Recent Onset of Tinnitus — Need Advice on Medication and Coping

Hi everyone.

First of all, I'm sorry for everyone that has been befallen by this problem, it's excruciating and I never thought I'd have to deal with it. And I'm sorry if my post is a bit long and I extremely appreciate any help or advice you can offer me.

Now, I have been having certain health issues for quite a while (approximately seven months - sinus issues, facial tightness, undiagnosed), which has been causing me enormous stress and suicidal thoughts. However very recently, 10-ish days back, I have experienced something new.

My ears would suddenly ''lose hearing and ring loudly'' for a short amount of time (about 5 - 10 seconds) and then go away. This repeated itself during the day a few times and the day after. The last time it rang the ringing continued at a lower level but very noticeable. This has been going on for approximately 10 days (can't know for sure because of the stress from other issues).

Now, I have 3 different tinnitus sounds and I'm afraid I don't know enough in this field and its terrifying me. One is a very high pitched ''cicadas'' sound that I have seen others describe on this forum, that I believe has been there for much longer but not quite as noticeable and not really bothersome as it's easily masked (it's in both ears).

The other is a lower pitch maybe in the 6000 hz range (this is all very new to me so I could be wrong in my estimation) that is exclusively in my left ear and is a ''morse code'' type sound.

And finally the weirdest one which seems to be a tinnitus that isn't ''inside'' my head. It's like a weird overtone over other sounds that comes and goes, for example, I will be talking to someone and then suddenly their voice will have a high pitched overtone ''in the back'', or the water in the sink will have a high pitch ringing in it (happens in either or both of the ears).

Now, I am no doctor, and I have been fully consumed by this since it began, and have been researching it but hoped it would go away on it's own so I hadn't booked an appointment with an ENT, and the soonest I could see one now is quite a while away. (Where I live the healthcare isn't quite as developed).

I have read around on here and on the internet and have heard of success stories with Prednisone if taken within two weeks of onset (I am still within that time window, but if I were to go to an ENT that time window would pass). I have access to Prednisone, but I wouldn't know where to begin. Should I take it and, if so, at which dosage? I know that Prednisone shouldn't be taken without a doctor's supervision but I'm extremely worried that I will miss my opportunity window, and should this condition continue in it's severity or get worse, always be asking myself the ''what if I had tried it'' question.

Finally, Prednisone would be the most important issue since I don't want to miss the ''window'', and I would appreciate any tips in regards to that, but I would also really love any other advice of any kind really, whether it be medication, masking, or really anything.

Again, sorry for the long post and thank you so much for your time and effort put into reading my post. And I hope your tinnitus isn't as debilitating or you have found ways to manage it better than I am.

Thank you.

 

@Daniel95
I’m sorry to hear about your struggles.
Please know that you won’t feel this bad forever.
To answer your question on prednisone - there is really limited evidence that this might be effective in cases is SSNHL or acoustic trauma resulting in a loss of hearing.

Even in these cases, prednisone is not necessarily helpful, but at least some kind of option.
I believe the dose is something like 1mg per kg body weight, with a slow taper over two weeks. Prednisone has some potentially nasty side effects, particularly on the gut and potentially psychologically as well.

Your tinnitus may be related to the other health issues you have been struggling with - what treatment are you getting for these issues

 

Hi!

Thank you for your reply and information, it has indeed been tremendously helpful just posting here .

Regarding the other health issues, I have seen quite a few doctors and based on their opinions have been taking vitamin C 500 mg, B complex, and chymotrypsin twice per day for the last couple of months. At the beginning I have taken Pancef (an antibiotic, I believe it is Cephalosporin) for 20 days, and a few weeks later I took Amoxicilin for a month and a half. However, a few months have passed between me taking the antibiotics and the occurence of tinnitus. I have had MRIs, CTs and similar tests done but am still doing further testing to determine what the issue could be.

I have also been to a homeopathic doctor who suggested I try arnica (and coincidentally my tinnitus has started around the time where i took arnica for the second time, but I'm not sure if it's related).

I also sometimes take diazepam since it has been rather stressful and it seems to help and in fact seems to either calm down my tinnitus or at least reduce my perception of it (I hope that doesnt sound crazy!).

Some doctors suggested that it could be chronic dry sinusitis (as there are visible cysts on the CT scans) and a quick google search tells me that sinusitis can potentially be linked to tinnitus. I'm not sure if you have any experience in this specific field (tinnitus linked with sinusitis, however not confirmed that it is), but regardless I am extremely grateful for the help and information you have offered so far.

