Hi
@Alex Brussel
I personally feel it is too early for you to be seen at ENT ( Ear Nose Throat) if you have straight forward tinnitus that was caused by loud noise. If you have additional symptoms such as: Balance problems, dizziness, deafness or continuous pain in the ears then this is a different matter and you should be seen much earlier. The ear is a very delicate and sophisticated organ. With the onset of tinnitus most ENT doctors prefer to leave things alone as the ear will often right itself. A period of up to 6 months is preferable to wait to be seen at ENT providing there are no additional symptoms as I've mentioned above. Many people habituate to tinnitus within the first 6 months and sometimes it goes away.
Below is a sample of text at what is likely to happen when you go for your ENT appointment. Please click on the link at the bottom of the page to read it in full in my article: Tinnitus, A Personal View.
All the best
Michael
When you see your ENT specialist the question you're first likely to be asked is: how long have you been experiencing tinnitus and when did it start? Is this the first time that you have noticed ringing in your ears? Do you experience the noise in just one ear or is it in both and whether the tinnitus is constant or intermittent? You will probably be asked to explain in detail what the tinnitus sounds like, does the noise change or remain the same? Tinnitus can vary considerably between people from buzzing, whistling, ringing and sometimes musical tones are heard. Some people hear multiple tones.
One of the most common sounds is hissing, which resembles white noise as if a radio has been tuned between two stations. These questions are important so try to remain calm. You will probably be asked when does it bother you the most and how does it affect your quality of life and day to day living and whether you are able to work? A common question is do you have any idea what might have caused the tinnitus, as many things can cause it. Whilst this is going on your doctor will be listening and observing your body language as this can give an indication of how the tinnitus is affecting you physically and emotionally. The questions are necessary for it is you that is experiencing the tinnitus, as no one else can know what you are going through. Notes will be taken about your medical history and whether you are taking any medication. Some medicines, beta-blockers for example can cause ringing in the ears and aspirin has been known to cause it too.
Your occupation could also give an indication as to the cause of your tinnitus, especially if you work in a noisy environment or operate machinery where noise levels are high. You may be off work sick due to your tinnitus which is not uncommon. An important piece of information is what do you like to do socially. Do you attend nightclubs or visit places where music is played loud regularly? Many people enjoy a night out on the town and have experienced ringing in the ears after they have left a club. Going to gigs and clubs and subjecting one's hearing to high sound levels over a period of time can cause tinnitus to become permanent so it's something to keep in mind.
With noise induced tinnitus it is often the case a person can also experience hyperacusis, this is having a sensitivity to sound or certain sounds that become very irritating to the ears and sometimes even painful. I will be covering hyperacusis in more detail later on as I feel it deserves to be explained in much more detail and how people are able to get it treated since it is closely linked with tinnitus. You will probably be asked if you are sensitive to sounds and if so what are they?
At some point your doctor is likely to look into your ears using an Auriscope to inspect the ear canal and also the eardrum. It is similar in size to a small hand held torch and has a magnifying glass attached. A light shines through this allowing the doctor to see if there is any wax-build up in the ear which is another thing that can cause tinnitus. If everything is fine this part of the consultation will be drawing to a close. The next step is, you will probably be asked to take a hearing test, which will be carried out by an Audiologist in a sound proof room. You will be given a pair of headphones to wear and a selection of audible tones will be played and you will be asked to press a trigger on a hand held device when you hear each one.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/