A handful of patients in Johnson & Johnson’s Phase 3 COVID-19 clinical trial complained of tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.
After reporting on the subject, we’ve received a steady stream of reports from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine recipients who experienced tinnitus.
The U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database cites 152 reports of tinnitus among 25,072 COVID-19 recipients of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna. The database also has 11 reports of sudden hearing loss and 39 reports of hypoacusis (loss of hearing acuity).
A U.K. database cataloging adverse events related to AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines also lists a number of cases of tinnitus. In a summary of adverse reaction reports for the 54,180 recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28, there were 320 tinnitus reports. For the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, there were 196 tinnitus reports among 33,207 recipients in the same time frame.
[Related: No clear link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden hearing loss]
At present, there is little data that could shed light on the possible connection between COVID-19 vaccines and tinnitus, although researchers have considered how COVID-19 itself can exacerbate the condition.
“I find anything that causes temporary inflammation, e.g. cold or flu-like symptoms can cause temporary tinnitus,” said Julian Cowan Hill, an author, therapist and manager of Quieten, an app to help tinnitus.
Stress from the pandemic itself may be at least partly to blame, Cowan Hill said. “I’ve worked with tinnitus sufferers for 20 years and definitely find a very strong link between stress, fear, anxiety, the fight-or-flight response and tinnitus,” he explained.
While there are a variety of potential triggers of the condition — ranging from hearing loss to head trauma to medicine side-effects, “often what keeps it going is fear and anxiety,” Cowan Hill said.
Filed Under: Infectious Disease
adele lynn says
After my first Moderna shot, I have developed Tinnitus. Just a few days after. It’s been 2 weeks now. I won’t get shot #2.
Sallygirl says
I’m experiencing the same after 9 days, I had symptoms before, but not very often and only in one ear, it’s driving me nuts. I’m not sure about getting the 2nd vaccine if this isn’t gone by then. Did you see a doctor?
adele lynn says
I’m seeing an ENT this Friday. There is no cure for Tinnitus. Plus I don’t think they want to deal with it because the tinnitus that we are experiencing is caused by a vaccine. Not a loud noise..etc. The latest treatment which shows promise isn’t available in the US. Regardless, even getting treatments here that attempt to mask the sound, costs money. The treatments may or may not be covered under insurance. I’m asking everyone to please file the report regarding vaccine side effects.
k.lytle54 says
After second moderna shot bilateral tinnitus rushed into my head. Loud, nonstop.
56 days later I have days where it is very soft, days where it is gone but returns at a lower level.It came 28 hours after my second dose. I would have been fine just with my first. My GP says its inflammatory and will go away. I have perfect hearing and no need for MRI–went to Boston for tests. I have had despondent days and good days and praying it will go away soon. Thinking I might try low dose of Prednisone. Any advice?
Sstarke says
There *is no* treatment for tinnitus or senrorineural hearing loss. I learned this the day after having my first Pfizer shot. If I had known, nothing could have induced me to have it.
I have serious hearing loss already, and while hearing is especially important to me as a musician, it is vitally important to everyone. We take it for granted and fail to recognize its importance until we begin to lose it. Then we realize that it is, indeed, even more important to hear than to see.
This can ruin the quality of your life. If you had one shot, don’t have another. If you haven’t had a shot, I would certainly prefer to take a smaller chance with the length of my life than do something so likely to destroy its quality.
Brian Buntz says
Sorry to hear about the tinnitus and hearing loss.
I’m not an expert, but ENTs sometimes use steroids for sudden sensorineural hearing loss. A couple of companies are working on treatments for sensorineural hearing loss, but nothing is currently available in the U.S.
To date, there is data suggesting a link between COVID-19 itself tinnitus and hearing loss in some cases. I’ve not found any studies linking vaccines to those conditions, but one researcher entertained the possibility: https://www.drugdiscoverytrends.com/researcher-neuroinflammation-may-be-behind-tinnitus-reports-in-some-covid-19-vaccine-recipients/
An ENT I reached out to said he has noticed an uptick in post-vaccine hearing loss symptoms: https://www.drugdiscoverytrends.com/no-clear-link-between-covid-19-vaccines-and-sudden-hearing-loss/
He stressed that it was more of casual observation than a definitive conclusion.
Rand says
The Moderna “Hiss” is what I call it. Still have it; its evolving in some weird ways. I would not advise everyone to skip the second dose, but if you developed some tinnitus after the first shot be prepared for a depressing/maddening Moderna Hiss of unknown duration.
Mike says
Hi,, I’m in the same boat as you got it like 8 days after, are your ears hissing in both? Are they getting any better? I don’t know what to do about the 2nd shot either. I just read there is no cure for this tinnitus. I think I’m gonna skip 2nd shot.
Shanda says
I suffered from tinnitus prior to getting my first Covid-19 shot. 1st shot didn’t make it worse but I am also thinking of skipping shot 2 as I hear this dose can potentially make it worse.
clgvmail says
Are you feeling better now?
Kate Zerby says
I saw my doc. I am not getting dose #2. I now have what seems like permanent tinnitus and dizziness that I did not have before. Ugh. I am almost 5 weeks post dose #1.
Sandra Delaney says
I have had 2 Moderna shots – after 2nd shot woke up next day so dizzy had to hang on to the wall to walk and tinnitus really bad – 3 weeks later still have dizziness and very loud tinnitus.
alishiawright88 says
Hi, just wanted to check in and see if you are doing any better?
Chris says
I received Moderna shot #1 three months ago. I’ve had vertigo-like dizziness ever since. I skipped shot #2 obviously. Very aggravating and uncomfortable. Doctors have no idea. I reported it to CDC and they don’t even answer. Total joke..
Craig Breigle says
I am in the same boat! Two days after the Moderna shot I got pulsatile Tinnitus. 3 weeks later still there. Due for next shot, next week and don’t know what to do.
Katharine Nichols says
Don’t get it! Three days after the first shot my son lost his hearing and (roaring) tinnitus, after steroids, he has regained some hearing in one ear, the tinnitus is so bad he can’t sleep. The steroids almost drove him crazy, he couldn’t eat, drink or sleep, so they had to stop them. They ran every test imaginable and they have all said it’s the vaccine and he won’t be getting a second one.
Kate Zerby says
I have the tinnitus in my ears – shooshing sound – ever since the vaccine. 🙂
vicki.herrmann24 says
Hi Katharine
I just read your blog and wanted to know how your son is now?
As I had my second shot 15th Aug 2021 and have developed debilating Pulsatile tinnitus in both ears but my left seems to be worse … I have been to my GP a few times and did blood tests but she never used a stethoscope as she just said its not from the vacccine and its stress; even though I got the pulsating throb an hour afterwards …. It is driving me crazy!! last night I was so upset as I havent had more than 3hrs sleep in days that I took sleeping tablet to help and I finally got 5hrs sleep. My husband is getting frustrated as well as its affecting my quality of rest, during the day its still throbbing but I use music and general noises muffle it. Please let me know how your son is and whether it ever gets better – desperate from Sydney, Aust.
debbie says
Hi Vicki I’m from Perth Aust and I have developed Tinnitus in my left ear (same side as vaccine) about 4 weeks after my first Pfizer vaccine. I have been to GP a couple of times but he won’t confirm its from the vaccine. I am now 7 weeks post first vac and have delayed my second for at least another 2 weeks as Im so frightened it will get worse. I follow a few groups on Facebook where people have experienced the same. I reported it on the TGA website – one lady on the FB page who reported it here in Australia said they called her the same day to discuss so hopefully they are taking it seriously. Mine is non stop 24/7 – I am happy to put up with it if I know it will eventually go but if it doesn’t it would be so annoying to know we have permanent damage – let me know if you have any further information
Marcus says
I got the Pfizer shot and it started walking out of the clinic! Went to the doctor, flushed ears, hearing is fine, pulsating noise continues. Not sure what to do next!
HEATHER KOWIESKI says
Please update if the swooshing went away! I am 19 days out from having the 1st vaccine and have ringing in my ears. I have to know it’s going to stop! Thank you.
Linda says
OMG.. I began experiencing loud obnoxious tinnitus 3 days after my 1st moderna injection. It gets louder as day progresses. I finally saw a ENT and no cure. I am to wear hearing aides with white noise background. It’s like having crickets in your ears.
aroadmaster says
I’m surprised to see so many people with similar symptoms. I got the first vaccine on March 3 and 7-10 days later have non-stop ringing. I was healthy and felt great BEFORE and now I don’t know how to make it go away?? I called the Dr and he referred me to an ENT (put me on nose spray 3xs a day for 3 weeks) thinks it may be allergy-related?? Almost 3 weeks and No difference…ringing STILL there!!!
The next step is to check my hearing. Hope there’s help with this!
Brian Buntz says
For what it is worth, data seems to suggest habituating to the sound often results in perceived volume reduction:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7850883/
Eustachian tube dysfunction can cause the condition. An ENT can easily verify if that is an issue.
Hang in there!
debbie says
Heather has your ringing stopped and did you get the second vaccine – I need some hope
duchuy68 says
1 shot Pfizer is 80% effective after 6 months. the J&J is 79% effective for 1 shot.
SO really not worth it getting 2nd shot soon because new variants are coming and you more like to have to get another shot next year.
Brian Buntz says
Just to add one thing: One strategy that both Moderna and Pfizer are investigating is exploring the use of an additional booster shot of the same vaccine to protect against variants. The idea is that the additional dose will increase antibodies to provide greater protection against variants. Both companies are also working to create custom versions targeting variants. We won’t know what the strategy will be until more clinical data is available.
clgvmail says
How are your feeling now. Is the tinnitus gone?
vicki.herrmann24 says
hi craig did you get the second shot? also how are your symptoms now ? i am 4 weeks post pfizer from August and its shocking so really want your feedback so as i know what i may expect as presently its awfully debilitating
Maria Nocchi says
I developed pulsatile tinnitus after my second moderna vaccine. That was Jan 24. Still there today. Where can I file an official report You mentioned ? Thanks!
Brian Buntz says
Hi Maria, here’s the link to the VAERS database: https://vaers.hhs.gov/esub/index.jsp
Maria N says
Thank you. The more I thought about it, it actually started after my first dose on Dec 27. I noticed it first 1/4. It was no worse after my second dose on 1/24.
Brian Buntz says
Thanks, Maria.
On a related note, I found this thread recently. Some people report spikes and other report no change:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/share-your-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-experience-any-impact-on-your-tinnitus-or-hyperacusis.43923/
Kate Zerby says
VAERS – google it.
Jim Hopkins says
I developed tinnitus after my first Moderna vaccine on January 28th. Had my second vaccine February 25th. Still have ringing in my ears. Has anyone had it where it went away?
Cam says
I got it for 1 day after my first dose of Pfizer. I’ve NEVER had any history of tinnitus or hearing problems.
I read that the first shot is up to 85% effective… Even though mine went away, I’m thinking, why risk the 2nd shot for 9% more efficaciousness?
It IS an experimental drug at the end of the day.
Liz says
I also have the humming sound after the vaccine. My husband noted he also has it. It’s worse at night when I go to bed. I did report it to VARES website. Hopefully it will resolve in a few weeks. Not debilitating so far but annoying. I have had both shots so done for now. I’m seeing an ENT already for sinus issues and we had previously scheduled a CAT scan for this week so will see of anything comes of that.
joanna.bienko says
Liz any more news on that? I have the same issue, and hearing test confirmed hearing loss.
zack says
I just read your post , same here, my ears started having a hissing sound 3 days after the 1st moderna shot, it’s not been 2 weeks for me and I still have the ringing , has yours gotten any better? I cant believe all these people on here I’m reading about that got this ringing in their ears ,, have you found anything that helps it? let me know if you get a chance,, thanks
Zack
Paul Martin Zielinski says
On YouTube I play the waterfall sound. It seems to help for short periods. I searched for “sounds that soothe tinnitus”.
Nikki says
Zinc and magnesium are supposed to help, also until it clears, avoid coffee, dairy, ibuprofren, kombucha, and unnecessary medications, which can all compound ringing in the ears. Drink a lot of water and eat very very clean to let your body do it’s filtering job. I have had it and it did stop.
Juliet says
Thanks I am going to follow what you suggested
How long did you have it?
marklc1 says
I had tinnitus and dizziness develop two days after my second Pfizer Covid vaccine dose. The local ENT said that it’s very common after a strong immune response (I felt *horrible* after the second dose) to develop acute tinnitus due to an imbalance of ions in the inner ear. So, it’s my immune system, and not the vaccine that directly caused its onset. She prescribed 5-13 days of prednisone to clear it up. I’m on my first day, so fingers crossed.
Cam says
Hey Mark, how are you doing now? Did the prednisone clear it up?
Tom says
There’s no peer reviewed science behind any of your claims
Phillip says
There’s not much peer-reviewed science for tinnitus, period (Unfortunately). Normally you would recommend someone to take NAC to protect your hearing while taking any ototoxic medication. It’s known to have a protective effect. There are studies behind that.
nogo says
Hello: I have tried NAC, DMAE, GABA along with others like Ginko. NON have helped and some have just made the tinnitus worse. Suggest Vitamin D3 and and antioxidant complex. Zinc will not help unless you get hydroxyquinoline and the hydroxy is a known Ototoxic.
Ivy says
What foods have you eaten to help tinnitus may I ask or vitamins ? When you say eat clean you are speaking of what? I know I’m a clean person but is there specifics? thank you for the post as well.
kelleyelton says
what caused it for you before? and how long to stop? did you get it from the vaccine also?
urip100 says
Nikki, you are the only one in this forum who said that your ringing stopped. I have followed your diet for almost 2 weeks now, and there is no change in my condition….
Needless to say, the doctors don’t know how to help.
Can you tell us how long it took for your ringing to stop?
clgvmail says
are you feeling better now?
Jean King says
I developed it about 10 hours after I got my first injection, and I am DEFINITELY going to get the second shot. It’s a little annoying, but worth it to get the immunity.
Cam says
Hey Jean, what happened after the second shot? Everything go over smoothly?
Robyn says
Try taking B12 vitamin. Also zinc and magnesium. Good luck
brionh77 says
Hi Adele,
Has your tinnitus gotten any better? I am in the same situation.
-Brian
clgvmail says
Hi Adele, How are you doing now on July 2021? I hope you are better and your tinnitus is gone.
Courtney P says
I have also experienced tinnitus after my first moderna vaccine. I was Vaccinated Feb 17th and have been struggling w tinnitus since.
adele lynn says
Please file the official report. Please read my reply above to Sally.
Tim Pile says
Since my Pfizer-BioNTech shots, my tinitus has increased in a variety of different sounds and seems to be much louder. I think that there are probably more similar cases around that are not reported. My sister-inlaw, now claims she has “ringing in her ears” since her vaccination.
Nina says
I am experiencing tinnitus since receiving the second shot of Moderna on Feb 14th. I’m in crisis with anxiety over it and cannot sleep. Praying it’s temporary.
kelleyelton says
are you getting any better?
G. Mac says
I also experienced a huge increase in what has been very mild tinnitus that does not bother me after the Pfizer vaccine. It caused anxiety and insomnia. It’s not totally resolved yet 3 weeks later.
Kevin says
I am a healthy, active 47 year old male. I have lived with mild tinnitus, mostly in my left ear, since I had an upper respiratory infection in 2018. I was sick for over a week and went to the urgent care, who prescribed a high dose of amoxicillin. I had taken amoxicillin throughout my life with no reactions so I had little concern. In this instance, I woke up 2 days later with the hissing in my ears. It’s been there ever since. It increases with high consumption of sugar, fat or salt (these are a few of my favorite things 😀) but always settles down back to a tolerable level. I visited the ENT in 2018 who diagnosed mild hearing lose (not surprisingly due to my fondness for loud music in my “younger” years), told me there was no relation to the medication (not convinced) and informed me I would have to live with the tinnitus. So I have.
I had reservations about receiving my COVID vaccine for several reasons, increasing tinnitus being high on my list. The promise of vaccinated people returning to a life of “normalcy” intrigued me and doing my part to protect others who might be more susceptible seemed to outweigh the risks. I did a little research to find if there is a correlation between COVID vaccines and tinnitus, somehow I missed this page. I received my first dose of Moderna March 17th and woke up March 19th with my fear realized. My tinnitus has doubled from a mild hiss to a more disturbing one. It impacts my ability to focus and can no longer be ignored or masked with noise cancelling headphones playing soundscapes.
I won’t be going back for my 2nd dose in April because I don’t know what life will sound like.
Shanda says
Your information has been very helpful in helping me validate my rationale about not getting the second dose. Don’t want to wake up to my worst nightmare of where I’ve been able to manage my tinnitus to not being able to manage it. Pray that you find a solution. I will say when I was pregnant I didn’t have a problem with tinnitus. I truly believe it’s related to something wit the circulatory system.
carlhunt76 says
I registered here just to reply to you Kevin. I’m almost an identical boat.
Lifetime sufferer of ENT problems, had grommets as a kid, ruptured eardrum for years I left, a myringoplasty a couple of years ago to fix, and tinnitus for as long as I can remember – over 20 years, It’s bearable most of the time, gets worse with stress, but has been NOTABLY worse since my AstraZeneca vaccine 2 months ago; I won’t be getting the second jab and in fact and very annoyed with myself for trusting the government (and bowing to peer pressure from scared colleagues) for even getting the first.
My tinnitus is present in both ears but particularly the left where I have a greater degree of high frequency hearing loss. Mine is a bit like the noise TV’s used to make – a high pitch ‘whistle’ or psssssssssssss noise. 24/7. It’s doubled in volume and gone from being something I’ve managed my life with to downright annoying, borderline consuming. I’m stressed now because of the other possible side effects of the vaccine (if this then what else might there be?) and this constant damn noise. And I’ve had it before! I can’t imagine what some people are feeling right now with this being a new sensation to them.
My hearing is now of course also worse because my noise floor is higher. (louder psssssssssss hence I am more deaf)
My only recommendation to people who have already had the vaccine and hence it’s too late, is try pink or white noise on YouTube, these can mask the effects.
julianrochemartin says
Dear Kevin, I’m 50 very healty an sporty man from Italy without any problem except like you, I have always suffered of mild and continuous tinnitus starting at age of 40 years. The 4th of June, I got a shot of the first dose of Moderna. After 24h I have had cardiovascular fatigue, fortunately only for 2 days, example, during a simple small and relaxed walking for shopping my pulses arrived to 120p/minute, normally I have 60p/m when I wake up and 75p/m when I walk relaxed. Plus after 5 days waking up in the morning the tinnitus was doubled and pulsating. After 38 days from the beginning nothing is changed, tinnitus always present :(. Naturally i have escaped from the second shot. Now I’d like to ask you if your increased tinnitus is diminished and returned as in the past. My best
vicki.herrmann24 says
Hi has your Pulsating Tinnitus gone away yet? as I am like you I got it right after my second pfizer jab in August but atm it seems to have gotten worse as its affecting my sleep; really hope it starts to go away so would love your feedback – desperate from Australia
Sara Schwarzbaum says
I developed what appears to be pulsatile tinnitus right after the Pfizer second dose two weeks ago. Hope it’s temporary.
Richard Caplan says
A week after my second Pfizer shot, my right ear (shot was in right arm) feels clogged and it’s ringing. There seems to be some sensitivity in the area. The ear began after the right aide of my jaw hurt shortly after the second shot.
The jaw is much better but the ear is here now. Good luck to us.
vicki.herrmann24 says
Hi Sam how is your Pulsatile Tinnitus now? as its been 6 months … I am suffering badly and had my second on the 15th Aug here in Australia – the first shot I was ok its the second that has destroyed my sleep from the constant sound of thumping… have resolved to sleeping tablet last night so I am desperate to learn about others experiences and outcomes.
adele lynn says
After my first Moderna shot on Feb 27th I developed tinnitus 3 days later. I also am in crisis and praying that this will not last. I’m looking for a treatment to resolve this. If I would have know that this could be a side effect I would never have taken it. I WILL NOT get shot #2.
Julie howard says
Hi, I received my second COVID vaccine (Moderna) on March 12. The following day I experienced mild tinnitus symptoms on and off for about 8 hours, along with the more typical side effects of mild fatigue, slight nausea, sore arm. Feeling great today, just wanted to report the yesterday’s tinnitus. It was especially helpful to read your report that others have had this unfamiliar and somewhat unnerving symptom. Do I have to notify my doc, or will this notification add my number to your stats?
Brian Buntz says
Hi Julie, thanks for the comment.
Would recommend reporting it in this U.S. database:
https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html
Stephanie says
Hi Brian,
I did report my severe tinnitus which happened shortly after receiving my second dose of Moderna. Do you have any information regarding improvement over time?
Brian Buntz says
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for the update. I don’t have any information at the moment on improvement over time. I pinged one ENT group for more feedback, but haven’t heard back yet. I’ll keep on doing research though.
I’ve heard from a few people that report getting better, including a colleague who was recently vaccinated and developed tinnitus afterward.
Mike says
Hi Brian , I too am suffering from Tinnitus and hearing loss although my hearing is came back. Still suffering from Tinnitus do you think it’s temporary?
Brian Buntz says
Hi Mike, wish I could answer, but there isn’t really much data at all on this apart from the J&J clinical trial. Last time I looked at the VAERS database, there were 177 reports of tinnitus and 14 for sudden hearing loss from people who received COVID-19 vaccines. HHS states that VAERS may “contain information that is incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental, or unverifiable,” so it is hard to interpret.
Mike says
Yes I reported this to that site. Thanks for your time.
adele lynn says
Hi Brian, please put the reporting website up near the top as an announcement, I don’t think people realize how important it is to report it. If this condition becomes chronic or permanent (heaven forbid), it takes money to treat it. … “_However Medicare will not cover the cost of treatment for tinnitus or hearing loss. Many Medicare supplement plans follow Medicare guidelines and therefore do not cover treatment as well. Medicare will reimburse approximately $38 for an annual hearing exam.” so what are we supposed to do?? I’m going to begin to search for attorneys.
Brian Buntz says
Thanks, Adele. I have added a link to the mention of the VAERS database.
Juliet says
Thx I just did
VERNON DRAKE says
I’m 81 years old and had my first Moderna Covid-19 vaccination on March 4th. Within a few days I developed a continuous very high pitch ring in both ears. I had never experienced this before, and thought it would go away. Then I asked my wife why she thought I would all of a sudden have ringing in my ears, and she said it’s tinnitus. I had never heard of tinnitus before, so I looked it up. None of the causes listed in the article from Mayo clinic seemed to match my situation. I thought maybe it would go away, but it’s been 10 days and no change. It doesn’t seem to have affected my hearing that I can tell. Also I’m not a stressful person. I don’t know if it will go away, or there’s anything that can be done, or if I should see a doctor. I suppose I can live with it, but it is annoying. The most important question is whether or not I should get the second vaccination scheduled for April 1, 2021 as that might even make it worse.
Michelle says
Did it stop for you? I had my 2nd shot on March 4th, and that’s when it started, and it hasn’t stopped yet.
clgvmail says
Please update on your status. I hope you are feeling better.
Lisa says
My mom after her first shot of the vaccine from Pfizer has tinnitus now She’s going out of her mind can’t sleep constant ringing in her ear and I don’t know what to do to help her
Mike says
I have never had tinnitus before. I had to look up ringing in my ear after the shot to find out what was happening. I had loud tone in left ear after the first shot of Moderna in the left arm. The second shot gave me additional sound in my right ear even though it was administered in my left arm as well. Both seemed to resolve itself after short episodes.
Mike says
How long did it take to get better?
Linda says
I would like to know as well.
connie says
I had tinnitus in my ears that started years ago and 10 after my first vaccine it became much worse. I don’t know if I should get 2nd vaccine. It’s driving me crazy.. they say you can get it when you have covid too though.. hopefully the inflammation will go down and go away soon.
Kimboo30 says
Connie, yes I got COVID and my tinnitus got so much louder afterwards. I originally got tinnitus from taking Cipro antibiotic last June 2020. January 2021 I contracted COVID and the ringing got much worse. Plus I am a “long hauler” and have several symptoms left over from the virus. So far I have cut out sugar, caffeine, carbs, haven’t drank in almost 2 years. I am trying it all. Let you know if anything works. I’m sorry you have this side effect. But I’m convinced it’s from inflammation. My white blood cells are skyhigh which indicates Inflammation. Maybe get your blood tested?
D says
I developed tinnitus 5 days after my first dose of Pfizer vaccine. I just reported it to VAERS. Scared that it will not go away.
HEATHER KOWIESKI says
Did it go away? I have it now and am very nervous.
manandjan1 says
I experienced tinnitus starting 1 to 2 hours after receiving my 1st Moderna injection. It lasted two weeks and now seems to have resolved. As far as the second shot, no comparison between ringing ears or possible death. Im going back for shot #2.
Barbara says
I have had a mild case of tinnitus for about two years, but the volume of the ringing in my ears has doubled since my first Pfizer shot in January 2021. I first noticed the change in the sound sometime in the first week after my shot. I reported it to my doctor in case she was hearing the same symptom from any other patients. ( She has not, to the best of my knowledge.)
I had my second shot 3 weeks later. I have not had any improvement yet or reduction in the intensity of the sound.
Kevin says
Hi Barbara- I have’ve had tinnitus for 3 years which has increased since my 1st Moderna vaccine. Have you noticed increase in your tinnitus from shot #1 to shot #2?
Thanks-
Kevin
Valerie says
I experienced ringing in my ears and partial hearing loss after my first Moderna vaccine
It has been 10 days and I still have ringing.
I will not get a 2nd shot !!
Please report this to the Data base
Kate Zerby says
Yes, report it to VAERS!