 

@Daniel95
I am not fully up to speed on tinnitus and sinusitis, but it makes sense to me that potentially they could be linked.
Certainly you will know for sure in this case once you treat the sinusitis, and see what happens after that.
No, it's not crazy that Diazepam calms your tinnitus down, this is in fact the case for a good number of people. It also provides a good option for short term relief with anxiety and insomnia. Be aware that prolonged use of any benzodiazepine risks building tolerance of the drug and needing more and more to get the same effect....
Personally, I don't think that the tinnitus is caused by the antibiotics, but I guess we don't know and most likely will never know.
If you have suspicions about anything you are taking, then bring it up with your doctor. There are often safer drugs (from an ototoxicity standpoint) available. From what I know, Cephlasporins and Amoxillan are relatively safe for the ears.
I don't know much about Arnica, going to do a bit of reading tonight.
Good on you for continuing to pursue a diagnosis.

 

@Samantha R

Hi, thanks for checking in again.

I have talked to DebInAustralia, and she has offered me some great advice regarding my tinnitus. She has mentioned you as one of the more informed people on these forums and as a good friend of hers. So, I am glad that you have taken the time to talk to me aswell .

I have had prolonged headphone usage for quite a while so that may be a cause but I will be trying to confirm this with an ENT and audiologist and perform the necessary tests as soon as I can. I am using masking sounds on Youtube in the meantime to try to deal with it, but, while it has proven rather effective for the first two forms (?) of tinnitus, the third one, the ''overtone'' over the sound that I hear seems to be unmaskable. It seems to follow almost anything I hear and also seems to not be going away anymore.

I have researched some more but I haven't been extremely successful in finding similar cases. It doesnt sound quite like hyperacusis (there is no pain, it's just uncomfortable and strange to hear these sounds when I know they shouldn't be there), and the only other thing I've found out about is diplacusis, but that involves hearing a different pitch in each ear, whereas I can hear fine in both ears, there's just a high-pitched almost electronic-sounding overlay of the sounds that I hear and it's rather disconcerting .

Have you heard of anything similar to this before? And if so, could you point me in that direction? It would be extremely helpful!

I hope you and your family are doing great and thank you once again

 

Im sorry to hear about your onset. I know that this is very hard to do right now because its new, but you have to hold on to the fact that, even if these sounds don't go, you will adapt. Stay strong.

 

Thanks for the kind words, it is a bit hard and I'm using masking sounds pretty much the entire time , but I'm trying to stay optimistic and it's definitely helping that there are so many friendly and welcoming people here. I definitely do not feel quite so alone going through this so thank you and everyone else .

 

I remember a few days after my onset listening to this:

Swamp Sounds at Night - Frogs, Owls, Crickets,...

It helped mask my tinnitus for a couple of hours but it then after a while started to really grate, and then even appall me, I was a grown man of 31 and being driven to tears. I remember at that moment slamming my laptop shut in frustration, then frantically searching for something else that would allow me to block out that sound and get some sleep. I was terrified, and beginning to despair I thought "oh my god this is going to ruin my life, my life's over, how can this happen?".

Fast forward a month and I felt much better. Fast forward 5 and I can listen to those sounds again, and all I can feel is a surprisingly warm, comforting feeling. I still have the tinnitus but it doesn't bug me, not at all, it almost even feels odd that it ever did. I just wish that night I'd have been able to know what I know now. You will in all likelihood habituate to this. Masking can help but don't be afraid to hear your tinnitus.

 

Hi Vincent,

Thank you for the encouraging words. I really consider all of you who have managed to habituate well, heroes in a sense. The task seems tremendous at the moment but I will do my best to try to deal with it until I, well, hopefully manage to habituate myself.

Thank you for the masking sounds, I will be using them when it gets too much to bear and hopefully one day it will get even better for all of us. It really helps to hear from others who have been through this and I am very grateful for your comforting words.

I hope you have a great night and thanks again.

 

I got tinnitus about 2 months ago. I know 100% how you feel. The first month is definitely without a doubt the hardest part. Its does get easier after the first 1-2 months...except for spikes. Spikes are definitely tough. I was prescribed Xanax 0.25mg "as needed" for the unbearable times and saved me to be honest. Its impossible to believe but it does get more managable over time. You just have to gut it out in thr beginning. Masking videos help tremendously in the beginning.

 

Hi everyone, just a quick update .

