Seeking Advice -- I'm New to Tinnitus and Going to a Doctor for the First Time

[rpalmquist]

For those of you who have gone through this, what advice do you have for me when I'm talking with the doctor? I fortunately have very good health coverage, so cost isn't an issue. Should I insist on some sort of procedure (e.g., MRIs, ???), some sort of tests? What do you know now that you wished you had known when you started your T journey. Thanks for sharing

More info:
- I got T when attending a New Years Eve concert 18 days ago.
- High pitch loud constant tone in my left ear.
- It seems to have gotten worse over the past week.
- I have some vertigo, and a few instances of wanting to vomit (very few though)
- And a pretty big drop in my appetite.
- Also, interesting to me anyways, is that during the night if I wake up during those few moments of "grogginess" between being a sleep and being awake the T is completely gone. It comes back to its full roar in the morning.

 

[glynis]

I would try get a hearing test and if you keep getting vertigo and sickness have a ENT referral and tests done.
If only tinnitus I would give it 6 months a part from checking for wax or infection and hearing test as it could go or your brain adapt to it....lots of love glynis

 

[rpalmquist]

I would try get a hearing test and if you keep getting vertigo and sickness have a ENT referral and tests done.
If only tinnitus I would give it 6 months a part from checking for wax or infection and hearing test as it could go or your brain adapt to it....lots of love glynis

Thanks for your advice. I'm actually going to an ENT tomorrow. Why the 6 month wait between a first and second visit. Is that just to save the expense of seeing a doctor? Again, I'm very fortunate to have great insurance coverage. I pay the first $750 each year but anything on top of that is pretty much covered 100%.

 

[glynis]

Most people adapt and if hearing is ok and other issues and only tinnitus it could well go and after 6 months its looking more to be permanent but still could go.
Unless your struggling with tinnitus and would like see audiology for maskers....lots of love glynis

 

[Jake007]

Maybe time to let your ear heal

 

[rpalmquist]

Most people adapt and if hearing is ok and other issues and only tinnitus it could well go and after 6 months its looking more to be permanent but still could go.
Unless your struggling with tinnitus and would like see audiology for maskers....lots of love glynis

Thanks again for your input -- love it that strangers are out there willing to help -- it might sound silly but I really do appreciate you taking the time to reply. What do you mean by "audiology for maskers"?

 

[rpalmquist]

Maybe time to let your ear heal

Any idea what percentage of ears "heal" over the 6 month time period. I'm only 18 days into this right now. From what I've read 3-5 days is the typical time for an ear to hear.

 

[glynis]

Maskers are like tinny hearing aids that play a sound like white noise called white noise generators.
You set the sound lower than your tinnitus and your brain will learn not to focus on your tinnitus and listen to white noise.
Over time you will adapt as your brain builds up its Natural filter and you will find you can cope with out them.
Most people adapt with out them n naturally with in a few months so it depends how you cope at the moment with out any...lots of love glynis

 

[Jake007]

I'm little over a month into this, I don't know to much and ask for advice and help quite a bit yet. I try to help when ever I can though. Glynis knows alot and has helped me tremendously.

 

[rpalmquist]

I'm little over a month into this, I don't know to much and ask for advice and help quite a bit yet. I try to help when ever I can though. Glynis knows alot and has helped me tremendously.

With us both being new to this, your a Brother from a different Mother. Thanks for responding to my posts.

 

[Jake007]

Your the same to me to brother, we can get through it somehow together.

 

[NimQ]

HBOT - Hyberbaric Oxygen Therapy is something you could look into. It can be used to try to cur or alleviate tinnitus as long as it is done very early after the onset. I think the absolute maximum for it to have any effect is up to 2 months, but the earlier the better. I went to have it 6-7 weeks after my acoustic trauma, but I guess it was too late, since only my hyperacusis seemed to get better. Some other people who were having the same therapy did have decrease in their tinnitus. Anyway, something to consider.

 

[rpalmquist]

HBOT - Hyberbaric Oxygen Therapy is something you could look into. It can be used to try to cur or alleviate tinnitus as long as it is done very early after the onset. I think the absolute maximum for it to have any effect is up to 2 months, but the earlier the better. I went to have it 6-7 weeks after my acoustic trauma, but I guess it was too late, since only my hyperacusis seemed to get better. Some other people who were having the same therapy did have decrease in their tinnitus. Anyway, something to consider.

Thanks. Great information to have.

 

[rpalmquist]

What steps have you gone through in seeing doctors. I'm first heading to an EMT. After that, have you been referred to other types of doctors (e.g., audiologist)?