Poll: Was the Advice You Got on Tinnitus Talk More Useful Than Your ENT's Advice?

My ENT was completely useless. I got the impression that I am not the only one who has had a bad experience with an ENT...

 

I got better advice from a Magic 8 ball than my ENT.

 

My first ENT didn’t care. Second was specialized in tinnitus. He wanted me to take off my earplugs and live the good life. Only protect in loud environments. He himself had hearing damage, up to 50 dB. Looks like following his own advice wasn’t that great.

 

Putting some depressing ENT encounters under spoiler. The advice I found on this forum was definitely more useful than any ENT I’ve seen since developing tinnitus.

Spoiler

Saw so many ENTs. One straight up said he would kill himself if he ever developed chronic tinnitus and then laughed that I had developed it so early in my life. Other than that I was only told that there was no cure, no way to treat it and I had to learn to live with it and should hope that it won’t get worse (was told that from several ENTs).

My GP simply described antidepressants and pain killers which, as I found out after taking them for approx. one year, were ototoxic.

Went to another ENT when I developed severe hyperacusis on top of severe tinnitus and she didn’t even look at me and said ‘You should see a therapist’. When I asked for WNGs she said ‘I don’t know how more sound is supposed to help if someone whispering already hurts your ears’. And I had many tests done which probably also made things worse but I was naive and stupid and thought I could trust those ‘professionals’.

I was never informed about safe sound levels, hearing protection or any ways to manage tinnitus and honestly, after all those encounters I was too ashamed to look tinnitus up on the internet because there wasn’t anything I could do anyway, right? I was told to just live my life and to ignore the sound in my head. Oh, and everyone said that tinnitus is chronic after 6 months and that there’s no chance of it fading away. Overall, a lovely experience.

 

An ENT I went to told my cochlear hair cell regeneration is 100 years away.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about what they say. From the experiences of people on this site, it seems they don't actually know anything about hearing.

 

The second ENT I went to knew about Charles Liberman's research and seemed hopeful for Frequency Therapeutics.

 

Seems like some are more intelligent with hearing regeneration than others. My main issue with ENTs are they're a mixed bag. Some are super helpful and educated on hearing loss, most aren't.

 

Without a doubt the best advice for me with physical tinnitus is from R.C. Schafer, DC, PhD. There are a few other researchers and they all express caution with the profit incentive product/care industries. Often professionals will support treatment and give advice that's inline with their profession and they can be dead wrong. If one has tinnitus there is damage somewhere and often any treatment ideas must be researched by using the cons to any particular method.

 

My ENT told me:

• There's no point injecting steroids in the ear since you can only inject into the middle ear, not the cochlea where the damage is. Reality: The drug passes from the middle to inner ear through a membrane called the round window. He later gave me the injection, but only after I explained to him how this works and he looked it up in front of me on his computer. Since it was several weeks too late, it didn't help.
• The right dose for steroids for me is 30mg. I'm 90kg. Reality: My dose should be 60mg at least. He said this even after I said I thought the dose should be 60mg - he specifically drove me away from the correct treatment, during the time window when it could have helped. He later gave me 60mg, but it was weeks too late and didn't help.
• I should take a MRI. Reasonable enough. He never mentioned earplugs. The MRI is insanely loud and would have done serious damage to my ears. Thankfully by this time my trust in him had reached basically zero - he was just a guy to sign papers for medical interventions I had researched and decided I should get. So I did bring my own earplugs. But seriously - sending someone with recent noise-induced ear injury into a metal tube to be blasted with 100dB banging noises for a half hour... what could they be thinking???

It still infuriates me to think about it. As far as I can tell, the ENT's real purpose is to hurt you as much as possible by directing you to treatments that sound plausible but which won't help you, or will actually hurt you. It's like a game where you have to work through his BS to figure out the real answer he's trying to trick you into missing.

Anyway, my ears are still ringing.

 

I saved this from someone post here. People here know more than a bad / good ENT. I went to 4 different ENTs. I think this was so true, I took a screenshot of it.

 

It was an ENT that caused my tinnitus, hyperacusis and hearing loss... prior to this I had perfectly normal ears with no hearing issues whatsoever. He did a microsuction procedure to remove wax (clarinetting happened and it was very loud). When I returned less than a week later complaining of screaming tinnitus, sound sensitivity and muffled hearing he denied all responsibility. He said that no way could microsuction cause this and that a short procedure lasting several minutes in each ear could not hurt my hearing. There's a study about noise levels during microsuction reaching up to 149 dB... He said that was rubbish. The lack of care and knowledge in some ENTs is unbelievable and totally unacceptable.

 

Shocking...

I got lucky and had an appointment with an ENT 72 hours after the onset of my tinnitus. As soon as he heard the word tinnitus, he lost interest and then sent me on my way. He could have tried those injections and they might have helped...

