Tinnitus Getting Worse — Original Cause Headphones? Benzos? Ciprofloxacin? NSAIDs?

Hello, I started with tinnitus (mild) 3 months ago. It might be because I have listened to music occasionally and played games with headphones. But I also took benzos, ototoxic meds (Ciprofloxacin and NSAIDs) so I don't know the cause exactly...

A few things might worsened my tinnitus during November (but I was mostly protecting my ears). But since December I have been protecting my ears everytime I go out, 0 headphones/ music, and I had 1 incident 3 weeks ago of a smoke detector that made 2 beeps for no reason I think was around 85 dB. Even before this I was still worsening for no reason...

What I do not understand is why my tinnitus is getting worse almost on a daily basis if I am home with earmuffs 24/7, I do not use headphones / listen to any kind of audio. I sleep with earmuffs now. 3 weeks ago I was sleeping with earmuffs and earplugs, but now my tinnitus is way too loud to do that. I had an audiogram which was normal...

I wish someone could help me because the tinnitus I have is way way worse now than it was in November (now it's severe/catastrophic...), I'm tortured 24/7 and I am feeling really hopeless and desperate to at least, stop it from progressing.

Thank you.

 

Welcome to the forum.

Have you seen an ENT to rule out any problems with the ears? Are you still using those ototoxic drugs? Tinnitus can be caused by many other reasons other than drug side effect or loud noise exposure. How about stress and anxiety? Those can aggravate tinnitus too. There is also the possible issue of sound sensitivity by too much protection from normal ambient sounds around you. Any reason why you wear earmuffs 7/24?

 

Stop using earmuffs if you can. They worsen the tinnitus even further when the brain has no other sounds to focus on. Try a radio at low volume? Buy some Lego? Keep the brain busy with other things.

I had bad tinnitus since Oct 1st 2021, but now it's almost gone. Had 5 days with no tinnitus. I stopped focusing on it and the stress levels dropped, and after some weeks I got better.

No hearing loss. A whole lot of clubbing and DJing for many years caused my tinnitus, but could be stress induced as well.

 

Thank you. I might try stop using earmuffs but not sure because my street is a bit noisy since cars/motorbikes are passing... I hope that will stop it from getting worse...

 

Do you have a decibel meter? What is the decibel level of traffic inside your house? Do you leave your windows open? I would advise leaving your windows closed if possible and not wear earmuffs unless you are outside or doing a task that has a risk of noise exposure. I think it's okay to wear the earmuffs while cooking or cleaning as there is always a risk of dropping something or knocking something over during those activities.

 

@billie48, I have seen an ENT a week ago. They found no issues. Normal audiogram also. Not sure if I am stressed, maybe. I definitely was in a lot of stress before I got mild tinnitus. For anxiety, I took Lorazepam 1-2 mg for 11 days, and stopped it. I had mild withdrawal symptoms and developed tinnitus 4 days after... I was told the withdrawal was anxiety and the psychiatrist put me back on Diazepam for 2 weeks (5 mg/day). After 3 weeks of being Diazepam free I had one night where the tinnitus was really the quietest it had been since the worsening that began in November. After that the psychiatrist put me on Fluvoxamine (for OCD/anxiety, which I took only for 10 days) and Diazepam. I did not want to take the Diazepam, since I told him I do not want my tinnitus to worsen, but he insisted... So I took 5 mg/day, had to reduce to 2.5 mg at 3rd day since I was feeling drowsy, and then I reduced doses slowly... But I took 2.5 mg once after and 5 mg 3 weeks ago, because I was so anxious. So I don't know if I kindled there? I told my psychiatrist about it but he ignored it... Although even before I remember I was worsening day after day...

I don't know about earmuffs. I wear them because the noise on the street (cars/motorbikes)...

I also forgot to tell you, I now have a lot of tones (surely more than 8 tones). I had only 2 tones when all this began... Everyday is simply a living hell for me... I am soo desperate to stop the progressing...

I do not take any other drugs at all now, I haven't for months.

Thank you.

@kingsfan Hi, I do not have any decibelmeter, the decibel X app shows 20-40 dB or so, even when traffic passes by It is not more tan 50 dB. My windows are always closed ( drowns out about 20 dB or so...).
Thank you.

 

Hi @DocTors_94, 50 dB should not damage your hearing. A typical conversation is 60dB. I think you should follow @kingsfan's advice and ditch the earmuffs unless cooking/cleaning.

Are you sensitive to sound? Does 50dB seem loud to you? Or are you just afraid of worsening?

 

Thank you for replying. I am afraid of worsening, maybe sound sensitive too. I hardly took the double protection out. I do not really know how the heck I am worsening so much each day... I am starting to really panic, if it goes like this I am not going to win this battle... Scared to death... My tinnitus is already freaking loud. I just need it to STOP further worsening.

 

Hey @DocTors_94.

Sorry for the delay. I am not really the best person to speak to about continued worsening and I hope others will weigh in here. Mine did get worse for about 2 months but has remained relatively stable since.

You may just be over protecting which is causing you to focus in on the noise? 50 dB shouldn’t cause any permanent damage to your hearing.

Have you spoken to your doctor? You could discuss medication to help with the anxiety. Anxiety can increase or in some cases cause tinnitus.

I hope you’re doing a bit better.

 

I have lost everything because of tinnitus. I have not a single joy left. I am still worsening almost on a daily basis. The suffering today is just too much. What can I do? I am extremely feared for the future. I am fighting this beast as much as I can, but the tears and regrets are too much to handle. A lot of regret, since my decisions brought me be here, where I am. I will never forgive myself. I am only 27. I had a bright future and screwed it all up... I honestly wish I was dead. This is pure senseless 24/7 torture...

 

I felt like this for the first 6 months. Nothing to be done, you just have to wait it out.

Are you sleeping?

 

Hi @DocTors_94. Lorazepam, even at lower doses, is a powerful drug with nasty side effects and withdrawal symptoms. Some people have reported withdrawal symptoms after using it for a short period of time and when they stopped taking it. So, you took it (1-2mg, right?) for 11 days and did you stop it cold turkey? Tinnitus is a common withdrawal symptom when stopping or weaning off Ativan (Lorazepam). It usually occurs for those who have been taking it for a long period of time but it also happens after taking the drug for just a few weeks or even days, as well as when certain tolerance is reached at some point. It works fine for some people but it's a nightmare for others, turning its unpredictability into something dangerous. I know a few tinnitus sufferers who just took Lorazepam (0.5 mg) for 2 / 3 weeks "when needed" and developed such nasty condition when they stopped taking it.

As far as I'm concerned, your tinnitus is benzo-induced. It might seem crazy after just 11 days, but it's completely plausible. Are you doing better at the minute? Hope your tinnitus fades away soon. Hang in there, the first months are really difficult but you will get over it. Keep us updated. Cheers, mate.

 

Stop fear mongering. It is impossible for you, or for those providing such anecdotes following a limited short course, to say whether they are experiencing withdrawal or simply a return of their anxiety in absence of the medication. Are you a doctor?

Advising caution is one thing, but I don't think anyone is unaware of the risks posed by benzos at this point.

 

You don't need to be a doctor to truly understand the side effects of benzos and their withdrawal symptoms. If you think taking such lower doses for a short period of time might not cause problems, tinnitus included, then you don't really know how powerful these drugs are. If you stop taking them cold turkey following a limited short course you can perfectly suffer awful withdrawal symptoms, even doing a taper. Definitely I am not a doctor and I don't prescribe benzos like candies like they do.