Tinnitus After Ear Infection: How Loud Can Tinnitus Get?

Hi. I've been living with tinnitus for over a year. It started just after I had an ear infection for which I took extensive antibiotics and prednisone. Otherwise, I have no interesting medical issues or recent, detectable hearing loss (audio tests are remarkably stable for the last 25 years at least).

I habituated pretty well, using some Bluetooth sleep headphones and white noise at night, along with mindfulness and some CBT approaches. I was pretty solid and unconcerned.

About a month ago, the noise started getting louder. It has been growing every single day, and now is almost as loud as the shower all day long. I expect tomorrow will be worse than today.

I think I could habituate if it stopped here. But I don't have any expectation that it will. How loud can it get? What can I do to stop worrying about the future? How can I be confident that there is no point at which I won't be able to work and sleep and enjoy life? I'm trying to be cool with it, but I'm finding it harder and harder to do.

 

It can get very loud. But also can go back down. Unless you had new acoustic trauma of some sort this may well be a spike and go back down over time. I had a spike that lasted 4 months. Try to relax and get your mind off it the best you can. I know easier said than done.

 

If the static is as loud as the shower it will probably not get any louder. It may change pitch, but shouldn't get louder. Sounds like you are handling it really well and have a good attitude.