by this anomaly. This type of tinnitus usually comes on gradually and in some cases it’s associated with hearing loss, as we get older and the usual treatment is the wearing of hearing aid/s.

Tinnitus can be also be caused by an underlying medical problem, build up of ear wax (cerumen). Jaw problems. Some medications and even irregular blood flow through the body causing Pulsatile tinnitus. One of the most common causes is exposure to loud noise or music that has been played at high levels that can affect the cochlea in the ear. This type of tinnitus can be loud, intrusive and very debilitating. Often leaving a person at a loss and not knowing which way to turn to escape the noise. I fully understand how difficult it can be for someone new to this condition to take this in and believe it to be factual.

If you are having difficulty sleeping you might have been advised to try a nighttime sedation or an ant-depressant to help cope with the stress and anxiety that often accompanies tinnitus. These medications can be helpful especially in the early stages and they don’t have to be taken long term, so it’s something to consider. They can act as a safety net so you don’t become too down.

A referral to ENT will usually be recommended. In the mean time try to keep occupied with something you like doing, as it helps to distract the brain from focusing on the tinnitus. Avoiding quiet rooms during the day by playing low-level non-intrusive music such as classical in the background can be helpful.

At night a sound machine placed by the bedside playing nature sounds or listening to favourite mp3 tracks or Cds are good. Keeping the volume just below the tinnitus is ideal and set to play throughout the night until morning. It takes time to get used to sound therapy so please stay with it. Whilst in a deep sleep it supplies the brain and auditory system with sound enrichment. Over time the tinnitus is pushed further into the background helping to make its perception less noticeable during waking hours.

In the early stages of tinnitus, if one chooses not to use sound enrichment sleeping can sometimes be difficult and there is also the chance of the tinnitus becoming more intrusive as sleeping in a quiet room can allow the brain to increase it’s own background activity. In doing so it will also increase the tinnitus making it more intrusive during waking hours.

There is a tendency for newbies to try and cure their tinnitus which is quite understandable. There are many remedies, treatments and concoctions out there. Some affordable others quite expensive. I am not averse to trying to help myself but want to say, there are charlatans and con artists eager to relieve someone in distress of their money so please be careful. Even tried and tested treatments I wouldn’t recommend a person try until they have been seen at ENT. Often a person after been seen at ENT is advised to wait a while.

Many people habituate to tinnitus within six months sometimes a little longer and it has been known to go away. The ear is a very delicate organ and many Doctors prefer to wait before investigating further and then suggesting a treatment. If other problems are experienced such as: pain in the ears, deafness, dizziness or balance problems this is of more concern and a person will usually been seen quicker.

It is best to have a word with your GP if you’re feeling stressed or depressed in any way, as previously mentioned there are treatments available. Leaving things alone until your ENT advises you of the next step is the best thing to do in my opinion. Don’t try to fix anything or throw large sums of money at treatments that you have no way of knowing whether you’ll get any relief.

I advise not to listen to audio through headphones even at low volume especially if the tinnitus was "noise induced" and keep away from loud sounds. By all means go out but anywhere that plays loud music then wearing noise-reducing earplugs, the type that has attenuation filters would be a good idea. 18 to 30 decibels reduction should suffice. While reducing external sound they will not impair sound quality.

 

I’m sorry your going through this @limitlesspilot. Your really young, so you have a very good chance of your T fading away. Personally, my anxiety always made it worst. The best thing to do is try to keep calm and keep your anxiety under control. Don’t tell yourself it’s getting worst and give it attention or it will seem like it’s getting worst. If your hearing it mainly in quiet areas or even a little bit outdoors than i would consider it mild. Mine is what I consider moderate, but it’s pretty loud at night especially with a pillow up against my ear. This is very common with everyone who has T. Your not alone. Try to only read success stories and stay away from horror stories. Also, stay hydrated and try to get enough sleep. This will help your body and anxiety. You will notice your brain will start to not care so much for the noise anymore and it should fade over time. Don’t plug your ears or monitor the noise or your brain will label it as important and you will notice it becomes more intrusive. Try to keep living your life and stay positive. Staying busy helps your brain focus on other things other than the T. As for seeing another doctor that’s something you can decide what’s best for you. Unfortunately, most drs will give you similar information since your ears look healthy and your hearing tests are normal. Be patient and positive. I hope you feel better soon.

