Tinnitus after microsuction: Hello I d like to... - Tinnitus UK

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Tinnitus after microsuction

15 Replies

Hello

I d like to ask a question about my ongoing situation. First I ve never head ear problems before. 3 months ago i had ear wax totally blocking my ear for 4 days. I put some drops and then went to an ENT which tried a dry vety painful microsuction which couldn t remove my ear wax since it was to close to the eardrum. One day before going to another ENT i heard this buzzing in my left ear. Then after removing the ear wax i couldn t hear it for a week until I was stressed at work and it returned and then worsened. I was also having ETD symtptoms like crackling. I ve had it for 3 months. Loud reacrive hissing in right ear. Do you think there is any hope it could go away?

Thank you

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15 Replies
ShakeelaBTA profile image
ShakeelaBTA

Hello and welcome to the British Tinnitus Association forum.

Do feel free to ask any questions, I hope that you find this a helpful and supportive place to help you manage your tinnitus.

We have some resources that you might like to check out in addition to our home here:

tinnitus.org.uk (information and support details)

takeontinnitus.co.uk (free tinnitus management programme)

If you’d like to sign up to receive ‘Focus’, our new free monthly e-newsletter, you can sign up at tinnitus.org.uk/forms/conta...

Helpline 0800 018 0527 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) (outside the UK you can call +44 (0)114 250 9922)

Kind regards

Shakeela

Jimmuck profile image
Jimmuck

Hi Dinu. I also had microsuction a few weeks ago to clear a badly blocked left ear and ever since I had the treatment, my hearing has changed. High pitched sound like a whistle for example seems to have three tones and I also have the sensation of liquid either on or behind the eardrum. I was told by the clinician things would settle down in a few weeks but it's still the same, so I am going to call them next week to arrange an examination. I would have thought three months on from your treatment things would have settled down, so I would get it checked out again. It might possibly be tinnitus ( which is made worse by stress) but then again it could be residual wax or some other issue. I hope you get it sorted out soon.

Purity76 profile image
Purity76

I also have what I would describe as a hissing/crickets/electric sizzle noise in my left ear following microscution, and it also seems reactive to other noises, so masking it is impossible. I also have a high pitched whistle in both ears after the procedure. This occured nearly three weeks ago now. Very hard to tell if there is any improvement at all, but if there is it is minor. It may take weeks/months for this to settle down, and I hope it does. I have had something similar happen before when I went to a loud concert and it took about 5 weeks to settle the hissing. I would imagine this is some kind of audio trauma from how loud the microsuction is/was. There is every chance this will settle down. Try and stay as calm as you can, but it might be worth getting a GP appointment just to take a look at your ear and see if everything is ok. If it is ok, then it might be just a case of giving it more time to let it settle. I have an ENT appointment, but have to wait until the beginning of October :-(

in reply to Purity76

Hey Purity76, thanks for the answer. I ve noticed a slight improvement on days where I am less anxious it is just a mild hiss without being reactive. I used to get the crickets too and electric sizzle. I hope it won t be permanent and we will overcome this. I ve had another ENT see me and says that my eardrum and audiogram look good.

Purity76 profile image
Purity76 in reply to

Ok that's good. It is just a case of time for both of us then. I am trying to avoid any loud noises, but that's easier said than done. When you think about avoiding loud noises you don't realise how loud the day-to-day world is! How long did i take for the crickets and electric sizzle to calm down out of interest? I think that's what is bothering me the most. The high pitched whistle bothers me less so. We need to try and move our focus away from thinking about noises in our ears!

in reply to Purity76

I think one and a half monthes for those two to die down. Did you also get the high pitched whistle with your first acoustic trauma and the reactivity? Did that one go completely?

Purity76 profile image
Purity76 in reply to

Yes, I had hissing, and a high pitched whistle with my first acoustic trauma last year. The hissing is worse this time I think and it is different. I could mostly ignore it last time, and it didn't really affect night time but this has had an effect. The hissing died down after 5 weeks the first time. The high pitched whistle went completely after about 1 year. But obviously it is back now, and in both ears. The fact that I was able to recover from it last time does give me some hope and show that it is possible.

in reply to Purity76

Did you take anything for it? Did you go out to movies etc? Was whistling always present or only with white noise such as air condition etc? And then you actually had a period of full remission right?

Thank you

Purity76 profile image
Purity76 in reply to

No, didn't take any medication for it. I did go to the movies, but only once. It was quite loud so if I had done it again I would have worn musicians earplugs. Whistling was always present and more noticeable when quiet. Yes I had full remission after approximately 1 year. It was louder in the mornings for some reason, and I woke up one morning and noticed it was gone.

Mikkijan profile image
Mikkijan

Hi Dinu, I'm sorry you're in this rotten club with us. Purity and I are in kind of a similar situation, for both of us this is our second time having noticeable tinnitus, first after loud music and second time after microsuction. It will be 4 weeks on Monday since I had the microsuction, just in the left ear for about 6 seconds before I yelled that it was too loud. I too am trying to remain hopeful that this will settle down before too long.

Could I ask please, how long did the first ENT spend microsuctioning each ear? Also, what method did the second ENT use that succeeded in removing your wax?

in reply to Mikkijan

Hello,

She spent like 20 seconds total i think the second also used microsuction but it wasn t painful or loud. What kind of sounds do you hear? Are you slightly better? How long did it take for your first acoustic trauma ro recover?

Mikkijan profile image
Mikkijan in reply to

The first time was 2012, a loud live band at a family party in a hotel at the end of October, resulting in a high pitched EEEEE sound. I remember, and have checked this in my diary too, it started to reduce at the end of December and by the middle of 2013 I was barely noticing it at all, and it remained that blissful way until the disasterous mistake a month ago.

Again I have a high pitched EEEE, just in the left ear, the one that had the suction briefly stuck in it. It is now fluctuating slightly, some days less annoying than others. It's always worst at night and on waking, but once I'm up and about I'm usually able to not really notice it if I'm busy and concentrating on what I'm doing.

Having said that, today it is louder than it was yesterday. I am extremely stressed and anxious about it though, much more so than I was 7 years ago. I keep reminding myself that 4 weeks is very very early days and the chances are good that it will reduce.

As this is your first trauma you have a very good chance that it will settle down I'm sure.

in reply to Mikkijan

So yours went away completely right? You started experiencing silence again? Thank you

Mikkijan profile image
Mikkijan in reply to

Yes it pretty much went away, as in I barely noticed it. It was still there if I plugged my ears and listened carefully, but it was quiet enough that my life was back to normal. I was happy and totally not noticing it and I no longer needed any masking to sleep.

KingLudwigII profile image
KingLudwigII

I too had microsuction which was incredible y painful , the ENT person just seemed to shrug it off and said it was 'just routine'. but i've got terrible tinnitus as a result. i think these procedures damage ears I can;t believe there is not a better way of removing wax by either syringing which is also violent and micro suction which seems even worse! Ears and eardrums are delicate and the procedures are violent and intrusive and leaving people in a lot of pain with nasty side effects ... Tinnitus is very distressing... stress makes it worse, loud noises, high pitched noises... etc... When i do he washing up I wear ear defenders as the the sound of running water and spoons clashing into plates will set me off ...

Its possible as a result of ear wax removal and suction you may have hyperacusis which means everything sounds LOUDER...you ears and ear drums are probably more sensitive to sounds.. hopefully they will eventually settle down in time... mine hae got a little bit better or maybe you just get used to the damn sound in your head!

Good luck, you're not alone

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