Tinnitus for 26 Years with HORRIBLE Recent Change

Hello,

My name is Anita. I have had Tinnitus for 26 years. I remember when I first was diagnosed with it in 1993, how devastated I was and for quite a while! I had gone to a country concert (didn’t even care for the artist, Dwight Yokam, but Someone at work was nice enough to give my husband and I tickets). In the middle of the performance, something happened to the Bass guitar and people were running away from the stage it was so loud. They had to pause the concert for a good 20 minutes it was so loud. My husband and I were so far away we didn’t realize at the time we would become affected by this faulty equipment as well. I woke up with ringing in both ears but it was on and off. The ENT said he didn’t see anything and to come back in 3 months.

NEVER DID HE SAY STAY AWAY FROM NOISE OR WARN ME ABOUT TINNITUS (which at the time I had no idea what it was). I then saw Frank Sinatra (not a Rock or country concert but lots of orchestra) and my ears again started on and off. Finally one night I was at a pub with some friends around the CD Juke box at the time playing songs and having fun and I woke up the next day to PERMANENT RINGING .

Again, I was never even educated on Tinnitus and was so young. I was told it was Tinnitus and it would be permanent! The nurse said to me “oh honey it will be like a light bulb you will never be able to turn off”! That was how I was told that it would be forever! I had finally moved on but must admit it took a while.

Flash forward 26 years later, I had been able to deal with tinnitus , wear ear protection when needed, knew it would be worse at times of congestion and I was able to Live with it and accept it, UNTIL RECENTLY!

My current ENT (which I learned later doesn’t know how to deal with tinnitus and is rude to patients handing them a piece of paper saying; no caffeine, alcohol, chocolate etc.) Gave me an ABR (auto brain response) test, after my tinnitus seemed to be bothering me slightly more than usual, putting 95 decibels in my ear to measure brainwaves with sounds that sounded like jackhammers for almost 45 minutes! The point of the test was to rule out any tumors causing the ringing! Of course the test was done in his office so he got the money for this versus being sent out for an MRI. I almost walked out halfway through this test and I can kick myself for putting my trust in the audiologist doing the test and not walking out! It was SO LOUD and the noise was directly in my ears with headphones! She kept saying hang on, it’s almost over, I know it’s loud, you are doing well.

Well since the test (3 months ago) my tinnitus is TEN TIMES worse and I have trouble focusing, I can hear it almost over anything without many things masking it. It’s almost like starting all over again from 26 years ago as it’s a new louder, higher pitched noise!

I also have TMJ issues too and need my NTI guard adjusted. I don’t know if the TMJ is also contributing to the loud noise but this change started after this horrible test. I’m having a very hard time adjusting to the new noise and think about it Often (how can I not, it’s so very loud). I’m in the middle of acupuncture treatments which aren’t doing much.

My next step is the audiologist (who said that ABR test definitely could have affected me due to my ear sensitivity) who wants to look into hearing aids to mask the tinnitus and also make custom made ear plugs. In addition, I may seek out a TMJ treatment center.

Any advice would be appreciated as this new noise is so much higher pitched and worse than ever. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME READING THIS. I look forward to being a part of this group!

 

Thanks for posting your story, people need to know how utterly horrible ENTs are when it comes to tinnitus. I also trusted them and will pay for that mistake for the rest of my life.

 

Thanks for your response I have not met one ENT who has helped with my Tinnitus issues. The recent one I saw also told a friend of mine with tinnitus “I can’t help you, go somewhere else”. It’s so sad and I’m very sorry for what you are dealing with as well! I’m trying to get over the anger of why this happened and the anger toward the ENT but certain days it’s very frustrating and hard not to I know I need to be more positive too but some days are much harder than others. Best of luck to you too!

 

After reading your story I can only conclude that we should stay away from ENT-doctors, audiologists or any other "specialists" who have no clue what they are talking about. They can't cure tinnitus anyway, so why bother going there in the first place ? It's a waste of time, money and energy. What do you get in return ? Misery. The fact that this woman put you through such a bombardment of noise is just unheard of. She's an absolute moron, an amateur who shouldn't be working in this particular medical field. Seems like you had bad luck, sometimes life can play some cruel tricks on us. It'll probably get better, but it can take quite a while. I got my tinnitus by going into a fashion store with loud music. I was close to a speaker and stayed there just a little too long because my daughter was trying out some items. Didn't realize what the consequences could be, found out the hard way. I've had nonstop tinnitus ever since (2012). But I've learned to live with it. I just want to get on with my life, with or without tinnitus, I don't want to make it bigger than it is. I regard it as a minor discomfort, and it's just a fundamental part of my life and of who I am. Things happen for a reason, it's obviously a lesson that I still had to learn. C'est la vie. No use thinking about it, because we'll never understand why certain things happen. They just do and all we can do is accept them and give them a place in our lives.

