Sudden 24/7 Tinnitus for 3 Weeks — Help!

I have a long history of health problems so I'll make it short- I've had a headache every day for 20 months and instead of getting better I've been developing more and more symptoms. My nervous system has completely fallen apart and my doctors have diagnosed me with general dysautonomia. I have horrible nausea, fatigue, anxiety you name it.

However I never suffered from TINNITUS... Well not like this. I would experience the common tinnitus after a loud concert, and once in a while I would get a loud ringing for a few seconds, but right now I've had constant horrible tinnitus and fullness in my left ear for 3 WEEKS. It's a really high pitched white-noise ringing type of sound. I went to my ENT and he said everhthing was crystal clear but that maybe my sinuses (chronic sinus infections) are affecting my ears. I've suffered with my sinuses for years so why would this suddenly come up now?

Here's my feeling- has anyone ever used a TENS unit for pain? (Used commonly for muscle pain). Exactly around when my tinnitus started I began using CEFALY- a TENS unit that you wear like a tiara on your head that stimulates the trigeminal nerve and eases migraines. Like I said I never had tinnitus issues before I started using this. And one of the contraindications is not to use it if you have MENIERES diseas... Probably what I have since I had vertigo for a few years as a kid. Anyway thoughts? My neurologist thought I was crazy and I emailed the engineers at Cefaly and they denied it..Google Cefaly if you've never heard of it (I imagine lots of people here also have migraines). I can't sleep at night I need help. This is my first post. 21 yo female

 

My tinnitus also started the same day as yours and is very very high pitched. Still don't know the reason why it started! No acoustic trauma, no infection, no drugs or medicines, a bit of sour throat, no stress/anxiety, just went ON and is there ever since. This is the hardest thing I've ever faced in my life, its like a silent killer..!!

 

first go to ENT to check if there is hearing loss
if no you may consider trying Potiga?

 

@xanaxvictim I've had a hearing test but it was till 8 khz, which I figured out after the test. My test reports showed no sign of hearing loss. Should I go for a full range hearing test till 16 khz?

 

Yes, some people even do a electrocochleogram and brainstem auditory evoked potentials
I did a 8-16kHz but not electrocochleogram and brainstem auditory evoked potentials

 

Tinnitus can be caused by many reasons. It may be futile to spend a lot of energy at this stage to find out why it suddenly came on. I have very high pitch T and then severe hyperacusis too. I often wondered how I got it, why but I soon learned that I need to spend more of my energy to learn to cope with the new condition than to worry about why they came. My initial suffering was a total nightmare and I thought I would never recover and live a happy life again. But I was wrong and now I live a happy and normal life. It seems very tough at the start but even loud T is livable and a lot of members prove that by their success stories. You can read them to give yourself some hope, and in the mean time, try to get some masking so you won't get too anxious by the ringing. I download a free sound generator called Aire Freshener (google it) to my PC and it has many sounds to choose from to help masking your T. Take care and God bless.

 

Needed to read that today. Have a tough time currently.
Living a normal happy life again seems light years away for me.
Billie, I hope things are also better for you again.

 

Hi Martin, hang in there. Life has its ups and downs. Let's enjoy the ups and learn from the downs. I am doing fine since the recent flare up of anxiety & panic disorder with their horrible symptoms. But this time I learn not to run from them. I learn to face them and their severe symptoms, embracing and accepting them, and enjoying my life regardless, going to cruise and travelling amid those attacks. I have learned finding joy amid the pain, peacefully co-existing with these conflicting sensations. Life is not perfect. Make the best out of it. That is all I can do. Let's count our blessings. At least I don't have chronic bad headache as the OP has. Everyone has to face tough health challenges of his/her own. I hope you feel better. Take care.

 

Hi Billie,
I guess it is just that after 14 months I thought that habituation should have kicked in already.
Also I had some milder days in the past where I could breath again.
But for ten days now, T ultra-loud and shrill (only maskable by very loud water or crickets).
This brought the anxiety back with all the negative thoughts.
Good that you feel better.
I also push myself out for socializing, lunch, dinner, cinema, whatever.
All really difficult with this sound.
I also phoned with Stoyan last week. He gave me some support again.
So I guess it is just that I need more time.

 

Spikes and setbacks are common with severe T. It is best we mentally prepare for such occurrences so they won't send us back to a mental black hole each time. I am on vacationing now in Asia. My T was sooooo loud during the long flight I heard that dog whistle even above the jet nose during the flights. Nothing I could do about it except to focus on the positives. You are doing the right thing to live life regardless and I hope you will feel better. I hope Stoyan, Moz, Greg and beebee and their stories can help you.

 

@billie48 @Martin69 @xanaxvictim guys I have a question and your views are highly appreciated. I have been asked to undergo an MRI by my ENT. Is this a normal MRI of the brain? Are there some different MRIs options available for brain because I read somewhere on the forum that if you go for a normal MRI, it might exaggerate the T due to load noise and one should go for this specific MRI (I don't remember what that specific MRI is known as).

Thanks

 

Wow. No way I would go onto a flight at the moment. Too anxious. Never had a problem with flying, but not in my current situation. But maybe with the right pill, it could work.
Yes, Stoyan, Moz, Greg, beebee, Robx2, Stephen and you help.
They keep me staying optimistic that habituation is possible.
Not on every day like today, but on other days.

 

Sorry Harry I don't have the expertise to answer the MRI question. Perhaps you should post this question on the main Support Forum. Generally I read that people should have ear plugs when doing MRI.

 

Does anything help anyone? What should I do right now while Im still in the acute stage? I take magnesium 400mg and butterbur 50mg daily. I'm going to be hospitalized for my dysautonomia on Wednesday as they'll be giving me heart medications and I'm worried it'll worsen my T :/ it's so lou