Tinnitus for 2 Months

Hello everybody

I have been reading a lot in the forum recently. This forum really helped me a lot. I want to share my story and ask for input.

January 30 I was very sick, sinus infection, eye infection and a ear infection. I also was under a lot of stress at the moment and had a hard time sleeping because of all my symptoms. Tinnitus then showed up in my right ear. Doctor gave me amoxilin at first. It did helped me a lot. After 10 days of treatment I was a lot better but I still felt inconfort in my ear, like a pressure and most important the tinnitus. It was a loud ringing and I had a hard time sleeping, was very anxious, stressed, basically I was freaking out. I knew about permanent tinnitus, heard about it in the past so it already scared me.

I went back to the doctor, she prescribed me prednisone ans zithromax. Doctor told me my ringing should go away. After my treatment, ringing and pressure were still there. I went to see an ENT. He told me my ear infection was no more and that the ringing was produce from my brain. Told me not to think about it and it may go away.

After I went to see two audiologists. Apparently my hearing is normal. They basically told me it could go or away or stay. Then I went to see another ENT who told me I might still have swelling and ear infection to an adult can take up to 2 to 4 months to heal.

Being anxious, I went to see another doctor who told me basically the same thing to be patient and it should go away.

Now, I'm a little over 2 months after my tinnitus started. It is a lot better. The ringing went down, I almost don't hear it anymore but still there. BUT I now have kind of small sizzle always present. Not loud but I hear it all of the time. I often have the feeling it's coming from my head. I can manage to mask my tinnitus when I'm occupied. Like driving my car, speaking (when not thinking about it), using a humidifier to help me sleep. Today, I managed to sleep without it! What a good feeling it was.

During those 2 months, I took a lot of supplements, vitamins, omega 3, ginko. I tried to take it easy.

I am an anxious person. Sometime I wonder if I didn't already have tinnitus to a smaller extend.In the past my ear were ringing when I used ear plug. Does it do that with a normal person ?

Also, I remember one time at hunting camp with all windows closed I heard ringing, opened the window to hear exterior sound and went to sleep. Do you think it is possible to have tinnitus without knowing it? Like if it showed up slowly but my brain habituate it and I never noticed it? Is it my ear infection that made it worst and made me notice ?

Anyway, I was wondering, can It still go away or go back to my previous unaware habituation if it was the case? Strange thing is my tinnitus is only in my right ear so maybe I didn't have it either?

I'm kind of lost. I do feel better but not perfect. I'm doing my things like work and all but often distracted. Sometimes I forget about it and I'm fine but then I think about it and it's there. I know I'm obsessing about it. I'm way too often online reading on the subject.

What do you guys think? What are my odds for it to go away? or habituate? What should I do? I could really use help right now.

Thank you

 

A warm welcome to the forum.
After a heavy cold it can take a few weeks for your ears to settle down from tinnitus and from sinus infection.

If you play music with earphones keep the sound really low as for some people they can irritate and cause tinnitus so keep an eye on using them.
Some people get on fine with them.

Their are lots of free natural sound apps to play if your tinnitus becomes bothersome at night or in quiet rooms but always best kept lower than your tinnitus through the night so your brain works hard pick up the sound you have chosen and push your tinnitus to the background.
Pillow speakers are best used at night....lots of love glynis