Tinnitus at 21 Years Old

Hi my name is Elbert,

I have had tinnitus for 2 and a half months now.

I really don't know the exact cause, I had taken strong antibiotics a week prior to getting tinnitus. I loved my music and had fair share of loud clubs and listening music with earphones and I am also very stressful person so anxiety could also be a reason.

It started with slight ringing and then more noticeble ringing , which came along with a loud hissing

So just wanted some tips on if it can go away and what I should do to help myself, because at the moment it's getting the better of me.

 

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk Elbert.
I would get your hearing and ears checked out.
Keep away from extra loud places for a while and use ear protection around loud sounds.
I would not use earphones or headphones for a while and then only on the lowest setting or it could spike your tinnitus but some people are fine with them.
Try relax and stay calm and off load stress the calmer the better...
Love glynis

 

Hi Forum members ( GLynis and Elbert)

My tinnitus started the morning of May 16th 2017. A visit to the ENT took him to the conclusion that I had a depressed middle ear. A second visit which was monday of this week, the ENT claims I have ETD. So as you can see am at least 5 wks into my experience with tinnitus.
I am not sure what are the prospects of my tinnitus going away, since most forums I have read seems to be pointing to "Live with it".
My life for those past weeks took a nose dive toward the floor and I have been very depressed. I cannot safely say whether my tinnitus was induced by ETD. Prior to the onset of tinnitus I was going through a depressed and anxiety state. However, I am not sure whether my depressed state could have a caused ETD and Tinnitus as a result of ETD.

 

I have read of people whos tinnitus has comoletely gone we are both relatively new to it but I know it sucks its taking over my life and Im finding it hard to cope Really wishing it woul go away aswell as for you

 

Hi glynis thanks alot yes forgot to say that i did get my ears checked in first week no hearing damage by ent , and audiologist also says no hearing damage or hair sell damaga she thinks its stres but I cant inderstand how that can cause ringing in one's ear

 

@Elbert - WEl I have read of one guy who claims his tinnitus (ETD caused) went away. Right not I feel like I have lost alot or almost everything. But I good and positive frame of mind is what we need to try deal with this devastating issue. You have to find positive things to do during the day - Anxiety has to be dealt with urgently or else you will destroy yourself. Try eating healthy - occupy yourself by doing healthy dishes, read a little bible, avoid lying in bed and worrying, as that will only make you feel worse.
I cannot imaging what you're experiencing because I do not know the intensity of your tinnitus volume. My volume is pretty high-pitched and changes ears during the course of the day. It affects my sleep and sleeping during the day is totally not possible.
Sometimes there are goodish days, others not so good. I try not to focus on it as much because I realise if I choose to not being able to live with it, means I have to end my life, and that's something I really can't do.

 

Stress, ETD, loud noises; just about anything seems to be able to trigger off this monster. I dont know what to say triggered mines, but I can narrow down and see that its somehow connected to my health. So it could be many health issues in my body that could have triggered my T. I realised that was having vision issues, constipation issues, weakness in my voice. So maybe anyone of these probz could be the culprit. But at the same time ETD could might as well be the cause.
I travelled on a flight from Miami last monday with my T, and as the plane reduced altitude the pressure in both ears was immense, pressure that I never felt on previous flights. So its conclusive that my ET could have caused that amount of pressure.

 

Thanks for your positive input i believe that it can go away but trying to get used to it and not counting the days and if it goes well great aleast ill be used to it hopefully

 

That's the faith you have to place in your current situation - that it can go away. That faith in itself will by no doubt be connected directly to your anxiety. In other words, you will be anticipating - so you have to also be very patient and not let the anxiety get the better of you.
As for me - I cant say much about it fading to a lower baseline or going away completely. The ENT I saw on Monday only check the externals of my ear and my nasals. Then asked a few questions and as a result my responses allowed him to say ETD. He prescribed Otrivin and said to apply 2 sprays in each nostril once a day for 5 days.
I dont know - but maybe it could be ETD due to the symptoms I have been experiencing. To be honest I never really got down to the question to the ENT as to whether the T will go away.
I have already made my mind to start a different approach to my diet, try relax my mind, and start a much closer relationship with God.
I do hope things work out for you - seriously.

Try not to get too worked up about your current situation. .. One step at a time

 

HI @Elbert
You have been given some good advice by members on this thread. I just want to advise you of something that you may not know. Exposure to loud "sounds" is the most common cause of tinnitus. Especially when a person listens to music through headphones regularly or frequently goes to clubs where loud music is played. I am mentioning this because you listen to music through headphones and go to clubs where the music is loud. My belief (but I hope I'm wrong) this is the likely cause of your tinnitus.