 

WOW, this is the best thing I have read on this forum. My ENT wanted me to do a CT scan, MRI, EcOG, vEMP, Caloric test, etc as she thought I had acoustic neuroma, Meniere's, cochlear hydrops, now that she made it worse by misguiding me and brushing the acoustic trauma as a small possibility the condition worsened. Last time I saw her she said she has faith in me that I will get better and return to where I was before (mild tinnitus).

ENTs don't know ANYTHING. I am surprised that they managed to get through school. I wonder if they are doing this on purpose or what.

 

If someone has physical tinnitus where their neck hurts, had an accident or has a jaw problem then a X-ray and CT may be advisable. A CT isn't nearly as loud as a MRI. Just wear earplugs for a CT. A CT exam is a lot quicker, but there is some radiation exposure. I've had both X-rays and CT of neck and facial. There is some imaging result differences between a CT and MRI. To know the differences just research CT of neck and head versus a MRI.

There has been very few reports that a CT has caused problems of increased tinnitus as an ear reaction where noise wasn't a factor. I would like to know if anyone here had a head CT exam without contrast and had a problem.

 

In the end my ENT did not help at all. One would think that if a patient calls with recent acoustic trauma they would make it a point to squeeze them into their schedule right away. I don't consider myself special but I think those circumstances are. My PCP was very casual about my situation also. She could have prescribed steroids the day I called but didn't. If I had listened to my audiologist instead of researching here my condition would be 10x worse. Seriously, if wasn't for the crowd here with all your quirks, good days and bad days, all the independent research and support I'd be frickin' off my bleedin' crumpet by now and I'd have made my tinnitus worse.

 

Good advice and medication by ENT in Belgium. She’s quite young and was very empathic. She made time for emergency appointment the very same day and specifically said that there’s a lot one can do to live with tinnitus. Even if it doesn’t go away.

Same goes for my general practitioner btw, who has tinnitus himself from riding his motorbike without hearing protection.

My ENT may have underestimated the damage as she did not propose the hyperbaric chamber right away. I made a second appointment myself saying the condition had improved but was still far from gone. I asked about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and she agreed, right then and there she arranged everything. And she put me in the oxygen chamber 2 weeks after I got my tinnitus.

She did mention that it was safe to do everything I did before: headphones etc at normal volume. Further damage or worsening tinnitus could only be done by loud noises. That seems to be the medical consensus... but I’m not sure I want to take their word for it.

 

My ENTs were OK. I don't have much to complain about.

I think that as a professional (doctor) they have to be somewhat careful in saying some things. For example my ENTs will not usually get into to much speculation or ideas that have not been proven out (example; vitamins). They also need to be careful not to freak someone out and have to balance their responses.

In short I just can't "slam" my ENTs if I put myself in their spot. There is so much speculation on Tinnitus solutions and causes it's hard for everyone involved.

 

I was also in 72 hours after onset (ENTs are quite accessible in this country) but I only got 30mg of Prednisone and some really bad advice.

I try to tell myself that the outcome would probably be the same regardless of what treatment I got. Still, it's frustrating.

I actually wanted the MRI, I think it's the right thing to do to just cross acoustic neuroma and some other MRI-visible issues off the list. So going to the MRI wasn't the issue. The issue is that they sent me without earplugs, which is insane.

Do an MRI, and wear earplugs.

 

An ENT should be barred (for life) from practising medicine if they perform unnecessary microsuction on a patient who obviously is articulating symptoms consistent with acoustic shock, tonic tensor tympani syndrome and hyperacusis.

Even though part their field of “expertise” is to do with the auditory system, most seem clearly unable to listen and comprehend what patients are telling them. How do they get through medical school without being able to listen?

Same goes for audiologists who conduct sound tolerance and tympanometry tests on said patients.

 

It's funny, I can't actually recall my ENT giving me any advice. All they did was listen to a fraction of what I had to say, schedule me for some dangerous unnecessary test, and then hurry me out for the next patient. Rinse and repeat. It's been over 6 months and we still haven't got to the bottom of my issues.

I still have so many unanswered questions, it makes me sick to think of the negligence on their part. It seems to me all they care about is money.

Edit: I want to say how helpful this site has been. The information and support I've received here have been invaluable.

 

I thought both were useful in their own way. My ENT prescribed my hearing aid which is a godsend. The forum on the other hand taught me two things; not to use earphones again (thank you, ML) and to be patient & caring towards others.

 

UK member here with lifelong (high pitched T) but a sudden onsent of low T (rumbling, vibrating, all sorts of buzzing and droning sounds over my head) which began late Feb. The story so far is this:

- First, I went to A & E when it got so bad sounds were echoing around my head and things were distorted. I was concerned I had an infection as I have a cochlear implant, and if that happens, we need antibiotics quickly. I was also concerned something sinister was going on as it sounded so dramatic! The ENT there ruled out an infection but agreed I needed to be seen, so got me into the hospital's clinic the following week.