I went to a private clinic to see an ENT/audiologist, Dr. Gezo, and had an array of tests performed. I can't even remember their names. The doctor found a rather severe infection within my mucosa/sinuses and said that the tinnitus is connected and caused by it and explained how but in my joy I kinda forgot exactly what he said how it functioned.

Anyways, he says that my tinnitus is not permanent and gave me 5 meds for my sinus infection and 2 meds for nutrition of the ear structures. He says that since it was untreated for quite a long time it did develop quite a bit so the recovery could take a few months, but that ultimately my prognosis is full recovery.

If anyone else on here has tinnitus that is connected to sinusitis you can PM me and I can give you the list of meds I was given, and I will report back here after my treatment is done and if it was successful or not.

In the meantime, I hope all of you get the same kind of resolution as me and thank you all for your support in this trying time.

Best of luck to you all and here's to bright, tinnitus-free days.

 

So important to know that!

It seems like you will be lost and without hope - but its not so! You will make it!

I have the same sort of tinnitus - its a constant, steady tone. I don't know the frequency, but I am guessing it is around 400 to 500 hz. How do I know? Because I understand frequency analysis due to my radio/microwave radio background. How can it remain perfectly steady, I have no clue.

You are added to my prayer list,

Hugs to you...

 

What meds did he prescribe?

 

He prescribed Betaserc, Xados, Bilobil, Furocef, Dymista, and Melatonin for sleep. These are brand names where I am so they might be called something different for you, so you can google that.

 

@Daniel95
I'm glad you spoke to Deb, she is wonderful and a wealth of knowledge.
She's also a great example of how habituation helps you move on with your life. She helped me out immensely when I first got tinnitus and we've become good friends. How lucky it was that we lived in the same town!

Yes, prolonged headphone use particularly at high volumes is potentially a cause for your tinnitus.
Your hearing test will help you understand a bit more about what is going on - do you have loss and how bad?
I suspect my partying days in my younger years might have contributed to my hearing loss. I was fortunate to find an audiologist who would do an extended audiogram, and realised I do have significant losses in the frequencies above 8khz.

I am so glad you had a positive visit with the ENT, I hope the tinnitus will indeed resolve once your sinus issues are fixed.

I think you might be on the money - you may have a mild form of hyperacusis. I'm pretty sure that I do too as do a lot of other tinnitus sufferers.

keep us posted on your progress! Stay well and positive.

 

Hey again!

Yes, Deb is truly a wonderful person and it was great to meet her. She gave me a ton of helpful info and resources to deal with tinnitus among other things.

I have had an extended audiogram (I believe it's called that), and a tympanography and my hearing is perfectly fine thankfully. The doctor examined my ears with a microscope (I'm sorry that I don't know the correct medical terms in english, it is not my native language) and said I had a slightly narrowed down ear canal, because of malnutrition resulting from a long-lasting untreated sinus infection (which in his opinion with the correct treatment can be fixed and is not too late).

In the meantime I have been to my GP who suggested I go to higher altitudes which can help with sinuses. It just so happens that I have a weekend house in the countryside on top of a mountain!

I have a checkup with my ENT in 11 days from now so I figured I will most likely just take a week off and go to my weekend house during the treatment, see if it helps. Unfortunately it means I most likely won't have internet access (we don't have wifi or data available everywhere), for the week, so I won't be able to check in here in the meantime.

Hopefully it helps, and thank you and everyone else who has been extremely nice and supportive in this crucial time, and good luck to you all!

I will most likely report back here after my checkup to let you guys know whats up.

Once again, thanks for the help and see you around.

 

Hi - I am new on this forum. Found it researching ringing in ears. I had a flu early January 2018 and have had sinus congestion and cough for last 3 weeks which I think has caused the Tinnitus. Been to the clinic but the over the counter decongestant hasn’t helped much with my congestion or Tinnitus. I would be very interested in list of meds prescribed by your ENT.
This is the most annoying problem and keeps me awake at night.
Thank you.

 

Hello @Eeyore23 , hope you are doing well.

I am also new to the forum and very new to this whole Tinnitus ordeal, so I'm afraid I don't have much knowledge or tips to give, just compassion.

I will give you the list of medicines that my ENT has prescribed me but - I strongly advise against taking them on your own without consulting your doctor or someone with more knowledge than me.