Sabah Suleiman says
I had mild chronic tinnitus on my right ear. I had second dose of Pfizer vaccine at end of December 2020. 2-3 weeks later I started experiencing very bad tinnitus on the same side without improvement and I have given masking sound generator for help. I am not sure whether my tinnitus will improve by time or not.
Kay Eakin says
Have had mild high pitch tinnitus in left ear for years. But about a week after Moderna first shot the tinnitus was so loud I thought I would lose my mind! I am afraid to get second shot.
Anna says
My husband had a ringing at first but later it developed in no hearing in one ear. His ENT advised that hearing loss is most likely permanent and NOT to take a second dose.
Alex says
Experiencing tinnitus right now. Unsure of how to proceed with the second dose of Moderna scheduled for two weeks.
Janiebell says
My physician says not to take second dose.
Craig Breigle says
I am in the same boat! Two days after the Moderna shot I got pulsatile Tinnitus. 3 weeks later still there. Due for next shot, next week and don’t know what to do.
Kevin Jones says
I had mild Tinnitus in my left ear but after 1st shot of Moderna my ringing has gone up by 40% and is not subsiding at all. Scared of getting second shot. Might not get it to make things worse.
Robert says
First off, I am very supportive of vaccine efforts, but I may have a delayed reaction to the vaccine. It could be coincidence, but approximately 2-3 weeks after receiving the first shot of Moderna (on the right side), I began having tinnitus on the right side, headaches, very minor ear and facial pressure on the right side. It increased slowly over several days. I chalked it up to being worried about finding dose 2 since Walgreens kept cancelling on me. After getting dose 2 on time, my stress went off, but the tinnitus and headaches didn’t. Began exploring OTC medication to seek relief, with no success or change in symptoms. I then saw a doctor, who thought maybe ear infection. Tried antibiotics. Once the antibiotics didn’t work, I went to an ENT. He guessed Meniere’s disease. He prescribed prednisone to take pressure off my ear. After taking Prednisone I began experiencing paresthesia on the right side of my face. The headaches came off mostly. That led me to going back to my doctor who said go to a neurologist. The neurologist ordered head MRIs, which have since come back normal. Blood work has also come back normal. Coming off the prednisone the headaches and pressure came back, with some paresthesia, and I would swear a minor metallic taste in my mouth on bad days. While, I understand most reactions have come on suddenly or over a week, the doctors have not discounted it being related to the vaccine despite me not suggesting it. The symptoms have begun to subside over the last week, but sigh, the ringing is still there.
Jon says
Mine started three weeks after the first Moderna shot… persistent now for three days. Tried Allegra (decongestant) and Flonase (nasal spray) both suggested by my doctor. Finally getting some relief, though the Tinnitus is still there. Second Moderna scheduled for this weekend. Horrible decision to make. Added my info to the database.
adele says
please let me know if you get shot#2. I am scheduled for the end of March. Tinnitus is not going away.
Danny li says
Let me know too please
AnnMarie says
I received my first Pfizer vaccine shot in late February. Started having tinnitus and pulsatile in one ear a week after the shot. Never thought that it may have been caused by the shot. Went to my ENT, said he didn’t see anything going on. I also had a hearing test which showed a bit of hearing lose in the same ear but he chalked it up to my age. I didn’t mentioned to him that I had my first shot. Tinnitus isn’t as bad now but I had the 2nd shot today.
vermont6633 says
Hi AnnMarie,
Can you please let us know if your tinnitus changed after your second shot? Thank you.
Nicolas R. says
After first shot of Moderna, I had headaches and 5 days after I start hearing noise in the right hear… then realized this could be linked.
Today after a hearing test, the doctor realized that I recently lost 20db on the right hear with a strong degradation of the clarity…
They give me steroid… I just hope this could help getting better. I will report in a few days
Chris P says
I also have ringing in the ears that started almost immediately after my first Pfizer dose. Left arm injection and it seems like it’s in my left ear. Tried an acupuncturist and the pitch got lower but only temporarily. It came right back. My second dose is in 3 days and my ENT told me to get the second dose anyway. I’m really scared. I don’t want this getting worse and I’m very worried it is permanent. I wish I knew people who got the second dose with this particular side effect where is resolved itself. My ENT said it could take up to 6 months to go away. I don’t think he knows. I don’t think I should chance this. I have an autoimmune disease. Wondering if others with this side effect have autoimmune diseases as well.
adele says
I also am having tinnitus from the shot. I’m not going for #2. Going to ENT this Friday. I have Hashimotos thyroiditis, but I’ve never had any reaction to other vaccinations.
Chris P says
I have never had a reaction to a vaccine before either. I can say that i have a severe reaction to the medication zythromax that doctor’s never heard of either. I get severe stomach cramps and am doubled over in pain after taking the medication. i have it marked in my chart now that i’m allergic to zythromax/the X pack. Everytime i am questioned about the allergy, every doctor/nurse says that’s not an known allergy to that medication. Well, i took it three times and all three times, same reaction. I’m pretty sure I’m 99.9% sure I’m not going for the second dose of this vaccine in two days and I don’t plan on ever getting this vaccine again, ever. I’m worried I’m going to lose my hearing now. Everyone I know who got this vaccine has either had only a sore arm or had a reaction with the second dose that went away after 2-3 days. I don’t know anyone else personally who had this ear ringing reaction. I had a hearing test today and I couldn’t hear many of the sounds until they came through in a high pitch. It was very hard to hear to low sounds because of how loud this constant high pitch sound is in my left ear. Left arm was injected with the vaccine and the ear ringing seems to be coming from my left ear. Constant, all day, every day, for 19 days straight now.
Dusty Rose says
Hi Chris P,
I had the same bad stomach pains from Zithromax and avoid it, too.
I have a history of tinnitus, but it would come and go. After the Pfizer vaccine it got louder and seemed to get less loud before the second shot date, so I did the second shot.
I have an appointmant with the ENT. I have been on Claritin and Flonase fir seasonal allergies.
vermont6633 says
Hi- Any changes to your tinnitus after the second shot? Thanks!
Chris P says
Adele….I have Hashimotos thyroiditis too.
Melissa says
I have an autoimmune disease. I did not associate the tinnitus with my 1st Pfizer vaccine until 2 weeks of dealing with it. I originally wondered if it was related to meds I take for my Rheumatoid arthritis. I have never had tinnitus before and have been taking the meds for at least 5 years. But found this site during my research and now believe my new experience with tinnitus is covid vaccine related. I am hoping it will go away/lesson over time. I did report to both VAERs and Pfizer databases.
Randy says
I also have experienced worsening tinnitus. I’ve had it for years. But now it’s much worse. I’m hoping it’s related to an upper back tooth that I’m also experiencing pain in.
Joan Beck says
My mild tinnitus started to get much worse three days after my first Moderna vaccine. It continues to get worse to the point where I can’t sleep or think clearly. Please explain how to report an adverse reaction. I’m not sure how I can live with this. It is really bad.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Joan,
Here is the link to the VAERS database: https://vaers.hhs.gov/esub/index.jsp
Bob Carlin says
Had first Moderns shot on Feb
20. I have had mild tinnitus for years.
That evening, my tinnitus volume shot up considerably.
It has remained at a higher level for over 3 weeks.
I’m concerned about getting a second shot.
K. Parker says
The tinnitus and hearing loss in my left ear started on day 16 after my first Pfizer vaccine. I went to my PCP and my ears look fine. Being referred to an ENT. I’m hoping this is temporary and I regain hearing. I got my second vaccine on Saturday. At least I’m fully vaccinated. Hopefully, this hearing issue will be resolved.
Christine says
After the second shot of Pfizer my Tinnitus is louder i can’t sleep at night i pray this is temporary.
Lindsey says
I also developed tinnitus after the first Pfizer shot. Saw an audiologist and ENT-hearing is excellent and no issues found. Due for 2nd shot today and I’ve been worrying about it the whole time. Was hoping to see more people here that said if they got the 2nd shot or not but sounds like we’re all just not sure. Aaaahh…what do I do?!
vermont6633 says
Hi Lindsey-
What did you end up doing? Any hearing changes? Thanks from someone who is very afraid to get the second shot.
Jim S says
Got my 2nd Pfizer shot yesterday morning.
Within an hour noticed what felt like mildly clogged ears and a slight ringing. Didn’t think much of it. Woke up the next morning with what felt like a fully clogged left ear with some ringing. I do sleep on my left side through. Just feels like my ear needs to pop. I’ll see what happens throughout the day. Hoping that it will go away
Janiebell says
I got my first dose of the Moderna vaccine last week. Within 15 minutes the tinnitus began. It has gotten worse daily to include hearing loss, dizziness, nausea and diarrhea. Will see an ENT today but am told by PCP to have no expectation of improvement. This is a terrible outcome. I had researched all the side effects on the CDC and drug manufacturer websites. This was not one of them. If anyone improves, can you please post how long it took and if you did anything to affect the improvement? Thank you!
Julie Amos says
My mother had her second Pfizer vaccine on January 30, 2021. Two weeks later suffered severe sudden onset hearing loss in both ears. We have been seeing an ENT since. Have done three rounds of steroid injections into each ear and had a MRI. We have seen no improvement to this point. Cochlear implant was addressed as possibility yesterday. Prior to this she was incredibly healthy taking no prescription medication. We are experiencing many emotions at this point….frustration, anger, confusion. Updated and accurate information needs to be out there.
Sheila Steinberg says
I experienced sudden hearing loss in my left ear about an hour after receiving a Mederna vaccine. My primary care felt like my hearing would return. I finally saw an ENT after 7 weeks and I may be too late for treatment and may suffer permanent hearing loss. I am very distressed about this and would like to encourage others suffering the same sudden hearing loss to see an ENT right away.
Jan Russell says
I to have tinnitus! Started with first pfizer shot worse after second……
Danny l says
Thank you for this info, I decided not to take second one.
Rhonda Melancon says
Very good info, Brian, especially since it is raising this possible side effect that can/should be reported. The more information we have, the better! Thanks.
Cathy Kalnicky says
Does anyone know if you already suffer from tinnitus if it gets worse after these vaccines????
Gary Hansen says
I came here today after Googling “Covid Vaccine Tinnitus” because the tinnitus that I have been suffering from four years suddenly got worse 2 days after I had the Moderna Covid Vaccine. Maybe it’s a coincidence and caused by something else. I don’t know. I expect that there will be a lot of spurious correlations reported after people get vaccinated. I do realize that correlation is not necessarily causation. I reported it to VAERS just so they have that data. But it does make me wonder if I should get the second dose in 3 weeks. I probably will because so far there’s no definitive proof that the vaccine is the reason for my increased tinnitus. I’m 63 and I’ve been living with mild tinnitus for 30 years now and I figure I’m not young anymore–so I’d rather trade a little more tinnitus for the probability that I won’t die from Covid.
Kate Zerby says
I didn’t have ANY tinnitus till I got this vaccine. NONE! Now I am going in for a hearing test. It’s the vaccine. Too many people with the same thing.
Dusty Rose says
Yes, I have a history, but it would come and go. After the Pfizer vaccine it became louder. It seemed to get less loud so I did the second shot. Seeing an ENT soon. Already on Claritin and Flonase for allergies, I am hoping this is from temporary inflammation from the immune response.
Kay eakin says
Mine did. Got first Moderna shot Mar 2. Developed bad tinnitus a week later. On preds and nerve pills. It still has not resolved. I will not get 2nd shot.
vermont6633 says
Hi Kathy- I had tinnitus that was annoying but tolerable before the vaccine. I could go for chunks of time throughout my day and not notice it. I had my first Moderna vaccine on March 31 in the morning. By the time I went to bed, the ringing was at least twice as bad as it has ever been, and it has not abated. It is in my consciousness all day every day. It is very distressing. I am absolutely afraid to take the second shot, since many people here have said it got even worse with the second dose. I was so hopeful for these vaccines, and now I am feeling really sad and overwhelmed.
DAMON PABLO says
Hi All,
Brian thank you for what you’re doing here.
Had my 2nd Moderna shot 2/24 and three days later a complete hearing loss and severe tinnitus in left ear… Have had ear injection, prednisone and IVIG (in case it was related to Bell’s). MRI’s as well, no sign of anything more serious. Had second hearing test yesterday, 100% loss still in left only.
Doctors think it could be related to vaccine but too early to know. They do know that the proteins going into our body can mount such a robust respond that perhaps a viral attack or auto-immune attack could be what is causing this in all of us. Of course, there’s no real protocol beyond trying to just reduce the “inflammatory” response.
I had no prior ear issues at all and never had tinnitus. Next up, Hyperbaric Chamber therapy. It’s off label but the idea is that perhaps the pure oxygen can ease some “capillary inflammation” somewhere along the nerve pathway to the brain or even regenerate some of the hairs in the cochlea… A long shot, but it has shown to help some people with SSHL.
My feelings is Moderna and others need to made aware! This isn’t a blame or law suit game. It’s about helping us; they could put a team together to try and help figure out what can be done. Maybe there is something they can develop to suppress our immune systems and begin to reverse this? We need them to work “with” us, not against.
Beyond that, it’s probably a cochlear implant conversation — ugh…
I’m going on 3 weeks now and it’s very difficult, as I’m sure many of you are suffering. There has to be a solution in sight if we work together toward that and get them involved. Maybe a Facebook page should be started?
Again, Brian HUGE thank you for putting this together — I reported it to all the proper sites as well. Those are very complicated sites to navigate though, so please keep this up and feel free to reach out to me…
Damon Pablo, Los Angeles
49yr old male.
adele says
I agree with you. This needs to be brought to public attention. The vaccine companies are immune from lawsuits, they were given immunity because it was an “emergency.” The FDA can’t be held responsible. Any treatment for tinnitus isn’t covered by medicare or supplements. I will support any ideas you have. How should we proceed?
Melinda says
You are exactly right Damon. No blame game, just seeking a solution. I hope you find relief. Tinnitus is notorious for not being addressed as it should. No one can relate until it happens to them.
Charlie Williams says
I am slightly deaf in my right ear. Both ears started to get Tinnitus 2 days after my first Moderna vaccine. It continues now three weeks later. Worse in my right ear. A friend had this symptom and it resolved after 2 weeks. Since mine has not resolved I am thinking about not getting the second dose. I hate it when experts like, Cowan Hill, relate this to stress which diminishes everyones experience and the direct linkage each of the vaccines have now to this real and debilitating side effect.
Melinda says
Hello Charlie, I hope you recover, I truly do. I have had tinnitus for 7 years and my doctor has never taken it serious. Just told me incurable, no treatments, learn to live with it. I live in a rural area so no doctor choices. After hearing about one radio talk show host tell his story of being sent to 20 doctors with no help, I didn’t bother seeking help. He lived in Minnesota so had access to plenty of medical professionals.
I had Moderna 3/11, first dose. Tinnitus got louder and high pitched the following Sunday. Headache along with it. No relief for the headache. Mine sounds like a high pitched swarm of bees in my left ear.
kjlafrance73 says
Hi Melinda,
I recommend seeing an audiologist. There has been some success with using hearing aids to treat tinnitus. Your doctor may not be aware of the more recent technological advances with hearing aids.
Konrad Doerrbecker says
It isn’t stress. I was more than happy to get the vaccine, but I noticed the tinnitus one hour after the AstraZeneca shot and made a comment to my wife.
One day day later it a still there. My discovery of this site is the result of a Google search to see if this is a known side effect.
Wren Watts says
I had my first vaccination of the Oxford AstraZeneca three days ago. A few hours later, my long standing Tinnitus went into overdrive and is still extremely unpleasant. If it doesn’t improve, I won’t be at all keen to get the second dose….
Kate Zerby says
Same. I did a search for dizziness. I noted on that other site that I had tinnitus. After I wrote that, I realized what I was saying. I did a search for tinnitus and found this. I have both dizziness and tinnitus that does not seem to be going away. If anything, it seems to be getting worse.
Uri Postavsky says
Same here. My initial reaction to Astra-Zeneca vaccine was flu-like symptoms with fever that lasted one day. Following that, 3 days after the vaccine, I woke up with ringing in my right ear (got my shot in my right arm) and it is not going away 🙁
It is starting to drive me crazy and depressed.
Based on this experience (and what I have read here) – I will NOT get the 2nd dose.
Baber Alvi says
I am not sure how posting here helps, but I never had any Tinnitus and Now after having Astrazeneca Vaccine approx 3 weeks later My ears have a ringing tone.
Katherine Nydes says
I also started experiencing tinnitus in my left ear a few hours after my first moderna vaccine on March 5th. It comes and goes throughout the day and is worse when I am lying down. Some days I think it is gone but then it is there again the next day. I’m thinking of getting the J and J vaccine instead of the second moderna vaccine as the people that I read about who did get tinnitus associated with that vaccine seem to be a lot fewer and that it went away except for one person who had risk factors.
J Harris says
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with a small tumor on my left geniculate ganglion facial nerve that has also invaded my middle ear causing hearing loss, headaches & mild tinnitus. Two days after my 1st Pfizer vaccine, the tinnitus, hearing loss, ear/head fullness & headache in the left side of my head were severe. 3 weeks later it was no better. My ENT physician at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) had me come in for a check up & hearing test. Hearing in my left ear had dropped 15 points on the graph since my last test a few months ago. I was put on steroids and as of today, my symptoms are the same–no improvement. I was encouraged to proceed with the 2nd Covid vaccine injection knowing there may be risk, but Covid 19 infection also brings risks. I’m undecided about the 2nd injection since the symptoms I’m currently experiencing are so severe. I’m to return to UAB next week for another evaluation & hearing test.
Sue says
After my first Pfizer shot my tinnitus is much worse. After two weeks there is no change. I’m actually afraid to get the second shot.
Ingrid says
my tinnitus started after the astrazeneca vaccine..it looks like it didn’t happen with the chinese vaccine. I deeply regret having been vaccinated myself.
Pamela Good Wind says
I am so glad I checked out this web sites article! Now I don’t feel so alone. When I got the first dose of Pfizer in mid Feb 2021, within 1 minute I had dizziness and weird adrenaline rush sensation which lasted for 10 minutes, then within 30 minutes of the shot I got Tinnitus and its has stayed the same ever since. I did not get the 2nd dose per my Dr advice and CDC stated that anyone with a non-serious immediate reaction should not get the second dose. It was suggested that I go to an allergist to see what ingredient in the vaccine I am allergic to. Not sure if that has anything to do with the Tinnitus. I have not gone yet to allergist. This was immediately reported to VAERS by me through the VAERS App I was given info about at the place I got vaccinated. All of my immediate reactions were also immediately reported to CDC by the Pharmacist at the place I got the shot. I stayed at the place I got the shot for 1.5 hours. They took my vitals several times before allowing me to leave. Vitals were all normal each time.
Daniel I says
Same here. About one week after Pfizer first dose, tinnitus on right ear. Been 10 days now. Decided to postpone second dose
Ruthie l wilson says
I got tinitus after I too my second shot now its hell never had it before
Ingrid Steininger says
I never had any tinnitus and 7 hours after having Astrazeneca Vaccine in my left arm my left ear has a ringing tone. Three weeks later it is still there.
Emma Bateman says
I’m a 46 year old woman living in U.K. who suffers with migraines. I had the Pfizer jab on 17th Feb and that same night my ears started ringing and I had a sensation of pressure & heat in my head. I consider myself quite neuro sensitive but equally quite attuned to triggers that cause migraine and dizziness. The 1st dose definitely set off tinnitus, muffled hearing and cotton wool head. At first I had to ask my kids to repeat what they were saying as hearing was dulled or tinnitus loud, not sure which. 4 weeks later I still have it and notice it most when it’s quiet around me. My husband had Pfizer same day and has had no side effects or tinnitus. In fact I haven’t come across anyone who has/had this side effect. I’m glad I’m not alone!
tgblakeman says
For anyone that is experiencing Tinnitus or ringing in the ears and if you have been or started using CBD, THC Oil or smoking marijuana, I have found from my own experience that the CBD directly started and made it significantly worse. So if you are using any type of CBD or THC oils and are experiencing Tinnitus or ringing in the ears, I advise you to PLEASE STOP THE USE OF THEM RIGHT AWAY. IT will only make the problem worse!
Debra says
I’m so glad you posted this. I’ve had tinnitus since Jan. 2019. People foolishly think CBD, THC oil or marijuana will help.
Joe M says
Tinnitus Talk has a discussion thread where tinnitus patients have reported their experiences with the Covid vaccines. Seems most are doing well but there are also reports of worsenings of tinnitus.
I will tread carefully.
Angelo Proetti says
Wow everyone got tinnutus from the shot I have tinnutus for more the 20 years so loud that you cannot understand if you don’t have it, but mine seems to be less noisy now don’t know if it is my brain telling me to believe it or just a temporary relief
Bride says
Literally just had my Oxford jab today, 5 mins later tinnitus starts with muffled hearing.. never had it before apart from the occasional short time after listening to something loud. Making me suffer with a bit of vertigo also! Very annoying!
Melinda says
Yep, I too had some vertigo a few days after the shot. I sure hope that goes away for you.
Melinda says
Well, count me in on the tinnitus worsening boat ride! I got the Moderna shot 3/11, and my ringing has gotten louder and higher pitched since. It started 3/13. I have had tinnitus since the fall of 2013, in my left ear. Yes, it gets worse with stress, sinus problems, and some meds. I have hope this will subside. I am with the rest of you in that if this does not improve I may forgo my second shot. I have reported this to the site recommended in previous posts.
cedar says
I am very glad to have found this page, as I feel like everyone has thought I was insane for thinking the vaccine may have caused my SSNHL. I’m 36, F, no prior ear issues. Had my first Moderna shot 12/28, and my R ear started ringing 1/10, I woke up the next am with the tinnitus still present and notable hearing loss. I immediately went to the ENT, where they confirmed a significant hearing loss in the R ear. I’ve tried steroids (oral and injections) as well as a round of hyperbaric oxygen. I received the second shot 1/25 via recommendation of my doctor. My hearing has improved slightly, but the tinnitus drives me insane…. but there apparently isn’t much else to do at this point. I’m waiting 6 weeks to see if there is any improvement on its own, but its not hopeful.
Georgina O'Callaghan says
My name is Georgina O’Callaghan I had tinnitus 2 days after I had my first injection I also had an allergy where my eyes were swollen and I had to get antihistamines and I had to get a cream for my face we’re my face was blotchy and peeling I had to get a cortisone creams
Deb says
I have suffered from debilitating tinnitus since Jan. 2019 due to a drug. The 2d drug I needed to take (one drug in particular I had taken previously for 20 years), made it louder after 5 days. Then I got an eye infection, and needed to take eyedrops. There was Neomycin in those eyedrops, and then my tinnitus got SCREAMING LOUD again 5 days later. I will NEVER take another drug again unless my life depends on it. That include OTC drugs. Ototoxic drugs (like Neomycin or other antibiotics) are often in vaccines. I will NEVER take another vaccine.
I would NOT take the 2d dose of this vaccine if you got tinnitus. When I first got my tinnitus, the drs. said it was probably temporary and would go away. It never did. My life is practically ruined. There is no cure for tinnitus. It’s the #1 disability for veterans. But most people do not get it from drugs like I did. I feel horrible for all of you and pray your tinnitus will go away. BE CAREFUL what drugs you take and what vaccines you take.
Todd says
I have received my first does of Pfizer on 3/1/21 and that evening I woke up to my ears ringing to a point it woke me up. I gave it a few days to realize it was constant and not subsiding. I ended up going to my doctor and he said I didn’t have any sinus or ear infections and also did a pressure test to see if i had any fluid in my ear and that came back normal.
He to suggested I use Flonase as well Zyrtec. Which I have been using since my visit. Tinnitus is still consistent since 3/2/21 and notice a change. I feel the vaccine is important and stand by doing it…. I am irritated and frustrated that it won’t get better to date.
I am a bit nervous on dose 2 coming up in a 10 days or so. Thanks for everyone posting. I honestly though I was going crazy at first. I have never had this before and feel like it related to the vaccine.
I submitted a report that I am experiencing this side effect with VAERS.
Bryan says
I received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine today and noticed a very slight ringing in my left ear that started after a few minutes into the 15 minute waiting period. It has been growing louder as day goes on. I didn’t have any tinnitus before the shot. I hope it wears offs but it won’t stop me from getting the second dose.
Mac says
Thanks for your accounts.
I received my first dose Pfizer vaccine March 3.
Next morning I woke with prominent left ear high ringing and a very small amount of right ear high pitched ring. I am 63 and I have had tinnitus for years in left ear, never goes away, but usually does not drive me crazy, even though it is life changing. But since the Pfizer shot it is much louder than usual, and as of today March 16 it is still going strong. This “spiking” has happened to me before when exposed to an extremely loud noise (like a gun shot). In those such cases the tinnitus spike lasted up to three months. However I have not been around any big noises lately. I am leaning strongly towards not taking the second dose as this is very obtrusive and not sure how I would handle more noise. Cannot be sure it is from the vaccine of course but seems like it. I have had many typical US citizen citizen vaccines, and also yellow fever, and a couple extra from splenectomy. None have given me a problem before.
Bahr says
I also developed tinnitus 1 day after my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. I just reported it to VAERS. I am also Scared that it will not go away (I never had it before). I took the vaccine at 11 AM on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, in the Texas Motor Way in Dallas/Fort Worth area. I noticed the Tinnitus around 6 PM today (i.e. Wed. March 17). My wife kept warning me about the side effects and said to be careful. I am in my mid-’50s and as a University Professor that has to deal with students, I felt I had no choice. Sill not sorry I took Vaccine 1 since my doctor passed away from the virus in Dec. 2020. Now, the dilemma “To take the second shot of not”! Most likely I go for it!
