Early days. What might have caused my tinnitus? A Salbutamol inhaler, a wisdom tooth extraction?

[Don_Alejandro]

I'm 65, male, live on my own. I have several ongoing health conditions.

In early June I had a wisdom tooth extracted, the lower left hand side. The next day my GP gave me a Salbutamol inhaler to help with my newest health problem - which we think is moderate COPD. The tooth extraction itself went okay, but I had bad pain in my jaw and ear - left hand side - which took a full month to fade away. My ear was making all sorts of pops and clicks from day one - as I understood things because I have TMJ (google it...). But it was about the 3rd or 4th week that I realised I had a continual ringing sound in my left ear. Now I feel like it's in my head as well.

My usual dentist had referred me to another practice to have the extraction done, that second practice has now closed for good. My normally very sympathetic dentist would only repeat that there's no connection between wisdom teeth extraction and tinnitus. That I have an "underlying condition" which has brought it on - I assumed she means my previously diagnosed TMJ.

I have kept a health log for a few years now and reading back through recently, it suddenly occurred to me that I'd been given my Salbutamol inhaler the day after the tooth extraction. So... I stopped using the inhaler for about 5 days - and my tinnitus improved noticeably. It didn't go away altogether, but it was certainly better. (Needless to say my respiratory problems worsened).

Although I've read as much as I can online, I've been unable to find any evidence that Salbutamol can cause tinnitus.

Can anybody shine a light on this? What has caused the tinnitus?

1) an underlying condition

2) the wisdom tooth extraction

3) the Sabutamol inhaler

[Happyrosie]

Hello don-Alejandro. I’m not a medical expert just a tinnitus sufferer, but what I do know from being on this forum is that T thrives on being noticed. So if you are continually exploring how your T started, this gives it, the T, extra energy.I believe it’s possible that a TMJ malfunction might cause it and when rectified it might go away. Or it might not. I can’t think that an inhaler would have any effect but I don’t know.

The thing is, either the T might disappear, as it sometimes might, or it won’t. What you need to do is learn to live with it while it’s there. I would strongly urge you to peruse the website of the British tinnitus association which has a lot of helpful information on how to cope.

Other posters might give you different hints of course.

[Don_Alejandro in reply to Happyrosie]

Being totally candid here, I've suffered from quite severe anxiety for years, also periodic depression. The one thing that keeps me going is my passionate interest in music. I have in the region of 4000 CDs and LPs, a lovely hifi system. I work from home, I probably listen to music about 10 hours a day, now it's accompanied by a ringing in my head. Although it isn't my occupation, I write music reviews and contribute to blogs etc.

I totally understand what you're saying, and it's well intentioned good advice. However, it's very difficult for me to pretend the tinnitus isn't happening.

[Happyrosie in reply to Don_Alejandro]

You’re right, You can’t pretend the T isn’t happening indeed, DA. your brain is indeed perceiving it. What I’m suggesting you do, through various techniques you’ll find on the BTA website, is get habituated to it so that it doesn’t intrude on your life.

[Barbiebabbs in reply to Happyrosie]

I was told that the ringing in your ear and in your head was not actually in your ear it's the nerves in your head and I believe this because an ear doctor blew air in my ear and I took a second hearing test within 2 months apart and that second hearing test made my ears start ringing so loud that it made my head start ringing and I've noticed that when I just dwelled on it it seemed like it was horrible but when I find something to do to get my mind off of it or I turn my TV on at night with abide meditation apps and it's it's helped tremendously and the ENT doctor is what caused mine so be careful going to these ear doctors sometimes I think they can worsen your problem because they like practice on you

[rabbits65]

According to the book , From Tyrant to Friend by Julian Cowan Hill . He talks about our Traumas in life that can affect our Nervous System . Until we heal our Nervous System we won’t get better. Therefore Relax is the key, be kind to yourself and let the nervous system settle down and your tinnitus will ease up a little. Read his book to make more sense of it.

[Barbiebabbs in reply to rabbits65]

I believe every word of that because stress and depression is what brought my whole problem on is why I went and got my ears checked and I noticed that my left ear was already sensitive for year but when I got depressed it's like noises just got louder and louder and it got to where it just got on my nerves so when he blowed are in that already sensitive aggravated nerve in my head it just made matters worse so stress is a key factor to a lot of that

[rabbits65 in reply to Barbiebabbs]

Yes, my Mother and Brother in law passed away within 6 weeks of each other very suddenly. Then Covid lockdown meant I couldn’t travel to see my family. I have a sister here in Bexhill who has been a great support to me. However , I’m not seeing enough of my kids and grandchildren who live 95 miles away so I think your right about “ Stress” making our tinnitus worse. I have made some improvement , but some days I seem to revert backwards . I do my walking with poodles . A life saver, I’m battling arthritis too though and that’s challenging in itself. I’m 69 yrs . Good luck to you Barbie. From me, Penny

[Don_Alejandro]

Ahem. I may be new to the forum, but I'm not new to the experience of stress and anxiety.

