Tinnitus in Right Ear and Desperately Seeking Some Reassurance

Hi guys,

I have been suffering from very light tinnitus basically my whole life. Only hear it in complete silence and the volume has always been almost so low that I barely notice it, but just a week ago I woke up from sleeping in the morning one day and noticed a piercing loud noise in my right ear. Every day since a week ago it has not gone away.

I am terrified and am starting to feel suicidal, the loudness in my right ear is about a 6 out of 10, so I can hear it even over the top of quiet background noises like quiet talking and background traffic.

I'm just wondering if there is any way I can try to find something to quiet it down. I am already playing rainforest music every night to get me to sleep, but am wondering if an MRI would help? As I've heard unilateral tinnitus can mean that there could be a growth in the brain or ear canal causing it?

I am at a healthy weight of 50kg. I am 165cm tall. I don't drink coffee or anything containing caffeine, my blood pressure is within normal ranges. I've tried B12 and fresh turmeric.

I did have severe breast pain after my period which is not common and had never happened to me before and am thinking I have imbalanced hormones, the pain prompted me to take paracetamol which has codeine for a few days and am thinking maybe this has made the ringing loud? But I stopped taking them about 4 days ago now, still the ringing persists. Is paracetamol ototoxic?

I have been suffering from psoriasis for 7 years, could this suddenly be related to systemic inflammation?

I am thinking of taking prednisone, has anyone had any luck with it? I am just scared because I've heard of people's ringing getting worse afterward.

Thanks.

 

Hey Lulu!

Sorry to hear about your tinnitus. Now, I think it is very important that you go see a doctor about this. The doctor might not give you any answers, but it will give you a feeling that something is being done about this situation. I suggest going to an ear doctor so you can make sure there is nothing wrong with your ears.

Often tinnitus will get worse at first, because you notice it more and start panicking. After that it will get better!! I suggest you try making music playlist full of your favorite songs and if the tinnitus starts bothering you during the day, listen to your playlists. Start exercising a bit more and take vitamins. You said you've started B12 vitamins, that is good! You should also start magnesium. One thing I've noticed that helps with my tinnitus is ASMR videos, so you might wanna look into them. Also, one important thing is your posture and neck! For me, tinnitus is connected to my neck pains so going to a massage helps.

Try to keep calm. Even though this is horrifying and you might feel hopeless, do not lose hope yet! Your tinnitus might disappear after a few weeks. You might get used to it completely. I've suffered from tinnitus for over a year now and I've noticed it DOES get better.

If none of these things help and if tinnitus last more than 4 weeks, you might wanna think about an MRI, either for your brain or your spine. Know that you're not alone and things can get better. Also, if your tinnitus lasts more that 3 months you might wanna consider psychotherapy, because some people have benefited from it.

I wish you all the best

 

There are pros and cons to everything. If you feel you need an MRi scan then have one, but be warned that they can make tinnitus worse. I had an MRI scan, nothing was found, but my tinnitus became worse.

 

Where you able to cope with the MRI? Were you ok after the MRI? It's very loud!

 

I could cope with going in the tunnel, yes. It's very loud, yes. I really would advise anybody not to get an MRI unless it's felt to be absolutely necessary. This especially goes for tinnitus sufferers.

 

I was afraid that would be the answer. The thing is.. most likely an MRI is going to reveal nothing. But, what if there is something that can be fixed?

 

Sounds like what I went thru with the stress, anxiety, and panic of suddenly getting tinnitus in late July. I was hospitalized for a TIA a couple weeks ago because I could not cope. So, if you keep focusing on the tinnitus, it will only get worse for you mentally, emotionally, and possibly physically as it did for me. There is a lot of good information in the above posts. I saw my GP after two weeks of having continuous bilateral tinnitus and was then referred to an Audiologist for a hearing test (there are different hearing tests designed to test different frequencies - try all of them), an ENT, and a Neurologist. A visit to a GP for a general health check and Audiologist to test your hearing are probably your first steps. The GP will probably refer to you other specialists if necessary (at least that's how it work in the USA).

I would definitely recommend an MRI (to check for tumors and acoustic neuromas especially if you have past head or neck injuries) as well as an MRA and MRV which image the major arteries and smaller veins (all done in the MRI machine) in the brain. Partially clots or blockages of any of these will decrease the flow of oxygenated blood to the ear or other parts of the brain and potentially could cause tinnitus. I had all three, and while loud (still wear ear protection), did not spike or increase my T at all.

I would also recommend you get some blood work done - (1) Complete Blood Count to check RBC. WBC, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin, and Platelets (to test for hematological problems that could cause tinnitus such as primary, secondary, or stress polycythemia); (2) Vitamin B-12 (deficiency can cause tinnitus and also pin-and-needles feeling in your hands and feet - I had this as well); (3) Blood Glucose/A1C to check for diabetes or pre-diabetes (https://www.signiausa.com/blog/diabetes-subjective-tinnitus/ and also there are some good posts on TinnitusTalk about diabetes and tinnitus); (4) Complete Metabolic Panel to check blood electrolytes, and liver and kidney markers (liver and kidney problems can cause tinnitus); and (5) Serum Iron and TIBC (iron overload and iron deficiency can develop into conditions that cause tinnitus as well).

If you sleep in unusual positions every night and the volume/pitch/sound of your tinnitus changes when moving your jaw, head, or neck, I would also see a chiropractor or physical therapist to check for misalignment between the base of the skull and neck/spine via neck/spine x-ray or MRI and a neuromuscular dentist to check for TMJ issues as these often go together. If you clench or grind your teeth at night, TMJ is definitely something worth looking into. After being released from the hospital, I got my best diagnosis and imaging for my tinnitus so far from a neuromuscular dentist and chiropractor. I am 90% sure my tinnitus is caused by some combination of muscular-skeletal issues related to my jaw and neck problems.

I am not too familiar with the meds you are taking, but check to see if anything is ototoxic and stop any that are immediately. Inflammation can cause tinnitus as well. I have inflammation in my sinuses, jaw joints, and neck that all seem to be related to my TMJ and neck issues. If you are concerned about inflammation, try eating an anti-inflammatory diet for a couple weeks and see if it helps. These are just some of the things I would try. Tinnitus itself does not occur on its own, but it usually a symptom of an underlying condition. Make a list of potential causes and match them against your own health history, and if something lines up, it is probably worth investigating. However, be sure not to enter a state of psychosis and start to self-diagnose (this put me in the hospital).

A few useful posts for your moment of zen that have helped me -

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-cured-no-bs.10046/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...itus-recently-this-info-will-be-useful.25741/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/what-i-did-to-cure-my-tinnitus.15387/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-started-recently-—-i-need-to-know-how-others-are-living-with-this.34853/

What works for someone does not always work for others as T really is a case-by-case condition for people, but at a minimum, make lifestyle changes and take daily steps to relax like meditation or yoga. Good Luck!