Yet another tinnitus thread...

[Ryzalis]

I'm currently 15 years old, and I remember being able to hear a constant ringing in my ears ever since I was five (long before I started using headphones). At that age, I passed it off as normal and didn't think much about it.

The ringing consists of three separate tones: two high frequency and one low frequency. The two high frequency tones are loud and constant, and I can hear them throughout the entire day. The higher of the two frequencies becomes louder if I tense the muscles in my jaw. The low frequency tone is quiet, and I can hear it only at night when I'm in bed.

This tinnitus is also accompanied by some high frequency hearing loss, and I can't hear anything above 16 khz.

My tinnitus has gotten quite a bit worse recently too. I'm fairly sure that my music listening habits are not to blame, though, as I'm very conscious of protecting my hearing and listen at very, very low volume levels. I've also never done anything that would damage my hearing (exposed myself to very loud sounds, etc.).

The thing is, I'm only 15 years old... Is is normal to have developed severe tinnitus at such a young age, especially considering that I've never done anything that would damage my hearing? I try to live with my tinnitus, but I sometimes feel very depressed thinking about it.

I'm also worried about my hearing/health as I grow older. Will I lose even more hearing in the high frequencies? Will my tinnitus get worse over time? It's already bad enough as it is.

 

[Scotty757]

honestly, as a medical student, your post has me quite worried about you.

Have you experienced any mechanical damage to the ear that you can remember?

If you havent done so yet, make an appointment to see a physician...tinnitus with variable tones is not a good sign, espeically at your age.

 

[Spareribs]

exactly, See a doctor right away. Don't waste time on this board. Do it.

 

[F107plus5]

Yeah...gotta admit; sounds like good advice.

Nothing for a young audiophile to fool with.

 

[Solude]

Couple of things.

There is tinitus damage and then there is jaw formation damage.

You sound to be more in the jaw category. Long story short when your jaw extends too far into your head it pushes on the ear canal and its vein. What you hear is the blood flow not tinitus. Bad tinitus is when the hum is louder than outside noise.

But it just sounds to me like a jaw problem and recently getting worse is you getting bigger either natural growth or fat.

Generally speaking people jump to tinitus before they consider that they might not have the perfect jaw. Its also not that big a deal not to hear above 16KHz, music stop long before even 10KHz and voice barely breaks 5KHz.

The jaw thing might also be joined by popping in the ears similar to when you clear a certain height flying or swimming. That's how I knew my 'tinitus' was overly dense bone and not ear damage. The jaw thing is easily corrected, the tinitus not so much.

Another easy fix is to keep your ear clean, wash out that wax as much as possible to open the hole as wide as possible. When the gap closes it increases the volume of your internal sounds much in the same way a closed headphone does. At the same time a wide opening reduces how often your ear/s pop.

A Q-Tip won't do it. Go buy some wax clearing kits and perform it a few nights in a row. That'll clear you out and a Q-Tip will suffice here on in.

If none of this reduces the sound, and you have no popping go see an audiologist, if you do have popping go see a dental surgeon.

 

[Bob Mahoy]

I should add that I'm in EXACTLY the same situation as this guy. However, I can hear higher than most people (e.g. the noise a CRT tube produces), not lower. I'm also quite sure that my hearing is slightly diminished in my right ear.

It DOES get louder when i clench my teeth.

And I'm also 15!!!

I've heard it since a young age.

One more thing. If I put my fingers in my ears, I hear a very odd sound coming mainly from my right ear and a different one from my left ear, both at different frequencies, and the ringing becomes a bit less loud (but it wasn't that lloud in the first place).

Any ideas???

 

[Bob Mahoy]

Is there no such thing as a 200+ member???

 

[jdimitri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude Couple of things. There is tinitus damage and then there is jaw formation damage. You sound to be more in the jaw category. Long story short when your jaw extends too far into your head it pushes on the ear canal and its vein. What you hear is the blood flow not tinitus. Bad tinitus is when the hum is louder than outside noise. But it just sounds to me like a jaw problem and recently getting worse is you getting bigger either natural growth or fat. Generally speaking people jump to tinitus before they consider that they might not have the perfect jaw. Its also not that big a deal not to hear above 16KHz, music stop long before even 10KHz and voice barely breaks 5KHz. The jaw thing might also be joined by popping in the ears similar to when you clear a certain height flying or swimming. That's how I knew my 'tinitus' was overly dense bone and not ear damage. The jaw thing is easily corrected, the tinitus not so much. Another easy fix is to keep your ear clean, wash out that wax as much as possible to open the hole as wide as possible. When the gap closes it increases the volume of your internal sounds much in the same way a closed headphone does. At the same time a wide opening reduces how often your ear/s pop. A Q-Tip won't do it. Go buy some wax clearing kits and perform it a few nights in a row. That'll clear you out and a Q-Tip will suffice here on in. If none of this reduces the sound, and you have no popping go see an audiologist, if you do have popping go see a dental surgeon.

