Tinnitus Started 10 Days After Being Rear Ended — Post-Concussion Syndrome?

I'm glad I have access to this group. Tinnitus Talk is a true blessing. I just wanted to say hello and hope everyone's tinnitus is not as loud today.

My story: I was rear ended October 26 and 10 days later my ears start ringing. After doing tons of research, I think I have post traumatic concussion syndrome (it's typical for symptoms to show up 1 or 2 weeks after trauma). X-rays showed no damage to neck and tinnitus is not affected when I move my neck.

What's weird is that my neck does make a grinding noise when I tilt it in any direction. Doctor thinks that might be my ears making that noise and not my neck. My tinnitus never goes away and it isn't super loud... it sounds pretty much like a uniform static sound.

I've been having trouble sleeping and of course I'm severely depressed and scared.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? Does concussion induced tinnitus ever go away? Thanks!!!

 

I have no experience with concussion-induced tinnitus, but I do know what the first period of tinnitus is like.

Let me tell you this: in the first year, tinnitus is well-known to disappear again at some point. But even if it doesn't, your life doés get way better again over time. For me personally, detaching my "fight or flee" response from the sound was the most important thing to regain control. I managed to do this by just sitting in my (silent) living room, listening to the sound: the first times are scary and it may seem to increase the volume, but once you get used to it "being there", you start having moments where you forget about it. These moments turn into minutes, minutes turn into hours, and I know that hours will eventually turn into days/weeks/maybe even longer.

For now, trust that life does get better again in any case. When moments are really tough, distract yourself with things that you consider fun to do (in my case, games/research online).

Also: personally, I recommend getting used to the sound before using things like sound enrichment, but the preference differs per person.

 

Hi, I had a frontal car crash last year with a concussion. My X-ray also showed nothing. Two weeks after the crash hyperacusis started and another two weeks later I woke up to loud fleeting tinnitus that settled then into a slight tone and some static. I also had a bad head cold when the tinnitus started so I don‘t know exactly what was the cause.

Unfortunately mine never went away but lowered enough so that i hear it just in silent rooms.