I feel like I am going to lose my mind if I can't get relief from this loud ringing in my ear. I had a bad sinus/ear infection and was not given the appropriate treatments for such. First treatment was 5 days antibiotics and not the type usually used for ear infection. Then had to wait more than a week with no further treatment or antibiotics to see an ENT who put me on another 10 days antibiotics (this time the right type) but when he found out I had developed diarrhea he wanted me treated for C-diff if that was what it was before he would treat me further.It was not C Diff but was due to the antibiotics. I've been to 2 Er visits and 2 different ENT DRs. and no one seems to offer any solutions. I am getting so depressed, frustrated and am so nervous that I can't concentrate or get away from it. The only time I get any relief is when I can manage to get a couple hrs. sleep. Does anyone have any suggestions. I can't imagine living the rest of my life like this.
Looking for any help with this unbearable noise. - Tinnitus UK
Looking for any help with this unbearable noise.
hello September, and I’m sorry you’re badly affected by tinnitus. As I see it, you had an ear infection that’s cleared up but you are left with tinnitus. About one in ten of the population has tinnitus, it’s a common affliction and many people are able to live their lives accompanied by their tinnitus with little problem. It’s sad that the ENT people you’ve seen have not pointed you towards helping yourself. Yes, there is no “cure” (and don’t believe any advertisement that aims to cure you - they are just after your money). But there’s a lot you can do.
If you were living in the UK I’d suggest you ring the helpline of Tinnitus UK, the charity that specialises in this. There is a US charity and you might find help from them.
There is a lot of information on the Tinnitus UK website so have a look there.
Many people on this forum have given their take on it - there is no single thing that helps everyone and you will need to find you own way, as your medical people don’t seem to be able to guide you. Have a look through some posts on this forum.
Do you have hearing aids? A visit to an audiologist might prove beneficial as they come across tinnitus constantly and might guide you.
Sorry to hear of your troubles. May I ask:What was the right type of antibiotics?
I too am going through something similar. Fighting an infection and getting loud Tinnitus. I don't have an answer, sadly.
Amoxicillin for 10 days is supposed to be the best. I feel bad for you. I have the exact same thing. Ear infection that has caused damage and the loud tinnitus that is unbearable. I hope you can find some relief.
Hi, my own T spikes considerably when I’m on Antibiotics. Also the Covid injections make my T more troublesome and I’ve had 3 but I’m not having any more. Yours will ease once you relax a little and keep yourself busy. I’ve learned to live with my chronic Tinnitus.
Hi Bellyboo,
I’m so sorry to hear that the Covid vaccines have made your T worse, this has also happened to me, I only used to get the odd ringing in my right ear for a few seconds and then it would ease off, but since getting my second vaccine over a year ago - I have developed a constant ringing in that ear. I wish I had never taken the vacs now. I hope you are coping, mine is driving me insane. The only solution the Ent has offered me is to get hearing aids
Hi sorry to hear your suffering so badly. I got bad Tinnitus after a chest infection effected my Eustachian tubes. If you get diagnosed with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction I have tried a lot of methods to ease the issue. But if it’s not ETD then I can’t help. Sorry
Hi there. Were you put in nasal drop steroids? That's what I was prescribed but not working.!
I was on a steroid nasal spray Flixonase. I took it for around 6 months but packed it as I started to get nose bleeds which I thought was due to the spray. I find inhaling steam is the best thing for my condition. Just had my 1 year anniversary with this pain in the neck condition. I got a face steamer which makes the process much easier now. As long as I get as much gunk out of my tubes before I go to bed then the tinnitus is at a low level and I can get to sleep.
Hi September,
I believe i got my tinnitus from an ear infection. I was never diagnosed properly but I think this was the cause. Have you had a hearing test to see if your hearing was affected by the infection? If so, that may be a cause of the tinnitus unless I am misunderstanding.
Its easy to say that one in ten people have tinnitus but everyone's tinnitus is different and the people that have chronic tinnitus need to be pointed in the right direction for help. As others have said on this post and in other posts there is a lot of things you can do to ease the tinnitus' intrusiveness. Mine starated at an 8/10 and is now a 2/10 but this takes time. Tinnitus UK website is full of help and can ppoint you to the tools you need to make this easier. Remember everyones tinnitus is different and what might work for some may not work for others.