Linda says
I got my first Moderna shot Wednesday (yesterday) about 10am. Took a nap a few hours later and the ringing in my ears woke me up at 2pm. Still have ringing today, Thursday. It is about a 7 on a scale of 1 (silence) to 10 (post loud concert). Did not have tinnutus before. No other symptoms, not even a sore arm.
Melinda says
I’m sorry you and everyone else is experiencing this. I have had tinnitus since 2013 and have adjusted over the years. The Moderna vaccine I got on 3/11 has made mine turn louder and higher pitched. If possible avoid painkillers such as aspirin, Motrin, Aleve, and even caffeine. Those items tend to make it worse. Tylenol even affects me anymore. It is a bi**h to live with. Hopefully, this will resolve in time. If I had known this was a side effect I would have not had the vaccine.
Jenna says
I received my first Modena shot in late December with minimal reaction (sore arm, swollen lymph node). My second dose was exactly 3 weeks later, and 14 hours after my second shot, I had a weird sensation in my right ear. The following morning, I woke up with complete hearing loss in that ear. I did high dose steroids which seem to help a little, but I still have tinnitus and am very hard of hearing in that ear. They also did an MRI of my brain with contrast which was WNL. I am a healthy 35yo F with no PMH.
Lizzie Boo says
Reporting this won’t do anything. What VAERS going to do? it is not like they are going to come out in public to report how people have had hearing loss and tinnitus in result of these “vaccines”. I am scheduled to get moderna next Wed and I will cancel it. I already have severe inflammation on my face due to my tmj disorder and on top of that tinnitus!!! I do not want to make my tinnitus permanent nor make it louder than it is now that is barely noticeable. This is VERY concerning for me. I know not everyone gets this problem, but tinnitus is lifelong and permanent if you have hearing loss. ENTs just shrug their shoulders and tell you to deal with it. They do not care. There is no cure.
adele says
I intend to make calls on Monday to TV news people to see if they will investigate and make it public. I’m seeing an ENT tomorrow so I have a record of the tinnitus without ever having it before.
Kate Zerby says
That is a VERY good plan. I feel I see this more from Moderna than Pfizer. But, really it is important for people to have the information. I don’t regret getting my vaccine, but I am not doing dose #2.
CT says
In the CDC reporting site, more cases have been reported with Pfizer than Moderna. Although they are not identical, Moderna is 3 times stronger than Pfizer (100mg vs. 30mg)
adele says
Hi Brian, I intend to bring this Tinnitus reaction to TV etc to bring your reporting to public attention. Had you not reported this I would be suffering alone. Thank you forever. My objective is for the companies to figure out why and offer some treatment. Can I use your information to contact you directly? If you have any ideas for me/us to proceed please let me know. Please email me. thanks.
Karen says
Hi all
I came on the internet and searched Pfizer and tinnitus. I have no previous hearing problems, My tinnitus started around 3 weeks after my jab middle of February. Initially my symptoms were awful, a siren going off in my right ear and a pulsating and when I went into a quiet room my ears felt like they were full of water and a hissing noise started. Sleeping was a living hell. GP was not interested (However at the time I hadn’t associated the tinnitus to the vaccine. I felt like I was fighting a viral infection without the cold symptoms, my TMJ would also crackle (behind my jaw bone) I went to an audiologist who confirmed I had excellent hearing so doubtful this is a result of hearing loss/damage
By week three most of the heavy headedness feelings had gone but I was left with a wurring sound in my right ear and a clicking in my left… I have started on B1, B12 and magnesium to try to boost my nervous system. I’ve had this around 4 weeks and do feel it is around 50% better, however I seem to have a good day and then a bad day….. I am finally sleeping which makes things a lot better, I use a tinnitus masker off youtube, some may find it awful but its a series of beeps and hissing which stops most of my symptoms at night and then I play waterfall noise at low volume.
I hope this will resolve soon x
Robert says
I had Moderna, but what I am most interested in is the delayed reaction like me. Mine came on 2-3 weeks after first shot. I too dismissed it as being vaccine related. I’ve had a ton of different tests. Talk with your doctor about trying antihistamines or steroids briefly. I had a change in symptoms, and now appears decreasing symptoms after almost a month and half of dealing with them.
Karen says
Hi
After around 4/5 weeks it does appear to be diminishing to a point now where it’s not bothering me…. unfortunately when I rang to book again for a GP I was told it was four weeks wait so I decided against it, I believe most of my symptoms were based on an inflammatory reaction, it’s just to coincidently not to be related to the vaccine
Damon Pablo says
Hi Karen,
You and Robert are the first two people I’ve read here that actually mention some relief at weeks 4 to 6. For those of us who are still early into this, that’s encouraging. Did you have both sudden loss and tinnitus? Your two stories might be the only hope any of us have seen in weeks! Please either email me or update here as to what you went through and how it then began to subside and if you went for any treatment (Prednisone, Ear Injection, Oxygen Therapy, etc). I really hope you’ll respond with some good news that you’re still on the mend because if this truly is related to the vaccine (which most of us feel it is), we might have some hope with you and Robert.
Thanks, Damon
March 20th, 2021
Los Angeles
Ryan says
I also had tinnitus that developed 3 days after first Moderna injection. Now, four days later the tinnitus seems like it has almost resolved. I don’t know if I should get the second shot. I feel like it’s playing with fire.
kelleyelton says
did your tinnitus go away completey? did you get your second dose? how bad was your tinnitus when you had it?
Marlene Welz says
Within 24 hours of the 1st Pfizer vaccine 1/22 I woke up to a very loud disturbing ringing in both ears
Started the Doctor visits, the ENT , ultrasound, MRI , hearing tests, steroids. Tests found no reason for the tinnitus. The ENT said there is a pandemic of tinnitus right now.
I reported my side effect to Pfizer and the VAERS database as suggested above. I thought I was going crazy in the first couple weeks and bought a book called Living with Tinnitus to try and do something to help myself as it seems no one else can. I did have the second dose as both doctors said I should and I already have tinnitus so a least I am protecting my family. Its been a terrible time for me as all of you know who are experiencing this. It was so good to know I am not alone.
Linda says
I am leaning towards not getting the second dose, regardless of whether this resolves or not. I am too afraid of doing further damage to my hearing.
Josephine says
Hi, I also have tinnitus after having the Moderna vaccine. About a week after my first shot I started experiencing ringing in my ears. I checked the side effects of the vaccine and did not see it listed, so I thought it was just a coincidence. Talked to my doctor and she said tinnitus is indicative of hearing loss. So, I have scheduled an appointment for a hearing test and a visit with an ENT. Today I had my second Moderna shot and within an hour or so the tinnitus was much worse. I did some additional research and found this page. Glad to at least know what caused the tinnitus.
sheng li says
check out tinnitus talk forum, you can find many others have the same issue
Marnie says
Had moderna… after second shot developed pulsatile tinnitus and it hasn’t stopped… been a month now. Had a CT angiogram to rule out vascular involvement which was negative…. gonna try physio that treats TMJ to see if that helps…. my Dr. is puzzled…. glad to see I am not the only one in this… thought I was going crazy… I work in healthcare so it was expected to get the vaccine (although not mandatory)
Shannon M Mahoney-irish says
I have never had Tinnitus. I received the 1st and 2nd dose of Pfizer (late December and January as essential health care worker). I have developed Tinnitus over the last couple of months and have never had this experience before. It is slowly increasing and I have seen my PCP to try to deal with this change. BEWARE, they have no idea what all the side effects are!!!!! I pray this does not last; I have had an Audiology assessment to check my hearing and although I have slight loss, it’s not enough to cause this level of Tinnitus. I have also had an ENT apt to deal with this. At this time it’s a waiting game to see if this resolves. If I had to do it again, I would certainly rethink this decision.
Terese Loeb Kreuzer says
I was vaccinated with Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine on March 3. I have had a number of side effects since then (nausea, chills, severe, recurring fatigue, low-grade fevers, body aches and so on). On March 15, I woke up with a loud hissing sound in both ears. It sounded like a steam radiator! I thought that something was wrong in my apartment and went into the hall to see if the hissing was there, too. Then I realized it was in my own ears. I have had mild tinnitus for years, but this was not mild. It was — and is — very loud. Four days have passed since this Pfizer vaccine side effect first emerged. I am supposed to get a second Pfizer shot on March 24. I don’t know what to do.
Adam says
I previously had mild tinnitus but literally an hour after my first Pfizer dose on March 9 I noticed it got much worse and louder. It has only gotten worse since then, and yesterday (about one week later), for the first time ever, I started getting a rumbling or “fluttering” sound in my left ear that is intermittent and won’t go away. I think it’s a type of pulsatile tinnitus that I never experienced before. I may get this checked by an ENT prior to my second dose. Now I’m terrified of getting the second one.
adele says
I went to the ENT today. Of course he said it hasn’t been scientifically proven that the vaccine can cause Tinnitus. I even brought him a printout of this article and all the comments. If people go their ENT the problem has a better chance of being brought to the public. There’s no medication. I have an appt with another specialist to explore Tinnitus Retraining Therapy which can take at least a year to see results. It’s not covered by insurance. I’m definitely NOT getting the second dose. Monday I intend to go to the TV people and see if they will investigate and make pharma pay attention.
Kate Zerby says
One more thing – fear and anxiety. Give me a break. I didn’t even THINK about tinnitus before or dizziness. I didn’t start thinking about it until I HAD it show up after the vaccine. Stress? What the heck. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. We all have stress every day. It never made me have tinnitus before. How obnoxious.
Lizzie Boo says
Stress won’t give you tinnitus, that I know, at least not directly. I am a hard clencher and grinder and it gave me a TMJ disorder which in return gave me tinnitus, all because of this covid pandemic… and now I am so stressed about whether I should get the moderna or not
. ENTs like saying that because they dont want to deal with it anyway. There is currently ZERO cure for tinnitus and they just shrug their shoulder and tell you to live with it and deal with it. The CEO of Texas Roadhouse just killed himself over a severe tinnitus, although he had covid and covid could cause severe tinnitus as a side effect.
Stalmens says
Stress CAN give you Tinnitus … a lot of people get tinnitus which is stress induced. That is the whole problem why Tinnitus also gets worse on onset… you nervous system is out of control. That is why treating it with Xanax in the early stage help people to cope until they get habitated to the sound.
You can get tinnitus from so many factors…. noisetrauma, bumping you head, stress, meds,TMJ etc etc … please do not say things that are not true. People commit suicide because if this crap. You CAN get tinnitus due to stress and get your body back in balance can stop the tinnitus which is stress induced. Most of us are not that lucky though.
vermont6633 says
I agree with you Kate…..so frustrating when we know our bodies and KNOW this happened right after the vaccine. We have all been under great stress this entire Covid year, but my loud hissing tinnitus did not begin until a few hours after my first Moderna shot. I could not wait to get vaccinated and start feeling my freedom again, but now I wonder if I will ever have my life back. So distressing.
Judith A Schmaltz says
Yes, After the covid shot my brain started ringing and hasn’t quit. It wasn’t immediate, but after a day or two, and then progressing every day. Have never had anything like this and believe it is the shot causing it. I had Moderna.
It is almost impossible to live with this noise it is so loud and my head feels like it is swollen. I have played tinnitus music round the clock at no effect. It seems to get worse every day.
My sister is also experiencing the ringing after her shot. This is a curse. The news media scared us into drastic measures being taken and a shot that was inadequately tested was the answer. Now, how long do we have to live with this brain ring. I am just about at my limit with this noise and it seems pressure is building in my head on the frontal lobe. I have bought ear phones, tinnitus aps, ear buds, tried heat, nothing stops it and it is debilitating. I went out to lunch today and it did not stop one second and never does. It is terrible. I don’t think I would get the shot if I hadn’t had it. I suggest you don’t get it until this issue is addressed. My husband and sister had the shot and had no side effects. A 50/50 prospective that you will have ringing ears in our sample of four.
Please respond if you have side effects. The shot was rushed through and who knows what the side effects are after such a short test period. (According to my information, if I am wrong please correct my thoughts.)
Brian Buntz says
From what I read from looking at the Phase 3 clinical study report summaries for J&J, Moderna and Pfizer, there were six reports of tinnitus in the J&J trial in the vaccine arm, but none in the placebo group. There was no mention of tinnitus in the Phase 3 study reports from Pfizer or Moderna. All of those trials involved more than 30,000 people.
In VAERS, which is an imperfect data source, between 0.5% and 0.6% of the entries report tinnitus.
I’ve not been able to find any formal research on this subject. There are some medical reports of tinnitus from COVID-19 infections that have been published.
Lizzie Boo says
Isn’t the report on J&J showed as resolved and resolving? I also looked at the data from the FDA website. At least they were honest about it, and those people who developed with resolved and resolving has other underlying diseases such as hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure which could sometimes cause pulsatile tinnitus. Was it the same data sheet you saw?
I also searched for that data for Moderna and showed none as tinnitus.
adele says
Please go to your ENT and a Hearing and Tinnitus Center. When I make calls to and try to get this problem out there, the first place they’ll try to get information from are Doctors. If they haven’t had patients with this complaint they won’t pursue the investigation.
Bob Roche says
After the first Moderna shot I noticed very significant ringing in ears.
I wrote about my experience on the Tinnitus Talk forums:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/share-your-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-experience-any-impact-on-your-tinnitus-or-hyperacusis.43923/#post-580658
Of course my experience could be coincidental. Hard to say.
Megan says
I don’t have tinnitus but I have terribly clogged ears.
Started 4 days after my first jab. (Moderna) I have been to urgent care, my primary, and an ENT.
Prescribed antibiotics, Predisone, and Flonase, Sudafed. Still pretty clogged.
Got my second jab and the saga continues.
My head feels stuffed and pressure is almost unbearable!
Susan R. says
I received the Pfizer vaccine in Jan and not to long after the first shot, maybe 2-3 days after I woke up to a loud ringing sound thinking its an external sound. I woke up my husband asking him if he can hear it, of course he says no. Same night I realize it’s my ears! I ignored it and took my second shot. I didn’t associate the ringing with the vaccine. Had I stopped and listened (no pun intended) I would not haves taken the second shot. During the day I’m busy at work and distracted so I don’t hear it as much. But at home and at bedtime I do. It is also casuing dizziness and pressure in my head. I will be seeing the ENT soon. I too reported this adverse event. I work in the pharmaceutical industry and had trusted in their process but now I’m afraid experiencing this I should have waited a bit longer. Hoping the sound subsides or completely goes away.
Deanna B says
I have created a group for people who believe they have either developed tinnitus after COVID vaccination or an increase after vaccination. I want to make it very clear I am in no way supporting not getting the vaccination and I am pro vaccination by nature. I however cannot ignore that clearly I have found quite a few people have had the same issues and would like a place were we can discuss them.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/265035901879921
Mark D says
Yes. Ringing in ear after first shot. Never had it before. Not sure if I really needed the vaccine but have to be part of making Covid go away. I have been an essential worker this entire year with no time off. I eat well, plenty of water and good sleep habits. I’m not trying to let this slow me down but hearing in one ear is hard when you work with others. I support all we are doing but not sure about second dosage.
Baber Alvi says
There is zero help from Doctors and ENT in UK about Tinnitus. I have had the Vaccine and 3 weeks later a loud tone in my head. Its there some days loud and some not so loud.
I need for AstraZenecca to pay for the treatment as this is created by them. Never had any noise in my head before. I have seen 5 doctors all saying the same thing there is not cure.
People think its fine but this is serious side effect and needs to be fixed because it is effecting their lives alot.
Please can we publish this on TV to show the big pharma compaines about this and hope to have a cure.
Melinda says
Personally, I don’t think the news will report on the link between the vaccines and tinnitus because if they do, people will be hesitant to get the shots and the governments wants as many vaccinated as possible. They’re not about to let anyone stop their efforts, especially the tinnitus sufferers. We will be accused of being stressed and paranoid internet cruisers who latched on to this topic and blew it out of proportion. Yea, the QANON of tinnitus.
Deb says
Melinda – You are right. The Govts and medical communities are pushing the vaccines (which I consider still experimental as no long-term tests were done even on animals). YOU NEVER EVER hear about tinnitus as a side effect. I got mine from a drug in Jan 2019, and each time I had to take a medicine it got worse (3 times). FINALLY I realized mine was caused by ototoxic drugs — any drug (even OTC) can be ototoxic and make tinnitus worse, so you won’t know until you take a medication. And there are antibiotics in most vaccines. Mine is so loud. I was in shape, 100% healthy. Now my life is ruined. I fear getting sick and needing a medication. I won’t get the vaccine obviously. I had a successful career and vibrant life — it’s all gone. I pray for everyone on here. But I have heard NO ONE in the news report this. Even if it’s a small percentage of people who got tinnitus, they should report on this. But they won’t, and we know why. After all, there is no cure for tinnitus. You’d think since it’s the #1 Veterans disability, they would put some research $$ into it, but very little is done regarding research with tinnitus. My doctor of 30 years said there will never be a cure for tinnitus in my lifetime. It doesn’t affect enough people for anyone to put money into a cure. I feel so sad.
Liza says
Avoid taking naproxen/Naprosyn/Aleve. My teenaged daughter developed short-term tinnitus after taking it several years ago. Recently I looked up the side effects of the medication and tinnitus was one of them.
Judith A Schmaltz says
DO NOT GET THE COVID VACCINE! I don’t think anyone should get the covid shot. I had the first shot and will not get the second. Shortly after the shot, I can’t remember exactly, my brain started ringing. The ring sounds like it is coming from your ears, but in actuality, it is caused by inflammation of the brain, not the ears.
The ringing is terrible. It seems to get louder with time. I don’t know what to do and neither does anyone else. I am week, tired, sleep longer than I ever have, wake up to ringing. It is driving me crazy. I have never had anything remotely like this and know it is an after effect of the shot. DO NOT GET THE SHOT. Of me and two sisters, two of us have the ringing in the ears. I don’t know about others but according to the internet there are hundreds of thousands with this after shock. Also, this morning when I went to look this up on the internet there were 30 or more sights that were talking about this. By five o-clock this evening, there are two.
Why is our government deserting it’s people? Why aren’t they calling for an answer from this company?
People are dying and more will dye from the after effects. DO NOT GET THE SHOT. I am mad at myself for being a sheep led to slaughter. Don’t follow me!
I want to know what the government is doing about it. Why aren’t they pushing for a cure? They certainly pushed companies to put out a vaccine that wasn’t properly tested. I want to know what is being done for the thousands of people that are suffering. If this is big pharma, I say sue them, close them down, or make them respond. I am 77 years old, in perfect health, can walk a mile easily, love life and was planning on spending the next two months in Arizona. Now I am sitting here, ringing. I am angry and upset and looking for a lawyer to sue for me. Why haven’t I and others heard a response from these drug suppliers? Why aren’t we seeing it on TV and why are the sites that were on net this morning gone? I am totally angry. Pfiser, get the news out. Tell us what to do. What is in our future? Are we going to live or die? I want to know. I would like to play a game of name calling right here as I have several for Pfiser.
Damon Pablo says
I’m sorry you are also dealing with this…
Though I’m not sure it’s our brain that’s inflamed — only offering this because so many of us had MRI’s with both contrast and no contrast, and we didn’t show any inflammation in our brains — at least not that was seen or detected by MRI. Though nothing really showed up at all, so who really knows.
That doesn’t mean you’re wrong — I’m sure there’s something along the pathway from the ear to the brain that has gone bad so to speak. However, a few people here have posted recently that around weeks 5 or 6 things started to clear up — so perhaps it is just our “over reactive” response to the shot.
I’m in the dark too though and do not mean to imply much. I’ve done the prednisone and the in ear injection and MRI, etc. I’m hoping all of our systems cool off after five or six weeks and this passes. In the meantime, keep good notes and be ready for when we mobilize and need everyone to get on the same page; be it the media we reach out to or the pharama companies. We won’t stay quiet, so just be as patient as you can and then ready when we need people to speak up about this.
March 20, 2021
Damon
adele says
Hi Judith a schmaltz… I’m making calls to TV news people to try to get them interested. It would be helpful if people called their local news stations to see if they would investigate. I know we’re fighting the “powers that be,” but if enough people make noise maybe we’ll be heard. I regret getting the shot. I’m going to a Hearing and Tinnitus Center to begin “Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.” Not a cure.
Todd says
Seems like fake news posts. Really … if you are so against the vaccine why did you get it . I don’t buy it
Melinda says
Good advice Damon. Getting worked up, even though it is very understandable, only makes the ringing worse.
Judith, start to keep notes, like Damon said, on which foods or drugs spike the ringing. For me, it is all over the counter pain killers, caffeine, benadryl, too much salt, and melatonin. If you cut out any of the trigger items it can take a few days for the ringing to quiet down some. If tinnitus is new to you, I’m sorry to day it could take a month or more to adjust to the ringing. It will be loud and possibly high pitched, but usually lowers over time, especially once you learn the triggers.
Remember, those of us who took the vaccine had good intentions. We are not dumb, we are not sheep. We want the society back that we had pre covid. We wanted to do our part to bring it back. Those who refuse the vaccine are not selfish, they have legitimate concerns. None of us are right or wrong, we only did what we thought was right for us. Unfortunately, for many of us it has come with a very troublesome problem.
Colleen Conkling says
I’m so glad I found this forum as I had acute sudden onset tinnitus in one ear a day after getting my first shot. About 30 hours after getting my first Pfizer shot, I had a sudden loud ringing in my ear but then it did not subside completely in my left ear. I now have constant tinnitus in my left ear, almost like I left a loud club or concert. Luckily I didn’t wait and saw an audiologist. I’m on prednisone but 3 days in and no improvement. It’s been 4 days and still the same. I’m only 40 and have a young child. All I love is to sit in the quiet and enjoy the birds. Given most of the reports here, I’m very scared this may be my new reality. I would love to hear from anyone that suffered from this and had it clear up at some point. I would also love any tips on how to manage.
danny says
check out the tinnitus talk
Sally says
My sister develops tinnitus in both ears two days after second dose of pfizer in January … she still has it. They told us about fever for a day and headache .. but there are more side effects to be worried about …
Damon Pablo says
March 21–
I just wrote to NPR to tell them about all of us — Hoping to get some response this week.
Please keep track of when you got your vaccine and when you started to experience this. Also if you have had any relief. The more Information you can keep the easier it will be if/when they respond and want to contact more people.
You can email me as well, damonpablo@yahoo.com and simply put in your name and contact information and timeline — and any protocols you were put on; prednisone, ear injections, etc.
Also let me know if anyone has experienced any relief — the more information I’m armed with, should they reach out, the better.
So we need as much information as possible. Try to keep the personal aspect short — I know we are all suffering and it’s terrible, but NPR and other news outlets need the hard facts. We need them to make the connection in order for this to gain a national audience and perhaps reach the Pharma companies.
Damon Pablo
Scoot McNairy says
Received the Pfizer vaccine in January/February and have had some recurring bouts with tinnitus. That being said, the vaccine is totally worth it, as I will gladly accept a ringing in my ears instead of a life-threatening virus.
Bridgett Mayeux says
I’m so sorry everyone suffering from this. You have unsuspectingly joined the ranks of the US Military guinea pigs. Most prior service members I know have tinnitus. Myself and my husband are service-connected for it – it is a presumptive condition for veterans who have deployed. We both received many rounds of anthrax and 30 vaccines in 7 years. I suspect that covid and the covid vax both cause it. Years of eating healthy, fighting inflammation, and rest help manage the condition but after 15 years I know it’s permanent. We sleep with “nighttime music” to not hear ringing in silence, and tinnitus gets worse when we have a virus, cold, etc. Hang in there, life is still good. Never take an experimental anything (vax or med) again. I realized I can’t live in regret only do the very best with what’s already happened.
Dan W says
People who are reading this and panicking – VAERS is a data collection entity that the public VOLUNTARILY submits to IF they feel like reporting an adverse reaction. Knowing that we have administered over 100 million doses of vaccines, and we only have some tens of thousands of people reporting side effects, that means the vast, overwhelming majority of over a hundred million administrations of vaccine weren’t worth reporting any side effects for. This is a few hundred instances of tinnitus, out of 100+ million doses administered, that may not even be permanent (in fact a separate article on the J&J vaccine said that 83% of those tinnitus cases resolved themselves).
I’m very sorry to those who did have an adverse reaction that includes tinnitus. My brother has it and so I understand what it can do to a person. But please do not get the wrong idea from what you read here.
Lizzie Boo says
You’re right. i am about done and is thinking of canceling my appointment for Wed. I feel like i’d rather wait and get the Johnson vaccine instead of moderna. Seems like moderna is the main culprit. I too have mild tinnitus because of my TMJ disorder, but I know my tinnitus is not permanent.
Lisa says
Yours is an incorrect assumption. Only people that KNOW about the database will report their symptoms.
Nancy Carrillo says
I’ve lived with chemo induced tinnitus & hearing loss since 2008 & have adjusted & been able to live with it. I had my 1st Moderna vaccine on 3/18, waited the 15 min. observation & when I got up & started to walk back to the car (my husband was waiting there) I felt off balance, light headed & a bit strange. I know vertigo, dizziness & tinnitus very well but the sensation was a bit different. When I got in the car, I was nauseous (usually a sign of vertigo for me) so I took Meclizine (great med for vertigo symptoms). Got home, took Tylenol for bad headache, had ongoing nausea & laid low. Tinnitus has increased over last 3 days, much louder, TV doesn’t block it out & at night it is really loud.
Will continue to research over next 4 wks. but don’t plan to get 2nd inoculation. Hope it’s the inflammatory response & it will improve over the next several weeks for everyone. For those who have never experienced tinnitus, if it doesn’t go away, there are support systems out there that can help but I certainly understand your fear, anger & frustration.
