recent tinnitus from blocked ear infection. Will it go? Really affecting my mental health.

[Ajbbaa]

long story short I had an ear infection last week. I’m on my second round of antibiotics and now a steroid nasal spray but the ear is still blocked. That isn’t as much of an issue but I also now have quite loud tinnitus which is effecting every minute of my day. Does anyone have experience of this going once their ear unblocked. Tbh I think I might have had the ringing before but much quieter and it never bothered me. Any support welcome I’m a mum to a young child and I need to be able to get on with life!

[Happyrosie]

it hard to tell with tinnitus, will it go or not. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. If you have a read of the website of the specialist charity Tinnitus UK you will find a lot of information there.

If the tinnitus doesn’t fade away once the infection is gone, then there are many ways of helping yourself. Some things work for some people, other things work for others. There’s no overall ‘cure’ so don’t believe any tablets you see advertised - if they worked, then we would all be shouting about it from the rooftops.

[Elane8701]

sorry to hear this. I have tinnitus too and it’s always worse when I have an ear infection during and after. It’s like my tinnitus but much louder. Mine did go back to normal level so I think it’s just a time thing xx

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

Just to concur with some of the replies here, an ear infection will arguably make tinnitus more noticeable and difficult to tolerate, as would any obstruction which prevents sound from being received normally.

If the prognosis for those conditions is good, then it's not unreasonable to hope that things will improve once any infection or obstruction has healed.

Clinically, doctors don't tend to think of tinnitus as being a chronic issue until it has been present for a few months. Getting treatment now is definitely the best way forward and offers a good chance of returning things to normal.

Fingers crossed here for some improvement in your situation soon.