Tinnitus

[DiveRunk]

I'd recommend you see an ENT physician as soon as practical.

Best regards,
DDM

Thanks for all of your input as always. IS IEDCS usually distinguished from barotrauma by more vertigo related symptoms rather than tinnitus and hearing loss from barotrauma?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Thanks for all of your input as always. IS IEDCS usually distinguished from barotrauma by more vertigo related symptoms rather than tinnitus and hearing loss from barotrauma?

Inner ear DCS can be really hard to distinguish from inner ear barotrauma in practice. The differential is largely made on dive history and symptom onset time.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Dapper Dan]

I developed tinnitus while in the military, I’ve had it for over 35 years. It has never caused me any issues while diving. Other than the “ringing” though, I’ve not had any other issues like you described.

Same here. TBI from Iraq. Constant tinnitus but I don't hear it when diving as there's "bubble sounds" and other noise that distract from the ringing.

I do notice I can't hear my computer beeping when it gives alerts. I have to see the screen blinking the red or yellow warning. When I first got it I thought it was not working properly and the sound wasn't working, but dive buddies tell me they hear it, so it must be hearing loss in my right ear and the tinnitus ringing.

Spearhead/Long Knife '88 - '92

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Same here. TBI from Iraq. Constant tinnitus but I don't hear it when diving as there's "bubble sounds" and other noise that distract from the ringing.

I do notice I can't hear my computer beeping when it gives alerts. I have to see the screen blinking the red or yellow warning. When I first got it I thought it was not working properly and the sound wasn't working, but dive buddies tell me they hear it, so it must be hearing loss in my right ear and the tinnitus ringing.

Spearhead/Long Knife '88 - '92

Have you seen a VA audiologist?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Dapper Dan]

Have you seen a VA audiologist?

Best regards,
DDM

Yessir.
The diagnosis was damage to the nerve from the explosion concussion. They issued me a hearing aid several years ago. It helps with the deafness in my right ear but the ringing is constant.
Thanks for checking with me though.

 

[John Bantin]

A lot of my diver friends (inc. me) suffer tinnitus. Strangely enough, we all agree that it's not there when under water. I have found it worse when my blood pressure increases.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Yessir.
The diagnosis was damage to the nerve from the explosion concussion. They issued me a hearing aid several years ago. It helps with the deafness in my right ear but the ringing is constant.
Thanks for checking with me though.

Sorry to hear that. I have hearing damage as well though not from the same source. VA issue hearing aids were a game changer.

Another thing you might consider is the Neuromonics application. It's a free app that plays a masking noise plus music that you can customize to the frequency of your hearing loss. It requires good earbuds with a really high top end. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can also be effective. It's primarily for refractory severe depression, tinnitus is off-label, but you might be able to get the VA to try it. That helped me as well. Just a personal story, your mileage may vary.

Best regards,
DDM