Steroids: Prednisone / Dexamethasone / Others (Oral and Intratympanic Injections)

I'm getting them in NJ, USA at a franchise ENT clinic called "ENT and ALLERGY". They have 44 locations in NJ alone. I see Dr. Denny Varugheese and Dr. Sujana S. Chandrasekhar in Wayne, NJ.

Note: You have to have hearing loss to accompany the tinnitus. Their goal is to treat the hearing loss, which in turn decreases the tinnitus. The IT injections are not for tinnitus, they're for hearing loss. If you have to fake the hearing test to get the injections though, do it. It's silly they don't do it just for tinnitus, because it helps greatly.

 

Do they perform this treatment for cases more than 6 months of tinnitus and mild/ moderate hearing loss?

Did this increase your PTA audiogram at all? And help with the tinnitus?

 

Damn, I am in Ohio and they do not have any locations near here. Not sure they would book me an appointment even if I could make the trip and pay out of pocket. They would probably want an audiogram first but also question why I am travelling from Ohio.

It is frustrating that we cannot get injections like this. I would be willing to sign a waiver to have my ENT do it but they will not.

How bad is your hearing loss? How long does each injection calm the tinnitus for?

 

I think I've heard of Shea Clinic doing this. There's another in Texas that I can't find at the moment.

https://www.sheaclinic.com/

 

Yeah, I only have really read people in this thread getting temporary relief vs actual change. It also is supposed to be used specifically for hearing loss at 60 mg too.

 

You’re right and that would be the only scenario where I could see myself taking steroids again. Unless you notice significant hearing loss out of the blue, I wouldn’t bother with steroids.

 

@scotty03874, they'll do it for mild/moderate hearing loss. It increased my audiogram reading quite a bit and greatly helped my tinnitus.

They do the audiogram / hearing test in the office first. Then the doctors analyze the results and if they see hearing loss they will do the injections if you ask for them. Typically they prescribe high-dose oral steroids first and if that doesn't work they opt for the injections as salvage therapy, but I request them right away in addition to the oral steroids.

@blamingeverything, I wanted to go to Shea Clinic, but my insurance only works in New Jersey. They won't cover anything out of state and the procedure at Shea Clinic costs something like 7 grand without insurance.

@T Toledo OH, my hearing loss is normal until 3 kHz - 6 kHz where it is -30 dB. Then it goes back up to 10 dB at 8 kHz. It calms the tinnitus permanently, that is until you do something that causes more hearing loss and the tinnitus returns. If you protect your hearing the relief is permanent, but you have to get the injection as soon as possible. I don't think it's effective more than 3 months after the onset of trauma. They would not question you if you came out of state, your insurance might even cover it. But if it has been a long time since your tinnitus onset, I'm not sure how much good it would do you...

 

That is true.

Last night and into this morning I actually had the distortion resolve itself and it was back to normal, unfortunately mid day today it returned. My doctor mentioned this distortion could be due to my ETD causing pressure build up in my ear along with potentially fluid affecting my ear drums ability to vibrate properly. He said he couldn't see any fluid, but I also have scarring on my eardrum due to tubes from when I was younger so he couldn't tell.

I had a hearing test done today and it showed zero hearing loss. It did show negative pressure in my right ear when compared to my left, but it was within normal range. This past week with COVID-19 I was having issues with pressure in my ears and not being able to pop them. I can now pop them so the pressure feeling has gone. This makes me think it is more linked to that. I am not sure how 20 mg of Prednisone is going to help that, unless he is trying to reduce inflammation with it.

I had this distortion issue once before and it resolved itself after two weeks about a year ago. Since this time it has been improving slowly and even resolved itself for a short period of time I think I am going to wait to see what happens. I don't think the prednisone will do anything either way, but who knows.

 

I'm talking about my left ear in which I had a trauma to, this happened around Thanksgiving 2021 (so 6 months or so ago). My right ear needs surgery, that's getting done on 8-5-2022. I have a disruption in my ossicular chain. Would you mind sharing your before and after audiogram please?

 

You are probably right. I am over 2 years in.

The thing is, I have been through 4 cycles of oral steroids for other issues like sciatica and root canal infection and my tinnitus disappears when I am on it, but then becomes unbearable during the taper. I still think inflammation is making my tinnitus worse, even if it was not the cause.

 

Has anyone who has received the steroid shots had it done in both ears during the same treatment? Not necessarily at the exact same time, but one ear one day, and the other a day or two later? Anything like that?

My issues are bilateral so I would need to double up and I'm trying to understand if they ever do this.

 

5 years in with tinnitus due to noise induced hearing loss in the 4 kHz range.

Someone yelled in my ear the other night and caused a massive spike. Took 40 mg of Prednisone for a day and the tinnitus immediately dropped to below its usual baseline.

I only had one day worth of pills so the next day the tinnitus spike came back. If I could take 40 mg of Prednisone every day I would have negligible tinnitus. Unfortunately you can't really do that, far too many health and side effects.

 

I've only had it done in one ear, but I imagine they would do one ear and then do the other immediately after. I don't see why they'd make you come back another day for a different appointment.

 

I found an ENT that does them and you were correct, he was willing to do both ears at the same time.

First one has been completed. Both my hearing loss and tinnitus seemed somewhat better the day after (yesterday) but I'm not sure about today. Things still seem to be fluctuating so it's hard to get a good read on actual progress.

