Tympanometry Test Made My Tinnitus Worse

Hi my name is Sarah, I'm 31 in two days and I've had tinnitus for about 6 weeks. I assume my tinnitus is sound induced as I started hearing the ringing after coming back from the pub one night.

I suffer from anxiety so when I first heard the tinnitus I didn't sleep properly for nearly 3 weeks. I was starting to habituate.

Not long after I got my tinnitus, I booked in with a hearing specialist who also specialised in tinnitus management. Being a specialist, I had to wait 4 weeks before I was seen. When I had the appointment, my tinnitus was starting to become manageable. It was either getting slightly better or I was getting used to it. At the appointment the specialist said they would do an Acoustic Reflex Test (Tympanometry test) in which they put these plugs in my ears which changed the pressure in your ears to get a reading of your ear-drum and middle ear. The woman warned me their would be sounds, but I had no idea what I was in for. I had complete trust in this woman and she knew I was suffering from tinnitus, so I thought I would be fine. Some part of me thought I should have said no, but that's hindsight and I can't do much about that now. Well! Those sounds were louder than I have ever listened to music on headphones and I am a huge music fan (especially metal, rock etc). When it came to doing the actual test all I could hear was my tinnitus blaring in my head. I left the appointment being told that my tinnitus would more or less disappear in about 3 months if not to come back. Since that appointment (on the 11th August) my tinnitus sound has changed. I hear it louder in my left ear now(that was the ear I heard nothing but a slight hiss).

This whole ordeal has made me really anxious again. I'm scared that the test has made my tinnitus permanently worse. I am actually writing this in bed at 4:35 am because I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep from how loud my tinnitus is.

I'm not sure why I am even really writing this. I'm looking for general sympathy to keep me positive. Lol. Has anyone else had this test? Right now I am feeling really, REALLY depressed and having a lot of trouble thinking happy thoughts.

 

This might be a spike caused by the test... Give it a few weeks to see if settles down. Calming Magnesium supplements can help reduce stress.

 

Thanks @mohn. I'm trying to remain positive. Some days it's just gotten the better of me.

 

Yeah I would bet the volume starts to lower down. I get like this as well.