Hi, I'm Becca, and I'm 48 years old. I've had tinnitus for 4 weeks now.
About 3 months ago, I felt a pop in my ear. My hearing in that ear became muffled, but within 3 to 4 hours it disappeared, and I thought nothing of it. Then, about 4.5 weeks ago, my ear popped again, my hearing became muffled, and again everything returned to normal within about an hour. Then, 2 to 3 days after that, I noticed the ringing.
I went to the doctor, who referred me to ENT. I had an audiology appointment, and the audiologist said my high-frequency hearing was slightly lower than it should be for my age, but everything else was normal. The consultant said the tinnitus could have started because the ear popping made my ear more vulnerable, which may have caused the tinnitus, and that it may still go away. There were no signs of inflammation or anything else concerning.
It feels like I've constantly been to a concert. In the weeks leading up to this, I was under a lot of stress at work, and I'm also dealing with neck and shoulder pain. Everything I read seems to say that this is it and that it's here for good, which I'm finding quite depressing.
I'm the kind of person who needs an answer for everything, and with this, I don't think I can find one. I'm trying to think positively, and I know that stressing only makes it seem louder. I guess I'm looking for reassurance from people who understand, as my family doesn't seem to see what the big deal is. I know there are much worse things to deal with. I'm just trying to adjust to my new normal.
About 3 months ago, I felt a pop in my ear. My hearing in that ear became muffled, but within 3 to 4 hours it disappeared, and I thought nothing of it. Then, about 4.5 weeks ago, my ear popped again, my hearing became muffled, and again everything returned to normal within about an hour. Then, 2 to 3 days after that, I noticed the ringing.
I went to the doctor, who referred me to ENT. I had an audiology appointment, and the audiologist said my high-frequency hearing was slightly lower than it should be for my age, but everything else was normal. The consultant said the tinnitus could have started because the ear popping made my ear more vulnerable, which may have caused the tinnitus, and that it may still go away. There were no signs of inflammation or anything else concerning.
It feels like I've constantly been to a concert. In the weeks leading up to this, I was under a lot of stress at work, and I'm also dealing with neck and shoulder pain. Everything I read seems to say that this is it and that it's here for good, which I'm finding quite depressing.
I'm the kind of person who needs an answer for everything, and with this, I don't think I can find one. I'm trying to think positively, and I know that stressing only makes it seem louder. I guess I'm looking for reassurance from people who understand, as my family doesn't seem to see what the big deal is. I know there are much worse things to deal with. I'm just trying to adjust to my new normal.
