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Tinnitus and Migraines
HuskyLabPit09 posted:
Hello, I have been experiencing a ringing/buzzing noise in my head/ears since February. The ringing started with a short string of severe migraines. The migraines stopped, the ringing did not. I was told to take Claritin D for 10 days when that didn't help I was refered to an ENT and a neurologist. MRI was negative, showed I had sinusitis (adenoid and sphenoid?). Neurologist ordered a battery of bloodwork tests, all came back normal except my red blood cell count was low. The ENT had an audiologist check my hearing and ear pressure. Ear pressure was normal, hearing test showed some high-frequency hearing loss. However, the ENT said is was not out of the normal range for my age.
The neurologist suggested I be evaluated for TMJ. I went to see a specialist. I have TMJ, more pronounced on the left side. Everyonce in awhile when I chew and my jaw pops i hear a really high pitched noise in my left ear. Of the ringing in my head/ears the left side seems to be the worst.
I guess my question is... is there any hope that this will go away on its own (i.e. the migraines created hypersensitized nerves and when they settle down the ringing will stop), or should I be looking into maskers? as this is quite bothersome. As it is right now I wear headphones with white noise playing 80% of the time (could really wear them 95% of the time but an unable to). Due to being in law enforcement I am unable to wear headphones on days when the tinnitus is present. (There are days where I don't hear it)
The neurologist suggested I be evaluated for TMJ. I went to see a specialist. I have TMJ, more pronounced on the left side. Everyonce in awhile when I chew and my jaw pops i hear a really high pitched noise in my left ear. Of the ringing in my head/ears the left side seems to be the worst.
I guess my question is... is there any hope that this will go away on its own (i.e. the migraines created hypersensitized nerves and when they settle down the ringing will stop), or should I be looking into maskers? as this is quite bothersome. As it is right now I wear headphones with white noise playing 80% of the time (could really wear them 95% of the time but an unable to). Due to being in law enforcement I am unable to wear headphones on days when the tinnitus is present. (There are days where I don't hear it)
3 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Tinnitus and MigrainesHello, I have been experiencing a ringing/buzzing noise in my head/ears since February. The ringing started with a short string of severe migraines. The migraines stopped, the ringing did not. I was told to take Claritin D for 10 days when that didn't help I was refered to an ENT and a neurologist. MRI was negative, showed I had sinusitis (adenoid and sphenoid?). Neurologist ordered a battery of bloodwork tests, all came back normal except my red blood cell count was low. The ENT had an audiologist check my hearing and ear pressure. Ear pressure was normal, hearing test showed some high-frequency hearing loss. However, the ENT said is was not out of the normal range for my age. <br /> <br />The neurologist suggested I be evaluated for TMJ. I went to see a specialist. I have TMJ, more pronounced on the left side. Everyonce in awhile when I chew and my jaw pops i hear a really high pitched noise in my left ear. Of the ringing in my head/ears the left side seems to be the worst. <br /> <br />I guess my question is... is there any hope that this will go away on its own (i.e. the migraines created hypersensitized nerves and when they settle down the ringing will stop), or should I be looking into maskers? as this is quite bothersome. As it is right now I wear headphones with white noise playing 80% of the time (could really wear them 95% of the time but an unable to). Due to being in law enforcement I am unable to wear headphones on days when the tinnitus is present. (There are days where I don't hear it)
Rod Moser, PA, PhD responded:
There are hundreds of causes of tinnitus. You are just assuming, because you were having migraines prior, that your tinnitus has a direct relationship. Unfortunately, it may or may not. TMJ, which you also have, can cause tinnitus. If you are in law enforcement, have you been exposed to any acoustic insults (ie. gunshots)? Tinnitus can even be caused by nerve damage from a minor cold -- that is what happened to me about a dozen years ago. I still have it, but that does not mean your tinnitus will not resolve in time.
Tinnitus is so unpredictable. There is really no way for anyone to predict if it will stop or become a permanent part of your life. The fact that it is not there 24/7 is really a good sign that it may self-resolve, regardless of the underlying cause.
