Probably a common question but I can't help but ask. I have only had this problem for 4 or 5 days, I have an appointment to see an ENT later this month but I'm already starting to go mad.
Googling tinnitus brings up waves of stories of people who've resigned themselves to this nightmarish thing. Can't find a single personal story of someone who had it temporarily, outside of say for 1 day after a loud concert, despite many health sites saying that that's possible. It's like, if it lasts longer than 3 days, congrats, seems you got the permanent brand, you're sentenced to this for life.
I am a woman in my mid 20s who attends a whole 1 loud concert per year. When in college, I did have a gross habit of digging earwax out of my ears with my pinky fingers, like a kid picking at scabs. Twice this got my ears so irritated I couldn't touch them without pain and needed medicine. The third time this happened, last month, I got some antibiotics and was back to normal, including back to ear-digging. Ringing suddenly showed up a few days ago. Saw an NP about it who said I have tons and tons of earwax, she couldn't even remove it all, so here I am ticking away the seconds till I see that ENT for more detailed info or advice. Fearing that my stupid ear-scratching is what caused it, that I freaking brought this on myself not with clubs or concerts or headphones but by picking at my ears like a toddler. Not even sure if that's possible, but I've got almost 2 weeks to wait and theorize and worry and...you know.
Any input would be appreciated.
Written by
SundaySundae
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All I can say is that I hope it is temporary but if it’s not there a Is help out there like this forum to give you advice and tips to help you through this .
Once you get the wax removed, it's likely your tinnitus will reduce / disappear. If the wax blockage has built up over time, you won't have noticed the steady reduction in your hearing, but your brain will have noticed the reduced sensory input, so he's been turning up the sensitivity (without asking you!! Pesky little beggar!) but in doing that, he's happened on some other electrical activity in your head and thinks you need to know about that as well - hence you hear 'noises from within'.
Try and keep calm as your heightened anxiety will only ramp up your Tinnitus and increase your fears. Download a Sound Generating Relief App like “Resound” to your phone. Choose a sound that helps (like White Noise etc) and play it just below the noise of your Tinnitus. (I use wireless ear buds.) It may help train your brain to tone things down a little. From there on I just took one day at a time.
Sometimes antibiotics and certainly anti-depressants can contribute to tinnitus. Blocked ear canals will certainly increase any head noise - but rest assured your habit of de-coking your ears has nothing to do with causing tinnitus - which is mainly to do with the auditory nerve system not the outer, middle and inner ear canal.
Try to relax and accept and everything will become more calm.
If it continues for more then a month and wax is not the issue then unfortunately you have Tinnitus. Remember it’s not the end of the world if you don’t let it control you! Do your homework and look at the post here you can find a lot of suggestions. Hopefully you don’t have it
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