Advice needed

[Bwal]

Hello looking for a bit of help as my doctor seem to be useless. I developed high pitched tinitus in my left ear out of the blue in November 2020 ( I'm 38) ear felt blocked with some discomfort but no hearing loss.

Doctor did find the ear canal was swollen but that got better with drops. The tinitus however is getting worse, it's such a screaming noise in my head it's difficult to sleep. I had a swab done of the ear canal and there is no infection. My doctor has run out of ideas and said try a nasal spray. Like I said useless! Having read some of the comments on hear I am starting to worry it might be more serious. I have also had a few moment of feeling dizzy over the past few weeks and headaches.

[Bullpenn]

I wouldn’t worry. Ask to be referred to ENT and they will then do all the relevant checks such as hearing etc and then book you in for an MRI.You might be waiting for an appointment for a while.

If your headaches get really bad with sever sickness go into A&E.

Hopefully that is some help.

[Bullpenn in reply to Bullpenn]

Just realised the last bit could sound scary. It’s just what the consultant says to me to be honest.

[Bwal in reply to Bullpenn]

Thank you for replying, that is helpful 😊

[flappers]

It's so hard not to worry! And of course worry and stress makes tinnitus worse for those who suffer from this condition( not related to having an acoustic neuroma.) And stress also causes headaches etc. But.... Ask your GP to refer you for an MRI. but remember the cause of tinnitus being a tumor is VERY rare. Reading info on this site will make you feel otherwise, but it is! Good luck and let us know how you get on. In meantime try to research how to cope with tintitus rather than reading too much about scary other things!😘

[Sewtastic]

Hi I have very similar to you in my right ear, but started with infection 7 months ago not properly treated by GP. I had antibiotics then three weeks of steroid nasal spray. No change. Screaming tinnitus now for 7 months 24/7 every day. I would push for an ENT referral unilateral tinnitus (one sided) definitely needs investigation. Am waiting on results of imaging consultant said he imagined mine was due to hearing loss caused by infection. I now have one hearing aid which I so didn’t want to have, but it’s magic the second it goes in tinnitus gone for 2/3 hours, take it out for an hour instantly back so I repeat this until 7pm to give my brain chance to adjust by bedtime. The screaming ringing is soul destroying isn’t it I do sympathise, ask your GP firmly for a referral, or failing that a hearing test at least. I repeatedly asked for referral and eventually was referred for hearing test, the audiologist said I needed ENT and gave me letter for GP. Nothing is quick especially during a pandemic but good luck. Try a sound app at night, set it on timer it helps the quietness a bit when you’re trying to get to sleep and all you can hear is ringing.

[Bwal in reply to Sewtastic]

Thank you and sorry to hear about your problems. I will certainly get back onto the doctor for a referral.

[LoveActually01]

Hi. I’m worrying like you. November I noticed hearing loss and tinnitus. GP said I had a small tear in eardrum. I wasn’t convinced. Saw an ENT privately as can’t even get into GP now. He said high frequency loss in one ear and mild nystagmus and that there was no perforation! He recommended a skull base MRI. He said it could be 3 things. An embolism (mini ear stroke), a virus or ear tumour!!! Don’t you just love them. I’ve been petrified since. My Dyson fan is great for masking tinnitus. Weirdly enough my tinnitus is really quiet at night! Looks like a private MRI will be quicker as NHS aren’t doing MRIs unless critical and outpatients have cancelled by me (QE hospital).

[Bwal in reply to LoveActually01]

Really sorry and hope you get to the bottom of it. I've asked my doctor to refer me, he has suggested a nasal spray for a week and if that makes no difference then he will refer me. Really don't think a nasal spray will do anything at all and hope the doctor starts to take things seriously!

Thanks for your reply

[LoveActually01 in reply to Bwal]

P.S. I had an inflamed ear canal too! Also have a pearly cyst down there! Also getting dizzy. Nightmare isn’t it? If that was an eye - then GPs would treat it as an emergency but ears don’t seem to matter! Take care.

[Bwal in reply to LoveActually01]

Sorry to hear you have the same, yeah it's crazy. Hope we both get to the bottom of it soon!

[keithzx12r]

Obviously your GP isn't an ENT specialist. I was in the same situation with mine and luckily I had Bupa cover with my job so arranged to see a consultant privately. He said there was nobody in Cornwall he could recommend and arranged for me to travel to Oxford to see ENT there. Result was three AN's in my left ear. Followed up by nine hour surgery to remove them. That was 1987!! and I'm still here! No hearing on the left though. Told me current GP about it and he said a normal GP would only come across one AN during their career!! Best wishes, Keith, now 84!