I've had a ringing in my ears for just over a year now. I know exactly when it started and it had nothing to do with noise.
While on a trip through a mountainous area my ears wouldn't pop. I tried everything and nothing worked.
I've since seen a specialist who has wrote me off because I listen to music.
He missed the part about the ringing starting 6 months before I really started caring about SQ,upgrading etc.
I've had one person I know suggest an allergy medication and I'm about to give it a try.
Anyone else find a cure for ringing in their ears.
To clarify I can hear really well. I often ask people to speak quieter while sitting around the table.
I thought I would add I did have and have had constant problems with my sinuses since we moved into a new (really old) office building about 3 years ago.
Ideas?
I don't want to be a downer but asking a crowd of people to speak more quietly can actually be a first sign of hearing loss. You lose the ability to focus on a single voice/conversation in a noisy environment and it's usually something you notice before you catch on to the gradual decline in volume that can be easily missed.
Not saying that is your case though. No way I can know that.
To be more helpful....
I have two friends with tinnitus. One has had it almost his entire life and it is deemed untreatable. The other got it seemingly, randomly and it turned out to be caused by an oscillating blood vessel in his ear. He had minor surgery and was cured.
The interesting thing was that the doctor himself was able to hear the noise in his ear with some instrument so it was easily distinguishable from the non-treatable kind caused by ear damage or other issues. I suspect the suggestion of sinus medicine may relate to this blood vessel type of tinnitis. Can't hurt to try. Unless of course you plan on participating in the Olympics.
Ask your doctor to listen for the noise to see if he can hear it. If he looks at you as if preparing to diagnose schizophrenia, abandon him and go see a hearing specialist. If they can hear it, it may be a blood vessel or muscle tissue causing it and is likely then treatable.
Thanks for the post.
While there's no doubt I should have/have had some hearing loss over the years (I've broke glass for a living, worked in large construction,been to the odd concert, had my own killer party a time or two)it was how and when it began that keeps me looking for help.
Tinnitus is likely, I'll get another doctors opinion.
Can Tinnitus start and stop? I have had a day or two here and there without it. Both ears.
Murph advise is spot on. Go see a good Otolaryngology/ENT doc. I am sufferer of mild tinnitus,I have some hearing loss in the upper ranges 4k to 6k which is exactly the frequency of my tinnitus! (EQ accordingly) I have had the tinnitus since my military service in the late 60's. Most of the time it is not that noticeable but it will fluctuate in intensity especially if a sinus inflammation or other condition exacerbates it.
Recently I experienced plugged ears (my term) that would not go away and the tinnitus increased 10 fold. I was finally diagnosed with Meniere's Disease. It has since subsided but can return I was told. Bottom line see a qualified Physician.
I found this online.
There are a couple interesting points in here.
Thankfully I notice not difference when/after smoking...
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/medicine/tinnitus-faq