Dan Barnes says
I have had mild tinnitus for about 14 years, about a 2 on a scale of one to ten. I received the Moderna vaccine, both doses. Now, about ten days after the second dose I notice that the ringing in my ears is much louder, probably a four or five. I can think of no other reason other than the vaccine for this to occur. I found this site after doing a search for tinnitus + vaccine. I hope that adding my experience to this forum will help raise awareness and encourage further research. I will also submit a report on VAERS.hhs.gov.
Dan Barnes says
This is an update to my Mar 22 post. The ringing in my ears has diminished. I think it is back to the pre-vaccine level, but it’s a little hard to tell. Anyway, it isn’t as bad as it was a week ago. I’m not sure about what I will do when a booster is required. I may wait until the booster has thoroughly tested and approved. I don’t think I would want to take another chance of exacerbating the tinnitus.
Lisa says
Did you get the second vaccine? I’m supposed to get mine today and my Tinnitus is so much worse after the first. But my young exceptionally healthy brother died from Covid.
vermont6633 says
Hi Lisa-
I just wanted to say I am so very sorry about your brother. His death must only add to the mix of feelings you must have about getting the second dose. Since my tinnitus has doubled in severity since getting the first shot of Moderna, I am definitely afraid to get the second shot. I know I am leaving myself at higher risk for COVID not getting the second shot, but I don’t want my quality of life diminished forever if my tinnitus should get even worse. Please let us know what you decided to do about your second shot.
Ronnie Genotti says
Pfizer first vaccine 12 days ago. I have suffered from tinnitus in both ears since I was 18 (I’m 53) but since getting the first injection the ringing has doubled in intensity. A bit worried about what’ll happen if I get the second shot.
Matt says
Just got tinnitus after 2nd moderna shot.
I feel like my body is seeking to have auto immune responses and feel immuno compromised.
I regret taking the vaccine shot.
Baber Alvi says
Finally we have some News in the media Sky News has said about this. Hope we get a cure for it now.
COVID-19: Hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo may be associated with coronavirus, research suggests.
Shaun says
Pfizer Dose 1 on Dec 29, 2020 – Day 1 – experienced paresthesias in right arm into axilla and neck – tingling, warm and cold sensations that lasted about 5 days. On day 3 experienced strange right eye irritation which prompted me to see two eye doctors. No findings. Day 5 left ear flushing that last 3 days. Saw a neurologist and exam and EMG test was normal. He suggested to get second dose since symptoms resolved. Dose 2 on Jan 19, 2021 – first 3 days only sore arm symptoms with some pain radiating to back. On day 3 had mild right eye irritation. On Jan 24, 2021 woke up with ear fullness and mild ringing in right ear. Also had abdominal pain and elevated BP. Jan 30 – went to ED for abdominal pain and CT showed a mesenteric inflammation. GI recommended a medrol dose pack. Ear ringing increased exponentially – lead to 8 days of insomnia and inability to eat. Tinnitus calmed down but persists as a “high pitched” low intensity ringing. Annoying enough that I can’t sleep without a sleep aid. Ear pressure and fullness persists and right sided dull headache. PCP sent me for a non-contrast MRI which was normal. 2 normal hearing tests. Saw 3 ENTs who looked at the MRI and looked in my ear and said I have tinnitus, and there is no cure. No explanations of etiology. Provided a handout on various ineffective supplements and therapies. Referred to psychiatry to manage the ensuing anxiety and insomnia. Filed case with VAERs and sent them medical records. Filed online with Pfizer but no one has called me back. I am struggling to find an ENT in the NY metropolitan area that is interested to explore these cases. There are some Facebook groups starting. I initiated one to connect with others: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1157707831335544
Today I also came across this one:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/265035901879921/about
ytuzlak says
I sent you request for approval, I want to join the group since I have tinnitus started 10 days after 1st Pfizer shot.
Ricki Klages says
I have had mild, tolerable tinnitus for about 5 years. Two days after the Pfizer vaccine, I noticed a very heavy, full feeling in my lower ears and throat. Tinnitus got very loud, high pitched like a clanging bell. I have been to GP, and I was on prednisone and Flonase, but the symptoms go from tolerable to awful. When sound increases, the full, throbbing feeling is more noticeable. May be inflammation of Eustachian tubes and that area due to COVID shot. But I have bad days and okay days. No rhyme or reason. 2nd shot due Thursday and am ambivalent about receiving it….
Jaylee says
A few hours after my first shot, a terrible high pitched tinnitus began…I assumed it would go away. It did not, it has remained roughly steady. 2+ weeks later and anticipating my next shot in 4 days I am worried it could make it worse. Like others here I also have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. It is awfully distracting and tenacious. I have never had a ringing in ears that did not go away (ie when hearing a loud noise/gunshot etc.) So I am shocked it can even stick around this long…I am not sure if I should get the second shot. If it stays at this level forever it is going to be bad. If it gets worse, it will be horrific. As a weird sidenote, while I have never had tinnitus previous, but my sister has suffered with it for years before and has not taken this vaccine. Perhaps some genetic disposition is involved?
Gary says
Tinnitus is a real problem for many many people (45 million !!! Americans). I have it, and when it got worse today, I went looking to see if there was any correlation between the Moderna vaccine shots and full feeling in my right ear and the louder ringing. There might be. BUT before everybody starts down big pharma conspiracy theory rabbit holes, we would do well to consider that if 45 million people in this country suffer from tinnitus, on any given day, vaccine or not, thousands and thousands of new cases are starting up. So it’s a bit of a reach to blame the vaccine when it could be down to something else entirely and it was just your turn to start experiencing it.
In my case I agree the worsening ringing might be related – but I had reason to take NyQuil last night, and feeling groggy when I woke up today, made a strong coffee to get me going this morning. Ingredients in NyQuil and caffeine both are known to aggravate tinnitus. So I will wait and see if it goes down to my normal background irritation before I start claiming the vaccine had anything to do with it. A lot of tinnitus sufferers are helped by hearing aids – to restore hearing loss. The theory is, the brain is missing frequencies from the ear and generates the ringing sound. Restore (amplify) the level of those missing frequencies with a hearing aid and tinnitus is diminished.
So – if it doesn’t go away with time, do report the symptoms so they can figure out any correlation but the best plan may be to see a hearing specialist and get a hearing test. Sure – consider the vaccine as a possible cause but keep an open mind – it may just be down to hearing loss and not the vaccine. Here is a site with more info
https://www.ata.org/understanding-facts/demographics
Fred says
Have constant low key buzz in both ears ears since Moderna vax on March 18. Realized it about 2-3 days afterward. Disorienting… no change. Hearing seems unaffected. Is definitely spooking me.
SY says
Hi —
I am glad I found this comment thread as I have been feeling very alone. I am a 40yo male, healthy, have never had tinnitus or any major ear issues in the past. To start, I am not an anti-vaccine person whatsoever. I take the flu shot every year and have never had any side effect other than soreness.
On Wed 3/17/21 I had the first Moderna shot in left arm. I was nervous about it, knowing there are always side effects. Approximately 5 hours afterwards I developed tinnitus/high pitched ringing in both ears, but seems to be a bit more severe in right ear. Typical symptoms that night, tired, achy. Those went away the following day but the ringing remains and my hearing seems to be more sensitive than usual. Today (6 days in) it feels as if my balance may be off, but is manageable.
I saw an ENT that Friday, had a hearing test which was normal and visual ear exam which was also normal. The doctor did note that my nose appeared to have modest inflammation. He had not heard of this issue, but thought it might be related to sinus congestion and/or allergies, which I do have and trees are beginning to bloom here. My sinuses and ears feel “full” like they need to pop. I have also noticed that my jaw (particularly right side) is cracking when I open wide. I have not had any history w/ TMJ, but do grind my teeth at night. I am sure this has been worse with the stress of the ringing and will look into sleeping with a mouth guard.
As this has continued for several more days, I called back and the doctor put me on a round of prednisone (starting day two now). I am now taking Flonase and Claritin as well. He spoke to a colleague in his practice that had an extremely similar case of a patient that received Moderna in December, he said the ringing began to decline after ~2.5 months and did not fully resolve but did improve. My doctor’s advice was that it may resolve after 4-5 weeks as the bodies immune system starts to ramp down after the initial surge post-vaccine. I also spoke to a neurologist friend who had similar advice, but, they are quick to point out there have been no studies yet and no substantive data to rely on. Regardless if this begins to resolve or not, I will not be taking the booster shot in 3 weeks for fear of making it worse.
Despite a loving and supportive family, this has unfortunately made me feel isolated, depressed and somewhat hopeless, which is unusual for me. I am trying to stay positive and hopeful that this is a temporary side effect of the immune system response or is sinus related and will resolve over time. I am encouraged to learn some people posting here have had an improvement after 4-5 weeks. In the meantime, I am going to attempt to move on with my life, try not to focus on it and adapt. My father in law developed tinnitus after chemotherapy and he has learned to live with it.
I will report back when/if I begin to have any improvement and would encourage others to do the same as it gives us hope.
J says
It would be nice to perhaps have someone to reach out to for support on a regular basis that is going through some of the same stuff. Please contact me at greenleafsvc@outlook.com. -this goes for anyone commenting here
Mike says
I got the Pfizer shot in January and developed tinnitus after the second shot. It has been about 3 weeks now that I have had the symptoms. I went to a ENT Doctor and completed a hearing test. I have had very low frequency tinnitus for years, barely noticeable, but this is driving me crazy high pitched ringing that keeps me awake at night, along with occasional light headedness. Doctor did not have any information that this is linked to vaccine at the time of visit. I do not know that to do. Anybody out there that has had this and received treatment that was successful or can say that it went away over time?
Jake says
I got the JNJ vaccine one shot deal and my tinnitus increased 3x. Barely noticable before, now loud high pitched whine for 2.5 weeks since shot.
Nicki says
My huband (66 years) had the first Pfizer shot with no reactions. He is in great shape and walks daily. His second shot was on March 8. Both injections were on the left side He has had mild tinnitus on his right side for approx 12 years possibly caused from not using ear protection during the removal of a cast iron bath tub. After 10 days from the 2nd shot he woke up with hearing loss in his left ear with extreme feeling of fullness and tinnitus on both sides. Went to an ENT and the hearing loss was confirmed. He goes back to the ENT on Friday.
My brother mentioned that tinnitus and high blood pressure go together. He has always had great BP numbers and pulse rate. We have a home BP tester. We both test our BP every month and before the 2nd shot his BP was great as usual. After the shot his BP was very high which meant a doctor’s visit. They took his BP 3x in the office and it was high at 180/96. He has always been at 120/75. Pulse in the 90’s. They put him on BP pills.
I am wondering if anyone else has tested their blood pressure? We know there is a connection with the Covid shot.
rstibbetts says
I developed tinnitus after the first Moderna shot that became dramatically worse after the second. I finally went to the internist today and was stunned to see a BP reading of 150/80. It went down to 142 after a few minutes but I have never had a BP reading over 120 and just had a reading of 117 in February (before the shot) while seeing the doctor for an unrelated issue. The internist was as surprised as me and has ordered a bunch of blood work, brain MRI–the whole 9 yards. it would seem that in my case the ringing could be linked to BP changes and it would seem that the vaccine is linked to both. I am on Day 10 after the second shot.
Nicki says
(The above thread typo error I meant his pulse has always been in the 60’s not 90’s.
Michelle says
I got Pfizer shot #1 on Mar17.
About 7hr later, I slept 18hrs straight.
Ive had mild tinnitus for a decade and mostly learned to ignore it, but a few hour after I woke up on March 18th, till today (23rd), my tinnitus has massively intensified.
It comes and goes in waves, sometimes its tolerable but annoying, sometimes its so fierce I can’t find my words when I answer the phone.
I’ll wait and see what medical/science advice is when it comes time for #2, before I make a decision.
Michelle says
Update to myself-
Im amazed how dragged out I feel 7days after shot#1… this screaming tinnitus really screws up your sleep… and I’ve just remembered, I’ve been having horrific scary nightmares… so glad that when I wake up I can separate realty from sleep.
The overwhelming ringing has quieted just a pinch (which is a relief) but still consumes my attention. The good news, what WAS horrendois for several hours at a time, has reduced to shorter time periods… though still present.
Also my dad who for years has complained and complained about tinnitus, apparently told my mom that he’s not noticed any change after his 1st or 2nd shot. So… I guess the take away is – “results may vary”
Gail says
Moderna
Tinnitus a few days after
Had second dose- don’t think it got worse
ENT – hearing loss left ear
MRI this Thursday
This site has been validating – especially Damon
Thank you everyone. Trying to think positive
Good luck
richard schoner says
I have been suffering with chronic tinnitus for 27 years (due to exposure to extremely loud noise). One day after the first Pfizer shot the intensity and pitch of the ringing increased significantly and has not gone back to “normal” in three weeks. Even though I’m 80 years old, I do not intend to get the second shot. I can’t escape the terrible ringing.
Gary says
Well – I wrote a balanced post yesterday, pointing out that, given statistics, the tinnitus may be caused by something other than the vaccine. Tonight mine is not improving, it’s worse. Aside from the continuous high frequencies, I now hear faint clinking noises which I have never had before. They are in my right ear and started yesterday evening. I called for a Dr appt with my GP but could not get in until April 5. Today I will call back and see if I can get in urgently. If not I will try the hearing specialist. I am interested to hear back from people who are on a course of prednisone and whether it has any effect. It reduces inflammation and if this is caused by the immune system going slightly haywire in response to the vaccine, you would think it might reverse the symptoms (may also interfere with the effectiveness of the vaccine though?)
Meantime I definitely lost a lot of high frequencies in my right ear at the moment. My wife plays ocean waves noises at night. When I lie on my right side so my left ear is up, they sound fine. When I roll over and my right ear is up they sound like they are playing on the other side of a wall.
David Reed says
I am 68, was perfectly well before the AZ jab 4 weeks ago, no underlying conditions. After the usual shivers etc wore within 24 hours I was left with “brain fog”, headache, dizziness, nausea, severe tinnitus, blurred vision, sensitivity to lights at night, lost appetite and chronic fatigue. A course of betahistamine dichloride cured the headaches, dizziness, blurred vision and nausea. Still have severe tinnitus. But now I have developed constant muscle spasms in my leg muscles with pins and needles in feet and hands, walking has become difficult. I had walked the 3 mile round trip the vaccine centre, there a six sense told me to leave when it was announced we were getting the AZ vaccine. I didn’t, a poor choice on my part . I still pray the vaccine will wear off. but guess who isn’t in the queue for the second jab, I couldn’t make the trip there now anyway! TAKE YOUR CHANCE WITH COVID!
manuelortiz180 says
Hi David,
Sorry to hear your story.
Just wondering if your T has faded off.
Brgds
chloe.gimenes says
Hi David !
Are you feeling better now ? I have the same as you, i was wondering if it improved ? Thank you 🙂 !
Baber Alvi says
Loss of hearing in both ears right seems more.
This is serious and needs to have a cure.
Kevin says
Has anyone had mild symptoms before the first dose only to have them become worse after the second?
Also specifically has anyone had mild tinnitus after the first dose and have it become worse after the second?
Michelle says
Yes, to your first question.
Hopefully my details Mar23rd help answer your question.
Gary says
Follow up to my two posts above – I had a hearing test done yesterday and it showed I had a 15 decibel drop in hearing in my right ear. Was referred by the audiologist to an ENT I saw this morning. Overnight my symptoms lessened somewhat. No more clinking sounds and although my tinnitus is still louder than it was a week ago, I no longer feel that it’s getting worse and worrying about irreversible damage. The ENT does not think it is related to the Moderna vaccine but rather could be a viral infection affecting the auditory nerve. Prescribed 2 week prednisone tapering treatment and a follow up hearing test at the end of it.
Those of you with tinnitus and somewhat freaked out, as I was, see an audiologist or, better, an ENT and, while the vaccine might be the cause, recognize that statistics on tinnitus are such that it’s very likely to be something else entirely. Good luck!
Gary says
PS – just another data point – the staff at both the audiologist office and the ENT commented that nobody has presented with tinnitus caused by any COVID vaccine until I walked in and suggested a possible connection. I’m not saying it’s not possible at all – just saying you should not draw cause and effect here when there could be an entirely different reason for symptoms.
Janiebell says
I went to my ENT a few days after receiving the Moderna vaccine. The tinnitus and hearing loss were almost immediate and worse on the side of the vaccination. My ENT said I was the third patient she had seen with similar response to vaccine. She injected both eardrums with steroids and recommended I see am audiologist. My audiologist told me she has seen “numerous” patients with hearing loss and tinnitus in response to vaccine. She told me ithe issue was recognized nationally amongst her peers in audiology.
As an aside, I called into “Doctor Radio” on Sirius XM when an otolaryngologist was hosting. I described my hearing loss and tinnitus post vaccination. His assessment was that I must have gotten a virus at the same time as the vaccine and encouraged me to get the second dose. Three other physicians told me NOT to get the second dose. I know the vaccine caused this…it was not a coincidence of getting a virus at the same time I received the vaccine as both you and the radio doctor suggest. The second dose is too risky, I can barely hear now and am heading to my ENT for my second round of steroids in my eardrums. There has been no improvement to date.
Gary says
Good to hear back that there are other audiologists out there seeing people with this. I live in a small rural town and have to drive to the “big town” of 25,000 people to see an audiologist and an ENT. Given the relatively low population density around here and the consequently low number of people vaccinated in the immediate area, it’s probably not surprising that I was the first person in with tinnitus asking about a vaccine connection. They may be going to see more. I will ask again when I go for the follow up visit after my 2 weeks of prednisone and see if anyone else has shown up.
Nicki says
We thought about it possibly being a virus, but due to Covid we haven’t gone anywhere and haven’t seen anyone. So that makes us believe it’s not a virus. My husband goes back to get another hearing test tomorrow. He saw his regular doctor who said although rare it may be because of the shot. His doctor did prescribe prednisone, but told him not to take it yet because it decreases the immune system and works against the vaccine. You can read what I wrote previously. I am pretty sure the vaccine caused the bp and heart rate problem since he has always had great numbers. He did blood work, ekg and everything was fine. Glad you seem to be on the mend and I hope things improve for my husband. Has anyone checked their BP per my previous post?
sandy says
I also got a very bad worsening of my tinnitus after first pfizer shot. Had no idea this would happen as no where does it list tinnitus as a side effect of the vaccines. Was scared to get 2nd shot but finally did it 10 days late and it did not make it worse from first shot. I am now over a week after 2nd shot and it seems to be getting a bit better. It was just horrible for 7 weeks. Not sure whether it will continue to get better but sure hope so. Very stressful. Not sure to ever get a booster after this experience.
Debbie says
When I got tinnitus in Jan 2019 (and it got louder twice after having to take 2 meds), I knew I’d never take another med unless my life depended on it. My dr. told me that there will never be a cure for tinnitus during my lifetime (I was 62 then). Completely healthy. This is a sad story. Seems if you get COVID, you can get tinnitus and if you get the vaccine, you can get tinnitus. This is the FIRST person I have heard of who wanted to give money to research. Very little money is given for research for tinnitus. You would think that they’d try to find a cure for the #1 veterans disability — again tinnitus. My life has never been the same. I looked and felt so young and was vibrant. That is gone. This poor guy (may he RIP) seems to have been willing to give $$ for tinnitus research. God bless you all.
https://people.com/health/texas-roadhouse-kent-taylor-severe-tinnitus-after-covid-illness/
Randy says
I have a form of vasculitis called Wegener’s GPA, and at initial onset three years ago it hit my sinuses and Eustachian tubes very hard. Pretty wicked tinnitus left side since then. ENT put tubes in both eardrums which helped with other issues. I looked up tinnitus and covid vaccine after I got my Pfizer1st dose today because unlike the reports I am seeing here, there has been a noticeable decrease in volume of the tinnitus and a bit different pitch to the tone since this morning shot. Now, lots of things can effect tinnitus, stress being one of them. Perhaps the med is just coincidental with lowered stress from getting half way done with covid immunization.
Michelle says
Im glad we’re sharing our stories. I think, besides sharing our frustrations (or however it is we see it), that its really important to talk with our medical professionals or use VAERS reporting forms, etc, to get the message to folks that can actually do something about it.
“Yelping” about it, while supportive to others, can only do so much. That doesnt mean Im not grateful to know I’m not alone. …I am thankful of everyone contributing helpful info… and progress your reports through unchartered territory.
I really hope we have a loud enough collective voice and present some good, actual symptoms to get some attention for tinnitus, with or without an association to the Covid19 vaccine.
Thanks everyone.
Todd says
Well said. I know it’s frustrating but being connected with others to share and not be alone is helping me.
Mike says
I deal with tinnitus in my right ear since 2003 and managed to deal with it with no changes whatsoever over the last 18 years. However, 5 days after receiving the second shot of Pfizer Biontech earlier this month, I experienced a severe increase of the ringing (as in really severe) which does not subside and honestly drives me nuts at this point. I have to admit that I always laughed at mRNA critics, but if I had to choose again, I would rather take an old school vaccine such as Astrazeneca. Haven’t slept properly since the ringing increased.
There seems to be a pattern that people who already have tinnitus are at increased risk to have the tinnitus getting worse after receiving the mRNA vaccines. This has to be highlighted by the authorities.
Tiago says
There are people saying that they have tinnitus also after Astrazeneca vaccine.
Mary says
Received Pfizer dose #1 on March 3rd in L arm. On 3/8 developed tinnitus ( experienced as loud buzzing) in left ear. Increased when in a quiet room. Greatly increased with alcohol consumption. Completed AE report on Pfizer website and have call into PCP for advice on whether to proceed with dose #2 on 3/30. I am thinking about postponing. Symptoms haven’t decreased. Any advice ?
Gary says
See an ENT ASAP, get a hearing test and get their input. And while this is going on you may also notice caffeine can increase it. Try ambient noise rather than being in a quiet room – listen to music or the radio during the day and try ocean waves or similar at night when going to sleep. If you concentrate on the ringing and it’s making you nuts, it gets to be a bit of a feedback loop – just makes you more nuts. Listen to the ambient noise and it will stay more in the background and you can adjust to it. Hopefully it will diminish with time – but if not you may need hearing aids eventually. They help a lot if the condition sticks around but hopefully it will resolve with time – bottom line, I would see an ENT.
Michelle says
This might be the most “zen” thing I ever write or do. Trying to tame my relentless tinnitus. Im not a doctor, please do your research, and make your own decisions.
Today (9days after Pfizer #1, with emboldened tinnitus) I tried a sensory deprivation tank… or “floating” as those in the biz call it. There are a few choices, like float tanks or float rooms… I chose a business with rooms… imagine a private shower stall, the size of a large garden tub, with 12inches of warm water, preloaded with about 1000lbs of epsom salts (=magnesium) in which you lay down and float. Do your own research, but your body uses magnesium molecules to help muscle fiber contractions release (all day, every day, or you’d bend your arm, and never straighten it). Near me, I found 60- and 90minute sessions ranging from $70-90, depending on the location.
So I gave it a try. I opted for blue mood lighting and no music. I decided to go “all in” and focus on the ringing, pitch(es), vibrato, etc, hoping when I emerged my brain might be more tired of that, and focus on other ambient noises (birds, wind, fans, traffic…).
Results may vary: Im relaxed. The pitch did not change. The volume did not change, but I do notice birds chirping and singing and little leaves blowing way more than I did before. Its not Oz, but to me was worth the try. Ill test out a “tank” or “pod” style next time, just because.
Not a cure, but maybe it will help with tollerating the condition.
Jason Tang says
I have also experienced a serious tinnitus on both ears three days after I received the dose #1 of pfizer covid-19 vaccine. I went to see my primary physician, then an ENT doctor, and finally my psychiatrist. None of them can figure out if it has a direct link to the vaccine I took. I never had this problem before. I am 99.9 % sure it was caused by the vaccine. I am 73 years old and have some underlying health conditions and none of the above physicians told me to avoid the second dose of the vaccine, so I went and got the second shot hoping that tinnitus will just be a temporary side effect. Unfortunately the issue remains. It is a high pitch of hissing noise. It comes and goes in a rotary repeating cycle. It seriously impacts my day-to-day life. I filed two VAERS case reports (Report number 334963, dated March 5, 2021 and Report number 367275, dated March 19, 2021), but didn’t get any response from any authorities. I am so depressed and exhausted, not knowing what to do and what will happen in the future. Seeing so many people are experiencing the same issue, I think we have to stay together and let the official hear our voices.
manuelortiz180 says
Hi Jason,
I developed T after my first AZ vaccine 3 months ago and still active.
May I ask how yours has progressed?
Richard Tuckosh says
We all must stick/band together ❤. Maybe we can make a support group on Facebook dealing with this specific issue and hopefully we can get the governments attention somehow and we can get some help. This has happened to me as well about 3 days after the vaccine the Tinutus will not stop. It’s relentless over 8 days so far. I used to love silence before I had the Pfizer jab 1st dose. I will not get 2nd shot. We all must stay strong as terrifying as this is. I went to an ENT Dr and thankfully I have good hearing over the Tinutus. My quality of life has changed as I’m sure yours all did too from what I’ve read. I reported to VAERS. Thank you for this website outlet but we must not stop here. We must be as relentless in seeking help from the Government as our Tinutus is. They are the cause as they want complete mass vaccine distribution at all costs!
