Tinnitus After a Year — You Can Make It Through This!

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to share some information about my tinnitus and my journey so far.

About a year ago I decided to clear my ears out with Q-Tips against my fiancé’s better judgement. As I cleared my left ear I managed to push ear wax further into the ear canal and in doing so clogged my left ear completely. I could not hear a thing. I went to the emergency room and they sent me home with a solution to dissolve the ear wax. After proceeding with the solution I managed to get the wax out after a couple days.

The day after I got the wax out I started to hear a high pitched noise in my left ear. I freaked out. Over the next couple days I did not sleep at all. It was the worst experience of my life. As I lay awake I researched my symptoms and my issues only to come up with the worst threads on tinnitus. I was told that this is the worst thing that you could do but obviously in a state when you can’t sleep you just want to find out what’s wrong with you.

Eventually I tried to go back to work but given my lack of sleep and persistent noise in my ear I went into a full panic mode when I got to my office. I ended up going to the emergency room only to get sent home with a here take this to sleep and make an appointment with your GP. I proceeded to get every test possible to make sure I was ok medically. I was ok.

I was hesitant about writing this post because of all the bad memories that arose but I want to make sure that everyone is aware that you can make it through this.

I am here to answer all questions and let people know how I deal and dealt with this.

 

It is great that you are OK medically, but you do not mention if your tinnitus is still there or not.

 

Yes I do still have it at about the same tone but I have habituated.

 

Hey Dimitri1989,

I have had tinnitus since the beginning of May in my right ear from ear syringing. It is very high pitched and I am having the hardest time of my life coping with this. I am so glad to hear that you have successfully dealt with yours and I would love to hear some tips. I struggle with fear and anxiety mostly and I am just so sad. I am doing my best to be there for my family but I feel like just a shell of my old self.

 

I’m so sorry you have to deal with this! I struggle with fear and anxiety myself at first and even off and on to this day. My best advice would be develop some coping mechanisms. I started meditation and that helped me greatly. I also found natural ways to help my anxiety like magnesium to calm me before bed. Everyday is different for me. There are times when I go for 2-3 weeks with low pitch noise then all of a sudden the high pitch returns. Some of the best advice I received was do not ever let tinnitus control what you do in life. And remember it always gets better. If you are into therapy that also gave me great mechanisms to cope. It took me about 8 months to fully habituate. But everyone is different. Please let me know if you need any more questions answered! I’m always here!

 

Can you ask how to deal with the thought that you might never hear silence again? [For me, silence = peace of mind]. After sixteen months, this thought can still lead me to panic and deep sadness.

 

For me I came to the realization that I may have this forever and that is OK. I will not this bring me down. There were many times in the initial months where I would have panic realizing that I may have this forever but over time therapy and my own coping mechanisms helped me shed the fear. Don’t get me wrong, some days I still think about it. But it is a lot better than it was. Also, just talking to people, friends and family, my fiancé about what I was feeling helped me tremendously to get over the hump. Do not keep your negative feels about tinnitus to yourself. Always talk to someone or else you will be inside your head all the time. The habituation process starts when you start to attack those fears and anxious thoughts.

 

@KotaDomowa I have had 'it' for 30 years. I've had a few relapses but when I habituate it is still with me but I have no feelings for it. The research today seems light years from 1990. Hope for a better treatment or cure. Hang in there!

 

@Ken219 I believe in Lenire, sometimes I just need support Thank you. And you, Dimitri.