upper-respiratory infection -> ear infection -> tinnitus and hearing loss

[wallymann]

so i caught some summertime bug this week, never got terribly bad but it took up residence in my left inner-ear. summer illness and ear-infections? i feel like i'm 5 again! now i have measurable hearing loss and constant tinnitus. :-(

we're not even a week after the onset of the bug and only 72 hours after onset of the hearing issues, so its reasonably early days...but the doc was concerned enough to put me on anti-biotics + prednisone and i'm seeing an ENT specialist on monday.

wondering if anyone has experienced something like this and what the outcome was like. were you able to restore your hearing loss and get rid of the tinnitus? the latter is driving me batty!

[dpk501]

so i caught some bug this week, never got terribly bad but it took up residence in my left inner-ear. now i have measurable hearing loss and constant tinnitus.

we're not even a week after the onset of the bug and only 72 hours after onset of the hearing issues, so its reasonably early days...but the doc was concerned enough to put me on anti-biotics + prednisone and i'm seeing an ENT specialist on monday.

wondering if anyone has experienced something like this and what the outcome was like. were you able to restore your hearing loss and get rid of the tinnitus? the latter is driving me batty!

It will get better but it will take time. Some times a long time.

[zmudshark]

My wife is undergoing the same thing, and we are coincidentally also in MI. She took the antibiotic drops, and it killed all the good stuff, now on something else. They thought something like 'swimmer's ear', not a swimmer. She is slowly getting better, back to the ENT guy this week. She is now on an anti-fungal creme w/steroids. Hearing is better, but still has some tinnitus. Let me know what your ENT guy says, and I'll PM you on what hers says later this week.

[Daveyk]

It is good that you are being treated quickly. I had similar symptoms and did not see a specialist soon enough. Outcome was permanent hearing loss in one ear. Tinnitus is still there, but it brain learns to tune it out. Lifestyle is unchanged with inconveniences. Only real impact is hearing at loud parties and locating sound.

I am posting to reinforce seeing specialist and treatment. Please don't feel more concerned Of this post. Every case is different and even worst case is not so bad.

[Louis]

were you able to restore your hearing loss and get rid of the tinnitus? the latter is driving me batty!

Good luck with the tinnitus. I've had it for at least 35 years, and for me it's a mild annoyance, but not a huge, huge deal.

[gasman]

I'm glad to know you are getting treatment. i have two friends (both docs) that went through the exact same thing years ago. The one who was treated with steroids and antibiotics regained all his hearing and was left with only very slight tinnitus. The other avoided treatment and is now left with hearing loss and tinnitus in one ear.
The odds are you will get better. Best of luck. I really hope you get full recovery.

[ultraman6970]

I have a little of tinnitus... cant remember how I ended up with it... The only thing i can tell you is that it will get better, you have to get used to the darn noise. What helps is to have always the tv or music on, as long as you are listening something else to focus your brain you will feel better.

For example I dont feel it while riding the bike due to the wind noise.

Hope this helps.

[Likes2ridefar]

Good luck with the tinnitus. I've had it for at least 35 years, and for me it's a mild annoyance, but not a huge, huge deal.

White noise machine makes quiet nights way more tolerable.

[Splash]

Same thing here.

Left ear tinnitus - had it for the last 6 months. Incidentally, my wife began to have tinnitus at the same time and still has it today.

Had my ear flushed with clogged wax and with the wax being flushed out, also coming out was a white membrane (about 30mm in length x around 6mm in width). I asked for a biopsy to be done on this membrane. Turned out to be some infection growth.

Tinitus still here but now seems to be less magnitude. And, will be seeing a specialist soon.

Some tips I have learnt along the way -
- eliminate any form of aspartame in your diet (very bad for inner ear)
- have your partner checked for ear infections and who ever else is living in the same household
- identify all sources of wifi radiation and other frequencies in your house and limit your exposure to them
- eliminate any electromagnetic frequencies in your bedroom when you sleep (i.e. from internet modems and AC power meters from outside the house)
- maintain regular clean ear flushing

It can control your life if you let it and be very debilitating.


Splash

[Louis]

Some tips I have learnt along the way -
- eliminate any form of aspartame in your diet (very bad for inner ear)
- have your partner checked for ear infections and who ever else is living in the same household
- identify all sources of wifi radiation and other frequencies in your house and limit your exposure to them
- eliminate any electromagnetic frequencies in your bedroom when you sleep (i.e. from internet modems and AC power meters from outside the house)
- maintain regular clean ear flushing


Splash, I'm perfectly willing to improve my life and eliminate as much as possible things that are bad for me, but except of #2 and #5, these strike me as tin-foil hat type stuff (literally, for #3 and #4).

Can you provide links to anything published in the mainstream peer-reviewed medical science press backing this up?

