Tinnitus for a Month, Ear Infection Two Weeks Ago, Possible Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

I developed buzzing/hiss in my ear about a month ish ago. It was really bad when it first started. I went to the doctor that week and they said they saw nothing.

After a week or two I went to the ENT who said everything was good. Hearing was good for my age (I’m 27). He did say maybe I had eustachian tube dysfunction because recently allergies have been killing me. He prescribed me prednisone.

Anyway, ya, I have mild pressure (kind of changes daily), some sinus pressure (also changes daily). I hear some crackles when I swallow/usually it’s worse in the morning.

I did go urgent care about 2 weeks ago and I had an ear infection.

I’m not really sure how to cope or what to think. The noises change a lot and fluctuate in sounds. Is that normal? Is that a good sign or a bad sign? How am I suppose to live the rest of my life? I’m so young.

 

Most of us do. It is even likely that many healthy people have that and are not noticing it.

It means that you are fortunate to not be among the group whose tinnitus is relentlessly at the same volume level. It's a good sign. Try to get a sense of your typical volume level these days. If it seems to fade and decrease over the next 2-3 months, then it ought to continue to fade (provided you don't harm your ears by, for example, being exposed to loud noises) and eventually you ought to get to that "can hear it only in quiet rooms" stage, or even get to hear silence again.

For now it is reasonable to assume that your tinnitus will eventually fade. Many people whose tinnitus is a result of an ear infection report tinnitus fading months after they get rid of their ear infection. Ears take forever to heal, so don't assume that what you are hearing now is what you will end up being stuck with.

You will want to make sure that you don't hurt your ears during this period of vulnerability as your body is healing. You will want to ensure that you avoid taking ototoxic drugs, that you don't have microsuction done (if you need to clean wax out of your ears; a manual tool should be used), and that you don't have your dental hygienist doesn't use an ultrasonic scaling tool on you (a manual tool should be used). For more details, see

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

 

@Bill Bauer not to pick your brain, but why is changing good? It was really bad at first like a ear percent ringing... that changed a lot. Now it just changes a lot... sometimes a faint ring sometimes a hiss sometimes a little of both. Sometimes it’s a static sound. I did have a brief silent day but it came back after I slept... I guess I just don’t understand why it changes. Is there reasoning behind that?

 

@Bill Bauer sometimes it seems to change in ears too. Sometimes it’s but sometimes it’s the left or right ear. Is that normal...?

 

There are two possibilities - tinnitus that's relentlessly at the same level (those people seldom experience fading) and tinnitus that is volatile (many of those people get better). If you plot the volume vs. time, you will normally get either a horizontal line (horrible) or a volatile line that resembles a stock price chart. What matters on that chart is the monthly trend and the global lows. What happens on an hourly or daily basis is irrelevant. Retracements are common and are to be expected. If the monthly trend is downward when you are 3-9 months in, you are in a good shape.

A ring changing to a hiss is a Major improvement. Many people who eventually get to the "can hear it only in quiet room" stage experience that switch to a hiss after 3 or more months. It is wonderful that you are already down to a hiss. It can be hard to be sure whether one's tinnitus is fading (as you have to compare your sound today to what you remember it being months ago), but a switch to a hiss is an unmistakable sign of fading. Also that "faint ring" sounds like a pretty good global low. Even if it gets louder in the months to come, it ought to eventually come down to that faint ring and then a faint hiss. You need to be patient (and make sure to not hurt your ears again), but it looks like you are in a terrific shape.

It never just switches off and stays off. It also never just gradually fades. It's usually volatile.

Tinnitus is produced by the brain, and the brain is the most complex object in the known universe. It doesn't help that there haven't been many studies into this. So we have to rely on observations (and unfortunately those observations are biased, but that's the best we've got).

 

Normally if it starts in one ear, eventually it spreads to the other ear. For most people it just stays in both ears. It sounds like a good development that for you it isn't always in both ears.

 

@Bill Bauer so Tinnitus isn’t produced by the ears? So ear infection or this Eustachian tube dysfunction thing couldn’t have caused it? Mine does change a lot, usually day to day I notice changes. It was worse a week or two ago. It’d mostly a static sound that seeks to fade a bit and turn into a hiss...I'm waiting for that permanent hiss sound. Trying to keep my hopes up but it’s been extremely rough. I was recently provided Xanax but a little nervous to take it, from things I’ve read about it on here..

