Tinnitus in one ear

[MasseyFerguson]

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum. I have tinnitus in one ear. I see some posts from people with similar issues and would like to share my story so far. I don't think my tinnitus is severe, relative to what other people here are going through, and my heart goes out to all sufferers. I would like to ask if anyone has any suggestions for what I should do next.

The tinnitus started after I had a peculiar (for me) cold in one side only of my nose for several weeks over the summer. Mid August, the cold went and the Tinnitus started in just the affected side. It is a high-pitched whistle, non-pulsating, sometimes very loud. I fall asleep as usual but wake up to it around 4-5am, most days. After a month of this, and feeling exhausted, I went to the GP and was told to book a hearing test at Specsavers as it would be free of charge, while she booked an audiology referral on the understanding that this could take 10+ months to come through.

I got a Specsavers appointment on the next available day. Turned out that the Specsavers/NHS scheme only applies in England (I'm in Scotland) but the lady did what she could do. The result was identical hearing result on both sides and within normal range for my age despite the continuous high-pitched whistle on one side only. She also noticed that the affected ear felt hot, which the GP had not noticed, and she reported a dark shadow inside, which I saw on her camera screen.

Back to the GP - different doctor this time. He said there was no dark shadow, the darkening was because the affected eardrum was full of liquid. He gave me a steroid spray with instructions to lie on my back with my head over the side of the bed and spray vertically downwards. I did so for a couple of weeks then decided nothing was working - the spray does not function when inverted, like most sprays(!). When held pointing upwards it shoots a good fountain and if I sniff it definitely goes right through my nose.

I got a repeat prescription for the same spray, and have continued daily treatment to no effect. Last week I asked for a follow-up GP appointment, was given a nurse appointment and she took a blood sample. That has come out clear and I am about to go for another GP appointment. There is still no sign of the audiology referral - not even a letter. The nurse and the two GPs have hinted about having to live with it, and the cause being psychological.

I do not believe that the cause of my tinnitus is psychological. If I pinch my nose and blow hard, only the unaffected ear clicks. I believe that the eustachian tube on the affected side is blocked, despite all the spray. I feel some pressure in the affected side of my head and at the back - this is less than it has been. There is some tenderness below the affected ear when I press.

I am concerned about the possible underlying causes that I read about, and the possibility that the tinnitus is now permanent after the eardrum being pressurised for so long.

As I said at the start, my tinnitus is less severe than what many people here are going through. I hope I have reported something here that is helpful to other people. I will share any updates on my situation in the coming weeks.

[fauxartist]

I have exactly the same thing.... exactly. And got all the useless advice and comments too. I sit and listen to the sound of calm rain in the background as white noise to drown out the hissing noise in my one ear, and it helps....and if this is psychological.... they're full of it my friend.

[MasseyFerguson in reply to fauxartist]

I'm sorry for your situation. For you, did the tinnitus come on following a head cold or some other infection around the ear/nose/throat?

I'm not medically trained, but I work on medical topics for a voluntary role unrelated to tinnitus, so I will dig into the medical literature on tinnitus if I need to.