Sudden tinnitus and muffled hearing, and no GP appointments

Tinnitus is something which has to be put up with. As far as I know, there is nothing that can be done. I have had it fir years and seen many doctors and if there was a cure would have gone for it. It’s often connected with deafness and its on my deaf side.
If you occupy yourself with something else, you can block it out but as I type it’s Whooshing away intrusively, probably because I am talking about it.
Try not to let it dominate your thoughts if you can, you won’t find peace if it’s always on your mind .

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Another interesting cause of tinnitus, JackieB!
If GP would just give me 5 minutes it might just be more reassuring. Still, the hearing test should be enough evidence.

It sounds so difficult for you Dollymixtures, and I’m sorry it’s affecting your life so much and taking pleasure from your social life. It’s making me feel down as well, as I feel my gp’s been a bit dismissive.

I too don’t like making a fuss, it may just go on it’s own, as some other posters have said. . On the other hand, the sensation feels too severe to leave.

I’m ringing GP again this morning in the hope the audiologist’s report has got through. If not, and he’s still not interested, I’ll take myself off to urgent care. These things always seem to happen when there’s a public holiday.

I had Covid more than a year ago and got vestibular neuritis in the other ear, whether it was connected or not I don’t know.

Thanks for all the interesting replies.

I think most of the suggestions made here are near the truth but there is one cause of tinnitus that I don't think has been mentioned so far and that is to do with stress and/or a dislocation of the mandible. I once had to have my jaw "manipulated" by a physiotherapist after a long session of root canal treatments because my mouth had been wedged open for so long at the dentist. Also I am a chronic "tooth grinder". It is not pleasant as she has to wear gloves and reach right into your mouth, but there was obviously something out of sorts with the joint.

The physiotherapist said this condition could also cause tinnitus. I mentioned this to a friend and she said that she had had tinnitus for a long time and this must be the cause in her case. I was lucky enough not to be afflicted but I can see how it could have that effect.

Forgot to say, I was referred to an ENT surgeon on the two week cancer path and he found nothing. No idea what to do, I just can’t live with it. I have tinnitus in that area from time to time too.

How apt that this has come up as things sometimes do when you’ve got a worry. Last October I had COVID for the only time and, apart from cough, tiredness etc, went completely deaf in my right ear. I’ve had CAT scans, an MRI scan, numerous hearing tests and checks. I’ve become the owner of some hearing aids but can’t use one in my right ear as it’s completely dead. I’ve tried everything but my GP did say I might never get rid of it which is depressing to say the least.

I’m finding that I’m getting isolated a bit as I just can’t hear people speaking, particularly in a group and it’s so embarrassing to keep asking what did they say so I just smile and pretend I’ve heard. I’m 74, like to go to singing and dancing etc but it’s getting very hard work. My ears are apparently clear, no wax at all and it’s a mystery.

Some of your replies are very interesting and varied but seem to centre in going back to the GP. Is there any point when I’ve been told to live with it! The difficulty of getting an appointment weighs heavily with me as well and I don’t want to waste their time.

Thanks for all your replies and advice. Sorry not to rely earlier.
I had a hearing test at a local hearing testing centre yesterday. It was free of charge.
There’s no sign of infection or wax, but the test shows I’ve got significant hearing loss in the affected ear. The audiologist has emailed my GP asking him to refer me to a ENT surgeon.
Fingers crossed he takes notice of her.

not to make its scarey but i had it in one ear??/ /it was a actually
in my artery / i had a clot and it sounded like rushing wateer get your ears checked

I’ve had tinnitus for years. It stopped for a few months when I started wearing aids but it started again. Not pleasant.

I developed tinnitus a couple of years ago after a bout of Covid. I can't honestly say that the two were connected but as I've had several odd problems after Covid I'm almost convinced. Anyway, I had my ears syringed a year ago and was told that nothing could be done about the constant high pitched whine. I do find though that if I keep my brain busy eg I crochet while watching TV or listening to the radio, I almost don't notice it. It's as if my brain has put it on the back burner as it's occupied with other things. Doing puzzles is also helpful. Also reading or doing anything that really occupies your brain. I don't know if that's any use to you. Good luck with seeing your doctor.