Karl T says
I’ve had some tinnitus the last 7 years but it was totally manageable and most of the time not noticeable at all. I got the Pfizer vaccine early March and less than 48 hrs later had a fullness/pressure sensation in the ears accompanied by screeching tinnitus that is 10 times worse than ever before, and also hypersensitivity to sounds. Everyday normal sounds are now like a knife in my ear, and there is a loud piercing whine in my ear 24/7 that is so bad it’s impossible to ignore. Hearing test was OK, ENT didn’t see anything unusual. It’s been unbearable and now as a result I have insomnia, depression, and frequent panic attacks that I had to seek help for. After much research and debate I decided to skip out in the second dose for now, out of fear it would make it even worse. I’m going to wait in hopes that it gets better or more info comes out. Because if this gets worse, I won’t even be able to function. I barely can now. Reported to VAERS for whatever that’s worth. Really hoping this will go away. For anyone else out there going through this, I feel for you. I’ll update here at some point in the furure if it gets better or not.
jeffrey santoire says
On Feb 2nd I went to the VA for the first shot of the covid/moderna vaccine. A little over a week I notice slight ringing in my ears, each week it got louder and louder its now March 27th,extremely loud day and night. The right ear slight ear pressure. I also have constant dreaming in my sleep. My blood type is o-neg 7% of the population has this blood, maybe theirs a connection? I do not think this is going away. Between the middle of December and the middle of March, 1,637 people died from the moderna vaccine . I never went back for the second shot. Their should be a class action law suit.
queenlori says
I’m O neg also. Got first pfizer shot on Feb 27th. 30 hours into it started with horrible head/ear pressure in my left ear and then both ears. Completely lost hearing in my left ear for 24 hours and then the tinnitus. 16 days after the shot I contracted Covid (don’t know how that happened) hubby did not get it??? The tinnitus got better about a week before my first symptom of Covid started. During the virus my only symptoms were tinnitus, congestion (nose) loss of taste and smell and my eyes felt off. They all resolved in about 8 days but the ringing is off and on now. Not sure if to get 2nd shot as I really don’t want it. My Dr. says to get it when I feel better, CDC also says to get it. Pharmacist says to wait 3 months. I think I’ll skip it!
steve barish says
I put in a message yesterday , you moderated it , and today I dont see it. did you delete it ? Moderna 1st shot on 3-9. Still hissing.
Brian Buntz says
Not sure what happened, Steve. I don’t think I deleted it.
Joe S says
Hi Brian –
Do you have anything further from the ENTs that you know? Anything that they are saying? There are just too many people here with similar symptoms not to be related to the vaccine. Very very frustrating.
Ricki says
Update: tinnitus still quite loud-high pitched ringing accompanied by some discomfort in both ears as well. Had 1st dose in early March. Initial onset of increased tinnitus was a day or so after 1st shot. The ringing and discomfort is not constant and now have parts of days when it it noticeably less for longer periods of time. 2nd dose last week (Pfizer) and no appreciable difference. Still seeing an ENT, but 2nd dose did not cause tinnitus symptoms to increase.
CT says
I am healthy with no history of ear or tinnitus problems. Got my second dose of Moderna on 3/19 and in the next 2 days felt some intermittent hissing sound, like static, in one ear. Six days after the shot, both my ears started making the noise in a permanent way; 4 days later it’s still permanent. My PCP said it could be related to the vaccine, but of course, nobody knows yet. I’m trying to get an appointment with an ENT. Scared that it may get worse, as for now it’s tolerable.
It helps a lot knowing that other people are experiencing similar symptoms. In doubt of whether I would have got the vaccine, had I known this before. As others, I hope the immune response fades with time and I can recover all or most of the silence inside my head.
Maureen says
I too have experienced a ringing in my ears after the 2nd shot of Pfizer on March 22nd. I’m a healthy 47 year old woman with slight tinnitus in the past that would come and go. The tinnitus seems to be high pitched and hissing, it started on March 26th. I notiit more in the evening. I’m going to avoid ibuprofen and see if that helps. I’ll report my symptoms. I am hoping it settles down after 5 weeks, as a couple of other people mentioned.
Tia says
I previously did not have any ear issues and noted 15 days after first Moderna vaccine in 1/5/21 I developed tinnitus. I did get my second vaccine on 1/28 and really not sure if any worse after that. I have tried Flonase prescribed by PCP and have seen the ENT once which showed no hearing loss and nerves looked good. I have tried the tinnitus app with different sounds and relaxation techniques without success. I have another follow up with ENT in May and I am going to let him know what I have learned from this site that it definitely might be vaccine related. Thanks to anyone that can offer anything for relief.
Mary Kay Gwinn says
I am so happy I found this conversation! I am not going crazy. I got my first shot of Moderna and two days later my ringing in my ears was so loud I could hardly hear. It seems to be getting a bit better or I might be getting use to it. I have always had a small amount of ringing but it is much worse. I will not be getting the next shot!
Debbie says
A couple of days after i received the 2nd Moderna vaccine i started getting a ringing in the ears (Tinnitus) and still there
Marc says
Wife got tinnitus 20 days after first moderna shot. Was very disturbed by it. Maybe is subsiding a little after 5 days. Do not believe it is a coincidence. Buyer beware!
TAD says
Got my J&J shot on March 10. Five days later, my tinnitus was ramped up. On and off since then, the last three days, it’s been full on. I had tinnitus already so can somewhat manage it with sound therapy, keeping busy, etc. The condition started 12 years ago and I was a basket case for the first couple of months. Spikes every once in a while. I filed VAERS report today. Important for them to know, so the vaccine can be tweaked if necessary – we hope. Read that the J&J resulted in tinnitus in a handful of trial cases (not the placebo), most of them began to resolve in about 30 days from the shot.
Damon Pablo says
Hi all,
Just a small update. I’m now starting my 5th week of complete hearing loss in left ear and constant tinnitus. There have been a few days where the screaming is softer and less intense, but not many.
I wanted to let you all know that most people are now commenting on one of two Facebook group pages. Here’s one you can search for; COVID vaccine induced hearing loss, impairment and or Tinnitus. And the other is called; Tinnitus after COVID vaccine. There’s some overflow as well from both pages.
There seem to be a few people who, after 10 weeks, are saying their hearing is coming back and their tinnitus is going away — not sure if that’s from prednisone, ear injections, hyperbarics, etc… But it’s an encouraging message. So maybe it’s all of the above and most of all just time. Perhaps 10 weeks or so is our bodies breaking point if in fact this is all being caused by the vaccine, which most of us know it is as this point.
We have all reached out to various news and media companies, but nobody has gotten any traction. The official word from VAERS is that only 14 cases have been “reported” — which is clearly inaccurate as there are about 150 people now on the Facebook pages with more adding/joining each day.
We also know that those who’ve had COVID can suffer from this — but most of us did not have it. We also know that those who’ve had tinnitus issues in the past have either been effected or had no change at all. Most of us are not in that category though, we are only having this as a direct result from having taken the vaccine — so I don’t think it’s fair to compare (though we certainly have empathy for those people as well, but they really can’t be put into the same category respectively).
So for those suffering, maybe time is all we have — join the Facebook groups and keep posting here or there. It’s critical we all give updates to see if in fact we too will have relief at the 10 week mark and if our bodies really can reverse this…
I just wrote to Tinnitus Magazine as well just today —
More soon, Damon Pablo
49m, Los Angeles
Began 2/27…
adele lynn says
Thank you, Damon…I just sent an email to the NIH, the national institute of health. I linked this article and also gave them the Facebook group. It looks like it’s impossible to email Dr. Fauci directly, but I’ll keep looking. I’m going to look for Medical organizations to write to. Let me know if you have any ideas.
Thanks,
Adele
anett says
I had tinnitus for about 8 years due to concert going over many years. I had my first does of the Pfizer vaccine and the ringing clearly increased. Prior to the vaccine white noise helped and it was manageable, within a day of the vaccine it’s become intrusive. Hopefully it will go back to previous levels and for those that never had it I do sincerely hope it goes away.
Natalia says
A close family member was Bed ridden for 2 weeks after the first shot of Pfizer. Massive headache. Chills, fever, BP rising , you name it. And went back for the second shot! Immediately after the second shot, within 3 hours she had massive earaches and by the next day went fully deaf. Now, days later she can hear very little from one ear but it’s more ringing than anything else. She also has pounding headaches and vision issues. This is horrible. It’s sickening to watch her deteriorate.
Pablo says
I’m writing here because I find this website when I was looking any information about vaccine and tinnitus.
I received AstraZeneca dose #1 on March 6rd, next day fever and tinnitus. I have never had a chronic illness before and no tinnitus.
Today I still have it. It’s constant, all day and all night.
I’m not gonna take second dose.
I consulted with laryngologist and neurologist, everything with me its ok.
Only neurologist said that it must be because of vaccine. He told me that I have to wait and it will stop.
I hope it stop ringing. Maybe the 10 weeks mentioned above will be a breakthrough. I’ll let you know how it will go.
manuelortiz180 says
Excuse me Pablo,
Its been more than 4 months since you got your ringing from the vaccine.
May I ask if your tinnitus has calmed down please?
Thx
Judy Cummings says
Okay – It’s now Day 20 and I still have the ringing my ears 17 hours post Janssen’s vaccination. I keep hoping that it will “magically disappear” the way the Covid virus was supposed to. I have filed a VAERS report with the CDC. and also contacted J & J. They keep sending me forms to fill out which I can’t open on my computer. I keep asking for a different format and get the same. I am running around in circles with Janssen. I agree with some of those who are posting here — they are not telling us the truth about the vaccines. They are hiding the side effect of tinnitus caused by the Covid vaccine. I am insulted by the person who has written “it is not peer-reviewed.” Of course it is not – because either no one is studying this — or if they are, the studies are being hidden from public view. The American tinnitus society has a lot of good information out there for “newbies” such as myself dealing with this condition. I urge you to help yourself to this wealth of information.
queenlori says
I reported to VAERS about the tinnitus and hearing loss after first Pfizer vaccine and low and behold Pfizer sent me a huge questionnaire in the mail today. I filled it out and returned it. So they are listening. Didn’t get 2nd shot and won’t until I hear back from them. Just wanted to chime in and let everyone know that they ARE listening!
Mo Schneiter says
Hi guys
Hi, I’m 33, and I had already tinnitus 3 years before I had my first vaccination (moderna) 4 weeks ago. So i got worse, but it’s not killing me, yet. I’m also not pretty sure, if should get my 2nd dose next week.
I somehow also think, its related to the vaccine.
But on the other hand, if we some math, there is actually a lot of people which are having or getting tinnitus anyway.
The factor (see link below/sorry it’s in german) of yearly increase of people having chronical tinnitus is 0.33%.
This means, there are 50m people vaccinated in the US already. Within one month 13’750 (165’000 per year) vaccinated people in the US should get an tinnitus just by statistics anyway. To find a correlation between the vaccine and the tinnitus, there should be a lot more people getting it. What do you think guys?
Stay strong, I know tinnitus is a real b**ch.
Source:(https://www.tinnitus-liga.de/pages/tinnitus-sonstige-hoerbeeintraechtigungen/tinnitus.php#:~:text=Nach%20einer%20sechsstufigen%20Schweregradeinteilung%20leiden,1%2C1%20Prozent%20der%20Bev%C3%B6lkerung.)
Brian Buntz says
Hi Mo, interesting take.
It’s been roughly four months since vaccination began in the U.S., so that would mean approximately 55,000 people out of the 55,000,000,000 would have developed tinnitus based on it the statistical prevalence.
According to VAERS data, 261 people have reported tinnitus out of a pool of 44,464 people – with an incidence rate of 0.59%.
It is likely the case that many people with little reaction to the vaccines haven’t bothered to create VAERS entries.
Complicating matters further is the simple fact that tinnitus isn’t well understood by researchers – it likely involves multiple parts of the brain. Hearing loss is a common trigger, but there are many others and sometimes the reason it occurs is unknown. Viral infections including COVID-19 could cause it and stress from the pandemic itself can exacerbate it, further muddying the picture.
david.darby says
I live in Uk and developed tinnitus and ear fullness one week after oxford jab. started left ear moved to right ear. i have never had hearing problems. about 2 weeks ago, 3 or 4 weeks after the vaccine, I developed balance problems. Two episodes of severe vertigo. These were followed by a faint feeling of nausea for a week or so. This has now resolved but I still have tinnitus, Ear fullness and occasional ear pain.
there is news at the moment about the oxford vaccine causing blood clots due to low platelet count (MPV) so i looked for a correlation between mpv and tinnitus and found this paper (or smoking gun). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27258713/
This paper has the following conclusion
Conclusion: The authors’ findings indicate that subjective tinnitus appears to be characterized by autoimmune and inflammatory events. Considering the decreasing MPV levels, MPV may be used to evaluate subjective tinnitus as an helper indicator.
So I’m now convinced that the side effect of the vaccine is some sort of autoimmune and inflammatory response resulting in low platelet count and tinnitus. I would postulate that the more severe cases go on to get blood clots. see this paper on clots from vaccine. https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n699/rr-6
I know the correlation between clots and vaccine is currently associated with oxford only, but it would not be beyond reason to assume this is just the worst offender and other vaccines have be same effect causing an autoimmune response. Hence the tinnitus cases across oxford, pfizer and moderna etc.
Brian Buntz says
Can’t speak to the blood clot or blood platelet angles, but have seen some similar research linking inflammation and tinnitus such as these studies:
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000307
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6581239/
tgblakeman says
https://www.audiologyassociates.com/hearing-loss-articles/cannabinoids-associated-with-tinnitus/#:~:text=New%20Research%20Into%20Cannabinoids%20And%20Hearing&text=Turns%20out%2C%20cannabinoids%20might%20actually,tinnitus%20symptoms%20before%20the%20study.
CBD oil caused me to have tinnitus so whomever is using CBD oil or THC oil or even smoking marijuana.. please stop! It was the direct cause of my tinnitus!
david.darby says
an update. E N T appointment today. conformed 40db degradation in my hearing in 4khz to 6Khz range.
this was not the case in my last medical October 2019
Edward says
Good Day,
I had my first dose of Moderna a week ago today, 3/24. Three days in, I noticed a loud buzzing and humming noise from what appeared to be coming from my left ear. My vaccine was administered in my left arm. The noise has been constant non-stop 24/7, and it still has not subsided a week later today 3/31. It has interfered with my sleep and concentration. I scheduled an appointment with my ENT Doctor & Audiologist on this past Monday, 3/29. I took a battery of hearing tests in a sound proof booth, and passed them all. Fortunately there was no signs of hearing loss per the Audiologist.
So I asked, “why do I have this loud pitching noise coming from from my ear and head all of sudden? I have never had this in my entire life.” I was then ushered into my ENT Doctor’s office and to dismay was diagnosed with Tinnitus and told that there was no cure. I was furious at the doctor because he had no bedside matter, and basically wanted to move on to the next patient. The sounds have gotten louder and louder by the day especially at night and I can’t sleep. I had never heard of Tinnitus nor have I ever experienced it until now after my first dose of Moderna.
I am kicking myself for taking this vaccine because I was on the fence about it. Now, I wish I had taken my chances at getting COVID. Several people I know have already had it, and have built up an immunity in their body. My wife also got the shoot the same day that I did, and she experienced blurry vision for a day or two afterwards, but she appears to be ok otherwise. I have a lot of mixed emotions and my only regret is that I wish I had waited a little longer to see all of the affects these vaccines have on humans. They rushed these vaccines and missed tinnitus and hearing loss as a potential side affect of taking it.
This condition is nerve wrecking and my somewhat beautiful life has changed in a matter of a week. I thought I was going crazy, but I see that I am not alone. I am glad that I found this forum of others who are experiencing the very same things that I am currently going through. I am sad, depressed and angry that the noise has not stop! I wouldn’t want anyone including my worst enemy to go through what I have endured over the past week. I WILL NOT be getting my second dose as many have reported hearing loss with both Moderna and Pfizer. I cannot take that chance.
I was told by a friend who works in the medical profession to detox my body for several weeks to cleanse my kidneys of the vaccine. I was advised to drink plenty of lemon water with cucumbers to flush and dilute my kidneys in conjunction with eating very clean and light. One other recommendation was to try Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy. You can Google to see what exactly it is. I am still considering it and my try it if my detox is not successful. I will report back to you all in a couple weeks to let you all know my progress but in the meantime, please stay positive and try to alleviate as much additional stress as possible. Remember that you are not alone.
kelleyelton says
i totally understand, i was very nervous about getting the vaccine with all of my autoimmune issues. The interesting thing is that i read about the tinnitus possibility on this page before i even got it! and it was one of my biggest worries, but stupid me went anyway , and my worst nightmare came true! Now all i can think about is only one week ago i had a wonderful life and now its ruined forever!
alishiawright88 says
I’m on week one now of tinnitus after getting my 1st dose of the moderna vaccine. I was wondering if you have started getting any better?
manuelortiz180 says
Hi Edward,
Very sorry to hear your case. I also got T from first shot. AZ in my case.
Any chance to know if you are better than march 31 now?
warreng58 says
The ringing in my ears increased to the point of non-stop after second dose of Moderna vaccine. Wish it would subside. Is that a possibility?
david.darby says
does anyone here take steroid in any form. i take a steroid inhaler for asthma
i reported the tinnitus to astra zeneca and one of the questions they asked was about steroid.
kelleyelton says
i am on lotemax eye drops.
Brad W. says
I had my 1st does of the Pfizer vaccine on 12th. A day or two later, I noticed ringing in my ears. I describe it as annoying, fortunately not debilitating. Like everyone here, it is a 24-hr/day presence. On March 29, I went to an ENT. Fortunately, no real hearing issues. The tech told me she had heard about the connection of the vaccine and tinnitus (which I’d never even heard of before this experience). This plus the fact it started within a day or two of the vaccine (and what I read here) leads me to believe the cause/effect. The Dr. suggested a steroid to calm the inflammation (inflammation persists 3 weeks after the shot???) I began taking 30 mg of prednisone 3 days ago. Yesterday it seemed better, today worse. Like everyone on here, I’m trying to figure this out and praying it’s temporary.
marklc1 says
I had tinnitus and dizziness develop two days after my second Pfizer Covid vaccine dose. The local ENT said that it’s very common after a strong immune response (I felt *horrible* after the second dose) to develop acute tinnitus due to an imbalance of ions in the inner ear. So, it’s my immune system, and not the vaccine that directly caused its onset. She prescribed 5-13 days of prednisone to clear it up. I’m on my first day, so fingers crossed.
Mary says
Hello All,
I have the same story as many of you. I work in healthcare and my husband is newly diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, so I got the vaccine believing I was doing a good thing. Turns out, with my second dose of Moderna, I acquired rip-roaring tinnitus, mostly left sided, with anxiety and panic attacks, nightmares and the works. I was told I was perimenopausal at first. I was put on Paxil and after 3 days of that, wanted to die. I had no hope of living. I saw this as my life being over. The noise was so loud it entered every part of my being, my life. I turned to God for help and spent many hours in prayer and meditation, especially during the sleepless nights.
I got the tinnitus on February 5th and since then it has disappeared one day for a full 5 minutes (March 31st) then again on April 1st I went a full day feeling normal. i bawled my eyes out and fell to my knees thanking God. Sadly, April 2nd it came back loudly again and today, April 3rd, it’s a bit less intrusive. I was out of work for 5 weeks trying to put my life back together. My husband was starting radiation treatment while I was off. This has been awful for us. I feel so guilty on days when I can’t cope.
I continue to rely heavily on God and pray every day for a few hours. I will pray for you all on here, too. May we be delivered from this horrible affliction.
I’m advising those who ask me, not to get the vaccine yet. If I knew the tinnitus was temporary, then I might think differently, but I’m on my 3rd ENT come April 19th, MRI, bloodwork, and psychiatric therapy. TinnitusTalk.com is a support group that I joined. I immediately became a benefactor because on that site I heard from others how to cope, what strategies they use, and what to expect. I’m almost 8 weeks with this and see little improvement, but grateful that there have been a few breakthroughs with silence.
I do not have hearing loss, or other contributable issues, so there is only one logical way I got this and that was post-vaccine. I finally reported it yesterday (saw a link here in one other post) and hope everyone does. Thank you all for being courageous to post and I hope to see you on TinnitusTalk.com. I’m MaryA in the forum. Please reach out if you want my support. I’m here for you- I’m a nurse by profession, so know I understand what you’re going through. 🌼 We can help each other.
Sincerely,
Mary
alishiawright88 says
Hello mary. I had my 1st dose of the moderna vaccine on 3/24 and developed tinnitus on 4/3. I’ve never had tinnitus or any ear issues so I know it’s from the vaccine. I saw an ent on friday and he said that he agrees it’s from the vaccine and will go away over time but said he couldn’t give me a timeframe. I was wondering if you have started getting any better? I sure hope you have
jaychey1004 says
I had tinnitus in my left ear about 5 hrs after the 1st Moderna shot (03/30). Actually, I didn’t make a connection with the vaccine (Moderna never announced tinnitus is one of the side effects) until couple hours later, as I have had tinnitus couple years ago. When I googled, I got this web site. My tinnitus seemed temporary, and after 2 days it was all but gone. Now I am free of any ear ringing.
Couple years ago, I had tinnitus from a different cause, and it went away about a month later without any medical treatment (there is really no treatment available; steroid is as good as a placebo).
I would like to hear how other people are doing, how long it took to recover (if ever). Now, I am on the fence for the 2nd shot…
vermont6633 says
I am a 65 year old woman with no chronic health issues; other than migraine headaches, I have always been exceptionally healthy.
I have had mild/annoying-but-manageable tinnitus for years. I could ignore it for big chunks of my day. I got my first Moderna vaccine on March 31. That evening, when I went to bed, my tinnitus was twice as loud as usual, and that continues to be the case. I notice it all day every day, and it is terribly distracting.
I am very concerned. I was so looking forward to that bit of freedom I would have felt after being fully vaccinated, but now I am definitely afraid to get the second vaccine.
My heart goes out to everyone here who has suffered even worse than what I am describing here. I hope we will find answers, and better yet, cures. I am grateful this site exists.
robyns_nest says
Hello,
I have suffered from tinnitus for almost 20 years. It has been manageable with the help of 1 medication, Acetazolamide, prescribed my neurologist.
I received my 2nd Moderna vaccine on April 3rd. I woke up the next morning with a VERY different form of tinnitus… the “whooshing” in my right ear, was now a “hissing” in both ears!
Confused and concerned about what I was now hearing, I grabbed my prescription of Acetazolamide and took my normal dose. After 30 minutes to 1 hour, the “hissing” was completely gone!!! My medication reacted the same way it has over the years and stopped my new form of tinnitus in its tracks!!!
I take Acetazolamide two times per day (morning and evening) and it does an absolutely amazing job stopping my tinnitus. It is not a cure, as many have already said (and my doctor as well), but it is definitely a way to manage the melody in our ears in order to give us back some sense of normalcy.
Brian,
Thank you so much for starting this thread and for providing so much amazing research on such an unspoken topic! I hope my story will help someone else out there too! I will report my case on VAERS.
Robert says
Sadly jumping on this boat. Got my 1st Moderna dose 3/2 with no issues. 2nd one 3/30 had flu symptoms for 36 hrs. Then day 2.5 flipped into horrible tinnitus, vertigo and fogginess. It is truly debilitating. I’m 4 days in and feel so defeated and can’t do anything. Easter was ruined with me going home ill. I am so mad for taken this unproven drug. I hope to come back here and report I am better to help other sufferers.
MICHAELZ90069 says
MZ
Moderna vaccine on 3/13
Ringing in left ear on 3/14
Urgent care Dr, prescribed Amoxicillin on 3/19 for 7 days, no change.
ENT tests found no reason for Tinnitus but prescribed Prednisone 10MG on 4/2 for 8 days; no change
Scheduled for 2nd vaccine on 4/13. At this point in time I plan to cancel appointment
I will report my incident to vaers
procglm says
I started to have a very bad tinnitus 3 days after I got the 1st dose of Moderna. I am 36 years old and very healthy. I never had tinnitus before. I found this website when I Googled. It worried me when I learned some people were having the tinnitus for weeks. I prayed to God. During the tinnitus days, I drank A Lot of water and take extra vitamin C. I did everything that I thought would be helpful. Fortunately, the constantl ringing was gone after 2 days. However, the ringing comes back a couple of times a day but only lasts for a few seconds.
What I want to say is, please don’t give up! Keep praying! This is more likely to be temporary!
I don’t regret to take the vaccine but I am not going to take the 2nd dose. Hope the protection from the 1st dose may last longer! Don’t understand why tinnitus is not listed as a side effect of the mRNA vaccines.
george98034 says
I lost most of the hearing in one ear within 3 days of taking the 2nd dose of Moderna. After a week on prednisone I’ve regained usable hearing but still have loss at high frequencies and very high pitched Tinnitus in those missing frequencies.
My doctor actually co-wrote the “clinical practice guidelines” for sudden hearing loss. (HBOT) 1st treatment option is oral steroids. 2nd option is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Immediate treatment improves outcomes so don’t wait. Anti-virals are not recommended but I was put on them and improved so who knows if it was just time, prednisone, or anti-virals.
