<p>Since last week I’ve started hearing this godawful high-pitched whine and for the first couple of days I thought it was feedback from my clock radio or a noise coming from our central air conditioning unit. I wasn’t always conscious of the sound, especially if I was watching TV, but it seemed to get louder and more incessant over the past couple of days. I finally realized that I was hearing it all the time, not just inside my house, and then it occurred to me that it must be tinnitus.</p>
<p>I did a little online research and found out the bad news – there’s really no surefire cure. Sometimes it resolves on its own, sometimes it improves with treatment (although some of the treatments sound really unconventional). I woke up the day before yesterday with the sound gone and I thought I was miraculously cured, but it came back the next day and it’s still here. I’d have to describe it as sounding like cicadas, or maybe a high-pitched jet engine sound.</p>
<p>I guess my next step is to see a doctor. Should I go to an ENT specialist or an audiologist? My hearing is okay. I have had bouts with vertigo in the past (BPV - benign positional vertigo) and wonder if there might be some connection there. Thanks for any suggestions from fellow sufferers!</p>
<p>My dh has suffered from tinnitus for about 7 yrs., since a scuba diving incident (at least we think that’s what triggered it.) He was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea about the same time, and the docs were surprised he was still walking around given his extremely low blood oxygen level. His migraines returned about the same time. Despite all of that, it took a major confrontation to get him to see a doctor. As dh has to see an ENT as well as a couple of other specialists anyway, he discusses it with them (primarily the ENT.) He also has some hearing loss, but hasn’t reached the point where he’s interested in trying hearing aids. In his case, the tinnitus is chronic - never goes away. It can seem worse when he is stressed or overtired (the same with his migraines.) It seems to help him to always have some sort of background noise, TV or music, instead of absolute quiet. Lately, his ability to hear, or at least discern, some alarm clocks, timers and other high pitch sounds has worsened. He put his bedside lamp on a timer to wake him since his alarm clock was no longer effective.</p>
<p>Sorry this isn’t very encouraging. Perhaps your case will be different - I hope so!</p>
<p>patsmom, I’ve been suffering from tinnitus for most of my adult life. Part is hereditary, but most of it is environmental. I was a career AF pilot and all that jet engine noise took it’s toll. Like you, somedays it will get better or worse for reasons I can’t figure out. I thought I’d read once that certain meds can affect tinnitus. I’m sure that my tinnitus is far worse than yours. I cannot hear high frequencies at all. In a large room or party with lots of background noise, it is almost impossible for me to hear anyone talking to me without getting very close. I am sure that I am looking at hearing aides someday. There was a good article in Newsweek lately about the advancement in hearing aides and the new possibilities on regenerating the growth of the small hairs in the middle ear that transmit sound to the brain. Don’t know if my generation will be able to benefit, but perhaps my children. I would go to an audiologist. That’s who I always dealt with while in the AF. I probably should see one again since it has been awhile. You want to rule out anything real serious causing the tinnitus. The audiologist will do some simple tests to ensure the nerve behind your ear is in good shape as well as determine how extensive the damage is. You are correct, there isn’t much you can do to reverse the damage. I am always harping at my kids to take care of their teeth and their hearing today so they won’t regret it when they are my age! Good luck!</p>
<p>I have had a low level of this for forever. I can always remember hearing sort of a high pitched, not usu. very loud, frequency. More pronounced when I take Advil or aspirin. And mostly I only notice it when things are quiet. Since my environment is kind of noisy, I don’t notice it all that much. Still, though, I’ve always wondered if anything could make it go away. I wonder what true silence sounds like.</p>
<p>I agree to get it checked out if it’s a recent occurrence. My son suffered from this since about age 9 (loud noise caused it we think). He still has it but it’s better. He went through all sorts of testing, saw an audiologist and was finally told to deal with it. After all that our pediatrician recommended that he severely limit salt and aspirin products. That seems to have helped a lot. It’s cheap and worth a try. You have my sympathy.</p>
<p>I also have tinnitus, it’s actually pretty ‘loud’ but I manage to ignore it. Ibuprofen and aspirin definitely exacerbate the problem…which is a toughy for me since I also have a little bit of arthritis going on and need anti-inflammatories. Getting old sucks folks. (My husband makes fun of me because I don’t have any wrinkles, but my dang body is falling apart…)</p>
<p>A gift from my mom I do believe…she doesn’t have wrinkles either and she is almost 70. Don’t worry, I have cellulite…God giveth and God taketh away…lol!!</p>
<p>I have a ringing in one ear and the doc said it was “ineffective” eustacian tubes. It comes and goes depending on how my sinuses are doing on any given day. I notice it most when I’m playing the piano and it clashes with the high notes. :eek:</p>
<p>Re lifetime exposure to loud noises leading to hearing loss: I can’t believe the parents who bring little kids to parties or rock concerts and let them sit, stand, or otherwise bounce around right in front of the speakers blasting at a bazillion decibels.</p>