Therefore, I advise you to stop using headphones for a while and keep away from loud clubs too. Just to give your ears a rest. If you continue to use headphones and go to clubs where the music is loud, then you risk making your tinnitus become permanent and it could become louder and more intrusive. Tinnitus can be a very distressing condition when it is severe, so I advise you to follow my advice and be careful. Please click on the link below and read my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View. Try to read the whole document and don't skim through it.

I wish you well.
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

 

Thank you i havnt been to any clubs or listen to any music since but thanks alot for the advise

 

It is good that you haven't been to any clubs or used headphones since the onset of the tinnitus. However, I believe it is these activities that has caused the tinnitus. So be careful.

 

Dear Michael Leigh -

I've read your advices to Elbert and I do agree with you very much. To be honest I cannot even say if my tinnitus is high or low. It does not really prevent me from hearing convos clearly, but I do find that mines after being more to the right ear during the morning into the afternoon, will shift to the left ear in the late evening. The chemistry behind that I do not know, but which may also not be of importance.
I really want to believe my ENT that I have an issue with ETD. I have two different type of sounds - a constant hissing (in the left ear) and one which sounds like crickets (right ear).
I noticed that you T started back in 1996. How have you managed over the years? How has you T been - Same or reduced?
For me - I have made up my mind to try fight with it- Sunday am going to church to officially try make a start to surrender my life to Christ - I have been putting it off for a long time now.

 

Has anyone read the success story of Rick Garner - where he recovered from his tinnitus ETD caused. His recovery which was in this year at 100%.
Can anyone relate?

 

Hi @Jeff2017
Thank you for your polite post.

My tinnitus journey is a long one and to write it here would take quite a long time. I will say that I have suffered two noise traumas. The first was in 1996 that I believe was caused by headphones as I used them a lot. In 2008 I had a second noise trauma. Again, I'm not exactly sure what caused it but listening to music through my HI-FI late one evening turned up the volume. Everything seemed fine until the next morning my tinnitus increased quite severely.

Please click o the link below and read my post titled: My experience with tinnitus.
ENT doctors are physicians and know about the anatomy of the ear nose and throat. They are able to treat them medically or surgically and this they do well. However, in my opinion, most of them don't know a lot about tinnitus because it's likely very few of them have experienced it.

If you have been listening to music through headphones a lot or attending clubs where music is played loud. This is the likely cause of the tinnitus. The good news is for most people it will calm down and could go away. Please read my article in the link https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

All the best
Michael

My experience with tinnitus: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/my-experience-with-tinnitus.12076/

 

@ Michael -
Am currently reading your personal view on the tinnitus topic. For now my friend, I am stuck with what the ENT suspects an ETD. I explained to him the difficulty with the pressure I experienced as the plane reduced altitude. the fact that my voice sounds a bit weak while speaking normally; my nasal area feels a bit stuffy.
So he narrows down to ETD - this was from the second ENT. The first claims I was suffering from a Depressed Middle Ear Issue. This I can also see having some sort of relationship to ETD.
So how is your tinnitus level at present? Is it mild, moderate or severe?

Sincerely

Still reading you personal view

 

My tinnitus is variable. It can be: silent, mild, moderate or severe. At the moment it is moderate. From what you describe your ENT doctor is probably right, in saying that you have ETD. It is a good idea though, whenever you listen to music through headphones keep the volume low. If you go to clubs where loud music is played. Carry noise reducing earplugs - that have filters in. These are not the same as Foam earplugs that block out all sound.

Take care
Michael
PS: Feel free to ask questions and I will help if possible.

 

Thanks for the advice and the assurance of reaching out to you for information. At current I am on vacation from my studies which resumes in September this year. I am not sure yet if I can continue with the studies, but I will wait out the time and see if I can habituate within the next two plus months.
I do not know your online schedule, but will write as time go by. At present it is 6:30pm where I live, so I believe you're at about 10:30pm.
I have read a handful of success stories with people recovering fully and I question whether they're just posting only to give other hope and them not actually recovering. Either way, people need hope. What I do pray for is a reduction of the intensity of my tinnitus. My studies require plenty concentration and the T will definitely play a contradicting part in such achievements.
I am going to try enroll myself in as much groupings such as pray groups that require me to listen, in an efort to prepare for when my studies resumes.

Appreciate your time - any updates on my T will be definitely made aware to you.

Sincerely

 

Hi Jeff,
I am Rick, and yes I recovered 100% this year. If your tinnitus is purely ETD related, there is a very high chance it would fade away slowly. I think I have provided enough information in my thread in the success story section. Hang in there, you will definitely get better.

BTW, you are so new to tinnitus. Be prepared as it will take a lot of time possibly 3~6 months to see any improvement.