My parents both had dementia and I looked after them for some years until they both passed away within 2 months of each other in 2019. In the middle of this I was involved in a car accident. I have an abusive alcoholic sister. I have also been the victim of a long drawn attempt to destroy me by a deranged neighbour which has more or less robbed me of nearly 15 years of my life. Mobbing / smear campaigns / false allegations / verbal abuse / harassment / entrapment . Narcissistic revenge... mobbing... now there's a subject.

I have experienced two long drawn out cancer scares. I've a prostate the size of an apple, I've no thyroid. I'm diabetic. I have osteoporosis and generally crappy joints, I have three conditions in my hands which cause me pain and difficulty. Oh yes, I apparently have COPD. It's fun getting old isn't it?

I am no stranger to the complex relationship between physical health and our mental and emotional well being. As I have already posted, for me listening to music is what has saved me in life. It enables me to continue, it makes my life worth living. So yes, thank you for the well meaning sentiment on here but I walked into the dentists without tinnitus, the next day I was prescribed an inhaler and I now have tinnitus. That strongly suggests the tinnitus hasn't been triggered by stress, more likely it suggests a physical cause.

So meanwhile... back to my question!

I have kept a health log for a few years now and reading back through recently, it suddenly occurred to me that I'd been given my Salbutamol inhaler the day after the tooth extraction. So... I stopped using the inhaler for about 5 days - and my tinnitus improved noticeably. It didn't go away altogether, but it was certainly better. (Needless to say my respiratory problems worsened).

Although I've read as much as I can online, I've been unable to find any evidence that Salbutamol can cause tinnitus.

Can anybody shine a light on this? What might have caused the tinnitus?

1) an underlying condition

2) the wisdom tooth extraction

3) the Sabutamol inhaler

I think it's important for people with newly diagnosed tinnitus to remain positive, to that end I believe it is also necessary to try and understand the possible causes. I have a lot of sympathy for other sufferers and I fully understand that learning to live with it may well be the best we can do in many cases. However I feel it's too early to just accept my fate. I'm sure many readers will identify with this.

No mention of ototoxic drugs?

[Rickardo]

Wow, Don_Alejandro. what a fantastic and interesting article you bring to the group.It is very interesting you mention Salbutamol (Combisal) as I'm also on the same medication for Asthma and in addition I also take Salamol inhaler and I can confirm as a very long time user of both medications since the 1970s I would feel these medications are not responsible for the onset and/or agravation of T. I am however very interested to learn of your onset and what you have done to date regarding medication. I tried the route of Betahistamine and that had no significant effect whatsoever so I stop taking them. I'm on Mirtazapine for depression (severe) and I'm also presented with three (x3) Zopiclone to aid sleep per weekly dose. I struggle daily with a hammer banging on an Anvil, steel shop/factory noise and It drives me mad daily.

[Don_Alejandro]

Hi Rickardo, thanks so much for answering my question. Your tinnitus must be very difficult to deal with, I am so sorry for you.

I'm taking Salamol - which as I understand things is Salbutamol Sulfate? I'm not an expert. It sounds like I may have just had a few days when my tinnitus receded a little and maybe a bit of wishful thinking played its part.

Is Betahistamine the same as Betahistine? Or rather is it actually an antihistamine? I've suffered from a very itchy tender ear for a few years now, the left side . But I don't do very well with antihistamines, they play havoc with my Tamsulosin / enlarged prostate.

I'm well overdue to go and see my GP about the tinnitus. I've only really held off because I go to the docs so much these days it's become a bit embarrassing. I'm told that one particular GP at my surgery is the chap to see for ear problems. I'd better make that call.

At the risk of being a little intrusive - please don't answer if you'd rather not - is your depression due to the tinnitus? Or are you a long term sufferer of depression who has developed tinnitus?

I have read and absorbed most of the posts above, but mental health is such a complex issue.

I'm one of those people that finds some aspects of life really difficult because if I'm not interested, my concentration is virtually non-existent. The flipside to this is that if I am interested in something then I inevitably develop an intense focus on that particular thing. But that can also mean that if something bothers me, then I find it hard to tune out. So saying, in recent years I have slowly become more philosophical about various health issues - sort of.