Tinnitus After Lumbar Puncture

They found a papillary edema in my right eye and to rule out different illnesses, they did a lumbar puncture on me. I asked for potential side effects, but was only told that I might get a mild headache.

Instead I got a handicapping headache, nausea, different kinds of tinnitus, dizziness, some hearing loss in one ear, had difficulty swallowing... I asked for a bloodpatch after a couple of days, but they told me to just rest and it would get better. A week after the lumbar puncture, my husband drove me to the ER, since I was just getting worse, and they did a blood patch immediately.

I hear high pitch noises, what I guess people mostly think of when you say "tinnitus". The worst is a low pitch oscillating noise, kind of buzzing and at the same time it feels like my ears are vibrating/fluttering... It's a very "living" noise, because sometimes it's fast and sometimes the oscillating slows, like it's being stretched, hard to explain...

The papillary edema they gave me three days of IV Solu-Medrol (cortisone) for about a month after the lumbar puncture. The low pitch noise with the vibrations/fluttering went almost completely away that week, as some sort of side effect... Then it has slowly come back week by week. The high pitch noises have stayed the same.

Doctors I've met here so far are very blasé and tells me to just wait and it will "probably" resolve on its own and prognosis is good after a lumbar puncture. Or I'll learn to live with it.

I am autistic and very dependent on silence for mental recovery in daily life.

I had absolutely no tinnitus before the lumbar puncture. I moved out to the countryside eight years ago to really be able to enjoy the silence, and that I have. Until now...

Forgot to mention that the hearing loss was restored when I got the bloodpatch. I have done three audiograms since and they said my hearing is even better than expected in my age (I'm 40). I have always taken great care of my ears...

 

Welcome to the forum. I have similar tinnitus. One is ultra high pitched tinnitus from the right ear. The other is from my left ear which has lost all hearing about 18 months ago. This one is similar to what you describe, low pitch oscillating, rumbling, vibrating. Yes it can vary so it is like you describe as a 'living' noise. I also had hyperacusis for about 9 months. It has faded now. My tinnitus may not be caused by the same reason as yours but I do understand what you are going through. You have my empathy. It was a bit overwhelming at first but now I am living a normal life and trying to enjoy it as much as I can, fishing, gardening, dancing, etc. So try hang in there and try to stay positive that all will be well over time. Let the body heal without putting too much stress.

Best wishes. God bless your recovery.