[MattTuck]

Dude, this is not your year :(

I do hope you get better soon.

[Splash]

heaps of stuff on the net re: aspartame

This bad boy is also found in all foods that are artificially sweetened and flavoured - including any bike riding powders, tells, protein powders, etc...

Aspartame affects our neurological system - impacting the nerves on the ear and blocks responses. Some links below...:

http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_tinnitus_connection.htm

https://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/nutrasweet_scandal.htm

http://www.md-health.com/Aspartame-Poisoning.html

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread688036/pg2

heaps of stuff on the net about the other stuff as well...



splash

[oldpotatoe]

White noise machine makes quiet nights way more tolerable.

Agree. I've had some since I got nailed by a P/U truck in 2002. Notice it in a quiet room, like right now but out and about-don't notice it. But have a white noise generator for sleeping.

[wallymann]

just call me "Lucky" ... thx man!

Dude, this is not your year :(

I do hope you get better soon.

[Tickdoc]

Been there done that.. Just don't fly any long distances til you feel better. Or swim. I've had tinnitus my whole life, so I can't link it to any one thing. Hopefully yours will resolve with the infection and you won't be left with any inner ear imbalances. Best of luck on your recovery.

[malcolm]

tinnitus has many sources/causes not all cases are the same. Unless very brief should prompt a trip to the ENT.

Cerumen (ear wax) impactions are very common and should not be a source of persistent tinnitus. A whitish "membrane" coming out with irrigation of a cerumen impaction is actually quite common and is the superficial layer of skin from the ear canal. If they have been there a while they can be quite difficult to get out as they become adherent and may require some soaking with Colace or debrox. Again this should not cause persistent tinnitus.

[Louis]

I've had tinnitus my whole life, so I can't link it to any one thing.

I attribute it to too much LOUD music in my misspent youth.

[gasman]

I attribute it to too much LOUD music in my misspent youth.


Eh ? What did you say ?

[Louis]

Eh ? What did you say ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtMGoU9NcMo

[gasman]

:beer:

[josephr]

Led Zeppelin caused my tinnitus. ;)

white noise/sleep machines help a lot....avoid the stupid electronic ones with 20 different sounds...especially the Homedics cheap-o for $15....I use/recommend the Marpac --- runs a real fan and its a solid built machine that will last forever.

I've heard radio ads for tinnitus homeopathic remedies and I'm sure there's a bevy of offerings on the shelf at the drug store, but I've not tried them. I do find my tinnitus is 'louder' when I'm jacked up on caffeine though.

[Likes2ridefar]

Led Zeppelin caused my tinnitus. ;)

white noise/sleep machines help a lot....avoid the stupid electronic ones with 20 different sounds...especially the Homedics cheap-o for $15....I use/recommend the Marpac --- runs a real fan and its a solid built machine that will last forever.

I've heard radio ads for tinnitus homeopathic remedies and I'm sure there's a bevy of offerings on the shelf at the drug store, but I've not tried them. I do find my tinnitus is 'louder' when I'm jacked up on caffeine though.

the one i have is made by lectrofan (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6D6LQY?psc=1). it looks fairly similar to yours. ive had it for a few years running all night every night!

i use the fan noise as well.

[wallymann]

...doc says that it looks like the auditory nerve *not* is affected and no measureable fluid build-up in the middle ear.

More than likely a mechanical issue caused by the infection/swelling, so when the bug is killed-off and the swelling subsides my hearing should return to normal in a couple weeks.

i've already noticed apparent improvement in my hearing since last week, and it is already measurable -- this is promising. even with my deficit, the tester said i have very good hearing! which wifey vehemently disputes, of course.

[drewellison]

I've got mild chronic tinnitus, so I count myself lucky. My doc attributed it to all the loud music I listened to in my yoots.

After paying some attention, I noticed that my tinnitus is worse after rides. I attributed it to wind noise.

So I bought some lightweight ear muffs, behind-the-neck variety. They don't do much for warmth as they're basically just a foam covering over the ear stretched around a frame which covers the whole ear. I bought on Amazon a couple of years ago for about $20 but I don't see them there now.

They cut the wind noise way down but don't impact regular hearing.

Good luck with your treatment!
Drew

[Likes2ridefar]

After paying some attention, I noticed that my tinnitus is worse after rides. I attributed it to wind noise.



I think my tinnitus may have actually been caused by cycling when I was riding 20-30+ hours a week for a number of years while racing.

Now that I'm sensitive to it and really want to have it not progress, I notice the wind noise is very high for my riding in up and down hilly CT. There are a few products I've seen that claim to help. cat-ears, wind-blox and slipstreamz

right now i usually wear ear plugs but would like to find a better option.

[benb]

even with my deficit, the tester said i have very good hearing! which wifey vehemently disputes, of course.

LOL that hits close to home.