 

Your onset is familiar. I was in your shoes.

 

Hello Rick
Yes indeed my tinnitus is new. It will be difficult for me to confirm that my tinnitus was ETD 100% induced. You had visited I believe three ENT's before you narrowed down to your tinnitus cause. After explaining to the ENT of usual fullness in the ears during day, the situation of the increased pressure while the plane reduced altitude to land; I guess he used those indicators to justify ETD.
At present which I started using last night; ENT prescribed Otrivin nasal spray for 5 days. Will see what happens from there.
However, I read that you were using nasal sprays for an extended period of time; well certainly more than my 5 days. What's your take on my length of nasal spray prescription?

Appreciate your response though.

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

I would suggest you to do a Tympanogram to see if you have equal air pressure on each side of the eardrum. If it reveals the negative ear pressure, it is most likely ETD. And yes, I used nasal spray for 5 months daily. Please note that the pressure in my left ear was zero.
My first appointment with 3rd ENT, I was asked me to use the spray 3 months straight, and then the second visit, he again asked me to continue to use the spray even though my ear pressure was back to normal at that time. In mid March my tinnitus stopped. If you have seriously clogged ET, there is no way it would clear up in 5 days. Hope this helps.

 

@Elbert Because of your age, you may benefit from intratympanic injections. The sooner, the better. From your experience with steroids I would go with Dexamethasone injections. Find a neuro ENT. Success will be much higher.

http://www.tinnitusjournal.com/arti...rapy-to-inner-ear-for-control-of-tinnitus.pdf

 

Hello Rick -

I have decided to wit out the 5 days use of the Otrivin and the schedule a visit to the ENT again - maybe for next week and see what he thinks about doing the Tympanogram to determine existence of negative pressure. The Otrivin works on creating a smooth flow when inhaling but returns to the stuffy feeling like about 10 hrs after. As I mentioned, he pins ETD after explaining to him of my intense ear pain on my last flight upon descent.
I want to go back to vaporization (Steam). My inhalation feels stuffy - no sign of a cold either. I dont believe I have seriously clogged ET but there is definitely some clogging. Strange but as the ENT observed my eardrum on the monitor, all appeared well - no perforation, no inward pulling - yet he claims ETD with negative pressure. So that's why I am concluding that my ET if clogged is not seriously clogged.
What spray were you using on the 3 months period? At least I can confirm with the ENT on the next visit. Plus I believe the Otrivin caused me a side effect with blurred vision in the right eye - seems to have cleared though.

So an ear pressure of ZERO - can you explain how the ET clogging felt or its not connected?
I appreciate you taking the time to communicate with me.

For me my biggest task will be to try be certain that cause of my tinnitus can be found. It could be a number of causes.

 

Tinnitus takes time to get used to, just remain strong and calm...

Be well....

 

@Rick - Below is part of a convo you had with Mia regarding her ET.

"BTW, are you sure you have ETD? Can you pop your ears by doing Valsalva maneuver? Do you have ear fullness with muffled hearing? Can you open your ET by yawning or chewing ? Do you have pressure equalizing issues with your inner ear? These things answer if you have ETD or not.

However, what are the answers to these to confirm if you have ETD or Not?

Sincerely

 

Hi Jeff,

I had a considerable amount of ear wax in my left ear which caused muffled hearing sometimes. I am a home theater addict, and usually watch 3~4 movies a week. I usually crank up the volume to have a professional movie theater like feel. Just before my tinnitus onset, I started to feel my left ear was not functioning as it should compared to the right one (weak hearing) . Then, out of no where this high pitched noise appeared in my left ear forcing me to see an ENT. I had no any other symptoms other than being unable to pop up my left ear when doing Valsalva.

BTW, I used Nasonex Nasal Spray all the time.

 

Hi Jeff,

These are the usual symptoms of ETD.

 

Hey Rick -
My ears feel a little full or a feeling as if there is no life in the ear itself, a very stuffy feeling in my nasal area. Once the Otrivin nasal spray wears off, the stuffy feeling in my nasal area will return. But I can pop my ears using the Valsalva maneuver. I believe by yawning and chewing gum also my ET opens. I can only confirm I had pressure equalizing issues during my last flight on June12th of this year. The pressure was building up very rapidly even after I did an ear clearing - this was as the plane was descending.
The Otrivin nasal spray I was prescribed had some side effects on me - nervousness (mild - as i tried taking a day nap), headaches, slight problems breathing which I think was related to the nervousness. Was only allowed 5 days usage, so last night was the last.
I try not to worry about the ear ringing. I still believe that my body was going through a phase of decline in my health. Maybe that health issue could have affected my ET and possibly cause ETD.

 

Good luck with the battle.