The first thing you should do though is get the anxiety and fear under control. Its very normal to feel the way you do, the frustration, depression and the worry that you cannot go on like this but you can. When you know there is a light at the end of the tunnel it gives you comfort, without knowing things can get better will keep you in a spiral of gloom.
Tinnitus may be with you forever but you will get to a point of not noticing it, for example just like a fridge in the kitchen, or traffic outside. It will also get quieter. Aim to calm yourself as much as you can. meditation, exercise, nutrition can help. Taking walks and generally being peaceful is a good thing even if that seems impossible right now, you have to try.
Once over the first few months of my tinnitus I went to a private audiologist (in the UK) as I was getting nowhere with the NHS. I was given hearing aids for sound therapy (TRT) and had some CBT Sessions to help me get my mind in control of the negative thoughts. 18 months later i was fully habituated to the tinnitus (and also hyperacusis).
There are many success stories for tinnitus sufferers, please search them out and stay away from the forums where people are suffering.
I hope you find some peace soon.
Darren
That is where I got my tinnitus too is from an ear infection. My hearing in that ear has been affected. I would say I lost at least half my hearing in that ear. I am feeling so helpless and don't know where to turn. It is so loud it is drowning out everything. It is constant, 24-7 and disrupting my life, my sleep, my everything. I have an appt to see another ENT but that is not until the end of February. More than a month away. I don't know how to calm my mind down when the noise is so loud. I don't know how to meditate with this noise. I try to get my mind away from it but it returns and seems it is even louder at times. I wish I had a personal coach to help me deal with this because I don't know how do it on my own. I'm wondering if I should try to get in to see an audiologist before seeing another ENT. Thank you for your soothing words and am glad you finally received relief from your tinnitus.
I had to wait a month for an ENT appointment and then 6 months I was told for an audiologist. Hence I went private.
I remember the feeling of hopelessness and the consuming feeling of the sound with no where to turn. Please believe that it will get better. Your body will find a way to lower the sound and habituate so you will hardly notice it.
There are some good online support groups run by tinnitus uk and the RNID, maybe there is something also in the US if the time zone doesn't work for you. It is very beneficial to talk to people who have been through this.
Thank you so much for the encouraging words.
There are many ways you can get tinnitus and ear infections is one of them and unfortunately once you have tinnitus infections of any kind like a cold the flu and injections for covid or the flu and also just for being down or depressed can make the tinnitus become much louder and sometimes it can last months but believe me it will calm down i know what you are going through at the moment its hell , tinnitus is horrible when its loud it can consume you. The one thing i will suggest is try to find some thing you can listen to for me its rain hitting a window i have tried other sounds but they have made it worse i am not sure why this works for me but it does try and go out for long walks and ask your doctor for some sleeping tablets at my worst time i found it impossible to sleep that is horrible in itself. I was put on zopiclone 3.75 mg for 4 weeks and it made me sleep for about 6 hours at night which did me the world of good after coming of them i managed to get a better sleep pattern but defiantly needed my sound therapy as well. For the last 2 months iv managed to sleep with out my sound therepy that's simply because iv habituated which means I'm used to the noise of the tinnitus,
.The sounds in your head will become the norm and that's not a scary thing its just that you forget what silence is, so hang in there life will get better.
Thank you 777 John for replying.
I hadn`t though of the lack of silence, so true, if you can get used to it, that`s ok, just something you have to come to terms with, but difficult for other people to understand that even when you are in a peaceful setting, it`s not quiet!
Ca you recommend the sound therapy which has helped you. My GP has not helped and some nights only have 2 or 3 hours sleep. I never used to hear T during the day but lack of sleep is making me aware of it very loudly during daytime even with other normal sounds around.
If you type in to your laptop or phone. Cosy ambience bedroom rain on window of the rain night view of the city it will come up . I used this sound constantly every night for about 18 months it lasts 10 hours i only stopped using it a few weeks ago to see if i could sleep with out it and iv been fine. I did try other sounds but they got on my nerves this one felt very comforting its what my son told me about because he used it when he had tinnitus. I hope it works for you. when i need it again i know its there for me. Remember my friend your tinnitus will calm down it just takes a bit of time sometimes.
sorry you’re going through this tough time. It WILL get better for you over time. You can’t control your tinnitus but you can control how you react to it. The more you stress and worry the worse it will be. It’s very hard especially in those early days but you must get into the habit of saying to yourself the tinnitus is unimportant. Try and stay calm and use distraction methods to get you through the day. Personally I use a sleep headband which I play podcasts through which helps me sleep. During the day I don’t need anything as I’ve habituated quite well now. I used to use my Bluetooth headphones. I’d just put it in one ear and play any sounds that distract you. Try and get an appointment with your doctor and explain everything you’re going through. Best of luck.
