Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum and new to T. Reading a lot of your posts has made me not feel as crazy. Today is day 21 for me. My T came on very sudden and for what reason, I still do not know. I was watching TV, my hearing muted in my right ear for about 5 seconds and both ears started ringing. Just like that. I'm practically a hermit (lol) and had no exposure to loud noises. My life "was" fairly stress-free. I'm only 36 and have always had excellent hearing. I really don't know what happened.
For the first few days the ringing was really loud and equal in both ears. Now it seems like the ringing is gone from my left ear (although I read one is usually just louder than the other and masks the noise from the other ??) And the past few days it seems to be getting quieter and quieter and for this I am SO thankful!
BUT, next week my GP wants me to go to a specialist (and I have an appointment) to get a "pressure test" done in my ears. My biggest fear is that this test, and all other hearing tests, will make my T worse. Has this ever happened to any of you? I'm especially worried about this "pressure test".
I too suffer from severe tinnitus in both ears. I have done hearing tests, each of which has tested the pressure of my ear drums and my hearing capabilities.
I cannot say there's a direct correlation between the pressure test and worsening of the tinnutis. More so, I believe that whatever the underlying problem causing the tinnitus is what will continue to make it worse.
When you go to the specialist, I'd bring up the possibility of a Cholesteatoma causing your issues.
I am a survivor of a bilateral acquired recurrent Cholesteatoma and the Cholesteatoma is what has been causing my issues. The Cholesteatoma has been removed via surgery on my middle ear and mastoid 4 times now and possibily more surgeries if it comes back again.
Anyway, I'd press the issue of something else going on that is causing your tinnitus and see what the specialist says. Express your concern of the pressure test and see what they say for your situation specifically.
Hope this helps to clarify and give you more insight into what's going on.
Thank you Bryan for your reply. I will look into that. I appreciate your help. It has not been easy. I can see why so many T sufferers slip into depression. But I just refuse to let it get to me that badly and debilitate me even more. Life goes on, right?