 

Saying that he could do nothing is honest and probably the best thing to say. It's better than making random guesses and spouting nonsense like my ENT did. I wish he had said "I don't know, maybe you should be careful with headphones?" instead of encouraging me to continue using them.

 

I’m so sorry. What kind of headphones were you using? This same ENT did encourage me to still go to concerts and enjoy life as long as I wear appropriate ear plugs from beginning to end and never take them out in between. I just wish I wasn’t so stupid to take that test he gave me (even my current audiologist was annoyed when she heard he gave me that test). When I questioned him after the test indicated it was so much worse he screamed in my face! He was so rude and insensitive. I wish you all the best.

 

Peter61 thank you for your response and your positive outlook. I agree with your statement of the ENTs and their lack of knowledge! I was like you and accepted tinnitus and learned to deal with it until these recent changes which is like starting all over again with this new higher touched noise with humming as well. I wish you all the best and I am sorry for everyone who has to deal with this including yourself. Cheers to remaining positive

 

I just wanted to update that the ABR test stands for Auditory Brainstem Response Test. Do you not ever let anyone give you this kind of test , as for me, it was absolutely horrible and so terribly loud.
I also wanted to add that I have been advised by ENTs and audiologists to continue to enjoy concerts as long as I wear appropriate ear protection from beginning to end and never take them off during the show! Do any of you members agree to this and do you still go to concerts with Tinnitus?

 

You’ll get mixed responses for his question. Personally, I’ll never go to concerts again - not even with hearing protection. There are people that say you’ll be okay as long as you wear hearing protection but there are also stories of people getting worse despite wearing hearing protection.

I was told by ENTs and audiologists that I would be safe with hearing protection, I wasn’t.

At the end of the day, every person with tinnitus has to decide for themselves how much they’re willing to risk but I believe physicians aren’t aware how much of a danger concerts (and other loud events) can pose. Nonetheless, there are people with tinnitus who still enjoy concerts.

 

Ear plugs don't cut bass - low frequencies - well so that you can still get damage depending on the type of sound frequencies, even with the best plugs perfectly inserted.

I learned that the hard way myself

Find yourself other hobbies than concerts, that would be my advice. Enjoy music at home or in your car at controlled - by you - levels

I gave up firearms shooting myself, and loud clubs..still looking for a quiet night club

 

I just do not understand how these bands can be allowed to cause people hearing damage without liability. I would have immediately contacted an attorney. It would be exactly the same as if a lazer light at a performance malfunctioned and blinded a person in the audience.

Also, that audiologist story is sickening. I'd say that's clear malpractice and you should contact an attorney. Hopefully it is just a spike that will calm down.

 

Probably this depends on how damaged / sensitive your ears already have become. If you get a T spike / ear pain from a half an hour car ride then it is better to stay away from concerts, loud bars/restaurants. I will not go to these places anymore and can not understand why ENTs say it is fine to go there. Since with T our ears are already damaged and no concert is worth a further T increase.

 

When society wakes up and realizes that more times than not, doctors think they know everything but are actually extremely dangerous.

 

You should name and shame the ENT here.

 

Oh, I hope it is just a spike and that it will settle back to base for you.

As for going to concerts or any other place that might be loud, I won't do it. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way. The ear protection I was wearing, didn't helped.

And oh, I would not go back to the same audiologist.

Feel better soon.

 

Since my new tinnitus, I went to my son’s first HS band concert... did I “enjoy” it... sadly, No. the MRI tech ruined that (probably) forever.

How do you enjoy something when, because of earplugs, all you hear in your head is a high pitched siren?

 

If some outside noise mask your tinnitus, count your lucky stars.

 

ENTs are still harming people 26 years later. It is tragic. They do bad things all the time, which I also know from experience. That whole branch of medicine needs to be purged.

Have you considered seeking legal advice?

This basically sums it up for me too. Life compromised because of stupidity by "medical professionals".

Some actual ENT advice: any sound under 120db is safe.

 

The bands? What about these #$&@#$ ENT doctors!! Most of them know nothing about Tinittus except how to make it much worse. After I lost my hearing in r ear leaving me with significant Tinnitus, the ENT gave me a series of hearing exams that just about blew out my brains, whereby the examiner tells me “Yep, nobody’s home in your right ear “ ....I already toLD YOU THAT! ...Fortunaely for me, the test they gave me didn’t seem to make things worse, but for crying out loud (no pun intended), I think it will require a series of major law suits against a few of these brainless ENT docs that are responsible for assigning people to a lifetime of T torture to maybe wake these people up to the business that when someone comes in complaining of loud noise in their ears/head, the proper procedure may not be to then blast their ears with extremely loud noise!!! I hate to say it, but the only thing that might bring about more awareness with these people is.....$$$$$$$$$

 

Unlike the medical community, these bands have no underlying expectation or responsibility for your well-being.

