Tinnitus Moving From Ears to Head

I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone and if it got better for them. I got tinnitus and hyperacusis almost a month ago due to acoustic trauma in my ear. That ear rang shrilly for over two weeks, then the ringing moved to my other ear. Now sometimes they both ring faintly or are almost silent. The tinnitus that's started up now seems to be an electronic buzz in my head. Sometimes this sensation easier to ignore than shrill ear ringing, but it's less easy to mask completely than a distinct noise coming from my ears.

The ENT seems to think the ear injury is healing but since the tinnitus is "centralizing" it's becoming more of a chronic situation. He said I should habituate to it in a few months (assuming it stays like this). I don't know why this is happening but I did have a lot of anxiety and stress particularly when I was taking steroid medication, so maybe that upset had a hand in how my brain is responded to the injury.

Basically I'm wondering what I can do now, since it's only been a few days that I've noticed it moving from my ears to my head. I tell myself don't panic, even when I sense the buzzing over noise, that I will get used to it. Avoid silence, exercise, take the sleeping medication, avoid loud noise (easier said than done in a large city). I've considered going the antidepressant route. I'm not sure how to help my poor brain and I recover at this new stage, and I admit, I'm discouraged and a little scared.

 

@Bells Please don't worry! Centralization is a normal phenomenon with tinnitus, even for those whose ears still ring. It is too soon to know if you'll become chronic. "Chronic" is defined as having tinnitus for more than a year; right now, you're in the "acute" phase--and that means the tinnitus may still go away. After three months, you'll enter the "subacute" phase, which lasts until the "chronic" phase enters at one year.

Please know that tinnitus has a strong emotional component, and worrying will only help reinforce the sound in your brain. If, despite your best efforts, your tinnitus does become chronic know too that over ninety percent of people habituate and the sound either goes away or becomes unimportant--like a refrigerator running in the background.

For now, I would be aggressive in treating it--but not so aggressive all I did was worry! First, I would look into HBOT. Your trauma is very new and that's when HBOT is most effective. Of course, the therapy is not covered by insurance, and this is probably the major reason why most people don't participate in this therapy. Second, where do you live? If it's in the US, Auris Medical will hold a clinical trial for acute tinnitus (up to three months) in December. You'll be slightly out of that window, but perhaps you can find a physician who'll work with you. This treatment definately works for people with early onset tinnitus and probably works for later onset, though perhaps not as well. Third, I'd try some type of sound therapy. You can look up the various threads on TT on this treatment. If you have any hearing loss, sound therapy delivered through hearing aids is the best. If you don't have hearing loss, you should try to match your sound if possible. Audionotch provides a tool for this. Once you have the tone, I believe @Steve H might help you with a sound selection. If he's no longer doing this, then use the Audionotch site. In addition, please keep yourself surrounded by soft background noises, even when you sleep. It helps your brain "forget" the tinnitus sound. Finally, there's lots of information on TT about supplements to help you sleep along with treating your tinnitus. The supplements won't get rid of your tinnitus, but they might lessen it.

And, if you're still very anxious or depressed, see a physician and ask about antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications. Again, TT provides a great place to do your research. Also read information about cognitive behavioral therapy, which also treats anxiety.

So there's lots you can do! Don't feel helpless. You will get better!

Here's the clinicla trials link:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01803646?term=tinnitus&recr=Open&rank=18

Here are two HBOT links from TT:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy.211/page-10#post-17483

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/kevin-hogan-recovered-after-2-5-years.555/page-4

 

I have the same experience as you. Damaged my ear two weeks ago when I was diving. The ENT said barotrauma and good luck.

When there is no sounds around, my ringing tends to be less aggressive and move more towards the center of my head. Same as you. If I go out, like in traffic, the ringing goes loud again, but only in my right ear.

 

@Steve H I am interested in sound therapy. The ringing I still have seems to be around 4kHzgive or take depending on the ear. The central buzzing is hard to quantify. Has the audionotch program helped?

Thanks @jazz. The trials sound interesting. I have asked two ENTs about HBOT and they wouldn't prescribe it. One didn't really know about it, the other said it only works in cases of sudden hearing loss, which I don't have. But there was 10 decibel difference between my ears on the test so I may have some. Since my tinnitus has started moving around from the site of the injury, I'm not sure if it's kicked off some other process at this point. The six week window thing does stress me out a little.

@meeruf I'm through with ENTs for this problem. Beyond checking the structure of your ear is intact, they've been of no use.

 

Thanks @Steve H this looks interesting, I will give it a read... I keep hearing different tones so let me see if one decides to stick around....