- I then wait three hours for a ten minute appointment in which he ... diagnosed no infection (!), said it must have been an "admin error" for me to be referred there, and assumed it was all CI related (it's not as it's happening when it's switched off - confirmed by CI centre) so he couldn't help! I was dumbfounded by his very first question which was:

"Why do you have a cochlear implant?"

There's only one answer to that, surely! Because I'm bloody deaf! He then wanted me to do a hearing test incase the T was related to that - it's actually inappropriate to do hearing tests on CI users unless it's testing the CI itself. When that came out as a profound loss across all frequencies (you don't say, I'm well used to this) he suggested it was my brain compensating for deafness. He didn't get that it was VERY ABNORMAL for me. He suggested there may be "some fluid" as both eardrums were/are looking dull, and also offered me a referral to the tinnitus clinic. Absolutely pointless until we know the root cause of this sudden change.

I felt like he tuned out when he heard "cochlear implant" - yes, it's an added complication, but I can obviously develop the same kind of conditions as other people! I think he should have treated me like a hearing person with new, unexplained, severe T. But he'd have probably been dismissive of them too.

So I am now seeing an ENT at my implant centre next week who, hopefully, has some more sensible suggestions. I've been told I might need an MRI. In between this, an infection did indeed show up and I had antibiotics. GP suggested it could be an inner/middle ear virus as it wasn't obviously bacterial, in which case, I have to be patient.

Hoping for more progress next week. It's very frustrating. I've got Nortriptyline at the moment which seems to be helping with the sleep issue and seems to have dampened down some of the more insane sounds.

 

It's already been done in rodents. Human trials are upcoming. It won't be long.

 

I know I stay up to date with Frequency therapeutics trial, she had no idea anylike like that even existed and once I told her she immediately discouraged it.

It's almost like theres a hearing aid industrial complex that is lobbying against a cure.

 

Not an ENT but I saw a Dr at the start of the year, the first thing he said to me was "oh dear tinnitus is not good.. A LOT of elderly patients end up killing themselves :/ not good at all...."

No joke!

 

In the "modern era" the ENT has become almost a useless "profession" in that there is little or nothing that they are able to do, and refuse to admit it. The examinations are routine, looking for wax, obstructions, tearing, -- anything physical, in the nose throat, eustachian tube, inside the ear canal. The common "everyday" ENT is probably only good just to prescribe an antibiotic for an ear infection, clean out wax, make sure you don't have polyps blocking up your sinus, but for little else. Oh they can "fix" some things in the ossicular chain, possibly close holes here and there, give you antibiotics for that. Just be real, real, real <emphasis!> careful about letting them fool around with your inner ear, and especially, never allow them to diagnose you with hearing loss without firstly getting a 2nd, even a 3rd opinion. Remember, they tend to "work together" to protect each other, especially if one of them renders an erroneous diagnosis and does something to actually cause you harm, cause you to lose your hearing, create life-long problems, e.g. tinnitus, etc. They always close ranks and obfuscate! You will be put into "circular orbit" in perpetuity, not just by the "local" ENT's but the higher up otolaryngologists, oto-neurologists, audiologists, even the hearing aid dispensers! Have any of you noticed that there are NO statistical studies regarding the myriad of problems created by this new-fangled invention called the "cochlear implant"? The media loves to chortle over the success stories, but what about the ones that -- are really messed up neurologically-- lose their sense of taste, smell, feeling in face, and a host of other neurological issues? Never hear about them because those patients are SHUT DOWN! Nobody has any stats, not the National Institute of Health, not the CI manufacturers, not the doctors, not the FDA, -- nobody. The business is too lucrative for them and woe be to anyone trying to mess it up! <ducking>

 

In certain light it is refreshing that he was honest. But of course there are ways to convey this information that result in the patient not being as traumatized...

 

Of course, what I learned on my own after many hours of studying the articles, the experience of other people is more useful.

Doctors are not only absolutely useless, but also harmful. I'm here because of the direct fault of the doctor. He has crippled my life. I have no words.

If I lived in a rule-of-law state such as the US or the European Union, I would file a lawsuit against him, and he would pay me moral damage for the rest of the day.

When I turned to the first otorhinolaryngologist - he told me that he does not understand the rumor, it's not his specialty. That I need to go to the city in a nearby city.

I went there, they assured me that everything was all right, and I just got nervous.
Then I was sent to the X-ray of the temporal bone, then to the neurologist.

In general, I spent a fortune on going to the doctors (it was not covered by my insurance, since I was not in my city.) And I did not achieve anything.

Honestly, I thought that only in Russia such mediocre doctors.
But to pierce this thread I am unpleasantly surprised that in the US and Europe there are many such doctors who simply sit in the office with an intelligent look.

 

Did any of the doctors make your tinnitus worse? The above seems to imply that they were not helpful, but earlier in your post it sounded like one of the doctors had actually harmed you.