<p>I had a feeling there would be more than a few of us with this condition. Thanks for the commiseration and recommendations. I don’t think mine developed from exposure to loud noises - I don’t work in a loud place and don’t attend loud concerts or anything like that. I did just get over a bad sinus cold and wondered if that might have precipitated it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip about avoiding aspirin. I’ll ask about that because I take an 81mg aspirin every day since I’m at risk for heart disease. Unfortunately, I can’t stop taking the aspirin.</p>
<p>I have tinnitus. I’ve never seen a doctor about it specifically, though I have had problems all year with vertigo, so the subject comes up. </p>
<p>I think I’ve had it for a while, but I only really noticed it when I came home for Thanksgiving and thought immediately it’s too quiet–it hurts my ears. I barely hear it, if at all, in my dorm since there are noises from fans, water, music, other students, heat and air conditioning, etc. </p>
<p>Unlike Over30, when I mentioned it to my parents they thought I was making it up–even trying to poke holes in what I said! (I said I don’t hear it if there’s a lot of “white noise” in the background–they countered that if it’s in my head noice in the background wouldn’t matter.) Thanks, mom and dad. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>My advice: Stop thinking about it, and put on things that make white background noise. When I sleep at home, I need to put on classical music and my fan to block it out. It doesn’t really bother me much. If you think about it, you’ll notice it more. Don’t try to track when it’s the loudest or anything like that. Most people can learn to pretty much ignore it.</p>
<p>Years ago, in a run of lousy health bugaboos, I was diagnosed with a hearing loss, apparently I had had it most of my life, but it finally got to be significantly different between the ears and much worse. Over the next few years, I also had cluster headaches (opposite of migraines, but similar overwhelming pain), and vertigo :(</p>
<p>I do not recall which things helped, but I tried all sorts of MDs, accupuncture, homeopathy, and anything else I could find. My primary issue was the vertigo- hard to work when the room spins so you loose your lunch! I learned the hard way that I could no longer power through hard times and accomplish a supermom’s schedule. I had to learn to really be in touch with and protective of my body- I would never I know I was doing too much until after I had done it, so I got better at recognising subtle triggers.</p>
<p>Through that time, the vertigo greatly faded and I rarely have it now, I also rarely have a tinnitus. I saw them as inter-related. Do you have any dizziness/spaciness etc?</p>
<p>^^ Well, my son thinks I’m spacey :), but no, no dizziness. I haven’t had a vertigo episode for quite a while. Sometimes when turning over in bed, moving my head a certain way, I start to feel a spin coming on, but I can usually stop it if I change my head position quickly enough. The reason I think the tinnitus and the vertigo are related is because they both involve the hairs (cilia) in the inner ear canal.</p>
<p>I’m going to be spewing out some very uninformed medical things that I know almost nothing about besides what my doctors have said. Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor.</p>
<p>Veritigo can have a variety of causes.</p>
<p>
You’re describing what sounds like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. WebMD says: “The main symptom is vertigo-a feeling of spinning, whirling, or tilting-that occurs when you move your head certain ways. Turning over in bed, turning your head quickly, bending over, or tipping your head back may cause it. Sometimes the vertigo then causes nausea and vomiting.” BPPV can actually be treated and completely cured in many cases. <a href=“http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/Benign-Paroxysmal-Positional-Vertigo-BPPV-Topic-Overview[/url]”>What Is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)?;
<p>My vertigo is quite different from this so doctors are investigating a “central” cause–in other words, it would be brain-based instead of ear-based. Tinnitus and vertigo are often connected since the inner ear is involved with balance as well as hearing, but they are not necessarily connected.</p>
<p>I’ve had tinnitus since age 19, when I had sudden neural hearing loss in one year due to a viral infection. I had many other symptoms, too, including very bad vertigo, but they cleared up. The ringing and the hearing loss will always be with me. I have learned to tune it out. Extremely cold weather also seems to make it worse. I tried acupuncture once, to no avail (though others say it does work for them). My advice is to find a good ENT and have a thorough exam. Sudden hearing loss is not always noticeable because it’s obscured by the noise of the tinnitus. I’m not trying to alarm you–just being cautious.</p>
<p>Having studied speech and hearing science in school, I would suggest you go to an ENT to rule out any neurologic reason for the new onset of tinnitus. You should have an audiologist do a complete hearing test as well to get a good baseline. Once you have (hopefully) ruled out any more serious etiologies, then you can deal with the annoying tinnitus. Good luck.</p>
<p>Blucroo - thanks. I have an appointment with an ENT this morning.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you know it, though - yesterday and today, the tinnitus has diminished to a much lower volume. I’m sure it’s temporary and it’ll be loud again at some point. But it’s like taking your car to the repair shop because it’s making a weird noise, but when the mechanic takes it for a test drive, it won’t make that noise!</p>
and it’s still here. I’d have to describe it as sounding like cicadas, or maybe a high-pitched jet engine sound.</p>