Aa
Constantly tortured, 24/7 from the neck up
I think I might just lose my mind. Just over 5 weeks ago I had a terrible migraine, complete with dizziness, nausea, vertigo, tinnitus, and sensitive hearing.
Everything went away except the tinnitus and sensitivity to sound. The ringing is a high pitched loud constant shriek in my head. It never ever stops. It occassionally keeps me awake at night. Sometimes there is an additional tone in either ear, but mainly it is in the middle of my head. It's not pulsate & does not change based on head/neck position. Also I can't bear the sound of tearing paper, or clinking metal, or even "s" sounds or anything high pitched or too loud.
I saw my regular doc, who sent me to an ENT, who sent me for an MRI. The results were perfectly NORMAL. A hearing test revealed a slight hearing loss on my left side in the high pitched range.
Other symptoms that come and go on a daily basis since this all began: my jaw & teeth ache, light headaches that come and go on my left side, my upper left eyelid quivers & shakes (even after a full night's sleep), fatigue, and irritability. In the past few days my ears have started to ache & hurt deep inside. Sometimes the right and sometimes the left.
The ENT recommends that I come off of zoloft; I was only on a 50mg prescription, for 6mths. I'm down to 1/2 tablet every other night, but there is zero improvement in my situation. I use Ambien or OTC sleep aids as needed. I take a multi-vitamin whenever I can remember (couple of times a week). I occassionally take Tylenol for the headaches, and have stayed away from ibuprofen, based on advice by ENT. This is all the medication I'm taking. I do not smoke & I might have 2 glasses of wine or a beer on weekends (light drinker).
My ENT is stumped & I don't know where to go from here, This is ruining my life. I used to be very social & suddenly I've become nearly a recluse. I'm so miserable, please help.
Everything went away except the tinnitus and sensitivity to sound. The ringing is a high pitched loud constant shriek in my head. It never ever stops. It occassionally keeps me awake at night. Sometimes there is an additional tone in either ear, but mainly it is in the middle of my head. It's not pulsate & does not change based on head/neck position. Also I can't bear the sound of tearing paper, or clinking metal, or even "s" sounds or anything high pitched or too loud.
I saw my regular doc, who sent me to an ENT, who sent me for an MRI. The results were perfectly NORMAL. A hearing test revealed a slight hearing loss on my left side in the high pitched range.
Other symptoms that come and go on a daily basis since this all began: my jaw & teeth ache, light headaches that come and go on my left side, my upper left eyelid quivers & shakes (even after a full night's sleep), fatigue, and irritability. In the past few days my ears have started to ache & hurt deep inside. Sometimes the right and sometimes the left.
The ENT recommends that I come off of zoloft; I was only on a 50mg prescription, for 6mths. I'm down to 1/2 tablet every other night, but there is zero improvement in my situation. I use Ambien or OTC sleep aids as needed. I take a multi-vitamin whenever I can remember (couple of times a week). I occassionally take Tylenol for the headaches, and have stayed away from ibuprofen, based on advice by ENT. This is all the medication I'm taking. I do not smoke & I might have 2 glasses of wine or a beer on weekends (light drinker).
My ENT is stumped & I don't know where to go from here, This is ruining my life. I used to be very social & suddenly I've become nearly a recluse. I'm so miserable, please help.
From your description of the cluster of symptoms you may have electro sensitivity -- you will see a lot of people in these forums from ear,nose and throat, migraines, and neurology . It is well known outside the US. Check out electrosensitivity.org or Canada's WEEP iniative.
It comes from overexposure (over many years) to non-ionizing radiation from cell phones, wireless modems (wifi), cordless phones or any work in high electro-magnetic fields (high voltage equipment). I have this condition and I have to be careful about exposure -- my symptoms include: headaches, dizzyness, ear pain, sleep problems (light sleeping even if for many hours), nausea/acid reflux, reddened facial skin (actually kind of tanning -- from computer screens), foggy headed feeling, anxiety, heart palipatation, tinnitus.
It is a relatively new diagnosis so I can't blame anyone -- but it is fairly serious. What bothers me is that i went to many doctors and they all said I was in perfect health and suggested that it might be psychosomatic. Luckily I found a yahoo group with thousands of others who gave me advice and I am slowly getting my life back.
Best of luck and feel better. Let me know if i can help any further.
Carol761
It comes from overexposure (over many years) to non-ionizing radiation from cell phones, wireless modems (wifi), cordless phones or any work in high electro-magnetic fields (high voltage equipment). I have this condition and I have to be careful about exposure -- my symptoms include: headaches, dizzyness, ear pain, sleep problems (light sleeping even if for many hours), nausea/acid reflux, reddened facial skin (actually kind of tanning -- from computer screens), foggy headed feeling, anxiety, heart palipatation, tinnitus.
It is a relatively new diagnosis so I can't blame anyone -- but it is fairly serious. What bothers me is that i went to many doctors and they all said I was in perfect health and suggested that it might be psychosomatic. Luckily I found a yahoo group with thousands of others who gave me advice and I am slowly getting my life back.
Best of luck and feel better. Let me know if i can help any further.
Carol761
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Ear, Nose & Throat Community
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
Discover the common causes of and treatments for a sore throat.
Learn about what actually causes your temperature to spike.
Find out which foods you should watch out for.
Family medicine doctor Enoch Choi, MD helps differentiate between the common cold and more threatening (bacterial) infections
Dr. Steven Park reveals 5 reasons why breathing through your nose could change your life
