Tinnitus after surgery

[ombrerose4]

I am 10 months post op and began suffering from tinnitus about 3 months ago. It is getting progressively worse. I know that many people get tinnitus as a pre-op AN symptom. I am wondering how many of you developed it post-op in their newly SSD ear. And can anyone explain to me why I can hear noises from the tinnitus on my SSD side but otherwise that ear is deaf? It is such a strange sensation and a bit overwheling at times. Any suggestions on how to deal with it? I have a BAHA and sometimes the tinnitus is so loud, the BAHA doesn't help as much as it does when the tinnitus is not present. Anyone else with these issues? Looking for help and some TLC

[Jim Scott]

Lauren ~

I'm sorry to learn that your tinnitus is getting worse in your 'AN ear'.  Although the hearing nerve is inoperative the sound (tinnitus) your brain processes is not really 'sound' so your unilateral deafness is not a factor, although inner ear problems can cause tinnitus.  I have very mild tinnitus (mostly) in my operative ear that I can usually 'tune out'. To my knowledge, there are no slam-dunk 'cures' for tinnitus but I'm sure our members will be along with suggestions and advice in dealing with 'deaf side tinnitus'.  I hope they'll help.

Jim

[Tod]

Lauren,

I had no tinnitus pre-op, but I certainly do post-op. Much of the time it is either not there or I don't notice it. At the moment it is pretty loud. This is all still relatively new to me, being less than six months out, so the only thing I can say is that I think it is important to maintain a positive attitude. It seems to me that it worsens if I dwell on the tinnitus or become negative. That may well only be true for me though.

Good luck,

Tod

[CHD63]

Hi Lauren .....

Sorry the tinnitus is giving you fits.  I, too, had no tinnitus pre-surgery, but do now post-surgery.  It did not start in right away, but like you, gradually progressed for several months.  I really do not think it has changed much since about a year post-op.  However, it does get louder when I am stressed or very tired ..... and strangely, it is always louder when I am in a very noisy environment (like a busy restaurant) or a quiet environment (like at night when I am trying to go to sleep).

I am not SSD.  I retained about 20% of my hearing and wear a digital Widex hearing aid.  I find that when I wear my hearing aid the tinnitus is much less.  My audiologist explained that the enhanced hearing gives my brain something to focus on besides the noises of the tinnitus.

Hopefully other BAHA wearers will have other suggestions.

Best thoughts.  Clarice

[ombrerose4]

I have found that the tinnitus is worse when I am stressed and tired. Also, when I was in the subway the other day it became really loud and annoying.

[leapyrtwins]

Lauren -

thankfully I don't suffer from tinnitus, so I'm probably the wrong person to be giving you advice on this topic.

However, I have a thought on your BAHA.  If the tinnitus started after your BP100 was initially programmed, you might want to contact your audiologist and see if reprogamming it would help.  I'm not sure if that's a solution, but it's worth asking.

Jan

[Funnydream]

Before my discovery of my AN. I thought my hearing loss was do to some other factor. And studied the web for info on tinnitus. Even watched a William Shatner youtube video on it.

I AM NOT A DOCTOR. 

The way I understand it. Is your Brain turns up the gain to hear better. And the ringing is the result. Also people with hearing loss have a full ear feeling.

The only way I found live with it is to do work or anything to get your mind on something else. Also back ground noise like a fan or radio seems to help me.

[Lizard]

Geez reading this makes me crazy, tinnitus is somewhat easy to tune out when there are other sounds so focus on.  But right now all I hear is the dogs breathing and a fan in the other room so I had to turn on some music as I was reading these posts.  Today was an exceptionally loud tinnitus day as I was stressed at work and I have had a headache so I'm not sure what advice I can offer, but when you are home background noise helps.  After surgery I used to fall asleep with the TV on so like was said above, my brain had something else to focus on.  It used to really drive me crazy, but I have become used to it over time.
Hopefully your increased tinnitus calms down and you get used to it too.
Liz

[martyc]

Hi there fellow tinnitus sufferer,
I'm sorry you are struggling with this too.  It is no fun.  I am SSD and use a TransEar which works but is not "helpful hearing" in very many environments because of my tinnitus.  I find it has become my fatigue gauge.  As someone said, it is like the gain is being turned up and I find that if the gain is turned up in my fatigue and I take better care of myself, then my tinnitus is bearable.  Hope that makes sense. 
Music and my three rambunctious children are the biggest triggers and I often have to go into another room.  Background noise does not help my tinnitus, but quiet does.  It's easier to have a good attitude with it if you can figure out what will calm it down.  Talking to others who understand helps too as I'm sure you are finding.
Take good care!
Marty