Does anybody else have Tinnitus?

spugzbunny · 27 January 2010 at 5:01PM

Hi everyone,

I just thought I'd update you all.

Well - wow I'm freaking out a fair bit to be honest. I am trying to remember everything the specialist said so forgive me if I forget anything.

I had a full hearing test done. Both through my ears via headphones and through the bone both with masking sounds etc. The 2 tests showed the same result and she explained to me on a model of the ear that unfortunately I have permanent hearing loss in my right ear not caused by sinus or blocked tube reasons. If it were eustachian tube blockages, I would have been able to hear the 'bone' hearing test better as that bipasses the section that would be blocked.

The hearing loss is most likely also why I have tinnitus because my brain has 'turned up the volume' on the frequencies I have lost and now I can hear this noise that was probably there before. So I thought I had lost some hearing due to tinnitus but I actually have tinnitus due to hearing loss.

So she basically recommended a 3 step treatment/diagnosis follow up. I am to have a MRI to check for anything going on in my brain and also any benign tumours on my auditory nerves and er something else in my inner ear! I'm trying to picture the ear model she was showing me!!

Next step, I am having a hearing aid fitted - a behind the ear one as she said the type of loss I have means they want to keep my ear open. I think because I can still hear lower tones ok. It's a new model called the i something - like ipod. It was the smallest and it's directional. Oh edited to say (sorry this soooo long!) that the hearing aid might help with my tinnitus as my brain will eventually tune it back out again as the hearing aid mitigates the need for brain to turn the volume up itself.

Finally, I will see a hearing therapist who will talk to me about all the other treatment avenues to deal with stress etc that might help.

I'm totally gob smacked to be honest. I didn't think this would be the result and I'm trying to come to terms with the idea of a hearing aid. I am also trying to think about what the MRI will show and just see it as a precaution.

Adaline - I hope this doesnt worry you. Everyone is different and even my specialist said it is nearly always a blockage at my age and with my medical history. Good luck and please let me know how you get on! ((HUGS))

Savvy_Sue · 27 January 2010 at 6:32PM

I think, tbh, you have been offered an excellent response! A hearing aid, AND a hearing therapist!

What she might have meant is that they are giving you a hearing aid with an 'open-fit' earpiece, rather than a moulded one which blocks your ear completely. They're not suitable for all sorts of hearing loss, but they are quicker and easier to fit because they come 'off the shelf' rather than needing to take an impression of your ears - if you say whether they took an impression of your ear it will be clearer.

The tumour is a rare thing, so do please try not to stress about that, and IF you've got one we do have a poster who's had one removed. And I've had brain surgery too.

You're young, it's a shock, but you WILL adapt to this.

One tip, though, is to find a lipreading class in your area if you possibly can. You may think "Oh that won't help, and I won't need it if I get the hearing aid" but honestly, the relief of meeting up with people who have similar problems, and sharing solutions, and having a good laugh - nothing to beat it!

Sadly in my area there are no longer any classes held in the evenings. You'd think we all gave up work the minute our hearing started to go ...

spugzbunny · 28 January 2010 at 12:04AM

Thanks Sue. Yes as far as I could work out, the hearing aid I have chosen is open fit. They didn't take a mould of my ear and she said it would fit over and behind my ear with a tube running into my ear It's very small (the smallest they showed me!!) but to be honest I was just so gob smacked that I needed a hearing aid at all that I zoned out somewhat. I know I can ask more when I go back for my next appointment and she emphasised that this time between appointments would help it all settle in.

I have to say I was amazed at the level of care they gave me. I couldn't have asked for more if it were private care. She was fantastic and covered everything I could possibly ask for. It's just such a shock because as you can see from my posts earlier this week, I was sure it was just a blockage. I just feel so ... so overwhelmed I think.

My next step is to read more, the thread you gave me will be thoroughly reviewed! I need to contact work officially to see if I can get the time off as sick rather than holiday as I know I have at least 3 appointments due and also I'm pretty sure Occ Health require me to inform them. Once the MRI is over I will feel a lot better as well. Phew, it's just a lot to take in you know?