OH MY GOD! Why didnt anyone tell me this before??
I thought i had tinnitus, the clinic even confirmed it after i said i can make my ear crackle

and i can make the right part of my jaw pop
Where do you think i can get it fixed?
Popping jaws isn't the best thing to have while singing, when it's loud the audience sometimes
hears it

EDIT: this just scared the crap out of me http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com...s_growing.html

 

[Solude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdimitri and i can make the right part of my jaw pop

I'm referring to ear popping. But popping jaw is also a sign.

I actually ran across this info at my dentist. The fix is simple but not fun, essentially they cut your face open, shorten the bone that pushes against the ear canal and sow you back up.

Mine isn't anywhere near bad enough for me to consider that.

 

[jkm]

I can also pop the right side of my jaw. However I cannot do this all the time, maybe once a few days and then its fine. Based on the information, I am fine. I cannot hear the blood rushing in my ears and anything like that.

 

[Jokieman]

I would read up on both issues and then go see a doctor to have tests run to confirm what the problem is. Without testing to confirm, everyone is just guessing.

 

[denl82]

I know this may sound VERY stupid, but have you thought of praying to God about it? Praying as genuinely and sincerely(emotionally) as you can, preferably while on your knees, may do wonders for ya. Even praying all day and all night is helpful, or so I'm lead to believe. With God, your in Good Hands=]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryzalis /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm currently 15 years old, and I remember being able to hear a constant ringing in my ears ever since I was five (long before I started using headphones). At that age, I passed it off as normal and didn't think much about it. The ringing consists of three separate tones: two high frequency and one low frequency. The two high frequency tones are loud and constant, and I can hear them throughout the entire day. The higher of the two frequencies becomes louder if I tense the muscles in my jaw. The low frequency tone is quiet, and I can hear it only at night when I'm in bed. This tinnitus is also accompanied by some high frequency hearing loss, and I can't hear anything above 16 khz. My tinnitus has gotten quite a bit worse recently too. I'm fairly sure that my music listening habits are not to blame, though, as I'm very conscious of protecting my hearing and listen at very, very low volume levels. I've also never done anything that would damage my hearing (exposed myself to very loud sounds, etc.). The thing is, I'm only 15 years old... Is is normal to have developed severe tinnitus at such a young age, especially considering that I've never done anything that would damage my hearing? I try to live with my tinnitus, but I sometimes feel very depressed thinking about it. I'm also worried about my hearing/health as I grow older. Will I lose even more hearing in the high frequencies? Will my tinnitus get worse over time? It's already bad enough as it is.

 

[Davesrose]

There's also high degrees of complications that arise from that.....not to mention possibility of persistant pain.

It does sound like you should see an audiologist ASAP!!!

It could be something else....because you have a couple middle ear muscles that could also be clinching with your jaw muscles. But a good audiologist should sort this out first.....they should know if it is just TMJ (what an oral surgeon would perform for....but because of complications, I would avoid surgery unless you REALLY need it).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually ran across this info at my dentist. The fix is simple but not fun, essentially they cut your face open, shorten the bone that pushes against the ear canal and sow you back up.

 

[Audiofiler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Couple of things. There is tinitus damage and then there is jaw formation damage. You sound to be more in the jaw category. Long story short when your jaw extends too far into your head it pushes on the ear canal and its vein. What you hear is the blood flow not tinitus. Bad tinitus is when the hum is louder than outside noise. But it just sounds to me like a jaw problem and recently getting worse is you getting bigger either natural growth or fat. Generally speaking people jump to tinitus before they consider that they might not have the perfect jaw. Its also not that big a deal not to hear above 16KHz, music stop long before even 10KHz and voice barely breaks 5KHz. The jaw thing might also be joined by popping in the ears similar to when you clear a certain height flying or swimming. That's how I knew my 'tinitus' was overly dense bone and not ear damage. The jaw thing is easily corrected, the tinitus not so much. Another easy fix is to keep your ear clean, wash out that wax as much as possible to open the hole as wide as possible. When the gap closes it increases the volume of your internal sounds much in the same way a closed headphone does. At the same time a wide opening reduces how often your ear/s pop. A Q-Tip won't do it. Go buy some wax clearing kits and perform it a few nights in a row. That'll clear you out and a Q-Tip will suffice here on in. If none of this reduces the sound, and you have no popping go see an audiologist, if you do have popping go see a dental surgeon.

well put

 

[Davesrose]

Oh, is this why the post got bumped? Well if you don't have any tinnitus, nothing to worry about at all. My jaw pops quite easily.....occasionally I have tmj pains, but they're minor. Surgery should always be the last option!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkm /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can also pop the right side of my jaw. However I cannot do this all the time, maybe once a few days and then its fine. Based on the information, I am fine. I cannot hear the blood rushing in my ears and anything like that.