Do the best you can to deal with it a bedtime, usually the worse for all tinnitus-sufferers. Music, maskers, white noise....all can help. When you are staying very busy, I doubt you will have time to pay attention to it, even though it still may be there.
Tinnitus is so unpredictable. There is really no way for anyone to predict if it will stop or become a permanent part of your life. The fact that it is not there 24/7 is really a good sign that it may self-resolve, regardless of the underlying cause.
Do the best you can to deal with it a bedtime, usually the worse for all tinnitus-sufferers. Music, maskers, white noise....all can help. When you are staying very busy, I doubt you will have time to pay attention to it, even though it still may be there.
Report This| Share this:Tinnitus and MigrainesThere are hundreds of causes of tinnitus. You are just assuming, because you were having migraines prior, that your tinnitus has a direct relationship. Unfortunately, it may or may not. TMJ, which you also have, can cause tinnitus. If you are in law enforcement, have you been exposed to any acoustic insults (ie. gunshots)? Tinnitus can even be caused by nerve damage from a minor cold -- that is what happened to me about a dozen years ago. I still have it, but that does not mean your tinnitus will not resolve in time.<br /> <br />Tinnitus is so unpredictable. There is really no way for anyone to predict if it will stop or become a permanent part of your life. The fact that it is not there 24/7 is really a good sign that it may self-resolve, regardless of the underlying cause.<br /> <br />Do the best you can to deal with it a bedtime, usually the worse for all tinnitus-sufferers. Music, maskers, white noise....all can help. When you are staying very busy, I doubt you will have time to pay attention to it, even though it still may be there.
HuskyLabPit09 replied to Rod Moser, PA, PhD's response:
I haven't been exposed to any acustic insults. I work in Crime Scene, I get to come in after everything is all over. Only gun shots I can remember be exposed to happened in November when I was hunting. But I don't even remember hearing the gun go off when I fired it.
I guess I'm just trying to make sense of the ringing. Sometimes i'll hear the usual tone of the ringing in my head and hear a different tone in one of my ears for a few seconds/minutes (like I used to get, or what happens to most people).
Is it possible that during the hearing test the loudness of the ringing masked the tone in the hearing test? Maybe showing hearing loss where I don't truely have it?
I guess I'm just trying to make sense of the ringing. Sometimes i'll hear the usual tone of the ringing in my head and hear a different tone in one of my ears for a few seconds/minutes (like I used to get, or what happens to most people).
Is it possible that during the hearing test the loudness of the ringing masked the tone in the hearing test? Maybe showing hearing loss where I don't truely have it?
Report This| Share this:Tinnitus and MigrainesI haven't been exposed to any acustic insults. I work in Crime Scene, I get to come in after everything is all over. Only gun shots I can remember be exposed to happened in November when I was hunting. But I don't even remember hearing the gun go off when I fired it. <br /> <br />I guess I'm just trying to make sense of the ringing. Sometimes i'll hear the usual tone of the ringing in my head and hear a different tone in one of my ears for a few seconds/minutes (like I used to get, or what happens to most people). <br /> <br />Is it possible that during the hearing test the loudness of the ringing masked the tone in the hearing test? Maybe showing hearing loss where I don't truely have it?
I have tinnitus and I also have excellent hearing....too good, in fact. I can hear water running or dripping anywhere in the house, as an example. Do not be puzzled by a normal hearing test (audiogram). Sometimes, tinnitus has nothing to do with the ear - that aberrant sound can be generated in your brain.
In most cases of tinnitus, the cause is never found. The good thing about tinnitus is that it tends to resolve in time with most people. Unfortunately not everyone....myself included.
In most cases of tinnitus, the cause is never found. The good thing about tinnitus is that it tends to resolve in time with most people. Unfortunately not everyone....myself included.
Report This| Share this:Tinnitus and MigrainesI have tinnitus and I also have excellent hearing....too good, in fact. I can hear water running or dripping anywhere in the house, as an example. Do not be puzzled by a normal hearing test (audiogram). Sometimes, tinnitus has nothing to do with the ear - that aberrant sound can be generated in your brain.<br /> <br />In most cases of tinnitus, the cause is never found. The good thing about tinnitus is that it tends to resolve in time with most people. Unfortunately not everyone....myself included.
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