I’ve started on HBOT but not seeing any further improvement so far. It’s very expensive – about $6000 / 10 sessions in a hospital or $2000 / 10 sessions in a freestanding facility. If I see improvement on 10 sessions then another 10 sessions are the recommendation.
george98034 says
I’ve created a Facebook page called “COVID Tinnitus” if anyone wants to discuss it there.
baecbren says
Got first shot Moderna 3/16/21 began noticing continuous tinnitus 3/24/21 and then really bad 3/25/21. The tinnitus has continued since 3/24/21 non-stop. Thankfully sometimes it louder then other times but it’s ALWAYS there. I am 62 and have never had tinnitus this long. Every once in awhile (like 3 times a year) I would get if for maybe 20 minutes to an hour and I always assumed it was due to allergies but the important thing is it would go away within an hour! I made an appt to see my GP next week and ENT in several weeks as he is hard to get into. I am really scared they will tell me this is permanent – and I am so glad to see from others in this thread that it does seem to resolve after 5 to 6 weeks. So alas what do I do about the second shot – I hear if you’re prone to tinnitus and actually get COVID it can get really bad so which is worse second shot or risking getting COVID ?
baecbren says
Follow up, saw ENT yesterday. I had hearing test with no changes in hearing. Tinnitus continues – day 14 now. ENT said they are seeing a number of cases of tinnitus related to the vaccine and COVID. Stated there are a number of treatment options with first one being wait it out because if I take steroids I may negate the vaccine protection I am getting from the first Moderna shot. Or I had two other choices
1. Dexamethasone pack – doesn’t effect vaccine protection as much
2. High dose steroids 40 mg a day for ten days with tapering. – should definitely get rid of the tinnitus but will negate vaccine protection
So I have a choice to make 😞
judy.mckeon says
I had almost the exact same thing happen with the first Moderna shot also… I am 62. Thank you for the information. Did your ENT recommend taking the second vaccine shot??
baecbren says
She really didn’t say either way and I didn’t press it. I have appt with my internal medicine specialist next week and will ask him. I have had some improvement on the oral steroid – but as they are being tapered seems to be coming back.
baecbren says
She really didn’t say either way and I didn’t press it. I have appt with my internal medicine specialist next week and will ask him.
rstibbetts says
I chose to close the deal with the second Moderna shot but my ears are howling 24 hours later. I felt like the tinnitus was just beginning to go away four weeks after the first shot. I’ve asked around locally and I am the only person I know who has had this side effect. At least I have good company…
Robert says
I’m a 4 day sufferer at the moment. Anyone suffering form post Covid Vaccine vertigo or tinnitus should join this group on Facebook….all similar post Covid vaccine stories and people discussing treatments or any improvements…over 400 people have joined in last few days…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/265035901879921/about
kdesormeaux says
I also developed tinnitus and horrible ear and cranial pressure with no previous history of ear or hearing problems. The only thing that could have caused this was my Pfizer shot. Mine onset a week after first dose.
rstibbetts says
Developed persistent tinnitus about a week after first Moderna shot. It began to ebb a few days before the second shot, which I received yesterday.
Unfortunately, I now have raging tinnitus in both ears that set in about 12 hours after the shot. I will try to ride it out but its almost nauseating its so bad. I was concerned this might happen but felt I needed to close the deal on the vax. Knowing what I know now…maybe skip the second shot and take my chances.
jskelly1 says
60 year old male, never had tinnitus. Very healthy. I get a cold less than once a year. Got my second dose of moderna 3/12/21. A week later the high pitch ring started in my left ear(left arm shots), a few days later it got louder and my hearing is slightly muffled. Saw a local PA, was prescribed amoxicillin. Nothing. Had an ENT appointment today. I was told had if I started steroids 3 day to 2 weeks after onset it would likely go away, but since I was 3 weeks in that it was probably permanent. I started the steroids today anyway and also Claritin-D. I’m hoping for the best, its very loud. If this 3 day to 2 week window is true, why is there NO warnings? I am very pissed, there were no warnings. I don’t know if I would have skipped the vaccination but I would have seen an ENT with first symptoms .
carlo.alvarez says
Hi – I’m a 31 year old male. I exercise 5-6 times a week, have been meal prepping weekly for years, & am otherwise healthy. I started hearing a mild ringing on my left ear Feb 5th. At the time I was taking 0.25mg of finasteride for 4 days, Feb 2-5, so I attributed the ringing to that. I was still able to function & sleep well after that. However, I got the 1st Moderna vaccine on Feb 19th, & the 2nd on Mar 19th, & I noticed the tinnitus exacerbating after the 1st dose. I went to see 2 ENTs with little to no solutions. I’m able get steroid injections, but don’t want to aggravate the ringing further. I’ve also inquired about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Since onset, I’ve cut off caffeine completely, & the ringing has subsided significantly. I don’t notice it much during the day. Mostly at night when I’m laying down. I’m a little over 2 months in with the ringing, & hoping this clears up in the following months.
quinn11721 says
I’ve had pretty bad tinnitus for 10+ years.
It is annoying, and most “cures” are dead ends,
but you can live with it.
Do your initial research,
but then stop googling/researching it.
You need to learn to ignore it, focus on other things.
If it gets in your head, play some white noise on your phone, and/or pay attention/listen to your slow, steady breathing.
Take up yoga, meditation…
Most days I don’t even remember I have it.
Again, it’s a bit annoying, but you can learn to live with it.
Sekhar Yamarti says
I live in India. On April 1st, I took my first short of Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine. On April 7th, I suddenly felt I lost my hearing in my right ear. I contacted my GP right away and she asked me to see an ENT immediately which I did. The ENT did a sound test and said I lost ~30% hearing in one ear and 10% in the other. He started on Methylprednisolone 16mg twice daily right away asked me to come back the next day. Next day I started feeling better and the sound test showed good improvement except for one (4khz) frequency. However I noticed that I now have a constant buzzing sound in my ears all the time. I need to continue the medicine for 5 days. Hoping the buzzing sound will go away once I finish the 5 day course of medicine and improve sensitivity to 4khz frequency.
Sekhar Yamarti says
It is now 2 weeks after my Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine. While there seems to be some improvement with my hearing, I started having other problems. I am feeling very weak for past few days and I am not sure if this is due to the steriods I have taken last week.
Has anyone else faced similar problem?
Also started getting erectile dysfunction and my Testosterone level came very low! Never had this before and all was well before the vaccine. I thought maybe I contracted Covid but my RT-PCR test came negative.
If anyone knows where this vaccine side affect is being tracked, please let me know.
Thanks!!
Slay says
Check out the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) at https://vaers.hhs.gov
manuelortiz180 says
Hi Sekhar,
Sorry to read your experience.
My first AZ jab created a constant T 3 months ago and still hishing.
May I ask about your progress?
Thx
wallabee7 says
I got my first Pfizer shot on Monday this week (April 5th) and started noticing the ringing in my ears a day or two after. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, just a weird little annoyance (I’ve had these kinds of things before, but typically the ringing doesn’t last more than a day). Well, now it’s the end of the week and the ringing has persisted enough that it’s affecting my sleep, so last night I did a google search about it and found this website. Good grief, I’m floored by the number of people who have left comments here and are experiencing the same thing as me! My second dose is scheduled for the end of April and I’m already doubtful I’ll keep that appointment. I’m thankful for all of you who have shared your experiences with this, and I’m ALL EARS for suggestions on how to make this go away!
alishiawright88 says
Has anyone recovered from the vaccine related tinnitus yet? I had the moderna vaccine on 3/24 and developed tinnitus on 4/3. Never had tinnitus before and having a hard time coping with it :/
Slay says
Yes. I’ve had my first pfizer shot on 3/29, tinnitus spiked from 0-1 to 4-5 the next day, then subsided over time, now I’d say it’s between 0-2 three weeks later. I postponed the 2nd shot but may still get it.
gallechristoph says
The symptoms being described here are hint that the vaccination may trigger sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in subjects with preexisting hearing conditions like Tinnitus (which is most of the time a sign of SNHL) or hearing loss or certain medical conditions affecting the ear. After all an immune response triggered by a vaccine puts the body under additional stress which increases the chances of SSNHL.
So if you experience symptoms go to an ENT and request high-dosed (!) cortisone-infusion-treatment as fast as possible. There is only a limited time window of about 2 weeks for this. The earlier you start the better the chances. It is the only wellknown treatment for SSNHL. However in 30%-60% of the cases individuals will recover (fully or partly) without cortisone. Cortisone is believed to improve the chances.
If you dont experience improvement in 2-4 weeks the chances of a full recovery are fading. This is especially true for the hearing loss symptoms. In some cases Tinnitus may get better or even disappear after a few months. Having said all this is important to remind that there are still a lot of unknowns about this phenomenon. There are cases of SSHL after other vaccinations that had a better chance of long term recovery than subjects with “normal” SSNHL.
So my suggestion is: 1.) If you had SSNHL after your vaccination go and get high-dose (!) cortisone treatment fast. 2.) If you have experienced problems after your first shot dont get the second one because it is very likely that the reaction will be the same or even worse. Everyone who had SSNHL knows that each incidence makes the ear more vulnerable to another one. That and the fact that the immune response is even stronger after the second shot puts you at great danger to make things worse. For know, you probably should to aknowledge the fact that you are among those persons who maybe not suited for those vaccines we have so far. On the other hand we know that even one vaccination provides some security. (Some say even 90%) And some day there might be more suitable vaccinations around. And the pandemic will improve.
gallechristoph says
I want to modify my suggestion: If you had SEVERE problems and are not at high risk of Covid-infection
you should consider not taking the second shot
butron says
This is my story:
February 13: Pfizer 1st dosis. Only secondary symptom was pain at the shot site for 2 days.
March 6: Pfizer 2nd dosis. No immediate reaction, everything looked great
March x: About one week and a half after 2nd dosis (cannot pin down exactly) mild tinnitus symptoms in what I think were both ears
March 23: Saw audiologist who determined high frequency hearing loss in both ears, but right side ear more so than left side. Audiologist could not tell if it was age related (I am 69 years old) or something else. She recommended that I see an ENT.
March 30: My appointment with ENT was canceled in the last minute because doctor got sick (Covid?)
April 10: Tinnitus getting worse (about 4 weeks after first symptoms)
April 14: New ENT doctor appointment: I am anxiously waiting to see what he has to say.
I never had this problem before and I strongly suspect it is vaccine related.
Slay says
Hi everyone!
Who here has received the 1st mRNA shot, had a tinnitus spike of any kind, and got the 2nd shot anyway? What was the outcome after the 2nd shot on the tinnitus?
For me, the next morning after my 1st Pfizer shot on 3/29 my tinnitus spiked from 0-1 to 4-5 (first time in years), then over the next 10 days or so it mostly went back down to 1-2 with occasional days where it’s at 3-4. According to VAERS, only 0.7% of all reports mention tinnitus, so we’re in a very rare group. I don’t want to skip the 2nd dose if the spike has already happened.
Chime in if you’ve already made this decision, please!
R
rstibbetts says
I had the same dilemma as I had developed tinnitus about 1-week after the first shot and there was no doubt in my mind the shot caused the tinnitus. I felt like it had begun to subside by week 4 and went ahead and got the second shot, knowing it could get much worse, but also knowing the bad Covid variants are likely to break through a single shot of mRNA vaccine. So to answer your question, my tinnitus is much worse after the 2nd shot. So much so, I am concerned I am going to lose my hearing. The tinnitus set in 12 hours after the shot and has been screaming ever since. I had two consecutive days where it had subsided but it can back yesterday (day 5) with a vengeance and is terrible today. I scheduled a doctor appointment Friday but its not with ENT–that may take some time. There are times where I feel like there is pressure/fluid in the ears but I really have no idea whats going on. I had strongly considered foregoing the second shot and wish I had. Whats really disappointing is that tinnitus was not mentioned as a possible side effect of the vaccine. How is that possible?
Slay says
Wow, thanks for your detailed reply and sorry to hear about your experience. I’ve also experienced very brief feelings of “pressure” in both ears, but they went away fairly quickly. If tinnitus is the only issue, I have to believe that it will dissipate over time, based on my own experience. That said, I hope you get better and want to say thanks again for sharing with others. Please post updates over time!
rstibbetts says
Heading to the doctor Friday, but will probably not get to see an ENT immediately. What is strange is that it was noticeably “quiet” yesterday but became super loud again this morning an hour before I actually got out of bed. It has steadily worsened throughout the day, maybe due to stimulation. I think my hearing is intact but the noise inside my head is so loud its hard to be sure!
manuelortiz180 says
Hi rstibbetts,
Very sorry to hear your story.
Excuse me, could you tell us how your tinnitus has progressed?
I also developed T from the shot 3 months ago.
esteepoza2020 says
What in the world is going on here??? I have never had these sounds in my head before! I took my second dose of Pfitzer vaccine on 4/2. On 4/3 at 2:00 a.m. I awoke to severe shaking and a fever. The following day (Sunday) I could not get up from bed all day. My body felt like it had run a marathon the day before.
On Wednesday, 4/7 these crickets and weird sounds began to appear inside my ears! At night , they are horribly high pitched and I cant sleep. I’m on 3 to 4 hours sleep per night . I have appointment with ENT scheduled for 4/14 but I don’t think this can wait. I get very stressed about the buzzing, crickets and the zoo in my ears and my blood pressure goes up and the noises get even worse!
Does anyone know if this will ever go away?
b_ott10 says
Had very mild tinnitus prior to 1st Moderna vaccine. 2 weeks after first vaccine i had roaring tinnitus that woke me from a sleep at 3am. (along with other symptoms) Have had noticeable tinnitus since in the form of high pitch ringing. Called my Dr who told me to get the second vaccine anyway. My other symptoms also persist and are mild but I know they are there. Despite the advice I will not be getting the second vaccine. I will be following up with a different doctor in a few weeks for testing.
sirc808 says
3/11/21 – First Pfizer shot – no symptoms
4/1/21 – Second Pfizer shot – no symptoms
4/8/21 – FIrst notice of ringing in my right ear. It was very faint but definitely noticeable.
4/11/21 – Full blow loud ringing in my right ear. So loud that’s it hard to think sometimes and even harder to sleep.
I’m 38, very healthy, marathon runner, no underline medical issues, and I’ve heard a ring in my ear occasionally throughout my life but it’s quick and goes away within seconds. This has been ringing since 4/8 and it’s 4/12 and I’ve never experienced anything like this before.
I did some online research myself and using a noise machine or a noise app like Calm helps me sleep at night. Instead of my mind focusing on the ringing, it allows it to focus on something else a little more soothing (for me it’s raindrops).
Kenneth says
I too had minor tinnitus until I received my first Moderna shot on 2/24/2021. Within 2 days it became much more pronounced. I tried several herbal remedies with some success such as Lipo Flavonoid (had to stop because it made me dizzy after a couple days, but did calm it down), Ginko Biloba (has to stop because it caused sleep issues, again did calm it down some), Chelated Zinc (this I am still on, not as good as the first two, but does work somewhat), and just started Vitamin E 200IU (jury is still out on this one). What I have found for me is potent antioxidants seem to calm the volume down, but balance is really hard to find. The biggest issue is there seem to be changes day-to-day and getting “used” to it is tough with the variations. I also have found pink noise, white noise, rain sounds can help with sleep at night. I don’t have any hearing loss associated with this at all luckily. I will say I am in week 7 now and it seems to be waning a little, so there is some hope maybe it will go back to where it was before. I opted not to get the second shot figuring that would only make it worse – and looking at the responses here, that is exactly the case for other people. Find what works best for you regardless of what you are told or advised to do when it comes to dealing with the tinnitus and deciding on getting a second dose if that is part of your vaccine regiment. Certainly quality of life should play into your decision making.
hectorp702 says
yup I too develop tinnitus from first shot pfizer
mattandnikkipitts says
I’ve had whistling/hissing tinnitus 3 weeks now following Astrazeneca vaccine. I’m trying magnesium (reduces blood pressure and needed in body) and going to try zinc (studies have found it helps some sufferers). Zinc is needed more in times of infection so maybe after vaccination the body’s immune system uses up more zinc. Really worried I”ll be stuck with it for ever. I’m so glad I found this forum, good luck to all, hope it improves….
gericampbell2000 says
Hi Everyone. I was a totally healthy person up until I received the 2nd Moderna vaccine January 20, 2021. Shortly after receiving the 2nd vaccine, I had a horrible headache, like they are going to find me dead in the morning from a brain aneurysm type of headache. Right after that, my ears started ringing. I told myself that it would subside along with the other side effects, but three months later, it is still as bad as ever. I have been to an ENT who said that I have no hearing loss, or any visible problems with my inner ear or anything like that. Here is the thing, folks, you all can spend money on treatments and go and see Drs if you feel that is best, but I have done some research and here is what I have found: This is a BRAIN problem, not an ear problem for most of us. It is Neurological. Tinnitus can result when the blood flow to a person’s ears is restricted or interrupted. Here are the key terms, Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial dysfunction, and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). These spike proteins found in the vaccine can active proteins (BAX) normally sequestered within the cell called “Pro-death Mediators” into the Cystosol. Essentially, it has attacked your mitochondria and this is irreversible. It is very technical and too much to write in this comment, but you can research these terms yourself and read about it. This is extremely dangerous and yes, it is definitely being sequestered. Tinnitus did come up in the trials but I saw written, “Must be studied further” which I am beginning to think is what they put in a trial when they find something they don’t like. I also wonder if this is the same mechanism causing organs to shut down and people dying after receiving the vaccine, as we have read about. Praying the truth comes to light. I wish I never received the 2nd vaccine.
Zeta says
Gericampbell: Thank you for posting about the research you’ve been doing. As a long time tinnitus sufferer I can back you up and say yes this condition is in the brain. Years ago I was told by ENTs that they’ve even tried cutting people’s auditory nerves to give relief. It failed and only made people deaf. The faulty signals are being interpreted by the brain as this noise we all hear.
If you saw “Must be studied further” written somewhere relating to the trials I’m not surprised. It was only a small number of people reporting this side effect. In light of a killer pandemic people naturally wanted to wish it away by saying it has to be something else as the cause and not our vaccine. Vaccinations had to get into a larger segment of the population before you would see what is happening now. On one hand I feel like I’m now part of the problem when it comes to herd immunity. Unvaccinated people make it harder to achieve this, but I will not risk further damage to what I already live with by these rushed to the public vaccines that are now causing ruination in people’s lives.
ef5150 says
Hi Guys – First of all, I’m sorry to learn all of you are suffering. I’m also experiencing issues.
I’m a male, I do have a history of over excessive wax buildup in the right ear. I get it every several years once I get more active with music and I play the drums,.. however, I never experienced tinnitus like this. I have experienced the very minor ringing of the ears like everyone else especially when meditating and there is complete silence in the room.
Recently ,when I got my ears cleaned out there was an issue with perforating my right ear drum so I definitely thought it was something with that causing this disruption. (May very well still be?) but after the clean out and it healed, it’s still there strong as ever.
I went to an ENT doctor and he claimed it may be an ear infection and gave me antibiotics for now. Going back in a couple weeks for follow up and hearing tests. I did not give him the exact date of my first Pfizer vaccine shot at the time but just messaged him today and informed him of the possible link. He probably thinks I’m a hypochondriac or just plain nuts, who knows?! Now that I’m realizing nothing is getting better, I started thinking what may have changed that caused this.
3/24/21 – 1st Pfizer shot
3/25/21 – started to experience the loud ringing in the ears – seemed like both at the time
3/29 – Saw primary to have ears cleaned out, went home and in 3 more days flushed it out myself
4/1/21 – Rechecked and primary office saw the perforation
4/5/21 – ENT visit where he noticed the eardrum was already healed and gave me antibiotics to go home with.
Overtime since then it has just gotten worse and seems to be way more pronounced in the right ear. Very loud and have to blast the white noise app on smart phone at night to drown it out.
I’m trying not to over react but I definitely do not want the second shot if this is going to be worse. Second shot is supposed to be tomorrow and I’m honestly terrified. It seems like there are so many theories flying around and cant help to think that if you google ‘Covid vaccine and an ailment’ you will probably find some type of forum like this to read on about.
My primary stated that I should still get the 2nd vaccine because having Covid could be worse. Honestly I don’t feel I’m at high risk at all for Covid and not sure what to do.
This is scary stuff..
ef5150 says
marklc1@hotmail.com
How did you make out with the prednisone?
baecbren says
Prednisone worked for me me but came back when The 6 day pack ended. This tells me I have some sort of swelling going on since steroids worked. ENT recommended steroids shots if it continue but believes it should pass with time since I don’t have any hearing loss.
Debra says
I check back here often to see how people are doing. I’ve written previously above as “Deb.” I got Tinnitus from ototoxic drugs 2 years ago. But if you look at the American Tinnitus Association’s list of Ototoxic Drugs, almost every single drug is listed on there — even OTC things like Alka Seltzer has caused people to get tinnitus.
It has ruined my life. I was perfectly healthy. It IS a brain issue for most people unless you have Meniere’s Disease. No one understands it. Doctors don’t want to deal with it — nor do they know how to since there’s no cure (unless, again, you have Meniere’s Disease). Needless to say, I will never take another drug again in my life unless I’m forced to. Vaccines have drugs in them so I already knew I’d never take another vaccine again in my life when I got Tinnitus in Jan 2019.
Since Tinnitus is the #1 Veterans Disability, you would think they’d try to find a cure. But my dr. was very honest with me in 2019. He said they don’t put much research $$ into tinnitus and there will probably never be a cure in my lifetime. I’m a young 64. I think he’s right. I’ve consulted with drs all over the U.S. I just live in aboslute terror every single day and my life is over. I PRAY you all have Tinnitus that goes away. They’ll never tell the public that there are a small # of people who get Tinnitus from vaccines, but they are sure to tell us that it is a side effect of COVID. God bless you all.
Debra says
Brian – Are you going to do anymore articles on this? Thank you for doing this one.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Debra,
Just posted this one:
https://www.drugdiscoverytrends.com/researcher-neuroinflammation-may-be-behind-tinnitus-reports-in-some-covid-19-vaccine-recipients/
rbonatiu says
Want to share my experience, maybe it will help others as it helped me.
Got 1st dose of AstraZeneca on 2 April, second day I developed fever and headache, 3rd day after, the fever was gone but I was left with a very loud high-pitched tinnitus in my left ear only. It was driving me nuts but I thought it will go away in short time…I was wrong. Went to the doctor, he cleaned my left ear and said that if I am lucky, it will go away shortly…I was not lucky with that procedure.
Started to get desperate and started to check if there are others like me – that’s when I found this forum and learned I have same problem.
Now to the good part in my case:
I contacted a second doctor from a general public hospital here in romania (the first one was from a private clinic I was desperate to go to to fix me fast as I didnt know what tinnitus is)
He prescribed me this:
Tanakan 40mg – 3 times per day (Ginkgo active substance)
Thiossen 600mg – 1 time per day (Tioctic acid active substance)
Started this treatment yesterday 13/04/2021 and today I can tell you that I can barely notice my tinnitus. I did as he recommended and did not overdose. He said he seen lots of patients with same issue after vaccine.
I am still continuing this treatment.
Please DO check with your doctor if you can take the above medicine before you take it.
In my darkest hours last days, when tinnitus was unbearable, I used to play this sound in a headphone only in my left year (the one affected by tinnitus), I set the volume to be only at same level as the tinnitus in my head and it did mask it and offered me some relief:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKo4jYDO9FQ
Hope this post will help you get past this nightmare.
manuelortiz180 says
Hello rbonatiu,
Interesting post, thank you!
Could you please give us an update of your T?
Thank you.
gericampbell2000 says
Hey folks, if you developed tinnitus after receiving the Covid 19 vaccine, there is a Facebook group that is very helpful and quite a lovely community “Tinnitus and Hearing Loss/Impairment after Covid vaccination”. Went from 30 member to 1,000 in a few weeks. Definitely a growing movement. It has helped me feel not so alone in my experience.
Slay says
Can’t find it.
slingshotuk says
https://www.facebook.com/groups/265035901879921
edwardmfarr says
baecbren@msn.com – Not sure if you can get more but I just started a 14 day prednisone regimen. I hope it resolve permanently for me. I got the second Pfizer dose yesterday I’m hoping it wasn’t the worst move of my life 🙂
My tinnitus started the day after my first dose on March 24thth
Ed
baecbren says
Thank you ! I just started the 14 day (wish I had done it sooner ) on day 3 now and my right ear and lower neck seems to hurt – so again wondering inflammation/drainage? I am using hot compresses like some people suggest. I have follow up with ENT April 29. Also made appt to go to Mayo and investigate all options there. Have to pay an extra $750 a month to stay on my husbands insurance since it’s a better plan and he’s retiring April 29. Such a sad time for this to happen when we were just playing our golden years. I am hopeful after Brian’s most recent post I can find some optimal solutions. I also have Ménière’s disease in my left ear but no hearing changes on most recent hearing tests.
edwardmfarr says
Thank you Brian Buntz for providing this medium of communication!
ytuzlak says
I am living the same problem.
8 days after the 1st shut of Biontech on 4/2, kind of a brain noise appeared. If I try to describe it; a high frequency signal, constant, it’s like a sound you have when you went out from disco to a silent place. It is bearable for the moment, but I am sure I couldn’t bear it if it would be just a little bit higher.
In my country we can not postpone the 2nd shut more than a week. So mine is scheduled in between 4/30 – 5/7. I have a surgery planned for middle of May, but I think I will take the risk and won’t have the 2nd shut. I will be following your experiences to be sure of 100%.
P.S. for the ladies: I have swollen lymph nodes at the injection side of armpit. Dr said ” Vaccine makes it and it is temporary thing. But just in case it will be rechecked in 3 months.
patsy.martinez says
I also developed tinnitus 2 weeks after Moderna vaccine. Not thinking it was related to the initial vaccine I got 2nd vaccine a few days later. Three weeks later I still have tinnitus with some days much worse than others. I know now it has to be related to the vaccine.
This must be added as a possible side effect even if it’s a small percent. I filed a report but not really sure where it will go. I believe eventually this will make the news because it appears to be more and more people are getting this which is not a short term side effect.
I regret getting the 2nd dose because i believe it made it worse or probably extended it.
I just hope it’s not permanent.
rstibbetts says
Sounds almost identical to my experience. I had concerns about the vaccine for other reasons (autoimmune condition) but the tinnitus took me by surprise. I delayed the 2nd dose and considered just skipping it altogether but ultimately decided I wanted the extra protection. That decision is not looking the best at the moment. Nine days out and it sounds like a couple of high pitched jet engines in my ears. At best its an annoyance, at worst it will drive me to madness. I had a good day Tuesday but on my second consecutive bad day today. It also builds during the day.