Hippocratic Oath: “first, do no harm”

 

Welcome to the forum, Anita. I agree some ENTs don't know much about tinnitus. So sorry to hear of your misfortune with your ENT. My ENT didn't cause my tinnitus worse. He simply didn't know how to counsel a desperate new tinnitus patient. He told me that the only way to stop my tinnitus is to shoot me. Gosh! He literally was suggesting some dark ideas to me how to end my suffering.

My tinnitus is ultra high pitched. I could hear it over the jet noise in flights and over the raging, roaring rapids on the wild salmon rivers I fish. So you have my empathy. Besides I also have bad hyperacusis besides T. Both of them turned me into a mess. I suffered relentless anxiety and panic attacks from them. I never thought I could recover but today I live a normal, happy, productive and absolutely enjoyable life, travelling the world often. I wrote my success story sharing some helpful insights. Check it out to see if it will help you. Take care. God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

 

HI @Anita2020

The recent change in your noise induced tinnitus I suspect is caused by sound or stress and not by an underlying medical condition or TMJ. This type of tinnitus usually becomes worse because a person subjects themselves to overly loud sounds or using headphones. If you go to concerts or visit clubs where loud music is played, it can cause the tinnitus to spike and increase which may not return to its previous baseline level. Even when wearing earplugs this is no guarantee that you will be safe from external sound causing irritation to the auditory system.

If you have been using headphones especially regularly, this can make tinnitus worse for some people with noise induced tinnitus, even when the volume is kept low. Loud music or headphone use are the most common causes of making tinnitus worse for people with NIT.

In your post you have stated the following which I have highlighted and want to comment on, as I feel it's important: My current ENT (which I learned later doesn’t know how to deal with tinnitus and is rude to patients handing them a piece of paper saying; no caffeine, alcohol, chocolate etc.

Some people believe ENT doctors know how to treat tinnitus and they are specialists in this condition. However, nothing more could be further from the truth as you have come to realize. The truth of the matter is this: ENT doctors are physicians that treat underlying medical problems within the auditory system that is causing the tinnitus, they are not tinnitus experts. Their job is to treat the Ear, Nose and Throat, medically or surgically and I like to think, most will try to do this well as this is their area of expertise.

My ENT consultant is an Audiovestibular physician and has a Phd. I have a good rapport with her and was told, ENT doctors treat underlying medical problems within the auditory system that is causing the tinnitus. After hearing tests and MRI scans are done, if the cause of the tinnitus is found to be Noise induced, the patient is referred to Audiology to see either a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that specialises in Tinnitus and Hyperacusis management and treatment. These health professionals often (but not always) were either born with tinnitus or acquired it at some time in their life. They usually have a good understanding of tinnitus and this is helpful particularly when giving counselling, as part of TRT, CBT etc. The Hearing Therapist that I had for TRT was born with tinnitus.

Michael

 

Is there any way to file a complaint? Subjecting someone with tinnitus to sounds of 95 dB should be a crime.

 

Wow thank you all so much for your input, your articles/threads you shared and your advice. ❤️I’m about to read some attachments some of you sent and I’m so grateful for this resource and the info. My heart is truly warmed that you all took the time to respond and help me! I love this forum as I don’t feel as alone. Thank you for taking the time as It’s so hard for my family and friends to understand how debilitating this is. As I said in my very first post, the recent spike in my high pitched tone of my noise induced tinnitus has gone up so badly I truly feel like I am going to go insane at times! I really feel like I’m dealing with this all over again like 26 years ago. I also have a loud humming which is new.

The First question, nothing do with tinnitus but technology, how do I respond to each person individually when they post a response to me? I don’t see a reply option after each of your posts? Do I reply by @ and the user name? Sorry for my lack of technology, lol!

Secondly, some have mentioned the legality option and believe me I have considered it but I feel that since Tinnitus cannot he measured, that I wouldn’t stand a chance in a lawsuit. My daughter is about to receive her doctorate degree in Physical Therapy, and she too even said along with my husband that I would never stand a chance as well.

Thirdly, what are some earplugs you have used that you recommend? I know many have said they don’t help for concerts but there are times we need the ear protection in any given emergency situation. Currently I have Vibes (from the ENT) and Dubs. Does anyone use them when blow drying their hair? For those that still go to concerts, what do you use?

Fourth: what nature sounds/masking machines do you use that you recommend. I never needed anything for sleeping but this new much higher pitch is so loud with the new humming it’s make sleep an issue.

