Tinnitus Caused by TBI/Severe Concussion

Hi all,

I suffered a severe concussion from falling down 20 steps at work caused by a loose handrail. One of my many medical problems is severe bilateral tinnitus.

I have went to many doctors including 3 different ENT’s. Basically the tinnitus was caused by the head trauma and usually if the tinnitus persists for more than 3 months then you own it for life. Some people try supplements, omega-3, lipoflavonoid,etc. I’ve tried these but they didn’t work in my case. I also tried Xanax that is used for tinnitus in a off label use by some Ent. It didn’t help me much and I feel it’s better suited for people that have tinnitus caused by anxiety. My tinnitus is constant and never ending . Being in a quiet room is the worst and waking up in the middle of the night with the buzzing, hissing sound is enough to drive you mad. Going to the beach and listening to the waves break is soothing and therapeutic. Driving in the car with the radio on also helps . I’m also seeing a clinical psychologist and he says that it’s about learning to cope with it.

MRI ‘s, CT scans, ENT’s everything appears to be normal. People that get tinnitus from a concussion, the ringing is the brain telling yourself that something is wrong. The only that works is not thinking about it, try to normal activities and don’t think about it, fight on. If you dwell on it I feel that the ringing get worst and will drive you mad, cause anxiety and depression.

Look for the positives in your life and be thankful. In my case I’m thankful because I should have been death or paralyzed due to my accident. I still have many medical problems but just take one day at a time.

 

Good post, great attitude! Always count your blessings indeed! Welcome to the forum

 

Do you have hearing loss?

 

@Giuseppe F .
I had sever concussion after a nasty fall with a mega egg head and had to have my head stitched and a new sound added and back in my head as well as ears.
I had head tinnitus before and went away with medication so I'm staying positive it will go so I don't focus on it or attach any emotion to it as drove me round the bend before.
Positivity is the key and time.
love glynis

 

Thank you all for words of encouragement.
Yes I have hearing loss

 

Welcome to the forum. You have received excellent advice from my fellow members. I agree that positivity will help and will actually speed up the habituation process. Positivity will calm your nerves preventing the limbic system from acting up to cause you functioning in fight or flight mode which will make T seems much worse than it is. In fact I wrote my success story with emphasis on the need for positivity. Keep it up with that positive spirit. Wish you all the best. God bless.

 

@Contrast I was thinking the same.
It seems reasonable that concussion can simulate an acoustic trauma if shockwaves hit the inner ear, hence SNHL and T.