Debra says
Brian –
Thank you very much for posting that other article you wrote on April 14th. I hope and pray that you never get seriously debilitating tinnitus.
All the best,
Deb
Marge says
Mine started with 2nd dose of Moderna a couple hours after getting jab. It was the left ear (same side as injection) lasted an hour. Its been recurring ever since but in both ears, generally lasting an hour but not everyday. It’s been a month so I’m reporting it as an adverse event. I’ve had ringing in ears prior but these episodes are much louder. Nothing else except tired the following day. 1st dose felt great except sore arm at injection site that lidocaine cream stopped.
rstibbetts says
Finally visited the doctor about the tinnitus I developed after the Moderna shots. Stunned to get a high BP reading for the first time–ever. The internist was as surprised as me and has ordered a bunch of blood work, brain MRI–the whole 9 yards. it would seem that in my case the ringing could be linked to BP changes and it would seem that the vaccine is linked to both. I am on Day 10 after the second shot, when the ringing became 10X worse.
Mary says
Hello All and @alishiawright88,
I wanted to update you. I’m into day 71 with some improvement. There are days where its very good and days where I hear hissing and ringing all day. I wanted to explain my timeline: Feb. 6th started ringing 5 days after 2nd shot. Mid-march started getting more even days with spike a few times/week. The past 2 weeks mostly hissing with spikes 2 days in 2 weeks. I am seeing another ENT on Monday. I’m scared and disappointed to read that this is permanent from some of you- I desperately hope you’re wrong in the best sense.
Someone posted in one of my support chats that it could take 6 months. I’m ok with that as long as it really does subside. Please visit TinnitusTalk.com for support. I’m there- MaryA- and you can read a lot about what helps people cope. It’s the best resource on the web for tinnitus.
One more thing on improvement with my tinnitus. I used to feel a heaviness between my ears at the very back of my nasopharynx. This has subsided. It was very much more on the left than right. I was using eustachian tube draining techniques to help with that. One is a modified Muncy (I think) where you massage the area in the very back of your throat where the tube drains into. It seemed to help because the pressure in the left is definitely much better. I also use shower sounds to help me sleep along with melatonin.
The overall progress has been really slow and definitely brought me closer to God. I pray daily for healing and restoration and I’ll include all of you. This has been a nightmare for sure. I’ll keep updating as I get more information. Please update if you’ve had the vaccine and a resolution of your tinnitus. We could all use a little more hope!
God Bless!
Mary
gericampbell2000 says
Hi Mary. Thank you for your prayers. I pray daily for everyone as well. I have always been close to the Lord, but this situation drew me even closer. I guess as the Apostle Paul would say, it’s our “thorn in our flesh”. But in our weakness., HE is strong! Love and hugs to you. ~Geri
dsfoxx says
I did not have ANY tinnitus prior to getting the Covid vaccine. One day after my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine I started experiencing moderately loud, high pitch ringing in both my ears. It started like someone turning on a switch and ringing began (suddenly). The ringing has not stopped or even diminished and has now been going on for 2.5 months. I tried steroids, vitamins, homeopathic treatments, saw my primary care PA and an ENT and nothing has worked and no one has any clear answers. At this point I am just praying and believing for supernatural healing.
rstibbetts says
Kind of in the same boat. Developed 3/10 severity tinnitus a couple weeks after the first shot that spiked to 6/10 a day after the second Moderna shot (which I debated skipping due to the tinnitus). Now 14 days out and its sitting at a 9/10 today. Left ear is worse than the right. Loud, consistent, high frequency hiss, that has some pulsatile qualities. Maddening.
Slay says
Hang in there, buddy.
melaniagheorghe22 says
Its been a week since I had my first Pfizer vaccine and my tinnitus hasn’t stopped.
Anyone here had this reaction an the 1st shot and was ok at the second?
please help.
prakashbastola50 says
Hi Brian,
I developed tinnitus 3 days after my first Pfizer shot and it has been with me without pause ever since, I am confused if I should go for second shot or not? please advice.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Prakash,
I’d recommend consulting with your doctor. Ultimately, you’ll need to decide and there isn’t a lot of data right now to guide the decision unfortunately.
The current medical understanding of tinnitus is incomplete, but it involves multiple portions of the hearing system including nerves and brain regions. Some vaccine recipients have reported tinnitus, but it appears a higher percentage of people with COVID-19 infections developed the condition.
No matter what you decide, tinnitus tends to improve with time, but it can be a bit like a roller coaster for many people where it improves and then spikes again. Most of the strategies to manage tinnitus have to do with relaxation and habituation, but there is a growing amount of research on topics such as tailor-made notched music, acoustic coordinated reset neuro-modulation and bimodal stimulation. The evidence for the later is perhaps stronger than the other two. There isn’t a lot of data about dietary supplements, but there is data suggesting that things like meditation, sleep, relaxation and exercise can help over time.
There are also a lot of free resources on places like YouTube. Would recommend being skeptical of purported quick fixes, but also being wary of negative information on the subject online. Also be skeptical of messages essentially saying there is no cure or hope. In reality, that is an overly simplistic and negative message, but the condition can be difficult to deal with for sure. Hang in there!
baecbren says
Thank you for your message of hope Brian. I did have one ENT Physician Assistant tell me there’s no cure and I just started crying. I had another tell me there are lots of options just take it one step at a time. I finally scheduled to see the actual ENT next Friday. I hate it when they say I have it to – cause I had some tinnitus prior to this but it went away after like and hour or so. I even had Ménière’s disease in my left ear but it had stabilized. The one from the vaccine is much much much worse and very unrelenting at times. I am so thankful for the in between times that I am getting and hopeful they will start to last longer.
Lastly so concerned more people aren’t reporting to VAERS – would be so helpful if they did.
I also saw there is a government agency that will help with out of pocket expenses for treatments from adverse events cause by the vaccines if anyone needs this resource.
Brian Buntz says
Sounds like the second ENT physician assistant had a more constructive message. One thing that ENTs can offer is to just assure you that everything looks OK physically in the clinic and possibly in radiology imaging. After that, they often refer tinnitus patients to other specialists.
It’s hard to make sense of the VAERS data. I’ve spent a fair amount of the time digging through the data, but there’s not a lot of context and I get the impression that relatively few patients know about that resource.
I believe the government program you referred to that covers adverse events from countermeasures (including vaccines) against COVID-19 is the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP): https://www.hrsa.gov/cicp
https://www.hrsa.gov/cicp
rstibbetts says
Sounds like a good number of folks are foregoing the 2nd shot out of concern that the tinnitus they developed after the first shot will worsen. For me, it worsened dramatically and, two weeks out from Shot #2, my decision is looking questionable to say the least. That said, some days are better than others and it is not unreasonable to believe that the condition will improve as the vax-induced inflammatory response starts to back off. No guarantees, unfortunately.
For those of you contemplating skipping the 2nd dose, I think waiting a few weeks to see if your tinnitus begins to resolve is prudent. If it did, it would give you confidence that any spike from the 2nd shot will also resolve, eventually. However, skipping the 2nd shot entirely invites a whole different set of risks. Vaccination is like building a fence and the taller the fence, the safer you are. Based on neutralizing antibody data the variants are likely to jump right over a single Moderna/Pfizer shot (in the current iteration) and the immunity you did build will likely wane after just a few months. Everyone has their own calculus based on age/health status, exposure risk, and risk tolerance, etc, but be wise–and be safe!
Slay says
I agree that duration is likely to be lower in a 1-shot scenario, but disagree that variants will jump over a single vaccine. The CDC followed several thousand healthcare personnel between Dec 2020 – Mar 2021 to gauge protection from a single Pfizer shot and saw an 80% efficacy rate after 2 weeks. Obviously this includes multiple variants since, by then, the mutations were circulating throughout the US.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0329-COVID-19-Vaccines.html
Personally about 25 days out from shot one and have tinnitus levels that are only slightly above pre-shot baseline. May get the 2nd, may wait longer. We’ll see.
baecbren says
Great news your is improving!
rstibbetts says
That 80% protection is within a very narrow time window and those workers are still masked. Once the masks come off this summer these vaccine efficacies are going to come down and I doubt a single shot will offer much protection beyond a few months. No one knows for sure.
FWIW, the Pfizer shot is 1/3 the mRNA dosage of the Moderna shot and I think that is driving the more severe side effects (including tinnitus) with the Moderna vaccine. In retrospect, as a relatively healthy middle-aged guy, I should have held out for another week or two and just rolled with the J and J vaccine. Too late now. Good luck with your decision; I think holding off is rational if you have concerns.
Slay says
Thanks for the reply — how are you feeling these days?
I don’t plan on removing the mask around strangers or engaging in high-risk behavior. I probably wouldn’t even with 2 shots. As far as timeline, nobody knows how much shorter (if at all) one dose would be. We know that after about 4 months it was 80%, which is good.
I’ve done an antibody test and am showing long-term IgG antibodies in my serum that were previously negative. So I know I developed a level of immunity over 3 weeks. I’m also keeping in mind that, while the recommended time window is 21-42 days for Pfizer’s 2nd shot, all the literature I’ve read about the immune system suggests it’s typically even better to wait longer. In other words, it’s worse to violate the 3-week minimum than to extend the maximum (hence the UK’s controversial 90-day decision). So my current thought process is: if it goes away completely, I’ll get the 2nd shot. Otherwise, wait and collect more data. If I have to get the booster anyway in 6-12 months, then I think this’ll be fine.
To anyone who had a temporary spike that returned to normal, or is older, I would strongly recommend the 2nd shot. The younger you are, theoretically speaking, the stronger the immune response to the first shot.
Matteo says
Hi Slay, I totally agree with you. I am 36 and after shot #1 (Pfizer) I had 3 weeks of a mild headache, non-stop. After week 2, I started having tinnitus as well. Now, starting week 4, the headache is gone and tinnitus seems to be improving. I will wait until the 42 days limit and decide whether to get shot #2 or not. Like you said, in the UK they have a 90-day window between the two doses and it looks like they’re doing great. How is your tinnitus going now? Thank you!
rstibbetts says
I think its wise to wait. A few weeks wont make a difference with respect to immunity. Honestly I can’t give an assessment of my situation since the tinnitus changes by the day–even hour. Some days barely there; others the hissing is unbearable, and I often awake to it in the very early morning in a panic. My resting BP has climbed ~15 pts from historical average and a pre-vax office visit in February. The BP spikes are plausibly causing the tinnitus (or vice versa) and it seems one or the other was instigated by the vax. Or maybe its all just coincidence.
Slay says
@Matteo, not sure why I couldn’t reply to your post directly, but I’m at a steady 1-2 now, about 5 weeks after Pfizer #1, whereas before the shot I was 0-1 and after the shot 4-5.
Slay says
@rstibbetts, thanks for the update. I hope you feel better with time.
rstibbetts says
Curious if you moved ahead with the second shot. If I had a time machine I’d skip it.
kevinsnow17 says
It is sound logic that the Moderna shot would cause more tinnitus but I am on a Facebook Group for this issue and there significantly more people with tinnitus from the Pfizer vaccine. There have only been only slightly more Pfizer shots administered in this country. It is puzzling.
How has there not been one ENT on this planet that has figured out why this is happening?
teoair85 says
Hello, same situation here. I started having tinnitus after a couple of days from the first Pfizer shot and it’s still ongoing after three weeks. I’m going to reschedule my second shot I had booked for tomorrow. I also had a constant mild headache since the first shot. The headache seems to be improving.
patsyangarita.panama says
I had my first Pfizer shot on 3/11/21 and everything went well. Received my second shot on 4/13/21 and had no side effects until five days later when the noise and vibration started on 4/18/21. I have approximately 5-7 episodes per day, but the number seems to be increasing. Saw an ENT today and got confirmation that ear and hearing are perfect, no apparent reason for tinnitus. Recommendation is to stay observant and check for further symptoms or worsening of condition. ENT had no real answer for me!
maryfig717 says
Any updates?
rosaimary says
Hello, I have had ear ringing / mild head pressure since April 2 when I got the J&J shot. It has not subsided and reported it to the VAERs site as well. Seems like there are lots of people with this same issue which is reassuring and disheartening at the same tie. I hope the vaccine companies can solve for this.
Paul says
I believe it’s temporary. Here’s my story.
Received my 1st Pfizer shot on 3/26. About 2 weeks later (April 5-6) started hearing slight hissing in my left year. Over the next week it turned into hissing/high-pitch noise. Last Thursday went to ENT – no hearing loss, eardrums look perfect, nose/throat all good. Go home and it should resolve by itself, no prescriptions given.
Over the last week I started experimenting with a few things, and I’m seeing some very good progress. But I think it’s too soon to tell. Yesterday for half a day my hissing/noise improved by 50%. Today all day by 90%. For example right now I’m sitting in a very quite room and even though I can barely hear it, I still hear it if I listen very very carefully.
I’m curious about tomorrow or the next few days, ie if it continues to improve or stays the same as today (which I’ll still be very happy with).
billvv7 says
Hi Everyone, Dealing with tinnitus since 2016.
Good News is tinnitus is not life threatening or harmful to organs. With that said was freaked out at first and it took a month or two to adjust. The more information I found out on web the better I coped. At night is worst and suggest sleeping with fan on or noise machine if you need too. Getting a good nights sleep is crucial to keeping ringing at minimum. Doctors, ENT, specialists etc have no clue or cure. Don’t get scared when they suggest MRI, brain scan, wax cleaning, steroids, vitamins, ear drops etc. ENT said it affects people who already have hearing loss and drug is the straw that broke the camels back. Gee Thanks. Save your money and don’t fall for scams. Have been living with ringing since 2016 after taking Advil and anti depressant medicine. After getting tinnitus found out Advil lists possible side effect in 1 to 2 % of people with ringing in ears, so do many other drugs. Things to avoid is high doses of caffeine, dark chocolate is an instant trigger for me. It’s like someone turned up the volume. Also avoid lots of salt. Found this post after good friend came to me asking about how to deal with ringing he developed with first Moderna shot. I hope this helps people till they find a cure or learn to deal with ringing. It gets better but ever goes away. FYI, I had both shots of Moderna and it did not increase or change my ringing. Be well and stay safe.
Largus Mars says
RE: Reports of pulsatile tinnitus following covid vaccine
For those experiencing new onset pulsatile tinnitus following covid vaccine, you should consider being seen by your doctor or present to the ER.
There are many causes of pulsatile tinnitus; rarely pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by more serious problems. Cases of pulsatile tinnitus associated with cerebral venous thrombosis have been published in the literature. In most of cases, pulsatile tinnitus was the only symptom.
Covid vaccine has recently been associated with adverse events of cerebral venous thrombosis.
Most cases of pulsatile tinnitus will not be found to be caused by cerebral venous thrombosis. However, given the recently identified association of covid vaccine and incidences of cerebral venous thrombosis, for patients with new onset symptoms of pulsatile tinnitus following vaccination, further diagnostic testing might be prudent.
rstibbetts says
There is also a dramatic reduction in platelets in the VITT cases
Don says
Hello, I have had mild to moderate ear ringing/hissing since my first Pfizer shot on 3/25 (about 4.5 weeks ago). It may be decreasing slightly, and I hope it eventually goes away. My physician suggested Flonase, Zyrtec, and Sudafed thinking it might be a eustachian tube issue, but that did not help. I would like to complete the vaccination series, but I’m concerned the second shot may make it worse. There seems to be very limited information about this issue. However, I read the posts here so far and the feedback provided by others and Brian is very helpful. It’s also nice to know that I am not alone. Even though there are some reports of tinnitus with the J&J vaccine, it’s seems to be the one with the least reported tinnitus. In addition, I understand it also had the least reports of tinnitus in the trials (as a percentage), and it went away in all but one of the J&J recipients. I read the CDC guidelines that indicated receiving the J&J vaccine is an option if people experience adverse effects with the first shot of mRNA vaccines, and I’m considering that alternative. I hope to hear from others on this, and hopefully the vaccine companies will have more information as we go forward.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Don,
I pulled a VAERS report for COVID-19 vaccines today. Among people who filed a VAERS report, about 1.5% of people with the J&J vaccine reported tinnitus. The figure was 0.71% for Pfizer and 0.47% for Moderna.
For the sake of comparison, about 0.29% of VAERS entries for seasonal flu vaccines reported tinnitus.
CDC stresses, however, that the VAERS database can’t be used alone to determine causality.
kevinsnow17 says
I mentioned this in the post above. There is something to be learned from the fact the M vaccine has 3x more active ingredient than P but the P has more tinnitus cases despite having a small number of more vaccinations in the US.
Largus Mars says
RE: VAERS…
JAMA Article: May 20, 2021
Association Between COVID-19 Vaccination and Sudden Hearing Loss Using US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System Data
Eric J. Formeister, MD, MS; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2780288?appId=scweb
“Anecdotal reports are rapidly emerging from the otolaryngology community of SSNHL occurring after inoculation by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines” !!!
I believe the author of this study, Dr Formeister, does a disservice.
“The CDC VAERS is a national repository of incident reports associated with adverse reactions that occur after any vaccination. Any individual may submit a report, and all reports are publicly available.”
As Dr Formeister goes on to state, “Because VAERS reports are unverified, susceptible to underreporting bias, and the number of unique individuals within the vaccine cohort is not known exactly”.
*** But then Dr Formeister goes on to use that data set to show SNHL following covid vaccination is not larger than the background rate.
I have been to three specialists for my symptoms, and none reported it to VAERS.
Garbage in/ Garbage out. But this methodologically flawed study may make it harder to get attention for this potentially debilitating adverse event.
Dee says
I received the 2nd dose of the Moderna vaccine on April 16, 2021. I woke up on the 17th with severe pressure in my left ear, vibrating sound and loss of hearing. In addition I had muscle, joint, head and body aches along with chills and sweats. Those side effects ended after 24 hours but the problem in left ear remained the same. l Went to ENT/audiologist on the 23rd and was diagnosed with mild to moderate hearing loss with damage to nerve. Ear drum is fine as is Eustachian tube. I am currently on prednisone but there has been no change. Pressure, vibration and loss of hearing continues. I reported this to VAERS. I don’t understand why hearing loss is not listed as a side effect to the vaccines. From what I am reading on this site it is appearing with all 3 vaccines currently being administered. So frustrating!
MICHAEL says
Appreciate all the posts and glad i found this page!
I am a healthy 62 year old man and got the Janssen vaccine April 8th. No real side-effects other than that evening I noticed my Tinnitus (have had mild Tinnitus for many years) hissing/ringing in both ears was much more noticeable. I was definitely concerned but it was bearable and was hoping it would get back to where it was soon. About two weeks went by and on April 21st I woke up in the middle of the night with a significant piercing ringing in both ears…much worse than initially noted April 8th. I started looking online and discovered this story and realized i wasn’t alone. I have since asked several friends and some of them have had similar effects from the other vaccines. Have a Dr Appointment today although I know there is not much can be done at this point.
Mike from Tucson AZ
jbeef2 says
DEE – I share your frustration. I lost my hearing after receiving my first Moderna shot Jan 8th. Went thru the normal protocol for sudden hearing loss (prednisone, prednisone injection, MRI). No improvement,
my ENT doesn’t think I will regain my hearing. No one can tell me how often this has occurred, if the prednisone reduced the effectiveness of the one shot, or if I should ever get another shot. I know there is lot of unknowns but shouldn’t there be someone who could at least be willing to address these issues?
I prey for your improvement!
Boyd says
I am going through that treatment now. EMT says don’t hope on anything. Very frustrated but nothing I can do.
drugdiscoverytrends says
VAERS reporting seems to be for doctors. I might decide to spend 30 minutes wading thru it’s 6 part reporting form, but it seems doubtful many people would exercise the patience to do so. I strongly suspect that side effects are VASTLY under-reported.
In California, they provide the Othena app I downloaded to track & assist vaccine administration. It’s missing a tab to report side effects. If it were that easy, I’d certainly tell them all about it. As it stands, nobody beyond my wife and this forum will learn about it unless it becomes unbearable – I’m pretty confident a doctor’s visit would be largely a waste of time & money.
bernie_bernstein says
Although I’ve had mild to moderate hearing loss over the last 3 years nothing suggested that getting the pfizer vaccine might trigger tinnitus. It did in left ear (my less than good ear). After initial dose followed by a 2 day low level headache and onset of tinnitus, I though I wouldn’t bother with 2nd dose. However, after 3 weeks, I still received it today. At 69 and traveling in and out of U.S. I figured if I get Covid I’ll get tinnitus anyway. After 12 hours, it so far did not make it any better or worse but am bracing for anything.. In 2 weeks, assuming its still bothersome, I start a prednisone regimen. No certainty this will work of course.
rstibbetts says
I am going to see if I can break through to the NYT regarding tinnitus and the Covid vaccines. It deserves attention and people need to be made aware that this is a significant side effect for some.
b.manning.kelly says
Any luck with reaching out to The NY Times? I agree this story merits attention. To the extent it’s getting any attention tinnitus is dismissed as a minor inconvenience. I’ve been following your posts here and find the both compelling and balanced. Thank you!
susan.gibbons says
Hi all, I’ve read your comments with a deep empathy as I understand how awful tinnitus can be as I first got tinnitus in 2017. It brought me to my knees I was in so much distress. I hardly slept for 2 months. I have also had an increase in tinnitus sound levels in my ears since getting the 1st vaccination and then after the second, the sound increased even more to the point that it was hard to get to sleep. It is settling back down a little, but not like it was prior to getting the vaccination.
The reason I am posting is because there are things you can do to help with tinnitus.
1.) Widex Hearing Aids – if you google them, they are the very best at alliviating symptoms of tinnitus. My Audiologist only recommends these hearing aids for tinnitus. They are expensive, but they have a fractal technology that really helps mitigate the sound in your ear as well as helping you relax. If the tinnitus does not go away, then this hearing aid will provide relief. Unfortunately, it is one of the most expensive hearing aids.
2.) I ended up trying neurofeedback and it really helped me. My tinnitus sound levels have been very manageable and I have not had to get the Widex hearing aids yet. There are research papers that support the use of neurofeedback for tinnitus. I found a doctor who thought he could help me so I brought the research paper with me. He had the technology to support the protocol in the research paper. There is a specific protocol to follow as not all Neurofeedback is the same. Please note, neurofeedback did not get rid of the sound, but for me, it greatly reduced it to a very manageable level where I did not need hearing aids. Just know that all Neurofeedback is NOT the same. If you try neurofeedback, you have to go to a doctor who specializes in it. Many places that offer neurofeedback only use 1- 2 electrodes, which would not provide the right protocol. I’m going back to the doctor who initially gave me neurofeedback treatment next week in the hope that it will help again. If not, then I’ll be going back to my audiologist for the Widex hearing aids. Here are some links to more current papers supporting the use of Neurofeedback for reducing tinnitus symptoms:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0079612307660464
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29775031/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29143096/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23700271/
Just know that if your condition is permanent and your are really suffering, there are products and procedures out there can help you. God bless all of you who are suffering.
drugdiscoverytrends says
I got my 2nd shot 5 days ago and noticed a very high pitched tone, mainly in my right ear that’s persisted since the day after the shot. Constantly, day and night.
Such a high pitch is unfamiliar territory to it’s hard to judge volume and all other sounds come in fine due to the wave length difference, but I’d guess an “A” note, maybe 2 octaves higher than the highest piano key.
Experimenting with the “inflammation” theory, I just jammed my finger into my ear and IT’S MOSTLY DISAPPEARED! WOW! Plus, now it seems to be an “F” note, in the 2nd last octave on the piano – far less anxiety causing.
When I release my finger, it remains!!! It’s been 10 minutes and it’s creeping back up in pitch, but the volume remains far lower.
What a relief!
BTW: I hear COVID itself can cause such symptoms; not to mention the more obvious quality-of-life impacting havoc that COVID causes. I’M VERY HAPPY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME FULLY VACCINATED, AND I’M SAD WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE FINDING EXCUSES TO SKIP IT. This virus and it’s variants are here to stay. It’s highly likely that the fully vaccinated will fare better in the long run. Plus; I’m doing my part to allow a functional society & economy again.
drugdiscoverytrends says
Update: The relief must have been my imagination & wishful thinking. It’s back & worse than ever; almost double the volume all night and continuing today. Barely slept last night. I hope this decline doesn’t continue – my 2nd Pfizer vaccine was just 6 days ago and some above report it only beginning on day 17.
Note: I’ve had almost no other side effects for the 2nd vaccine besides this; very slight headache and mild fatigue – and now tinnitus. Side effects from the 1st shot were like having mild flu aches for 2 1/2 weeks.
aueloxn3 says
SAME high-pitched ringing! Had my 2nd Moderna shot on 4/8/21 and the loudness of the newly acquired tinnitus woke me up a couple of days later. Never had consistent, bilateral ringing in my ears prior to this and it is VERY distracting to me. I can’t sleep well due to the consistent ringing and now it’s affecting my work performance because I’m so fatigued. This common ailment, most likely, has not been in the news for fear of scaring people away. So sad.
I hope anyone who recovers from this vaccine-related ailment will let us know here. I could really use some hope at this point.
kevinsnow17 says
On a Facebook group it has been discovered that someone’s histamine levels have increased significantly from normal. He is a 800. Normal is 65. A histamine safe diet might be helpful.
ciprian.droc says
17 days after my first pfizer shot I started hearing this high pitched sound. I went to a walk in clinic and got referred to an ENT which I’ll call tomorrow. I curiously said to myself to google ‘tinnitus after vaccine’, even though I didn’t even think it would be the case, but here we are.
So far out of all the comments I read I haven’t seen anyone come back and say they’re ‘cured’ so that’s very discouraging.