Oh and yes I would love to learn to lip read for both the reasons that it may help and also provide some support. I'd also like to re-learn sign language for the same reasons. I learnt as a teenager but I have forgotten most of it now. I have a colleague who is deaf but lip reads well so I may ask her for a coffee and ask her advise on local classes.

EDT to add - brain surgery - wow, that's hard and all my best for you. I have a BSc and MSc in Psychology so my still reasonably limited knowledge of the brain tells me that is intense. I hope you are recovering well now.

Hear-Hear · 28 January 2010 at 12:38AM

Hi spugzbunny,

If you look further into the RNID site, seek out the Tinnitus Forums. They are a real goldmine of information, empathy, and shared personal experiences.

Tinnitus is indeed usually a symptom of hearing loss, rather than the other way round. Not fully understood yet, but common theory holds that it's hearing nerve damage. The damaged hair cells in your inner ear are bent (in the same way as they bent when external sound is detected) and are therefore sending a regular stream of electronic impulses to the brain. The brain interprets this as sound, even without any external input.

As savvy sue says, what you have been offered sounds absuolutely right. You are relatively young, and it is standard NHS practice for all Under-40's with Sensori-Neural Hearing Loss (which they determined with the bone-conduction test that you described) to be offered an MRI. It will be more of a lets-rule-out-any-other-causes type test.

Open fit fully digital hearing aids are really great; make sure you get two if you have hearing loss in both ears. You are entitled to two, and they will make such a difference to you, if prescribed and set up correctly for you.

Keep us posted.....

Savvy_Sue · 29 January 2010 at 2:59PM

spugz, you might want to ask OH if you can take the time off as paid but NOT as sick leave - I don't know where you work but the Housing Association and Universities I have worked at would allow hospital appointments to be logged as 'normal' hours, not taken as leave or flexi-leave, and NOT taken as sick (so it doesn't muck up your sickness record).

I'm about as normal as I ever was, post brain surgery, btw!

Adaline · 4 February 2010 at 5:04PM

spugzbunny wrote: »

.

Adaline - I hope this doesnt worry you. Everyone is different and even my specialist said it is nearly always a blockage at my age and with my medical history. Good luck and please let me know how you get on! ((HUGS))

Hi Spugzbunny, Sorry I haven't replied before, I've been away. Sorry to hear to had a shock at the diagnosis, but it does seem that you're getting good care, and I hope it helps. Keep in touch: you can pm me if you like. I've had a bad cold the past few days and my hearing's even more muffled, so I have a feeling I know that they may say something similar to me when I see the consultant on Monday.

Dizzy_Ditzy · 4 February 2010 at 5:41PM

Hi Spugzbunny

I've only just come across this thread but would have tried to put your mind at rest previously if I had seen it!!

An MRI is perfectly normal procedure for one sided hearing loss. Its just to rule out anything more sinister, like an acoustic neuroma. Chances are, you'll get a letter a couple of weeks after the MRI saying that everything is fine.

The tinnitus clinic will go through some tinnitus retraining therapy with you. Sadly, a cure for tinnitus hasnt been developed yet :-(

There are so many more people than you think who are having the same problems as you, and a lot of them are younger than you are! There are a lot of young 'uns having it because they have their ipod's/mp3's turned up too loudly.

For future reference, make sure you have some earplugs always close to hand so you can try and avoid any noise induced hearing loss, ie if you are going somewhere where you know it will be too noisy, this might seem crazy to do now, but it will save you a lot in future.

Good luck, and let us all know how you get on!

Fiver29 · 7 April 2010 at 7:48PM

I've been suffering tinnitus for a while now, but just had it confirmed by the doctor. She never mentioned anything about tinnitus clinics in the area, are they pretty common?

freedom · 7 April 2010 at 10:31PM

My friend (64) has had tinnitus for 6 years now, he says he's got used to it..hardly notices it

Petal_3 · 9 April 2010 at 9:17PM

This is interesting. In the last 6 months I've noticed that when in a group at a dinner table I have trouble following conversations whilst others do not. In the last 2 months I have had tinnitus. TV and general background sounds distract me although I can hear it. I haven't done anything about it, thinking that will probably just disappear but I'm wondering if I should make an appointment with the GP.....

~X~

Does anybody else have Tinnitus?

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