Scared I Might Have Tinnitus...

Hi Im a new member to this tinnitus talk. I recently started noticing a ringing like noise in my ear about 2-3 days ago and it's driving me crazy. I looked up what it could possibly be and found results of it possibly being the symptom, tinnitus. I have now realized though that I've always heard this type of ringing noise but much softer and at a lower volume since I can remember. I thought it was something normal but now knowing it's not had made it worse. I've had several panic attacks due to it and have been crying every day since I already was having bad depression for a while now and just when I was getting through it ready to turn my life around, this dumb symptom just made it way worse. Please can anyone help me on what I should do as of right now?

 

Get some NAC to protect your hearing. Go to your doctor and see what he can do and ask to be referred to an ENT. Also, when did this start? Did noise cause it? Medication?

 

I currently am looking for a doctor because I don't have one anymore since I just turned 18. This started on the 26th of this month during school, I had my ear phone plugged in listening to music when suddenly I hear like a pop then the ringing noise. Also before this, during class some electricity thing was making loud annoying sounds that I think might have disrupted my hearing as well. So I believe it was caused because of noise, not medication. By the way thank you for replying!!

 

You will probably be fine, I think the best thing you can do is go see an ENT, get a proper evaluation, and do what they suggest -- and the worst thing you can do might be hanging around this forum and reading horror stories and convincing yourself that you have a bigger problem than you do, because that can just create a self-fufilling prophecy.

The "normal" noise that you have "always" heard is just that -- it is a normal noise that you have always heard. If you allow yourself to become convinced that it is an abnormal, problematic noise, then you will begin to pay more and more attention to it, which will make you think it is getting louder. Reliable imaging has shown that paying attention to specific perceptual input literally increases the strength of those signals in the brain. That is, you really can make this "louder" by thinking about it and monitoring it. Don't be distressed about that, take it as a lesson in how bizarre and wonderful the brain is, it is a signal-generation and pattern-matching machine which is capable of literally rewiring itself based on input! Isn't that cool? You can use it to your advantage if you can figure out a way to just accept the sounds you're hearing, let them be present in your mind without paying them undue attention. Over time they will recede to the background and you will probably be left with your "normal" sound that you have "always" heard -- which is only a problem if you make it in to one.

Definitely cool it on the earbuds for a while, though. And do see an ENT!

 

I haven't been listening to my ear phones as much anymore since that happened but now I do hear a different noise that I haven't heard before but then again I'm not sure if it's really there or I just made myself believe it is. But one things for sure that my ears do feel weird and lot more sensitive. Like for example the noise from the electricity a tv makes, I almost can't stand it now. If I do have tinnitus does this mean mine is more bad then others? But oh I will see an ENT a.s.p. though! Thank you so much!

 

It's only been several days, so don't worry too much (but see a doctor). It may go away in a few more days or even weeks. (A few years ago my wife had T for two weeks after her ears plugged on a long flight).

I know this is difficult, but try to remain calm. Your mind is responding to this new noise. If this happens to be permanent - and again, it's wayyyy too soon to know this - it will eventually settle into background noise.

Good luck. Hopefully in a few weeks you'll post "Hey, my T is gone!!!" and we'll all envy your good fortune. If not, we'll be here and you'll get through it.

 

I got T in February and just for a few days ago I thought that I never would be able to live with it. But now, I don't give a sh*t about it and I try to "befriend" it instead. When someone doesn't listen to me I just listen to the sound but I don't freak out anymore because I know there's nothing I can do about it. And then I realize that it is pointless to freak out because it just won't go away. When I have bad days I listen to masking tracks and it makes me relax. I think the only reason we hate it so much is because the sound is new and unknown to the brain. We all have an ancient survival instinct that makes us freak out when something unconfortable and new happens to us. You need to react to the sound differently and suddenly, before you know it, the sound will just become a "part" of you. That is the only choice we have until someone hopefully finds a cure. Stay strong and good luck!

 

So your wife's T only lasted those two weeks then went away? I've been more calm now but still hoping it does go away and whether I do have T or not, the fact that people have to live with this symptom is just awful, I hope they do come up with a cure soon. Thank you for support!!

 

Glad to hear it no longer bugs you, it helps to hear that as well! Thank you! I've already arranged an appointment with an ENT so now I'm just waiting. I have a question though, are your ears more sensitive to certain noises now? Or is this only with some people with T?

 

You're welcome! I have noticed, that I am more sensitive to loud noise than before. For example, when the TV is turned up loud, I can't stand it. And when someone is talking very loudly, I simply just want to leave even though I can't hear my T when I'm not in quite invironments. But besides, it doesn't really bother me, except when I have to sleep. Sometimes I wake up with a horrible hiss in both ears, and other times the sound is almost gone. It varietes a lot and it depends on what I have been doing the day before

 

I have the same problem when it comes to the tv and being in loud environments! It kinda sucks that my ears aren't as strong anymore since I was used to playing loud music, going to concerts and playing guitar! But I guess we can all take it as a heads up that we need to consider taking care of our ears more, I'm sure to get good ear plugs to wear during these activities from now on And just one more question (sorry) ,does your T sometimes seem like it's getting louder when you hear loud noises?

 

I had to give up listening to loud music which is the only thing that makes me really happy and when I do that I stop having negative thoughts. But it's hard not to listen to loud music and I have made a schedule otherwise I wouldn't be able to control it. I won't make my T worse. I don't really hear my T when I am in loud environments so I can't tell.

 

Yes, hers was after a bad flight. She had ear problems as a child, and I expect she'll have T one day.

My permanent T was the result of acoustic trauma. Hopefully yours goes away, but don't keep hoping that it will. It will or it won't. The best step I took in habituating was realizing that whether my T went away was beyond my control, and that I should prepare to have it for the long haul.

Best,
PEF