Why Is My Left Ear's Tinnitus and Hearing Loss So Much Worse? Should I Have an MRI?

Hi,

Got multiple questions, perhaps you can shed some light on this.

Got my tinnitus in 1999 (age 18), noise-induced (musician). Always kept it in check with custom made earplugs, but of course, it kept increasing a little bit over the years. I could always handle it though.

In April 2019, a friend screamed in my left ear which increased the tinnitus to such a volume that I can't live with it anymore. It was a 7 out of 10. These last 6 months, it's kept on increasing for reasons that never happened in the past: during airplane flights (only above certain alleviation though...), drinking coffee or milk, and just noises that'd never affected me in the past. Now even R. David Case's Tinnitus Mix induced the ringing on the left permanently. These spikes are never temporary. My tinnitus is now 9 out of 10 (can hear in in the train, showers, car with the window open).

All of the above doesn't affect my right ear though - at least not as dramatically.

My audiogram also shows that I have hearing damage in the left ear.



Questions

Q1: Is the hearing damage related to the tinnitus that keeps on increasing in the left ear?
Q2: When I wear my hearing aid for my left ear and I take it off after an hour or so, my tinnitus has become louder. Why...?
Q3: Could I have a case of hyperacusis? (note: my ear doesn't hurt or feel clogged)
Q4: My ENT wants me to have an MRI scan in case I have a tumor, but as any loud sound now permanently induces my tinnitus, is this worth it?
Q5: Any idea why my left ear is behaving/performing so much worse than my right ear?

 

Sorry to hear this.

Just quickly want to advise against an MRI, it seems pretty clear your tinnitus is noise induced so checking for tumors seems unnecessary?