Dave

 

Thanks @Davey126. Definitely going to try and stay busy this summer and stay positive, maybe talk with my parents some more. I really appreciate your support

 

I'll help you identify what may have caused your tinnitus.

I'm doing my own research to see if I can find similarities between tinnitus suffers
can you please answer these questions to help.

How loud is your tinnitus, does it fluctuate in volume?
Do you have hyperacusis? (sensitivity or pain to certain noises)
Does your ears hurt or twitch to certain noises?
Do you have balance issues?
Does your tinnitus get louder when you yawn?

Tinnitus is usually caused by 3-4 things that all correlate with some modification in the auditory brain

1: Hearing loss
(yes, you may have hearing loss still even if very small)
The most common and first proven cause of tinnitus is hearing loss
and it is brought about my certain drugs like Aspirin and Loud mp3 players, concerts ect..
even infections.

Most audiologist only test hearing in the human voice range "0-5000hz" and tonal noises in complete silence up to "8000hz"

Have a request for an extensive audiogram that test up to 16000hz with speech in background noise to determine if you may actually have hearing loss outside of the human voice range

Hidden Hearing Loss: M. Charles Liberman PhD

Hearing loss causes less input from the auditory nerve causing higher auditory brain functions to compensate for reduced hearing https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4208401/

If hearing loss was caused by ear wax, middle ear bone trouble it can be resolved by a professional. Thus usually abolishing the tinnitus. Take note because the audiologist tested for middle ear damage or war wax build up this is not the case for you.

If hearing loss was caused by nerve and sensory cell damage it is currently uncurable until hopefully in the near future (5-10 years) if current clinical trial succeed and can treat sensori-neural hearing loss. The hope is that it will also cure tinnitus.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/frequency-therapeutics-—-hearing-loss-regeneration.18889/

2: TMD (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction)
A jaw disorder characterized by limited movement accompanied by painful sensation by opening and closing the mouth.

Reasons why TMD/TMJ causes or worsens tinnitus.

Correcting TMD if possible should help alleviate the tinnitus if that is your cause.


3: Cervical tinnitus
TMD and Cervical tinnitus may have something in common

If the problem is corrected tinnitus resolves

4: (TBI) Traumatic brain injury/Brain Tumor, Aneurysm,
Head Trauma, brain tumor, something that directly damages the auditory regions of the brain
will cause tinnitus. I highly doubt this is the cause outside of maybe you having a concussion?
(there is no current treatment to tinnitus caused by TBI)


If you really think your tinnitus was caused by something else or unknown
that's perfectly fine there is definitely a lot to tinnitus that is not understood.

https://www.ata.org/understanding-facts/causes
The American tinnitus list everything I mentioned here "except cervical tinnitus" and they list several forms of hearing loss as different categories representing sub types. As well as mentioning a vascular condition "pusatile tinnitus" as if it the same problem as the tinnitus you have.

I am not a medical professional, I just like to list useful information about tinnitus and help people conclude there problems. There may be other causes for tinnitus that aren't verified. Some people on this forum will self conclude tinnitus was caused by random things that don't add up with research. Anything that mentions homeopathy or that it can cure any form of tinnitus is a fraud/scam. Current chronic tinnitus treatment options all are based on habituation they treat the symptoms not the actual root cause and that is really sad. Good news however is an upcoming device from the University of Michigan may be able to give tinnitus sufferers real relief and might be on the market in 2-3 years if cleared by the FDA.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-university-of-michigan-tinnitus-discovery-—-signal-timing.2805/


I personally hope your tinnitus was caused by a non permanent condition and fades away so you don't end up on this miserable corner of the internet. If tinnitus does not fade just remember the only thing that could help you is science advancing in hopes of curing it. Protect your hearing please.

 

Thanks so much for all this information, Michael. I honestly have no idea what caused the onset of my tinnitus. I never listened to music much through headphones/earbuds (I didn't have these) and I had never been exposed to loud noises (never been to any concerts, or loud social places).

