Hello Dr. Nagler,
First off, let my start by thanking you for setting up this forum and taking the time to listen and help those of us suffering with this vile condition.
My story starts in early February. I noticed some mild ringing and ear fullness with no clear cause. I was taking Advil to help with some back pain around the time, but no other medications or noise exposure.
The ringing and fullness persisted for about 2-3 weeks and started to fade on its own. At the end of February, I was exposed to some loud bangs at work. It was uncomfortable so I got myself out of there and didn't think much of it after as I felt fine. The next morning, however, I woke up to a loud hiss/high pitched tones and squeaking sounds in my ears along with sharp burning pain and full ears with distorted and reduced hearing - all of which has continued relentlessly to this day.
I saw my GP right away. He looked in my ears and didn't seem too concerned, but did give me a referral to an ENT \ audiologist.
The audiologist said I have 25dB sensorineural loss at 3-4kHz.
When I saw the ENT, I also saw another audiologist who shed some light on how to deal with tinnitus, and recommended I see a psychologist (but I already see one following stress from looked in my ears and throat. I explained my symptoms, and he ordered an MRI (of which I didn't get the memo that they're loud! That was tourture).
The MRI didn't show anything of concern other than some sinus thickening, so the ENT sent me back to my physician with a recommendation for anxiety drugs (?!) and lipoflavanoids.
I was prescribed Duloxetine, which I had a very bad reaction to, and then Trazodone, which although I can tolerate, does make me constantly groggy.
Neither drug has helped the ringing, sensitivity or pain. My doctor wants me to try Duloxetine again but get a lower dose to start this time. I am nervous about that considering my previous reaction.
I saw another audiologist who shed light on tinnitus and the Jastrebroff model. I now see where my doctor was probably going with the anxiety drug reccomendation as one's emotional response can exacerbate perception of tinnitus.
The sensitivity and pain, however, I wonder if there is any hope for?
When one develops pain in the ear following an insult from loud noise, is there any hope of it going away if it has lingered this long already? Are there better ways to treat it? Tylonol and Advil can't seem to touch it. There is a baseline of burning almost electrical feeling pain, even in silence.
I can't even leave the house without ear plugs. Even so, my ringing and the pain still goes through the roof more often than not by the time I return home. I have been unable to work and feel like my doctors either don't believe me or don't understand how much this is impacting me!
First off, let my start by thanking you for setting up this forum and taking the time to listen and help those of us suffering with this vile condition.
My story starts in early February. I noticed some mild ringing and ear fullness with no clear cause. I was taking Advil to help with some back pain around the time, but no other medications or noise exposure.
The ringing and fullness persisted for about 2-3 weeks and started to fade on its own. At the end of February, I was exposed to some loud bangs at work. It was uncomfortable so I got myself out of there and didn't think much of it after as I felt fine. The next morning, however, I woke up to a loud hiss/high pitched tones and squeaking sounds in my ears along with sharp burning pain and full ears with distorted and reduced hearing - all of which has continued relentlessly to this day.
I saw my GP right away. He looked in my ears and didn't seem too concerned, but did give me a referral to an ENT \ audiologist.
The audiologist said I have 25dB sensorineural loss at 3-4kHz.
When I saw the ENT, I also saw another audiologist who shed some light on how to deal with tinnitus, and recommended I see a psychologist (but I already see one following stress from looked in my ears and throat. I explained my symptoms, and he ordered an MRI (of which I didn't get the memo that they're loud! That was tourture).
The MRI didn't show anything of concern other than some sinus thickening, so the ENT sent me back to my physician with a recommendation for anxiety drugs (?!) and lipoflavanoids.
I was prescribed Duloxetine, which I had a very bad reaction to, and then Trazodone, which although I can tolerate, does make me constantly groggy.
Neither drug has helped the ringing, sensitivity or pain. My doctor wants me to try Duloxetine again but get a lower dose to start this time. I am nervous about that considering my previous reaction.
I saw another audiologist who shed light on tinnitus and the Jastrebroff model. I now see where my doctor was probably going with the anxiety drug reccomendation as one's emotional response can exacerbate perception of tinnitus.
The sensitivity and pain, however, I wonder if there is any hope for?
When one develops pain in the ear following an insult from loud noise, is there any hope of it going away if it has lingered this long already? Are there better ways to treat it? Tylonol and Advil can't seem to touch it. There is a baseline of burning almost electrical feeling pain, even in silence.
I can't even leave the house without ear plugs. Even so, my ringing and the pain still goes through the roof more often than not by the time I return home. I have been unable to work and feel like my doctors either don't believe me or don't understand how much this is impacting me!
Category: Questions and Answers
