Really Need Help Here. So Worried.

Not much hope now. It's just loud. Not had a quiet period in ages. Well that's that then. I do everything I can to protect my hearing, which I've been doing for a good year, and end up with this. Wow. That's all I have to say. Wow. Utterly ridiculous. And unfair. A permanent spike I bet this is. Brilliant. I'm done here. And I'm not accepting that this was noise induced because there was no noise. N.O.I.S.E

 

I'm trying. But even I had two people shouting (Well, raising there voices) next to my ear.

 

Sadly more loud noises at school. Including two incidences of two people shouting very near my affected ear. Will have to wear earplugs now but hoping this hasn't ruined chances of recovery????

 

I think it's already too late. At school today I had two occasions when someone shouted right next to my ear (not deliberately into my ear) but I was RIGHT next to them. I come home and it's now louder and I hear a new high pitched tone. I'm so worried my chances of recovery are gone.

 

Have you spoke to your parents and teachers about it? You might want to stress to them about how important it is that you get some kinda time off or changes made. Its not ideal i must admit and I'm sorry i didnt realise your age. Have you spoken to your parents about how your feeling? Iv only skimmed over your posts but I'm guessing your not sure what caused it? I think i read you used headphones in the weeks prior? Id assume its noise induced for now as sometimes the T is delayed in its onset. Mine progressively got worse in the first 6 weeks but i was not looking after myself ears properly and was exposed to further general noise. Mine has improved slowly and id also say that iv had many ups and downs quiet moments and loud moments. Its very demoralising when it seems your getting nowhere but in the long term I'm getting better and dealing with it better. I have good days and bad days though which from reading on here is pretty much just the way it is. Id really recommend speaking with your parents and doctors ASAP. Try to identify a cause and try to get a plan together. In time you will start to feel better, time is a great healer in every way. Be positive man and keep strong, seek help of your parents doctors and teachers. research the internet in the mean time and direct them if needs be.

 

Hi @JoshuaD2002. I understand your panic. Every loud unexpected noise makes you think you'll get worse. It's an awful feeling.

Some things are out of your control, but I'd like you focus on what you can control, even if it's just a little. First of all, talk to your parents about the noise at school. Maybe your parents and teachers could come up with a plan to minimize your exposure to noise. Even if the noise isn't hurting your ears, it is causing you distress.

Second (this is the hard part), you need a break from all the anxiety you're feeling. Do you have a quiet place at home where you can go and do something you enjoy? I know it's hard to enjoy anything when you're feeling anxiety, but it's really important to try. It can take your mind off your worries, even if it is for just a little while.

 

A quiet place where you can play some background music just below your T. Please don't go to any quiet places unless it's next to a rolling stream or a field full of crickets. (I know that's what @SugarMagnolia meant. )

John Paul has some great advice. Sit down with your parents and have a talk and try to remain calm when talking. Explain the troubles you're having being sensitive to noise, your concern for your future. Your parents want to do everything they can to help you. Once you talk with your parents you can go with your parents and talk to someone at school and get things figured out. There is always a solution if you work to find one.

I had the same conversation with my wife and it wasn't easy and yes I shed tears when we talked.

I've learned on this forum that you have to take T a day at a time because it can change and your emotions can change. Focus on being in the moment and don't worry about tomorrow or yesterday. What are you doing right now? What can you do right now to make things better? In the short term that means playing some music or sounds in the background so you don't focus on your T.

Joshua, you're going to beat this.

This clip on YouTube has helped me a ton.

Rain Sounds 10 Hours:The Sound of Rain...

 

Thanks for the advice. The problem is, I never listened to my headphones loud. Always listened at a safe volume. The duration to which I use them is not very long either. Right now though I'm incredibly stressed that the shouting from others has done damage because it seems alot worse today.

 

I'm really not coping. Woken up this morning and it's actually worse. The shouts yesterday... Oh No has this done damage? The noises didn't cause pain but has damage been done?

I feel betrayed really. Any earphone usage was on a safe volume and not for very long, yet I end up with loud ringing.

 

Thanks John. Parents and teachers were informed a few days ago. I'm getting a follow up with an ENT I saw two months ago regarding another issue (the tests showed no damage at all then). I've said it many times but any earphone or headphone usage has been on safe volume always, and for quite short periods.

Woken up this morning and it's actually quite bad, super scared that the unavoidable shouts that happened has done damage/made it permanenty worse.

 

Yes NewGuy, that's what I meant. Thanks for clarifying.

 

@JoshuaD2002 Right now you're experiencing a lot of anxiety. Some of the advice you're receiving here (It's too soon to worry; Try to relax) is good and true advice, but it probably sounds impossible. I totally get it. I experience A LOT of anxiety and I know you can't just turn it off. But I've learned that if you work at it, you can tone it down.

I don't want you to think too much about the future. Maybe your tinnitus will go away. That would be great. But you still have to get through today. I find that with my anxiety, the best thing I can do is to distract myself from my worries. It's not easy. That's why I say it needs to be "worked" at.

Find some task that doesn't take a lot of thought, but does keep you busy. Perhaps you can find some household chore (tidy your room, sweep the floor, any chore that isn't noisy). Busy-work is good for using up nervous energy. Also find some entertainment that might distract you. Do you have a favorite movie or game or hobby? Don't expect fun. This is work too. Your goal is distraction. Do one thing today to distract yourself.

And remember that you don't have to do this alone. Come here and tell us about your favorite hobby or movie or whatever it is that you like. It's good to talk about ordinary things, even if your heart isn't in it. It's good for you like a vitamin is good for you: you don't feel the effects right away, but it's doing its job.