Thank you. I appreciate all the encouraging words.
Hi there, I have just joined & could not believe the first one I saw was yours. mine is very a very similar story to yours. I started with an ear infection on 9 December & went to the hospital as it was a weekend. It was a severe ear infection. Was given amoxicilin for 7 days. Went to see doctors 16 December, said it was clearing up nicely. Then over Christmas it started again, but this time more painfu. Went to see doctor as soon as they opened & it was back but worse. went on Clarithromycin for 7 days, they also did an ear swab. At the end of the 7 days, was asked to take 3 more days antibiotics as the result from lab came back saying it was Strep A. By this time the tinnitus was extremely bad & also total hearing loss. I have always had mild tinnitus, which I have always managed, but this is on a completely different level. I saw doctor on 16th January as a follow up & he thought it was fluid behind my eardrum & said the eardrum was still a little red. I insisted on being referred, which they did & luckliy as I am with BUPA saw a consultant last Thursday, (26 Jan) He asked me to go for a hearing test, which I have had done today but the audiologist thinks the infection has caused damage to the nerves, which she didn't think could be repaired. The tinnitus is still here, so loud & is affecting absolutely everything in life, work, leisure, balance when walking, is worse when travelling in the car with the road noise. Pubs, if they are busy, cannot cope with the noise. Audiologist suggested relaxation techniques, white noise in the night & try to avoid stress! still working so that's not really possible as it can be stressful at work! Was so upset as I thought it could be fixed. As I only got this news today, am going to try what she said. She also mentionedthe consultant could suggest a hearing aid, which could help mask the tinnitus. Am seeing him tomorrow, so will see if he does that. Will keep popping on here, to keep updating my situation & hope it helps others too,
Your situation sounds exactly like mine. I am getting so frustrated at having to go on like this which I think is causing more damage to my ear and having to try and contend with this noise. I feel like the longer it is untreated there is more chance for this to be permanent. I can not get in to see a ENT until late February and this started December 23rd. Why can't there be an ENT that would be on a call basis so you would not have to wait so long and have to keep dealing with this? My tinnitus also is so loud that I can't sleep and I am not enjoying any minute of my life.Please let me know if you find any help and what it is, as I will with you.
HI, so many people on here with the same symptoms. So I went to see the Consultant yesterday, he is sending me for a scan to rule out any thing else, but also has referred me back to GP for a hearing aid, which is thinks will help reduce the tinnitus noise. I so hope so, how people control their tinnitus is way beyond me, everything affects it I try to keep calm, but life happens & it just seems worse. The road noise when in a car is awful, been told not to plug my ear with ear plugs as the ear needs to get used to noise! I am going to research the tinnitus website this weekend. So hopefully I will have a bit more knowledge. So maybe go down the hearing aid route through your GP. Waiting for a hearing test on the NHS is soul destroying, I was lucky that we have BUPA through work & got seen very quickly. I do sympathise with everyone waiting for referrals, it does affect every aspect of life. Best of luck
You're right. It does affect everything. Nights seem to be the absolute worst and the noise is SO LOUD that I can't hardly hear anything else let alone try to get any sleep.. I try to calm myself down but it is impossible with this high pitched noise ringing in my ear constantly. There is no escape for me. I wish I could get help and some relief starting today but I can't. Having to wait so long to see anyone and or knowing who to see for help is so frustrating. At present I am seeing no light at the end of the tunnel.
Sorry to hear your struggle, it`s difficult to begin with, maybe try some guided meditation apps, even if it just takes the focus off the noise in your head. It does get better, stick in there.😀
Thank you, but right now it is so hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel. It seems impossible for me to escape this noise. I wish I knew how.
Hi your story seems very like mine 5 years ago hang in there it does get better you will get uses to it l use masking also hearing aids and the odd bottle of wine 🍷 helps me relax go on YouTube listen to podcasts very supportive 😊
YouTube has great Tinnitus masking videos to..Things like Tinnitus Sound Therapy and Tinnitus Frequencies and even Crickets Chirping..!
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