Fifth: the concert issue, I used to still be able to go to concerts and I loved that I could get so lost in the moment and not have any other cares in the world and not hear this annoying high pitches squealing noise. I love music so much but now with this recent development from the ABR test I had, I’m very nervous to do it again. I’m so angry and feel so stupid that I even let them test me like that without knowing exactly what they were doing. I asked the ENT and he said it’s a simple test even given to babies, to measure your brainwaves and it won’t hurt at all!! Omg I Should have ran out the minute I heard the first series of noise that sounded like jackhammers in my head! 95 decibels !! How can they do that to a Tinnitus patient is just besides me!

I return to acupuncture tomorrow after a two week break but I don’t think it’s helping me and may end it soon. It’s been six visits which is usually the magic number to know if it’s going to help. My acupuncturist’s husband has severe tinnitus as does the receptionist so it’s nice to talk to them too as they can relate as well. MY acupuncturist feels she can at least get rid of the humming after a few more times so I will continue just for a bit.

Has anyone tried hearing aids with masking sounds in them?

Thanks again and I wish all of you a Happy New Year.

 

@Anita2020

Using the @ and username the person that you are responding to will receive an alert message. You can also click on the word Quote, on the bottom right hand side of the person's message box. After you have completed your reply and click on Post reply, the person will receive an alert message. You can click on a person's Avatar and a box will appear, allowing you to send a private message if this is enabled.

Proving someone in the medical profession made your tinnitus worse through negligence is not easy, so I advise you to think very carefully about taking legal action. You could wind up giving greedy lawyers plenty of money, who know full well you haven't got a chance winning such a case. I once counselled someone that tried suing his dentist, as he believed made his tinnitus worse. He gave lawyers close to £7,000. When he ran out of money the case was dropped.

Earplugs have their use but they are not the answer if you have oversensitivity to sound namely hyperacusis. The answer is treatment. Please click on the link below and read my post: Hyperacusis, As I see it.

Tinnitus should not be masked. By this I mean the tinnitus should not be covered up by any sound so that it can't be heard. If you do this, your brain will never learn how to habituate to the tinnitus. Masking is now replaced with the term: Sound enrichment. The sound should be set slightly lower than the tinnitus. It is not a good idea to sleep in a quiet room. More about his is explained in the links below. Sound machines by the company called: Oasis, as the best, as they are made specifically for people with tinnitus. Model S-650 is popular and is mentioned in the links below.

As I have explained in my post above. I believe the increase in your tinnitus is caused by sound. If you regularly go to places where loud music is present or use headphones, one or both of these activities has caused your tinnitus to increase. More is explained in the links below.

Hearing loss can make tinnitus worse and often, the fitting of a hearing aid/s will help to lower the tinnitus over time. They should not be used unless a person has hearing impairment. White noise generators can be used to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis. They should be used under the guidance of a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist, that specialises in tinnitus and hyperacusis treatment and management.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

 

@Anita2020
Michael, I cannot thank you enough for the wealth of information you have provided me with. I am still reading through it all and want to take my time to absorb it all but wanted to thank you so much! You have given me hope and insight and technical advice as well on this site. You are a gem and I appreciate all your time. I’m going to read all the threads you have provided me with and get back to you. Thanks for shining some light on this terrible “newer” experience I am faced to deal with. It’s controlling my thought process and driving me nuts. But I now have more hope and am grateful for you reaching out. Take care and I’ll correspond soon, Anita 2020

HI @Anita2020

You are very welcome and thank you so much for your kind comments. You have the right attitude by taking your time and reading through my articles. That way you will absorb all the information instead of skimming through them as some people do.

If you have anymore question please ask, either I or someone else on the forum will hopefully be able to help.
Take care and all the best

Michael

 

Thank you @billie48 ! Wow your ENT certainly did give some dark advice! That’s horrible! I’m currently reading your attachments and want to take my time reading and absorbing it all. Thank you so much for reaching out! My T is ultra high pitched aa well! This newer volume of the high pitch is so horrible I really don’t know how I can get through it but with this valuable forum and people like you and the others who have reached out, I’m finding more hope In this debilitating situation! Thank you so very much! I began reading re your success story. How did you shift the energy to the positive direction . What are the first steps in doing so? I want to be positive and get through this but it’s tough! I believe I have hyperacusis as well which is new along with a humming in the back of my head . Noises and sounds are becoming so sensitive. My husband now knows to make sure I’m out of the room when he uses the ice maker as thats a killer . I will get back to you when I sort through the threads but wanted to say thank you me thank you to everyone else reaching out! ❤️

 

Thanks Michael There is so much valuable information you provided me with that there is no way I want to skim this as I want to absorb each precious piece of info you provided me and many others with. I’m going to jot some notes and get back to you soon. Your time and dedication to me and many others is so admirable! Thank you!