Took Me 10 Years to Habituate to Tinnitus: And Now Allergy Season Triggered ETD, Followed by a Spike

My right ear began ringing when I was 16 (I’m 26 now). After a rough rollercoaster I finally was at a place where my tinnitus was a second thought and I barely thought about it.

I wear ear plugs when I need to, avoid loud noises, take supplements, and whenever I am prescribed any new medication I always ask if it’s ototoxic. I began eating right and exercising. Started learning a new language. Steadily being promoted at my job.

But of course, as we are the ones the universe deemed the ones who need to be cursed by this, after allergy season was over my Eustachian tube on my left side started acting up as it does, but this time it came with a higher pitched ringing than the left that hasn’t left.

Not sure what I expected. Maybe it won’t take me another ten years to habituate to it since I know what to expect this time around. Maybe it’ll go away. I don’t know, who cares lol. I’m almost jealous of those that have gotten tinnitus in both ears from the start, this is like having to do it all over again. Since my left ear is ringing now, it makes me not able to ignore the right which makes it even more awful.

Maybe I’ll look back on this post one day and think “Geeze I was upset back then”, but this is how I feel. So those that only have tinnitus in one side, expect your other to get it at some point to save yourself anguish in the future.

 

@RichardRR - did the tinnitus and allergy reduce? Did you take any medication or use an inhaler etc?

 

Hi, sorry to hear about your situation. For allergies, I have been taking allergy shots for 25 years, and they help tremendously. My tinnitus started 3 years ago, and the shots haven’t affected my ears. Good luck.