Understanding My Tinnitus

[Mark Griffin]

Hello Doctor,

I've posted the same question in the support thread but without joy unfortunately. I have several different tones in my right ear. Most are high pitched hisses and tones which fluctuate about but one is a lot lower and is strange. It also fluctuates constantly and is not particularly loud but sometimes morphs into buzzing and the sensation of vibration and fullness in the ear. Also, this tone reacts to my head if i nod, by briefly increasing in volume in time with the head nods. The tone also seems to react to certain frequencies eg kettle boiling or the frequencies when traveling in the car by mimicking each sound i hear with an increased 'tone'. This tone stops if the sound stops and it's highly annoying. I'm wondering if you have any thoughts as to what this particular T could be? I've struggled to get any interest whatsoever from Doctors or ENT.

Many thanks for your time

Mark

 

[Dr. Nagler]

I'm wondering if you have any thoughts as to what this particular T could be? I've struggled to get any interest whatsoever from Doctors or ENT.

I do indeed have some thoughts on the subject, Mark. Thank you for asking.

The fact that you have already been evaluated by an ENT tells me that whatever "this particular" tinnitus is, it is not a threat to your health or life ... because that's the sort of thing ENTs look for in their evaluations. Moreover whatever "this particular" tinnitus is, it is not caused by one of the things that can be fixed ... because that's also the sort of thing ENTs look for in their evaluations. So those two aspects having been ruled out, what "this particular" tinnitus is ... is a nuisance. It can be a HUGE NUISANCE or it can be a tiny little nuisance (or anything in between) ... and what you do about it at this point depends upon how much of a nuisance it is rather than its mere existence. If your tinnitus is a HUGE NUISANCE, then I personally would tend to recommend TRT. If your tinnitus is a moderate nuisance, then I would tend to recommend CBT. The great thing about TRT and CBT is that neither depends upon identifying the specific cause of your tinnitus in order to provide meaningful lasting relief. And if your tinnitus is a tiny little nuisance, then the only thing I would recommend would be to get off this board.

Hope this helps.

Dr. Stephen Nagler