investigating and ruling out causes of Tinnitus

[paulinjapan]

Hello. I know you are in the US and cannot diagnose, but can you help me find the best strategy of questions to ask doctor in Japan?

Age 56, male, living in Japan since 1979

HISTORY

Some tinnitus as a teenage--said to have been allergy related: Coins dropped on counter reverberate. But rare later on.

Cira 2004 I noticed it as a hissing sound.   Or cicadas crying.

Generally it is VERY mild. In both ears. Then recently, THIS PAST YEAR, for weeks on end it disappeared completely. Only to return without warning.

The other day it returned after 2 weeks.  Then it was present in mild form for 1-2 days. Then gone ONE day. Then back during the night.  3:30 AM awoke. Nothing.  5:30 AM loud.  It is now 12 hours later and still very loud.
(Sometimes it comes after a nap. Or after sleep.  Then it is particularly loud)

Med history
1997 Diagnosed with mild cervical spondylosis. Exercise of muscles keeps it in check.
From 1998-2006 IU was on and off Luvox and/or Paxil.  Did not take  benzodiazepines until 2006. Since 2006 ONLY take benzodiazepine very occasionally. And no SSRIs
2002: Misdiagnosis of angioplasty as muscular pain. Many pain meds. Got ulcer.
2002 Started taking ONE baby aspirin (ACTUALLY BAYASPIRIN) a day after angioplasty. Also fish oil 4 grams. Other drugs flotide and Singulair, anti-sputum drug and proton pump inhibitor and stomach coating drug for mild ulcer that has healed.
2005 Fall resulting in herniated disk.  Some exercise and stretching keeps it in check more or less.

Any leads I can pursue. And is an otolaryngology doctor the best, or are there other specialties?

Thank you!

paul arenson

[paulinjapan]

Thanks and apologies for the belated reply.  I have had as of a year ago a normal hearing test with tones at various frequencies in both ears with a report that normal hearing loss for my age was present, but not unusual.  I guess I need to find an ear specilist as my last doctor was a throat special (he is a surgeon who develops artificial larynx for cancer patients but just looks bewildered by ear stuff.)


The sound is often there in low levels. Then sometims loud.  Definitely not always there the first few seconds of waking, but then when it comes it is very loud. Just a nap on the train will do it.  Then decreases.

Mystery is that it has gone away completely, for days or weeks at a time. That is the weird thing, though maybe not unusual for sufferers.

Yes, less I think about it seems to help.  Just worrying about it INCREASE anxiety.

I will also fix a pocket in my upper gum, as I heard THIS can also sometimes cause trouble,

[Herbert Silverstein, MD, FACS]

Tinnitus is a common complaint and is caused by many things. An ear specialist should do an evalutation with hearing tests and other tests to rule out a tumor growing on the hearing nerve which is highly unlikely. An MRI also my be needed. Most of the treatments are related to masking the ear ringing with outside sounds and not being in the quiet.The less you think about it the better.