It makes me a little more positive to know that the sounds changing could be a good sign..

 

One theory is that when those hair cells that make hearing possible die suddenly, the brain neurons that had been getting signals from those cells react to no longer getting a signal by getting stuck in a loop that the sufferer perceives as sound. Brain plasticity helps explain why some people's tinnitus ends up fading.

I don't know how the doctors explain tinnitus due to an ear infection or ETD. Perhaps that theory also involves brain neurons.

Unlike many people here, you are making a fast recovery.

Imagine how it is for the people whose tinnitus is either not fading or is much slower to fade compared to your tinnitus. It sounds like you are now where many people get to after 6-18 months of healing.

Only take it as a last resort.

 

@Bill Bauer i understand. I don’t know though, I still don’t always feel like I’m healing I’m just trying to remain positive. It’s still there and I can still here it. But thank you for your output.

 

If it hasn't gone away after a month, it isn't going to go away any time soon. But the good news is that it looks like in a year or two you will be feeling a lot better.

 

@Bill Bauer I’m still so scared and anxious...seems to change a lot day too day..

 

That's normal. The first 3-6 months are the worst.

Check out the poll that I had created back when I was about 3 months in:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...-make-you-wail-and-weep-uncontrollably.21797/

 

@Bill Bauer also, I keep reading about HBOT sessions... is that for sudden hearing loss only? Or all tinnitus cases?

 

@Bill Bauer sorry to bother you once again, you’re the only one who has reached out to me. I’m having so much anxiety today, tinnitu is ringing now... seems like it’s constantly changing and I’m so scared. How am I suppose to go on with my life?

 

I feel the same way. Tinnitus is making my life hell. May end up costing me my job. Thank God I just finished grad school before this happened or I would have had to drop out. I'm four months into this hell.

 

Ugh I’m so sorry I know how hard it is, if you ever need to talk to someone feel free to message me.

 

Mine just started 3.5 weeks ago.
My first week, I wanted to end my life, but I realized I was thinking irrationally.
That being said, I'm 61 and not even sure how/why this all started.
Though it has not been professionally diagnosed, I believe I have TMJD and heard T can stem from that.
I also hurt my back (CNA work) 3 years ago, which I've also learned can have a connection.
Mine started out what "I" thought to be loud..but then calmed to a bacon sizzling, radiator hiss style sound.
I started taking supplements, Magnesium Glycinate, Licithin, Zinc, etc..
But, I also have temple/top of head and behind eyes, head pain so an RN coworker of mine swears by CBD and told me to rub some of her CBD gel into my temples.
O..M..G... It was like heaven.
The pain subsided and I was ecstatic.
Until my T changed in volume and at times sound.
Mostly 24/7 it's a hissing (radiator steam leak or a box of snakes), but at times, periodically throughout the days, it'll become a high pitched sick sounding tea kettle and the volume is greater now than when it all started on April 5th.
I went to an acute care doctor, since all dr. offices are closed except for emergency needs and he did see fluid behind my ear drum and is the one that found the popping of my jaw.
Haven't seen an ENT yet, because of our lockdown here.
I know I'm not young, but I feel as scared as a frightened child living with this.
I miss my silent days sitting on the front porch hearing nothing the beauty of birds chirping and other beautiful nature.
This is so not fair.

 

It is really scary, I’m 26 and literally don’t understand. I haven’t been subjected to loud noises and don’t ever use headphones and if I did, it was rarely. It’s really hard but some days are better then others I just try to stay positive as much as I can now. I’m sorry you’re also going through this and here if you ever need to talk.

 

@Nothisispatrick consider trying the Neti-pot, it has helped me with ETD symptoms (e.g. crackling and clicking sounds) and tinnitus, see this thread https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/neti-pot-for-eustachian-tube.16333/#post-458981

 

@Nothisispatrick, I’m 21, I’ve looked after my ears all my life and I suddenly have tinnitus that sounds almost identical to yours. I think I have allergies which caused ear, nose and throat inflammation but I’ve had tinnitus on and off now for just over a month. Occasionally it gets loud enough to interrupt conversation and other times I can’t hear it at all for several days. It changes frequently like static and hisses sometimes... it’s so odd. It seemed to come out of nowhere and slowly get worse over the first two weeks.