18 with tinnitus getting worse?
Hi. I am an 18 year old girl who got tinnitus beginning in early January. I had had a lung infection, plus two sinus infections from November-January. My bronchitis involved some full ears but nothing much else. Then one night in January with the second cold which wasn't even that bad I heard light rattling/ringing in my right ear only. Sinus infection went away--it didn't. Went to an ENT who didn't give me an MRI even though it was one ear because she claimed I have perfect hearing after the audiologist tested me (although I thought my right looked a tiny bit lower on the chart-but I can't really read the graph). She told me it was going to be something I get used to but gave me NO explanation as why I have it. I was sick a lot but that seems more like a coincidence. Anyways I have anxiety issues but that was reassuring to hear. So for a month it was stable. Well late March it suddenly got worse. One night I was anxious about it pulsing (it did once but not again really) so I decided to listen to it more and it suddenly over the next week sounds like SCREAMING in my right ear in quiet rooms.
Everytime I sit in a quiet room it is a deafening ring. I can hear weird noises in my left ear too. If I pop my ears it will change. I can hear it over the fan I use sometimes. IF i didn't use the fan it is sooo loud now that have a panic attack. I I just now want it to go back to how it was, which is sad because I am 18 and all I want now is LESS tinnitus again. I am scared it is an acoustic neuroma. It could be but my mom won't take me back to the ENT even though it is worse.. Why is it so much worse? And is it necessary I go back for an MRI to rule out an acoustic neuroma? Can my increased anxiety towards it be causing the problem because now I also seem to have hyperacusis too. Thank you for any advice I am really losing it. I am so scared about acoustic neuromas.
|