Diagnosis

[Idontknow71]

Hello, my first post 😁 I have had Tinnitus for many years. I live with it and I cope well most of the time. No one has ever looked at my ears apart from my GP. He looked in my ears and said 'yes you just have a bit of wax' you probably have Tinnitus' I complain of pain I frequently get in my right ear. Or I hear my heartbeat. But apart from that I get on with it. However, because of other issues I have I wonder if it's caused by something else. But should I have seen an ENT specialist 🤔

[rabbits65]

yes ask to be referred , it’s good to go and get checked out properly. I did. 🙂

[camino9 in reply to rabbits65]

Yes, for sure have your ears seen by a specialist. Have a list of questions at the ready...more knowledge can only be a good thing, right?

[Idontknow71 in reply to camino9]

Agreed 👍 I have now been going into the GP with a list. They look at me oddly as if I'm a hypochondriac 🫣 But I think maybe I need to write down everything that refers to my ears 🤔 Thank you

[Idontknow71 in reply to rabbits65]

Thank you 😊 I will do 🙂

[Flickie]

Hello, I’ve had tinnitus for years probably 30 years since my husband passed away in 1994 an extremely upsetting and stressful time and a huge loss to me and my daughter. I’m now 71 and decided to get further help so I attended The Hearing Suite here in Harrogate where they gave me a hearing test results were age related deafness but ok, sucked out excess wax and did a tinnitus test. They did a questionnaire of 50 questions asking me how tinnitus impacts my daily life. Out of a score of 100 mine was 28 meaning I cope with tinnitus rather than IT runs my life. Had my score been a lot higher it would mean I’m not coping with it. The noises are from your brain not your ears so there isnt a cure sadly. They asked me to try a new device which I did. They put into each ear canal a small sponge like earplug which connects to their computer with a low sound. They said the success rate was minimal but I had to try it. Because I control my tinnitus with distraction like tv or radio in the background I couldn’t get used to them in my ears so they came out. They were expensive too. If ‘one’ is successful then they change the plugs every 6-7 weeks.

I feel that I’m going to have to live with tinnitus until such time as I need hearing aids. Tinnitus is horrible but if you can learn to live with it and try not to let it control your life then that is the way forward….for me anyway. Good luck.

[Idontknow71 in reply to Flickie]

Hi Flickie, I didn't know the noises were from the brain. That's interesting as I have a lot of fullness in my ears especially the part that runs to the jaw. Unfortunately I have so many other things going on that they dismiss my tinnitus. Not once in all this time have they said I need a ENT appointment. I'm asked if I have vertigo but my dizziness is more floating than spinning. I think if I said I'm spinning they would see me 🥺

My tinnitus is more noticeable at bedtime but during the day my hearing tones change if that makes sense. But if It's coming from the brain I wonder if it's something else other than tinnitus 🫣

[Flickie in reply to Idontknow71]

Thank you for your reply.

I had an MRI scan on my head a few years ago to check all was ok that the noise wasn’t something else but the results were, everything is AOK. I was glad of that result but I think it was a precautionary measure to do the MRI as I fail to see how they can detect tinnitus from an MRI scan. I sometimes have light headedness but put that down to tiredness or hunger or low BP so I deal with that accordingly. I’ve also seen an ENT and they concluded theres no cure for tinnitus sadly so ‘one’ must try to live with it. I’ve noticed due to my hearing ‘age related loss’ that I miss endings of conversations in a group which is frustrating but I just admit I have tinnitus and they repeat what was said. I read many messages on this forum and how it’s debilitating for some and manageable for others. I think once a year theres a weekend in London which is dedicated to tinnitus sufferers and plan to go on the next one. Not that I think there is a cure, just helpful advice for us sufferers and interesting to meet others in the same boat. I’ll look it up or maybe someone on here might know when the next one is.

[Idontknow71 in reply to Flickie]

Thank you, that sounds like a good opportunity 🙂 I had an MRI three years ago, but for all my symptoms. I think they were checking for MS. However, my neurologist was not friendly at all and said there was nothing wrong with me even before I had the scan. I complained and wanted a second opinion. My GP said no and gave me gabapentin. I felt my MRI was a waste of money. I should have had other tests first. Now, three years on, symptoms have become more intense, and no one is following through with investigations. I think tinnitus is so normal for me that it only annoys me sometimes 🫣

[Flickie in reply to Idontknow71]

Well, here’s fantastic news in todays Sunday Times Jan 14th 2024 main section page 18 there is a very interesting article about a new app called Mindear’s by Fabrice Bardy Ive just downloaded onto my iPhone and find the 35 minute video very informative. I enjoy the waves and birds singing so have a look. Let me know what you think. This is new to me as well so feed back would be great. Good luck

Mindear

[Idontknow71 in reply to Flickie]

I will have a look tomorrow and let you know 😁 Thank you 😌

[KazKat in reply to Flickie]

Hi!I heard about this this morning on a BBC morning programme! 👍

Kaz🐈‍⬛❤️

[Idontknow71 in reply to Flickie]

I'm sorry you had this to deal with when you needed to have peace at a difficult time ❤️

[Happyrosie]

it might be a good idea to consult the website of Tinnitus UK which explains why some people (about one in ten of us) have tinnitus. Ears, brain, whatever.

I can say that I’ve identified no cause at all for mine, which I’ve had for some sixty years.

[Flickie in reply to Happyrosie]

Hello Happyrosie, the clue is in your username Happy Rosie, and you've had this awful tinnitus for 60 years mine coming up 30 yrs. It seems you live and accept it as another appendage so to speak like I do as well. Those who’ve never had tinnitus can’t understand this brain noise…I wish I couldn’t!

Be well.

[Idontknow71 in reply to Happyrosie]

I have emailed them so hopefully I will get a reply in the week. It is something I have just gotten on with until I started having all these other issues. Thank you for taking the time to reply 😊