Chronic Tinnitus

[jimeve]

Chronic Tinnitus
Has anyone had or have this. I have this since 2000, but the last few months it’s got louder and persistent, 24/7.
I ruptured my ear drum doing some sub aqua dives, long time ago. Had many ear Infections, and have to use an ear plug when having a shower to keep water out.
Visited the E.N.T several times, had an operation to close the rupture but failed to close it. I am scared of getting depressed. My wife has little sympathy, she can’t hear it obviously. So next step another visit to the doctors for anti depressant pills. Life sucks.

Jim

[Steve.r]

My father suffers also after a working life in a machine shop, just too many years with low level noise exposure. I also have some degree of hearing loss due to being in the fabriaction industry for several years. You never think at the time that yo will either lose hearing or end up with a nosie in your head that never stops.
Recently, my father had some very expensive hearing aids fitted and it has improved his hearing over the noise considerably but the tinitus will always be there.
I cant offer a resolution for the tinitus, but I can empathise, I think your wife should be far more understanding, thats a bit out of order imo. It is an all consuming noise that no-one can hear but you and it never turns off. Maybe she should listen to some of these noises from this site:

http://ringinginears.net/2007-10-10/...itus-you-have/

Select what yours is like and play it loud for her, maybe she will understand then.
Good luck Jim

[jimeve]

http://ringinginears.net/2007-10-10/...itus-you-have/

Select what yours is like and play it loud for her, maybe she will understand then.
Good luck Jim

Thanks Steve for the link, I can sympathize and know what your dads going through

I played all the sounds but mines not there. Its like a high pitch jet engine warming its engines up and white noise.

[Arthur Little]

Gentlemen ... I can empathise, having myself suffered from [unconfirmed] intermittent bouts of what - in all probability - is a form of tinnitus. In my case, it invariably occurs when I'm lying in bed at night and consists of sounds ranging from a simple whooshing in the ears to an ... ... "imaginary" noise rather like a pneumatic drill being operated in the distance.

Either way, it's not pleasant - although, fortunately, occurrences so far have been few and far between. I do, however, suffer from some degree of hearing loss - believed for much of my adult life to have been caused mainly by gradual and excessive build-ups of earwax (which does happen!) - but, in recent years, discovered to be due to steady deterioration in certain faculties resulting from the ageing process. And I now have to wear hearing aids as a consequence. But unlike you or your father, Steve, I've never worked with loud machinery.

[Terpe]

jimeve

My wife suffered similar to you. Eventually the GP referred her to the ENT specialist at the local hospital. She went through various tests etc and the consultant suggested an operation to 'close the hole in the eardrum'.
It took about 12 months of visits, treatments and consultations but eventually she was offered the op. The consultant told her that it would definitely close up the 'hole' and significantly reduce tinnitus, but there was a risk her hearing would be permanently impaired. We talked about this for ages before she decided she could not continue with
the constant infections and the constant 'noises'.

The operation meant an overnight stay (first time in hospital!) and was painful for a week or so ........ but was an 85% success. The perforation closed up 100%. The tinnitus noise easily manageable (some weeks it's nothing) and her hearing not too badly impaired (manageable).
If there is a cold wind she needs to take care as some pain and noise will occur.
If she exposes her ear to loud noise for any length of time she will suffer.
But overall she is pleased.

Why not try to get another consultation at the hospital ?

[jimeve]

I am going to have to terpe, this will be the third time in Hospital, could be third time lucky.

First op didn't work,second time the op got cancelled at the very point the anaesthetist was going to inject me. first op 1991, second op should have been 2004. so I must go through the channels again. or go private.

[Terpe]

I am going to have to terpe, this will be the third time in Hospital, could be third time lucky.

First op didn't work,second time the op got cancelled at the very point the anaesthetist was going to inject me. first op 1991, second op should have been 2004. so I must go through the channels again. or go private.

Sorry to hear that.
Yeah, I know the 'proper channels' can take some time.
If you can go private you need to start the whole process as private. If you have cover it's OK otherwise its very expensive.

I don't think our consulatant ever said that the perforation could not be fixed successfully. I do remember he said the perforation may not be the root cause of the tinnitus and may only be reduced and not fixed.

This type of op is not without its potential risks and side effects. So many nerves in that area. My wife lost most sense of taste for months.

You need to get something done Jim. I wish you all good luck for best outcome

[jimeve]

Thank you very much terpe, much appreciated. i know its costly, no health cover neither. I know the full risk, loss of control of the facial mussels and nerves, tooth falling out, speech etc. if the drill hits a nerve. like a stroke victim. then there's no guarantee the tinnitus will lessen.

[Doc Alan]

You might be surprised, if not reassured, to know just how common tinnitus is, up to a fifth of the general population in countries like the UK being mildly affected, and 1/200 severely affected. It means perception of sound from within the body as opposed to the environment. It may or may not have an apparent / treatable cause, as the above posts have shown.
Obviously this is a condition where advice from your GP +/or ENT specialist may help.
If there isn't an obvious cause, many treatments have been tried with, to be honest, unknown effectiveness. As for anti-depressants, there can be an association with depression (cause or effect ?). I suggest that if these drugs help, fine, but be aware they have many possible side effects.

[jimeve]

Thanks for your input Alan, and Appreciated, I know its quiet common, and there are different levels, think I will see the ENT Specialist privately, firstly for his advise. I don;t want to go down the anti depressants route.

[KeithD]

I'd avoid anti-depressants at all costs if i were you.

[Ako Si Jamie]

I heard that fella called Richards associated with horse racing, commited suicide because of this, but this was ages ago. Must be a nasty thing to have.