He prescribed me as follows:
Betaserc 24mg 2x per day
Bilobil intense 120mg 2x per day
Dymista 23g nasal spray 2x per day
Furocef antibiotic (brand name where I am) 500mg 2x per day
Xados 20mg once per day

Once again, I heavily advise against trying out these medicines without medical supervision. I recommend that you browse around a bit more around these forums, there is a wealth of knowledge here and a lot of great and positive people who I'm sure will be able to help you more than I am.

Stay safe and I hope your issues resolve soon .

 

Hi @Daniel95 Your doctors and CT scan noting chronic dry sinusitis may also associate with other facial trigger points placing pressure on such things as facial nerves. Does other areas of your face hurt? A regular CT or X Ray may not show all facial/mouth problems, but a 3D CT cone beam scan would. Then treatment, maybe just facial trigger point therapy would help your T. This exam is very quiet and quick while sitting in a chair. I'm sure you have studied all about chronic dry sinusitis and the do's and don't, but I would ask your doctors about a 3D CT cone beam scan exam. Facial problems may just clear up on their own in time. Daniel, hang in there.

 

Hello, @Greg Sacramento, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. In fact, I have read through some of your other posts earlier and found your information to be very useful! I have a great deal of respect for you as a person and member of this forum and would like to express my most sincere gratitude.

However, coupled with the fact that my doctors were either incapable of helping, or didn't know what it was, I got overwhelmed by the information and just kinda slumped into a depression. For example, I hadn't even heard of a 3D CT cone beam scan exam. I am going to try to get an appointment to get it done as soon as possible. Thank you again so so so much for giving me another alley to look into concerning my problem. Would it be okay with you if I talked to you again once I have the results of that test? If not, that's completely fine, and I am still more than grateful for even providing me other paths to examine.

 

@Daniel95 Hi Daniel: Please say in touch and if you get the scan ask for a printout of OBSERVATIONS, OTHER FINDINGS AND IMPRESSIONS that will include all six areas of facial. The test will show any findings of dental, TMJ/D, sinuses - paranasal sinuses, oropharyngeal, ostiomeatal, osteophyte formation, scleriosis, nose, airway, atlanto-axial joint and external auditory canal narrowing.

The 3D cone beam scan is considered by many as the number one break thru in medicine of the last few years. This scan will help tell you what is causing your physical tinnitus beyond an ENT exam and blood testing. After any maxilliofacial problems are found, therapy should help. Before therapy, the correct procedures should be researched. There's a chance as to what is causing your tinnitus will clear up on it's own as you out grow it, but it's better to address it. Dial me up any time. I visit here daily.

 

@Greg Sacramento I can't express how grateful I am, you are truly a godsend! Fingers crossed that the scan helps find all problem areas. Thank you so much once again.

 

@Daniel95 The scan is fairly quiet, but wear some foam ear plugs or other plugs. Noise blocking headphones can't be used because the scanner turns to close to the head. I forget to mention that you may get a CD instead of a paper print out, but the results will also be discussed with you by the doctor.

 

@Greg Sacramento Hi, I am having some difficulty getting the scan done where I am. I just wanted to let you know that I have not forgotten your advice and am still looking for a way to have the scan performed. I'm still very grateful and hope that when I do find a way to perform the scan you might be willing to talk to me further if I'm unable to pinpoint things! Thanks again

 

@Daniel95 You may not need a scan.

Could you update on condition and if you have any improvement at times?

You state no hearing less, but your ears need oxygen and nutrition. We used a long list of treatments that includes often not considered treatments such as breathing exercises, *breathing treatments, Alpha-Lipoic Acid to support glucose metabolism and regenerate antioxidants. Even natural Greek yogurt.

I sure that you can see improvement.

 

@Greg Sacramento Thanks for replying again. My condition has changed over time. The baseline has become louder over time, but there are certain days/periods where it seems very quiet. It's also still bilateral but appears a lot louder and more reactive to somatic movements such as biting down on the right side. My turbinates also swell up a lot, almost entirely blocking breathing out of one nostril all the time (it changes every couple of hours).

At onset, I used Gingko Biloba and Betaserc and, I think it may have had some positive effect, but I am not sure. I also took vitamin B complex and C for a while after that, but currently am not on any supplements.

Even though the baseline seems louder now, I am able to tolerate it much better than before, however the days/periods of quieter tinnitus, which used to be very rare, seem to be getting more and more common, but I have not figured out why that could be.

I would still like to get the scan and I think I will be able to soon, I just wanted to let you know I have not forgotten your advice and am working on it!

Thanks a lot for helping me with this