Hi Midnightblue, I woke up one morning with sudden tinnitus and muffled hearing. I went to A&E where it was treated as an emergency, and an ENT consultant was called.
He did all sorts of tests which included an MRI and concluded that it had been caused by a virus, and I was prescribed antivirals and steroids. He also said the sooner treatment started the better the outcome.
You certainly shouldn't have been refused an appointment with a GP; if necessary go straight to A&E, your hearing is far too important to ignore.

Sorry …but my tinnitus stated like like 3 years ago …. went to bed fine and woke up with it . Keeps me awake at night as well. Doctors didn’t want to know . I’m stuck with it. Thing is ….nobody knows what it is … most say it’s nothing to do with heating and all to do with the brain. I do not know anyone whose tinnitus started suddenly …like mine …that has got rid of it again. They say it’s not harmful…THEY want to have it. And if THEY had been to a coroners court to listen and witness an inquest into why a person threw himself in front of my husbands train 30 years ago … THEY might think different!!

I too have Tinnitus and have had it for years, mine is very loud with bells ringing or piano music constantly the same tune. I only hear it at night when i take my hearing aids out, but it often stops me from sleeping. It is particularly bad if I am stressed or have been over stimulated with a lot of noise during the day. I recently had anMRI scan as there is a big difference between my 2 ears, but all is well. I only have 8 letter I can hear clearly the rest could be anything and I often have the most wonderful conversations with people. Not. I hope Specsavers refer you to the doctor if they are worried about your hearing loss, it is important to get to the bottom of anything to do with hearing or sight. It is not normal to have sudden hearing loss unless you have some form of infection that will probably need treating and hopefully respond well. You can feel awfully isolated with a severe hearing loss

I had tinnitus in my left ear start suddenly. My GP referred me for an MRI - thankfully all fine. After that tinnitus started in my other ear. I had an awful time adjusting to it and it is definitely worse with stress and some medications. You have to learn to live with it and playing white noise at night is helpful. I am just grateful I am able to mostly ignore it now.

I have Tinnitus in both ears since covid/long covid..Have you had a recent infection ?

I'm a doctor. Sudden , unilateral deafness with or without tinnitus , in the absence of wax or infection is an emergency.
It will probably just turn out to be Menieres but it does need proper investigation.

I had this a few years ago and again since then. Both times it cleared up on its own. Hopefully it will for you.

I get the occasional whining noise in one ear or the other. Some say it's because the earth is ascending from 3rd dimension to 5th dimension and the schumann resonance can cause all sorts of feeling.
If I get tinnitus, I just use first two fingers and do a rhythmic tapping on the occupital bone on the side of the tinnitus. Always stops it.

I have suffered from tinnitus for many years. It isn’t a loud ringing as some have, but a constant whirring sound. I was told to teach myself to ignore it, and actually, most of the time, this does work. When I am in a very quiet situation it is at its most noticeable, but even then, I am usually able to deal with it. Hope this helps, because as far as I am aware, there is no definitive cure for tinnitus.

It may be the eustachian tube on the one side is blocked as in glue ear. In adults not a lot seems to be done about this but antihistamines sometimes help. It is very common.

Hearing test app0intments at Specsavers come through quickly - try ringing them. It will not cost you anything because of your age.

RIP NHS

Try not to be too alarmed by this; some years ago I abruptly lost all hearing in my left ear, apart from a slight buzzing noise. The cause was a miniscule particle of something, possibly a tiny flake of skin or similar, that had landed on my ear drum. The GP explained that this can cause temporary hearing loss until the particle moves. It did move, and hearing came back. Had it not done so I would have needed further investigation, so I hope your problem is equally temporary.

I’ve had tinnitus for several years but it has not affected my hearing. It’s better some days than others, but it is my constant companion. Most of the time I don’t even notice it.

When the medical world discovers what causes it, and how to remedy it - right now there is no cure - it will be a medical break-through. Current treatments don’t really, effectively work.

I am not alarmed as I don’t pay much attention to it and just continue to carry on. It’s really not a nuisance for me, but I can understand where others may have it more severe. And when you do initially come down with it, you may feel like you’re losing your hearing.

I haven't first hand experience, but the advice from 111 is what is usually given here, so I suggest you either persist in waiting in the phone queue, contact an Ear-Nose-and Throte specialist, or go to the Emergency ward of the nearest hospital.

As far as I know, it is important that treatment is started as soon as possible, so neither your GP nor his receptionist either has understood you correctly, or is up to their jobs.