Hi all,
I've had some mild tinnitus in my left ear for about ten years. It never really impacted my quality of life much, but I was always aware of it.
Last month, I attended a sporting event where people were using noisemakers, and I didn't have my earplugs with me. Afterward, I noticed a decline in hearing in my left ear, and the tinnitus became slightly worse. I went to an ENT, and they prescribed 60 mg of Prednisone for seven days, followed by a taper.
While I was on the Prednisone, the tinnitus became much worse. It turned into a very loud, high-pitched "ssshhhh" sound with added pressure. I also experienced common side effects such as fatigue, blurry vision, shakiness, and more. I did a moderate taper, going from 60 to 40 mg, then two days at 20 mg, one day at 10 mg, and then stopped. The ENT said that was acceptable.
This past Friday, they also gave me a dexamethasone injection in my ear. I have not noticed any improvement in the hearing loss, and I am now on day two of being off Prednisone. I went back to the ENT yesterday in a panic about the tinnitus. I refused any further injections.
The ENT said he believes the tinnitus will calm down and that both Prednisone and the injection can sometimes make it worse temporarily. He advised giving it time, and said it should improve.
However, I am very scared because I have read about people whose tinnitus got permanently worse after using steroids. I am hoping others can share their experiences and offer some insight.
How long does the increased tinnitus from Prednisone typically last?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I've had some mild tinnitus in my left ear for about ten years. It never really impacted my quality of life much, but I was always aware of it.
Last month, I attended a sporting event where people were using noisemakers, and I didn't have my earplugs with me. Afterward, I noticed a decline in hearing in my left ear, and the tinnitus became slightly worse. I went to an ENT, and they prescribed 60 mg of Prednisone for seven days, followed by a taper.
While I was on the Prednisone, the tinnitus became much worse. It turned into a very loud, high-pitched "ssshhhh" sound with added pressure. I also experienced common side effects such as fatigue, blurry vision, shakiness, and more. I did a moderate taper, going from 60 to 40 mg, then two days at 20 mg, one day at 10 mg, and then stopped. The ENT said that was acceptable.
This past Friday, they also gave me a dexamethasone injection in my ear. I have not noticed any improvement in the hearing loss, and I am now on day two of being off Prednisone. I went back to the ENT yesterday in a panic about the tinnitus. I refused any further injections.
The ENT said he believes the tinnitus will calm down and that both Prednisone and the injection can sometimes make it worse temporarily. He advised giving it time, and said it should improve.
However, I am very scared because I have read about people whose tinnitus got permanently worse after using steroids. I am hoping others can share their experiences and offer some insight.
How long does the increased tinnitus from Prednisone typically last?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