 

The thing that would make me feel better is some honest opinions. I still don't understand how this could be noise induced as I've always been careful AND I've seen no improvement from the increase after shouts near my ear. I'm scared. I don't want to know coping methods (though I appreciate the advice and support) but I want to hear opinions. Answers to the following:

Have the loud noises in the last few days made a permanent spike?

How on earth did this happen?

I literally had a complex test which measures cochlea hairs cells two months ago - 0% damage. What happened in two months to create this ringing? I have never ever EVER listened to music on an unsafe level.

 

I appreciate this. Really though I'm looking for opinions and responses based on the fact that at no point did I expose myself to loud noise at all! How did this happen? How did I get from a 0% hair cells damage result just two months ago (2 months ago today now) to loud ringing in left ear? I'm really confused and angry.

I also want an opinion on whether the loud noises I've been exposed to recently may have made it permanent?

 

usually from what ive gathered, normal sounds unless considered loud to any normal person won't cause a permanent spike in your tinnitus, spikes can sometimes last for weeks or months also. Sleep plays a big factor in how your day is going to be, lots of good sleep usually means a quiet day for me. 2 months ago you had a complex test? what kind of test and why?

 

Hi John. It's a very very long story.

Back in July, I noticed my right ear was muffled, especially in background noise. So, I had a standard ausiogram type test. Normal thresholds. Still stressed, I was referred to see an ENT specialist in November. They did more complex tests (testing middle ear and TEOAs which provided normal results). I still wasn't satisfied - so we went private healthcare in January, and they again reassured me that all tests have been normal. I still was very upset. Right ear was muffled and no answers at all. So we went to another hospital - St Peters - where we saw a very senior consultant who was thankfully quite passionate to find an answer. They ran similar tests which measures for damage. These tests are very accurate and even the slightest hair cells damage shows up. Nothing showed up. 100% fine. She said I had a less effective suppression mechanism in my right ear and it was partly due to Migraine and this explained hypersensitive to noise. 8 long months! So yeah I've had alot of experience with ears and have learnt alot from questioning consultants.

This ringing came on 12 days ago now. The other day, as I mentioned, I had one person who was shouting close to my ear and someone else who, whilst talking to their friend across me, ended up raising their voice into my ear. Luckily for about a tenth of a second because they were talking passed me.

This is very very troubling. And mostly confusing. But yes this is my main point - it wasn't long ago when damage was ruled out.

 

Cool. There are other folks here who are uncertain what caused their tinnitus. They'll understand your experience better than me. But I've always got a hug for you when you need it.

 

Have you had an MRI scan?

 

Yep. All clear.

 

I'm scared now. Seems louder and hadn't really quitened down since the shouting near my ear. Oh dear oh dear.

 

I used to have occasions where it would be quieter but I feel like there hasn't been a quiet moment since 3 days ago when the shouting happened.

 

A lot of people here experience an increase in their tinnitus after a loud noise. Sometimes these increases are due to anxiety and not the noise. I know that when I get scared by a loud noise, my tinntus seems to be louder, but later when I relax a little it turns out not to really be louder. What happens is, I focus on the sound more because I'm afraid it's louder. Something like this may be happening to you too.

There's no way to know for certain. I know what you want: you want some information that will assure you that everything will be okay. That's also what I want every time I have a scare. Unfortunately we don't get to have certainty. Coping methods are all we have. There are different coping methods that people here use. Mine are based on behaviorism. You can probably see that because I suggest things to do as distraction to reduce anxiety levels.

It probably sounds impossible that anxiety could be having an effect on your tinnitus. How could a feeling (which is psychological) affect the ear (which is physical)? Well it turns out that psychological states have physical effects on the body. That's why techniques to reduce anxiety can improve some physical symptoms.

Maybe you'll give one of my suggestions a try. It certainly can't hurt. One task that you will accomplish. I have actually set myself a task for today because I'm also dealing with worries. I don't want to do my task, but I'm giving myself a little extra motivation. After all, I can't ask you to do a task if I don't do my own. Completing a task, even a small one, gives a feeling of control. It's small at first, maybe not even noticeable, but they add up.

 

I just want to know whether I can still recover despite the loud noises that have happened. This is all I want to know. Am I in with a fighting chance despite what's happened.


I also want to note that I find it bizarre at any suggestion that this is noise induced because of the care i have taken always.

 

Yes, you could still recover (meaning your tinnitus could still go away) but no one can guarantee you that it will happen as tinnitus can be unpredictable.

 

What can I do to have the highest possible chance?

 

• protect your ears from very loud noises (concerts, sports events, etc); especially at the beginning I'd personally recommend a new tinnitus patient not to attend those places
• listen to white noise (preferably through speakers, e.g. of your pc/laptop) if you're in a quiet room so your brain doesn't focus solely on the tinnitus
• don't listen to music through earbuds or headphones (some people say it irritates their ears, others say it doesn't, but I don't think it hurts to stop using them, especially if someone just developed tinnitus)
• have some white noise on in the background while sleeping
• I don't know enough about supplements to recommend any but I've seen that magnesium is being discussed a lot on TinnitusTalk

 

Thanks. Just kinda scared now because there's been no improvement and I'm arguing with myself over the shouting next to my ear. I'm a wreck

Really praying this goes away. Also angry regarding the onset because I've only ever been on safe volume when using headphones in the past. No idea how on earth this happened.

 

Not alot of hope as it seems louder when I'm going to bed now.

 

Ok nearly 1am I'm awake and panicked. It's loud.