I actually live in Canada, and there isn't much help from the government in terms of treating tinnitus or getting insurance for sound therapy devices.

I will be going to see an ENT very soon actually, which makes me feel relieved, knowing from your response that an ENT can advise me on any next steps. Thanks so much, I'm feeling much more optimistic already

 

You should request an extensive audiogram above 8k and for speech in background noise discrimination.

Zen Therapy is a form of sound therapy and mindfulness it does not abolish tinnitus
if you think it is helpful go for it. You should mask the tinnitus if it is causing you so much anxiety using sound therapy and seek mental health professionals.

Only a handful of people on the planet actually "Specialize in tinnitus"
and those are researchers who are trying to find cures for it.

 

Wow, thank you so much for your detailed reply In terms of your questions, here are some answers:
How loud is your tinnitus, does it fluctuate in volume?
I would say it is very loud when it is quiet or I am feeling very emotional (sad, angry, anxious). It does fluctuate in volume in the morning.
Do you have hyperacusis? (sensitivity or pain to certain noises)
No.
Does your ears hurt or twitch to certain noises?
No.
Do you have balance issues?
No.
Does your tinnitus get louder when you yawn?
No.

I hope that was helpful, even thought I answered 'No' to most of the questions.

In terms of hearing loss being the cause of tinnitus, I just had my ears tested by an audiologist and it was quite extensive. She did check for any ear wax or middle bone issues and said there was none.
I also had my jaw checked out by my GP and my dentist and there are no problems since I got my braces taken off around 1 1/2 years ago.
I'm not quite sure about the cervical tinnitus, but I haven't had any chiropractic issues or problems with my neck at all.
And finally, I've never had any damage to my head or brain in the past. I play basketball and once had to get checked for a concussion but I didn't have one.

Thank you so much for sharing you research with me (I love to learn about new innovations in tinnitus technology) and I do hope that I can find a cause of my tinnitus or learn to cope with it.

 

I did an audiogram above 8khz all normal, yet my T is blasting loud.

 

Didn't you tell me you had TMJ, and a 30 db dip at 1000k in a PM?

 

I always had TMJ. Yeah a dip at 30db at 4khz which was caused by the ear tests.

 

you are welcome.

30 db is a lot why in the world is that considering "mild" there classification is centric to the human voice range.

Both the dip and TMJ probably contribute to your tinnitus in some way.

 

You are welcome @limitlesspilot

Please try to avoid quiet rooms especially at night as this can make you focus more on the tinnitus. Use a dedicated sound macine as I've mentioned in my post above, or download nature sounds from Youtube to your mobile phone. If you are able to bluetooth the phone to a speaker or have an external docking station with speakers, this will give better quality sound. Try to keep the nature sounds below the level of your tinnitus and not mask or cover it up.

Your tinnitus could go away in time or reduce to a low level as you habituate. The fact that it wasn't caused by exposure to loud noise and not listening to music through headphones rules this out completely.

Best of luck and hope you start to feel better soon.
Take care

Michael

 

I just made A POST (fairly lengthy) on another thread you may find of interest. It contains some rather unorthodox information, but you did mention "any" advice would be welcome. -- All the Best! ​

 

If the Widex Zen therapy works, I think that is worth looking into. Check your audiogram and see if they tested for frequencies above 8khz (basic audiograms only test to 8khz). If not, tell them you want to test up to 14khz. If you have hearing loss between these frequencies, you can actually correct for them using 12khz aids such as the Signia 7nx hearing aids. They are expensive though so that is the downside. You can also look into aids that have built in bluetooth capabilities where you can stream music and sounds from an iPhone but you just have to remember to keep the volume low.

 

@limitlesspilot ,
Regarding school,
Get a doctors letter to say you might need support for exams due to Tinnitus and concentration and maybe a break from a lesson if it's loud and extra study time.
Your school will support you and extra quiet time in the library if needed.
Good luck.
love glynis

 

Yup my hearing dropped about 20db-25db after the ear tests..crazy...