I'm new and am just really panicking that I have tinnitus.
Been to Drs twice and ER and went private to an ENT consultant this week.
As soon as I mentioned a"hum" in my left ear (right ear is fine) he said it was tinnitus. Was actually hoping there was fluid so I could have that drained and problem solved..but of course not that simple.
I've never had tinnitus before, ever. Dr said I had fluid in my left ear behind my eardrum last week but ENT on wed this week said ear is clear? Only I have a "hum" in left ear..have had issues with it from start of September. Very "full" feeling which is easing but the "hum" is driving me crazy. Its low pitched.
Trying not to panic but so worried about it.
Got one of those otovent balloons for ET Dysfunction thinking that was the issue and been on various steroid sprays from mid Sept .but not helping I don't think.
Has anyone any tips on how not to "panic" I've read stress only makes it worse...?
Thanks...😊
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Jlg71
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Hello Jig. Well, we Tinnitus sufferers can’t necessarily tell you whether you have T or not. What I, and others, can say is that it’s not the end of the world if you do indeed have it.
Have a good read of the British Tinnitus Association website so that you have some easily digestible facts at your fingertips.
You may find that the T comes and goes. But, you are worried. That is so natural. Normal. You are not alone.
By definition you have Tinnitus. It's very rarely anything serious.
The purpose of an ENT appointment is to check for any obvious cause. I assume you had a hearing test with an audiologist before seeing the ENT specialist who inspected your ears and nose, and asked questions. If all of that did not add up I they will have sent you for a MRI scan.
The ENT confirmed my Tinnitus is due to hearing loss. I did not have an MRI scan but I was referred to the audiologist, who was brilliant. I already have hearing aids and use sound therapy so I was advised I was already doing all the right things. She went through the detail of what was causing my tinnitus as a result of my hearing loss. Getting an understanding was enough to take away a lot of the anxiety. Though I do get annoyed by it now and then.
I regularly use the Beltone Tinnitus App. I used to use it everyday, especially at night, but probably once maybe twice a week now. I otherwise listen to music when I'm quitely it reading, for example. Search the BTA website for Sound Therapy on advise about how to use sound therapy correctly. Nowadays, even though I notice my Tinnitus and hear it above everything, I can quite comfortably listen to my it.
Yes I had a hearing test..the ENT then looked at the results and said my hearing was normal. He said had there been fluid behind my ear the difference between left and right would have been significant.
He did say a scan may be needed (though in the current climate of COVID etc) that could probably be years.
Hi Jig, yep, all tinnitus (T) sufferers have been where you are. T can begin suddenly, is a shock when it happens and is often dismissed, almost trivially, by GPs and ENT specialists alike when they can't quickly spot another issue...….. within their own, limited remit. That's a bone of contention for me; GPs and ENTs often don't consult with other specialisms when it comes to diagnosing T - and I think they should.
In my personal opinion, a diagnosis for which T is a symptom needs a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure that idiopathic or hearing-loss related T is indeed the correct and accurate diagnosis. The importance of this becomes obvious when ENTs have not asked the right questions, owing to the narrowness of their own particular specialism.
There are things that can trigger T that ENT are unlikely to identify within their remit, as was the case with me.
I won't go into my details because a) it's lengthy and b) this is about your symptoms and current status; not mine.
My suggestion to you, based on my experience and not medical expertise (I am not a medic) is to push your GP for a referral to a neurosurgeon to obtain an MRI/venogram (deeper than a basic MRI) and/or CT with contrast. In both cases this should include your head and neck. The results should be checked for cranial blood flow, head/neck bone and soft tissue anomalies, such as cysts, nerve compression, spondylosis and fluid build up.
I passionately believe that thorough investigation is the key to an accurate diagnosis of idiopathic T and patient acceptance of it. In my case, I refused to accept a statement of "we don't know what's caused your T" until medics had taken steps to look for and exclude EVERY other possibility.
When medics say they can find no underlying apparent cause of a diagnosis of T, if they've carried out a set of through scans and examinations across specialisms to conclusively prove that they have actually bothered to look, it encourages acceptance of an idiopathic T diagnosis. It also helps the patient adjust to management and eventual tolerance/habituation (it does arrive) of interminable head noise.
Be prepared, though, for an accurate diagnosis of idiopathic T. Also, rest assured that you will get used to (even perhaps dismiss) the noise, given time. This forum has lots of good advice and ideas to help with that.
She left me with "wait another 6/8 weeks thinking there was fluid...? So I don't know..unsettling the 2 having complete my different opinions a week apart...?
She said she could clearly see the fluid but the ENT couldn't...?
Hello bridgeit. Well you did have a lot of investigations. I’ve had none: in my case I think I’ve had T since childhood with no specific cause. I probably thought everybody had it just like most people have ten toes. It was probably very quiet so I didn’t really notice it until my forties. I’m 74 now.
So finding out the cause is not, in my view, essential. From my reading, the vast majority of T is either idiopathic or caused by noise in an earlier part of ones life, so there’s nothing to be done about it. The investigations you describe might be hard to access in the current climate and, as you say, produce nothing positive - which is, of course, good!
All this said, we have different experiences of the Big T and I regard myself as very lucky that - although i can hear it in a car going at 70 mph on a busy motorway - I am so used to it that I just live with it.
Have you looked at the site thehum.info ? There is a lot of useful info and description of it. It is not the same as tinnitus as it is hearing frequency noise.
Hi my T started with a hum in my left ear too in June. Like you I spoke to a GP and paid privately to see a specialist. He thinks it was caused by a virus attacking my auditory nerve in the inner ear (I had Covid in March and it could be linked).
To start with it was constant and put me in a very dark place. Now I am much more positive. After talking to others and research it sounds like it’s the ear drum vibrating (MEM or TTTS) which I’m waiting to see a T specialist in Jan on NHS to confirm.
Now it is intermittent and I am learning that if I don’t panic it is not as loud or lasts as long. I now also have a constant hiss/ringing but I can mostly ignore this in the day if busy. I find daily meditation helps and also not to give it the attention it demands. I find being dehydrated is bad so drink plenty of water and have added magnesium to my diet as well as B12 vitamins.
Stay positive, don’t panic and there are stories of people managing to habituate their T so surround yourself with positivity. Take care
Cheers..yes that does sound more like what I am feeling..when someone talks I have a vibration in my left ear. I've been going to accupuncture for 6 sessions now..apparently minimum 10-12 for real results...and it does seem to be helpful this past week..still have low days but made a "plan" ie walking, keeping busy, don't notice it when outside which is good..
Also putting a piece of cotton wool in at times actually dulls it again..so much less noticeable.
Hard not to dwell on it and be positive but any stress makes it worse..so no point stressing..it'll not help.
Sleeping at night with a fan on..really helps.
I do think it's stress related as leading up to this end of August..from March was flat out with work quite intense online lessons... I didn't feel great about 2/3 weeks, sort of aches and pains as if I was getting a cold etc...
Dr initially said in Sept it could be viral..so maybe a bit of both.
I'm waiting on NHS ENT apt but god knows when that will be..trying hard to not let it ruin my Christmas as looking forward to a good break.
Positivity def the best way to go..it's been a tough few months.
Cheers..yes I'll maybe get an ear plug..but cotton wool dulls it down and helps with the vibration and not noticeable when I'm out etc......looking into ways to habituate to it..and hopefully eventually it'll not annoy me..that's the goal...😊👍
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