I have tinnitus without hearing loss. Is my recovery good?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am seeking a second opinion. I developed tinnitus from loud noise three weeks ago. Most of the time, the noise is constant at three or four on a scale of 1 to 10.

Yesterday morning, I had a good day as the noise seemed to reduce to two. However, it increased back to three and four again yesterday afternoon and has been at that level for most of today.

I saw an audiologist several days ago who examined and tested my hearing. No hearing loss was found, and he said my ears looked healthy.

He was optimistic that I should improve in the coming weeks. So my concerns are-

Should I be concerned that the loudness returned?
Do I have a good chance of recovery, given that no hearing loss appears to have occurred?

I am currently taking Bactrim for rosacea, Pravastatin for cholesterol, and Prednisone for five days for my ears.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The cause of tinnitus is usually idiopathic. Most people experience tinnitus at some point in their lives, and it often goes away as suddenly as it started. There is no reason to worry since you have no hearing loss. Relax and try not to worry, as this type of tinnitus is intermittent.

Sometimes, specific situations or certain foods can trigger tinnitus. Since you mentioned the sound was at a level 3, try to avoid any known triggers. If the tinnitus is disturbing you, consult an audiologist for TRT (tinnitus retraining therapy).

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me anytime.

Thank you.