Objective tinnitus help please.

[jointpain]

Not me, my 90 years old next Monday mother in law! She has tinnitus and everyone can hear it when within earshot. We are 40 miles away and hear it when we phone her. She did have a UTI a couple of weeks ago and took Nitrofurantoin for it but became extremely unbalanced, and stopped it after four days. The UTI cleared, but the feeling of poor balance lingered on for a week. Now she has this tinnitus. Does anyone have any idea how to relieve the noise? For her and everyone else?

[Happyrosie]

tinnitus is the sensation of hearing a sound when there is no external source for that sound. As I understand it, then, what your MIL has isn’t tinnitus. But I’m not a medic. Please go to the website of Tinnitus UK and maybe give them a ring (M to F 9-5).

[jointpain in reply to Happyrosie]

There is a rare form of tinnitus, actually called Objective tinnitus, in which the noise one hears is also audible to others, as in the case of my MiLaw. Hence the question. But thanks for your concern.

[surviveT in reply to jointpain]

i have read about objective tinnitus as well

[jointpain in reply to surviveT]

It's weird being able to hear what the person suffering can hear but to a slightly lesser extent. I wonder if whatever is causing it is using the eardrum as a speaker ?

[surviveT in reply to jointpain]

yeh -it must be weird - how does it sound to others , high or mid pitch tone?

[Beesmac]

Hi - That must be terrible for your mother in law. I have heard of Objective tinnitus but don’t have it and believe most people have subjective tinnitus. I suffer with UTI’s and have taken nitro many times over the years but have never had a problem with balance when taking it. When I have a UTI on the way I get a “heady” sort of feeling. By the way are you sure her UTI has cleared completely? As this can make you feel disorientated and off balance. I know how difficult it is to see anybody at the moment and ENT wait times are horrendous but sounds like she needs to see someone quickly.

[Upbeatmap]

I assume the sound is pulsing rather than continuous and is probably synchronous with her heartbeat. If that is the case, it is called pulsatile tinnitus, which is sometimes caused by a variety of physical abnormalities such as an arterial issue, high blood pressure or variety of other conditions.

If other people can hear it as well, I’m guessing that points to an arterial issue.

I would suggest that she sees a doctor as soon as possible.

I’m not a doctor but I have pulsatile tinnitus so have been round the houses with it so have picked up a little knowledge.

[jointpain]

Well, my mother in law had said the nurse could hear the tinnitus also. We presumed this was when the nurse called round for my father in law. But no, it was over the phone, as we have been hearing it. The gardener called around yesterday, and could hear it when she opened the door to him. She explained what it was and he came in and found the electric clock below her TV was making the noise! Probably due to her husband who is pretty deaf fiddling with it after a sudden electric cut. Now she's fearing for her sanity. But still having her ears syringed in a week.

[surviveT in reply to jointpain]

ohh - so does this mean that she doesnt have any tinnitus at all then ?

[jointpain in reply to surviveT]

We think she may have tinnitus, because she has had it previously, but not the objective tinnitus she had described and we thought we heard, that was the clock🤣😂🤣

[surviveT in reply to jointpain]

yeh thats is quite funny 😂

[YellowFiesta]

Hi jointpain. I have had a harder day today with my T but this post has made the day brighter and put a smile on my face so please thank your father-in-law for me!!

[jointpain in reply to YellowFiesta]

Will do, it's mother in law's 90th birthday tomorrow so we've cooked a meal for them, and taking it around. I'll try fixing the clock😁