For anyone that benefitted from the shots, when did you start noticing improvements? Was it an immediate thing after the first one or was it gradual after you had multiple shots? I've still got a couple to go so I'm crossing my fingers that they work.

 

Hello, I had an unnecessary word recognition test accompanied with an audiogram just yesterday. The audiogram only went up to 20 dB but word recognition test went up to 45 to 50 dB. This is done with earbuds of course.

I felt absolutely terrible afterwards. Should I take Prednisone for acoustic trauma? I already had a sound trauma in January that gave me terrible tinnitus and hyperacusis but have not used headphones since.

For normal people, 50 dB from earbuds would not be concerning but since I already have severe tinnitus and hyperacusis, I am really wondering if I should try Prednisone at this point to prevent further damage. I am aware any dose under 40 mg or 50 mg would not even be effective.

All input is appreciated. Thank you.

I was too stupid to let them put earbuds into my ears. I thought the word recognition test would be like audiogram but it's far louder.

 

You are fine. 50 dB is way too quiet to cause any damage.

 

@John Joseph, for me, it took 3 shots to get the benefit. It's pretty instant once it works though, 24 hours after the shot. The improvement happens all at once by the time you wake up the following morning.

 

Thank you for replying.

50 dB at a couple feet would be absolutely quiet and normal.

But this is right inside my ear and I have been experiencing huge tinnitus spike, hyperacusis and voice distortion.

 

I wouldn't worry about it. Just give yourself some time to relax and things should go back to the way it was before you were exposed to these sounds.

 

I am at the end of my rope people. Barely holding on with how loud my tinnitus is.

I have an opportunity to go tomorrow and get Dexamethasone injections to ears if I show hearing loss on an audiogram. It's been under 3 months since my worsening, when I developed reactive tinnitus, which ruined my life.

Do you think it's worth it to try and get the shots to the ears in hopes of quieting the tinnitus some? Anyone's opinion is welcomed!

@RadioKid722, ?

 

The best would probably be a high dose of e.g., Methylprednisolone, trying to relax a few days in silence without putting your ears/brain under too much noise. If that doesn't help, you can as well look into this: https://www.brai3n.com

 

Pretty lucky, I can't convince a single fucking ENT.

Yes you should do it, I've only heard good things, or nothing will happen at all. Who cares if it's temporary.

 

@Travis Henry, yes, I think it would be 100% worth it to get the injections. Did you wind up getting them?

 

Hello all! I see an ENT this week. How do I get them to inject me?

My ears are too sensitive to do anything other than an over the ear audiogram test. Cannot do earbuds or suction for pressure or cleaning.

No clue how to then ask the doctor to just inject me as I for sure have hearing loss in both ears. Any advice from those who got the injections?

Thank you!

 

The true ENT I saw said he didn't perform injections but I don't know if that's common to the specialty. I had to see an otologist for the injections, and he wanted me to go through a Prednisone course before he did it (intratympanic Dexamethasone is commonly referred to as salvage therapy in the field.)

So I did a hearing test with the otologist office, went on Prednisone (hell for me), then went back for another hearing test which showed no improvement. So he gave me the option for intratympanic Dexamethasone and I took it. I don't have any idea if it made any difference but 6 months later my tinnitus is better than it was then, most days at least. Could just be the natural course it would've taken either way.

Oh, upon follow-up ~3 months post injection my hearing showed improvement, basically all back within "normal" range and I think I can tell the difference too (placebo caveats acknowledged.)

 

Thank you the reply and how the steps were for you. I won't take the oral meds as my tinnitus onset was 2 months ago and the effects are only temporary. The shots are supposed to be lasting and I've seen some state they did a series... from 3 to 8.

How many shots did you do? One or both ears?

The doctor I see is part of a tinnitus research dept. at a local university and works with professionals in this area. I'm hoping he can refer me or do the procedure himself though I have no real hope. I am just trying to see how I can approach the topic and address it as I'm two months in and timing is fading.

Thanks again for any tips and help!

 

I think the ENT I'm seeing uses Methylprednisolone as the steroid injection instead of Dexamethasone.

Has anyone here had that steroid injected into their ear?

Thank you!

 

On my phone so apologies for the brevity.

Just one shot in my right ear. The doctor would only administer the injection with an indication of SSHL and my left ear hearing tests normal. I have bilateral tinnitus, though my right side is usually louder.

The one or two studies I’ve found that had positive results were with multi shot series like you’ve seen, and a long term follow up (at least 6 months I believe).

 

Did you have any side effects?

I'm in disbelief that as soon as we contact an ENT, they don't offer a steroid shot in 24 hours! It's proven it can greatly reduce or eliminate the ringing/tones etc. If it doesn't work, fuck it! Give us the chance.

I contacted the HEAD of the audiology and research department at my local university (they work with the ENT I'm seeing) within a week of on-set (boy have I gone downhill since) and reported I thought i was going deaf (lower volume, fullness, distortions) and she didn't say anything, knowing my appointment was almost 2 months out. That's where I'm going in a few days. Totally nuts.

Now I'm ultra low, suicidal, and desperate as I see little hope in my life having much meaning as I'm fully disabled now. Wtf.

 

@MaxRabbit, find a different ENT. I go to a chain called "ENT and ALLERGY." They're all over the country. They offer appointments within 48 hours and if you're willing to do injections, they'll do them as soon as you want them. But you have to have a measurable hearing loss on the hearing test.