I have an appointment for the 2nd dose in 3 days and it’s a toss up, I feel I can manage this noise, it makes it harder to fall asleep and it’s sad I won’t ever hear total quietness anymore but certainly don’t want to get it worse.
I’ll make sure to come back and update regardless of getting the shot or not, just to give a status update on the noise level. I’d say it’s a 2.5/10
ciprian.droc says
Today has been 3 weeks post 2nd shot. What can I say, I don’t think the noise level increased because of it.
As a matter of fact it started decreasing a week + after to the point where I could sleep without issues and not notice it during the day. However over a week ago I had to complete a project, sanding some wood. I wore earplugs and I noticed the sound incresead that evening by a considerable amount, to about a 4.5? I initially assessed my noise level to 2.5 however it was more of a 4.
A week past the ‘exposure’ I did notice some changes where at some moments it lowers but not close to what the initial ‘lower’ went to.
I’ll give more updates in a few weeks.
mariasvasilakis says
My brother developed ringing in his ears the day after getting the Pfizer vaccine last Saturday (4/24/21) . His wife, who has suffered from tinnitus for years, got her first shot and it made her condition worse (i.e. louder ringing). Since the beginning of the pandemic, Dr. David Agus set up a group text that anyone could subscribe to and he would provide important virus and vaccine information to the subscribers. Long story short, he actually personally replies to questions and I asked him about this and here’s his reply:
“This happens from back up of his lymphatics and will resolve after several weeks.
Would have been much, much worse if he got the virus!”
Fingers crossed!!
mattandnikkipitts says
My tinnitus started on March 22nd after first Astrazeneca vaccine. Firstly a mild hissing noise, which grew to high pitched whistle..all the time. It hasn’t gone away, maybe slight improvement some days, but is way worse when I’m stressed. It’s so annoying being stuck with it. My ears are mostly clear, but GP suggested steroid nasal spray (no good), some days worse than others. I”m taking zinc, mg, fish oil but stress makes it go crazy! I rang GP in tears yesterday, it’s really getting to me. They’re referring me to ENT clinic but don’t think it will help. Think I am stuck with it……
mattandnikkipitts says
Also it’s best to do your own research – as much as possible to help yourself. The British Tinnitus Association have good website and on twitter. I’ve found out and never realised some drugs cause tinnitus – read this https://lyricaudiology.com. I’m so glad this forum has been set up, if anyone is cured of vaccine related tinnitus please report back. At the same time it’s so sad that so many of us have now got tinnitus. You can read medical articles on ototoxic drugs using “google scholar”.
Paul says
Read my post above and what helped me!
MICHAEL says
Paul
Im confused? I scrolled up the chain to your previous post (unless its a different Paul) where you mention…
“Over the last week I started experimenting with a few things, and I’m seeing some very good progress.”
But I don’t see where you explain what you were doing?
Thanks
Paul says
Somehow my lengthy post didn’t get posted 🙁
In short:
I started taking:
1. Tulsi Holy Basil (3 capsules per day, recommended dose) – removes stress and detoxifies body. Stress causes/increases tinnitus.
2. Organic garlic capsules.
3. Organic blood pressure capsules (someone else also mentioned their BP went up). Blood pressure also causes/increases tinnitus.
4. One tablet of Valerian root at night (removes stress, helps sleep).
5. Tebonin:
Someone above mentioned they were recommended “Tanakan” and it helped them. Tebonin is another name for Tanakan. It’s ginkgo biloba in its purest form, called “EGb 761”. The ginkgo biloba you buy in grocery stores or online is just not the same thing. It’s full of fillers and not pure (I tried). I was able to find Tebonin on Amazon, it comes from New Zealand. The tablets are 120 mg but the recommended dosage for tinnitus (from what I’ve read) is 30-40 mg, so I ended up cutting each tablet into 4 little pieces 🙂 One little piece mutes my tinnitus for at least 24-48 hours, like back to normal feeling. Even the box says something about “Inner ear peace and comfort”. As always – discuss with your doc etc, my ENT didn’t have any opinion on ginkgo biloba.
Good luck!
mattandnikkipitts says
Thank you Paul, much appreciated. I am 6 weeks today since vaccine. Still have either hissing or high pitched whistle all the time. Am worried about this, do others still have this permanently or does it come and go. I don’t have much ringing noise, just hissing/whistle.
JEE says
Good evening everyone.
I find myself in the same boat as all of you. Here is what happened to me.
I received my first AZ shot on the 24th March. About an half hour later I got a very strange burning sensation up my left nostril which then made my left eye run(I had my jab in my left arm). About 10 hours later I developed tinnitus which hasn’t subsided at all. It is driving me mad, and today it is the worst it’s ever been. I gave the Dr a ring yesterday as I’m now beginning to worry that this is going to be permanent, what a waste of time that was. The receptionist just said the Dr doesn’t deal with vaccine side effects, call 111. I’m so glad I have found this chat as no one else I know has had this problem. I also suffer with allergies and was wondering if that was the reason I have had this reaction. Don’t think I dare have vaccine number 2.
Ps… Still slight problem with nose 😞
steyedy69 says
have tinnitus for years learned to live with it. got first shot – very loud. can’t take it. canceled second shot. afraid it will make it unbearable now. i have anxiety attacks. i’m glade i found this blog. i thought i was the only one. at lest i can sleep with it. thats the only time I don’t hear it. driving me crazy. did not want to get second shot. have copd. going to take my chances. good luck everyone.
steyedy69 says
would love to sit in back yard an hear quiet instead of krickets in my head
aueloxn3 says
Had my 2nd Moderna shot on 4/8/21 and the loudness of the newly acquired tinnitus woke me up a couple of days later. Never had consistent, bilateral ringing in my ears prior to this and it is VERY distracting to me. I can’t sleep well due to the consistent ringing and now it’s affecting my work performance because I’m so fatigued. This common ailment, most likely, has not been in the news for fear of scaring people away. So sad.
I hope anyone who recovers from this vaccine-related ailment will let us know here. I could really use some hope at this point.
Jay says
I got my 2nd Moderna shot 04/29 and have little side effect. I had one mild brief ear ringing 4 hrs after the shot. I took one tylennol right away and went to bed. I did not experience any more ear ringing the next day.
This is a bit different than my 1st shot on 03/30, where I had tinnitus for about 2 days which gradually went away (I reported this online). I was hedging whether to get the 2nd shot or not, as I was worried the 2nd shot could give more severe tinnitus.
I now have a theory based on anecdotes, asking around other friend and coworkers.
“For Moderna or Pfizer, those who had little/no side effects will likely get a severe one at their 2nd shot, while those who had a noteworthy side effect after 1st dose will have much less one after the 2nd.”
Those who get strong reaction after the 1st shot probably built up enough immune reaction and anti-bodies, so the 2nd shot does not do much more. On the other hand, those who have little to no reaction after the 1st shot did not yet get the immune response, and the side effect will tend to be amplified after the 2nd shot… Just my 2 cents.
I hope this helps. If your tinnitus went away before your 2nd shot, I think the chance that it will get worse after the 2nd shot is probably very low and unlikely, if the tinnitus is really a result of strong immune response….. Your body already evoked a strong immune response at the 1st dose…
Boyd says
I received the AstraZeneca two weeks past, a week ago I lost the hearing in my right ear and there is a contant noise. 🙁
johan.unges.epostlada says
I got ringing ears 4 days after first Moderna shot and headache for 3 days. It slowly disappears and go back to normal.
I am like many eager to hear experiences from second shot from people already experiencing adverse effects after first shot.
Jay says
I had ear ringing for 2-3 days after the 1st shot of Moderna. Since I recovered before the 2nd shot was due, I went ahead and got the 2nd shot. The ear ringing was much less than the first. I had the 2nd shot Thur (04/29) and I am doing OK.
mattandnikkipitts says
Does anyone find some days you can cope and it’s manageable and other days you feel in a panic…Wouldn’t mind if I knew it would go. Also wouldn’t mind if more ENT clinics and GPs had more idea about this being caused by vaccine, rather than assuming it might be something else. Grateful for vaccine but worried about getting second dose…
rstibbetts says
I am about four weeks out from the 2nd Moderna shot when my tinnitus really began to roar. I thought it was calming down but the last couple days have been particularly bad. The spikes tend to hit first thing in the morning, build throughout the day, and slowly dissipate over the course of a few days. Not sure if this qualifies as improvement.
larkn5 says
I got my 2nd Moderna vaccine March 18 2021 my ears started ringing the next day……and still are today..went to the gp today with no recommendations at all.Never had an issue in the past with the ears till the 2nd dose..ugh.It has been reported to VAERS and I now hear nothing from them either….hope it passes soon..also had my ears tested back in June of 20 with no issues at all..so I am convinced it is vaccine related..
Cindy says
I got my first Pfizer shot on March 23, 2021. The ringing in my ears started a couple of days later and is still there 6 weeks later. I have not gone back to get the second shot. About an hour after the first shot, I felt a little dizzy but that passed within minutes. I also felt like I had a lump in my throat and lived on about 3 to 4 Benadryl a day for the next 4 weeks. I am also finding that some foods are causing this lump in the throat and all the pollen as well. I never had any allergies prior to March 23. I have a doctor’s appointment, but it’s still a couple of weeks out. In the meantime, I’ve found that some breathing exercises can help me get to sleep, having some low-level background noise helps to mask the tinnitus, and meditating helps. I also exercise regularly and eat clean, not sure that helps the tinnitus, but it helps me feel good. I hope we all find relief and can get rid of the tinnitus, or at least find ways to successfully overcome it. I have reported this to the VAERS system.
rstibbetts says
Many of the folks that initially registered their tinnitus on this forum seem to have not returned. I hope this means the symptoms have resolved for many. Not so in my case, unfortunately (5-weeks after second dose). Has ANYONE had a change for the better at some point after their second shot?
sugarhills says
I have been trying for a month to register/log in to this forum, that may be why ppl haven’t returned. I had 1st Pfizer shot 4/14, 2 days later my tinnitus got much worse. I’ve had tinnitus for 20 yrs, mild case, minor annoyance. But now it’s top of the chart. Like another person said here, I won’t get 2nd shot until “they” come up with a solution. After 4 wks I have had 4 days in the past 7 where it seems to subside a little bit. Doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Back to the register/log in issue, I did email someone who wrote in here to ask how she registered, she said she couldn’t log back in.
Brian Buntz says
Thanks for the message and sorry to hear your tinnitus has worsened.
Could you email me at bbuntz@wtwhmedia.com to describe the type of login issue you have been experiencing?
JEE says
Update. Still no change in my tinnitus from my first vaccine on 24th March. I’ve made the decision not to go for my second one.
patsy.martinez says
I submitted a comment on April 15, 2021 and there is no change. I still have tinnitus which is 6 weeks from when it first started. Some days are not so bad but sometimes it’s an intense high pitch sound. It’s always there even if it’s just a faint sound. I use a “Bed Buddy” sometimes which is like a heating pad you warm up in the microwave. I find that helps but not everyone wants heat around their neck or head. I will definitely send an update if and when this goes away. I noticed the heaviness in my ears and head did go away so my hope is the tinnitus will disappear in time too. I check this site everyday for any hopeful news.
b.manning.kelly says
I’ve improved six weeks after the first shot and with trepidation rescheduled the second shot for later in the month. Many people in the Facebook group postponed or decided against the second shot. Some seemed to have improved over time whether from the first and/or second shot. It’s a pretty mixed bag in a group of 2,100 people.
Zeta says
I just want to thank everyone for the new postings along with all those who posted earlier. I’m one of the people who was all set with an appointment to get the vaccine. I decided to check online for any advice which at the time I thought would only be flu like symptoms. I wondered if people had any recommendations then by chance I stumbled into what has happened to so many of you with hearing loss/tinnitus. Since I already have hearing loss and severe tinnitus I cancelled my appointment. I also joined the FB group and agree it’s a mixed bag of how people are effected and whether they are recovering or not. I’m still not getting the vaccine and won’t until these unacceptable side effects are taken seriously by both the medical community and the vaccine makers. I was prepared to feel awful for a few days as if I had a bad flu, but I am not prepared to lose more hearing and have my already terrible tinnitus made even worse. I do understand that the COVID virus can do these same awful things to people, but right now I’m more worried about the vaccine. I feel guilty for not doing my part in getting vaccinated because I’m one more person making it more difficult to achieve herd immunity. It’s just an unacceptable risk to me when thousands of people have had these hearing/tinnitus issues develop.
Rand says
No one should feel the need to apologize; these are experimental vaccines that have NOT been fully vetted. Its also clear that thousands (tens of thousands?) of people are experiencing severe tinnitus after receiving the mRNA vaccines. This could be due to ototoxicity of ingredients in the vaccine (like the lipids used for RNA delivery; inflammation/fluid imbalances in the inner ear; an autoimmune response against auditory nerves; or even inflammation of auditory regions of the brain. Who knows at this point? Certainly not the manufacturers or the government. Everyone needs to carefully weigh the risk of developing severe tinnitus versus protection from possible Covid exposure. Perhaps the one dose J and J vaccine offers the best compromise for many.
Don says
Thank you everyone and Brian for all the helpful and insightful posts. I received my first Pfizer shot on March 25 and also developed tinnitus afterwards as per my earlier post. I decided to put a hold on my second shot until I can sort this out. In the meantime, I also have continued to check back here to see if others have reported it getting better and had any new information. I may be noticing a slight improvement over the last couple of days, but I’m not a 100% sure yet. Since my original posting here, I spoke with a friend who is a physician and the head of the Family Practice Residency Program for our local hospital system. His thoughts were that whatever side effects I experienced with the first shot would likely be worse with the second shot (although not always the case) since it triggers a stronger immune response, so I’ve decided to continue to wait. I’m now outside the 42 day window to receive the second shot (per the USA guidelines), and I’m hoping that I won’t have to start over again if I decide later to get the second shot (I would like to get fully vaccinated). Although I understand the UK gives the second shot at 90 days, I’m not sure if the US will recognize me as fully vaccinated if I got the second shot at 90 days. I also considered getting one of the other vaccines for my second shot that might be less likely to have this side effect, but my physician friend said that all the vaccines that we currently have trigger a similar response since they all cause the body to produce an immune response to the spike protein (just different mechanisms to get the mRNA into the cells). I think this is consistent with what we’ve seen with similar side effects in general across all the current vaccines.
mattandnikkipitts says
Hi all, I posted earlier but reporting back after tinnitus developed after Astrazeneca jab on March 22nd. I’m really sorry so many of us have had this. Personally I am really depressed about this and wonder if I’ll ever enjoy real silence again. I’m anxious anyway and having never had this before it has really affected me. I managed to get an ENT referral this week so will report back if anything happens (I don’t expect much from it). The nasal steroid spray didn’t help. I’ve been using zinc, magnesium, fish oils, B vitamins, some days it feels like it’s going, but today has been worse. It’s a high pitch noise…permanently. I don’t know if the vaccine has damaged our hearing or has just caused inflammation. I’m not sure I’m getting the second jab….When I get really stressed then I get “ringing in the ears” AND high-pitched whistle…Take care all, let’s hope it goes….
Rand says
If I had it to do over again I’d go with the J and J shot. You might also hold on for the Novavax shot that uses a very tried and true method of injecting the purified antigen (e.g. spike protein) with some adjuvant. The mRNA vaccines are too experimental; there could be something in the lipid nanoparticles that is causing all this or some of the spike mRNA might be finding its way into the cells of the inner ear, which could recruit immune cells and cause damage. Hard to know.
Zeta says
I read an article about a company named Valneva that is working on the old techniques of making an inactivated vaccine. I’m not much of a scientist or biologist, but I’m thinking this would be like Salk’s polio vaccine. I agree these mRNA offerings are just too experimental. I am totally prepared to be sick with flu like symptoms for a few days, but no one should lose their hearing and get tinnitus from a vaccine.
I’ve been watching the Novavax situation too. Since they still use the spike protein wouldn’t that put it in the same category with Pfizer, Moderan, J&J and AZ? I know they’re using moth cells in some way but don’t know if they stray enough from the others not to cause more hearing issues. I’ll just keep watching what turns up with Novavax, Valneva and then the oral pills that are also in the works.
Rand says
Hard to say. The Novavax vaccine uses purified spike protein which gets eaten by the immune cells. The other vaccines have the potential to produce spike protein in cells outside the immune system where its potentially harmful to do so (like the inner ear or brain). Pure speculation. It could also simply be that anti-spike antibodies produced by any approach are harmful to the auditory system of some of us.
Brian Buntz says
Interesting points. I’ve wondered myself what role pro-inflammatory cytokines have on the auditory system. It is possible they are linked to tinnitus as everything from loud sound exposure to infection can trigger the release of such cytokines. In 2002, researchers concluded that such cytokines could play a role in some forms of sudden hearing loss: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11981388/
jbeef2 says
Just an update from my prior posts. Received the Moderna shot on Jan 8th. Lost all hearing in left ear within 24 hours! Went to ENT right away. They preformed all the sudden hearing loss protocol’s but nothing has returned, and I’m told it is unlikely to ever return. Would like to hear from anyone who lost their hearing and if it ever improved? I’m still trying to adjust and hopefully find a hearing aid which can help. Did not get 2nd shot and will not until there is some proof that this would not occur in my right ear, which is only 80%.
Rand says
Wow. From 100% to 0% in 24 h? So sorry to hear this. It was have been terrifying. All this smoke…there is certainly fire with respect to the vaccines and hearing disturbances/loss. Frankly there needs to be a warning.
MICHAEL says
Since my April 26th post…
I received the JJ Vaccine on April 8th and still have the piercing ringing sensation. It is no better today and only worse if anything. There are days that are not as bad but overall no improvement. My only advice (knowing nothing medically can be done at this point) is to focus on anything but the tinnitus! Have an air-cleaner next to the bed for some white-noise at night and focus on other sounds or visuals during the day. In the beginning I had significant anxiety and would wake up in the middle of the night in a panic. I have read much on the subject and this was the only thing that has taken the edge off for me. I know how much worse it could be and I can still hear thankfully.
Wish there was a universal online forum for the tinnitus issue (please share if you know of one) but appreciate all the feed back here for sure.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Michael,
There is Tinnitus Talk, which is one of the more prominent forums.
One thing to keep in mind in mind is that there is a lot of negative information about the condition online, so it’s worth keeping that in mind. Most people end up habituating, but it can be a slow and non-linear process. Because the nervous system is involved in generating the sound, things like stress and insomnia can worsen the symptoms while deep sleep can improve them. Easier said than done in the beginning though.
MICHAEL says
Greatly appreciate the feedback Brian. Definitely a work in progress and not stressing as much certainly helps. You and this forum has HONESTLY helped me so thank you!
PS…I am gonna go take a nap right now
Brian Buntz says
Hang in there, Michael!
Rand says
You are only a month out and still in an inflamed state of immunity. If you are seeing some days where its not as bad there is hope it will gradually calm down. I am five weeks out from the second shot and in the same boat.
MICHAEL says
Thank you Rand that is great to know!
Best of luck
mayszitronlaw says
About 9 days after my first Pfizer shot, I had tinnitus for three days and my right ear was numb. I had my second shot on February 18th. I developed tinnitus on February 23rd and it has been 24 hours a day ringing in my head. I have been to an allergist, and ENT, a neurologist, had a CT scan and physical therapy. It has been almost three months of nonstop ringing.
debramarsh says
I have had tinnitus since I was 9 years old. It was brought on by exposure to a very loud noise and having mulitple ear infections prior to age 9. I went to the ENT recently because I have been dealing with vertigo and an increase in the hissing sound in one of my ears. My hearing is good, I just hit the half-century mark, but the increased noise is bothersome. The cause of my vertigo remains a mystery.
I called my ENT to ask for a suggestion as to which vaccine to take and the clinic refused to offer any advice. I am hesitant at this point to get vaccinated for fear that my tinnitus could be made worse. I have asked my primary care provider as well and he was sympathetic since antibiotics have made the tinnitus worse in the past.
Sharing my story/concerns just in case it helps someone. Thank you for covering this topic. When I first went in for my tinnitus so many people didn’t believe it existed. Thankfully I had an ENT back then who knew about it first-hand.
Rand says
Tough call. Maybe get one-shot J and J vaccine. Efficacy is lower but seemingly so is the risk of severe tinnitus. The 2nd shot of Moderna is what did me in.
mattandnikkipitts says
8 weeks since AZ vaccine – still whistling tinnitus – no-one seems to understand it. Went to ENT clinic and consultant knew nothing about tinnitus post vaccine, so I told him about us and that 1 in 14,700 people have had this as side effect according to British Tinnitus Association..that made him listen! So anyway, my hearing was normal, ear pressure normal (it doesn’t feel it at times) and he offered masker or CBT to help..Returned to doctor who prescribed different nasal spray with antihistamine built in with steroid (in case of allergy affecting eustachian tube)..and so it goes on. Just bought some quercetin which is good for that sort of thing. Still taking zinc. Anyone have any improvements to hissing/whistling?
Rand says
Thanks for the update. Is your tinnitus as bad now as it was at 8-weeks? Do you have any “quiet” days? Also curious if you had tried oral steroids. I see the ENT next week (finally). Last 48 hours have been rough.
MICHAEL says
For what its worth my ENT suggested the increased tinnitus effect is due to the immune response from the vaccine creating inflammation. He said a steroid may have helped if take before the vaccine which in turn decreases the efficacy on the vaccine itself. He also said he didn’t feel a steroid would make any difference at this point.
Still ringing for me since April 8th
baecbren says
I had two rounds of steroids and then took a covid antibody test which tested for both covid and covid vaccine related antibodies and out of a measurement range of1-200 my antibodies were 188 (positive) 6 weeks out from 1st and only shot.
mattandnikkipitts says
Yes I have had some days when I thought it was going and others when I cry! For me a night of lots of red wine and cheese after dinner is the worst…and stress. Interestingly, I had a large seafood dinner twice (mussels, prawns, scallops..the lot!) and next morning noticeably better. I thought later and realised maybe it’s the amount of zinc? There are studies where tinnitus sufferers really improve taking it, but I think maybe in food it’s better (someone else mentioned this). Apparently zinc is really important in the ear – look it up if you’ve time. Some days good, some bad and I’m quite fed up. Tell myself better than Covid, but I am delaying second vaccine whilst I decide what to do. I wasn’t offered oral steroids and my ENT consultant thought there was no point. It’s difficult getting any clear advice.
Rand says
Kind of thought it would be improving (today is exactly 6 weeks from the second shot), but with three *loud* days in a row I’m not sure where things stand. Obviously nowhere close to where I’d like to be.
baecbren says
I am 8.5 weeks out and have had improvement in the reduction of the volume of T – but mine pitch changes. I have the bees, cicadas, whistling sound, ringing, etc, Even times where I can’t here it at all (though these are still brief). I did take 2 rounds of steriods. I agree ear pressure does not feel normal at times. Yesterday my left ear popped and the T stopped in my right ear for about 10 minutes. I was told by my ENT it’s inflammation from the vaccine and they are seeing a lot of people with this as well as other issues. There is a individual in a Facebook group who after no change in his T for 3.5 months began taking acetazolamide which is used for high altitude sickness as well as glaucoma and he has seen significant improvement in his T within one week.
Also consider vaccine caused inflammation of the TMJ/TMD related muscles as TMJ can also cause tinnitus. So May want to seek treatment of this to help reduce/end T as well as ear related issues.
Brian Buntz says
Interesting. Acetazolamide is also used as a treatment for Ménière’s disease.
S. says
Hi everyone! I wanted to share my story and give a little hope!
I got my 1st Pfizer dose on April 16th, tinnitus started the day after as a high-pitched ringing in my right ear. Some nights I would even get the ringing + pulsatile tinnitus on my left ear. I was very anxious about this and even thought of skipping my 2nd dose. I went to my ENT and he prescribed corticoids, a vasodilator, and an anti-anxiety drug for 7 days. He told me it is not too crazy to think the vaccine could be causing this, but that stress and anxiety are 100% proven to make tinnitus worse.
3 weeks later, I started to note that the tinnitus went from a 5/10 to a 3/10, and the pulsatile tinnitus is almost gone. I got my 2nd dose yesterday and so far, so good! I now truly believe this is temporary, and I am not so anxious anymore about being permanent… if it does come back, I’m positive it will go away eventually! So just to let you know there’s hope 🙂
P.S. Of all my friends who got Moderna or Pfizer, only 1 of them got tinnitus… and he was also very stressed and anxious (before the vaccine) as he was going through some personal stuff. So I truly believe there is a connection there! Just my two cents 🙂
elawton says
I had the the first Moderna shot on March 17th and the second shot on April 21st in my left arm. About a week or so after the first shot I lost partial hearing in my left ear. I thought it was ear wax and didn’t put two and two together until my second shot. That is when tinnitus in the left ear began.
The Friday after the second shot I called Teladoc and they prescribed ear drops to no avail. On Sunday I went to a General Practitioner who looked in my ear and said there was a cyst in my left ear and prescribed oral antibiotics. On Monday I called my primary physician for a referral to an ENT specialist. On Tuesday I decided to go to a walk in clinic and have them look at the ear. The nurse practitioner looked in my ear and said it was scratched (the General Practitioner rammed the scope up my ear two days earlier), the nurse saw no cyst and prescribed ear drops).
Finally, I got a referral to see an ENT on Thursday. It was approximately 14 days since the second shot. The ENT said “he had read of cases like mine from the covid shot” and put me on a fifteen day course of prednisone (after conducting a hearing test).The dose was six, ten mg tabs per day (60 mg per day ouch) for ten days and then taper off for 5 days. I took another hearing test after the meds were gone and my hearing had not improved nor has the tinnitus. I would never have taken the second shot had I known the loss of hearing was the result of the first Moderna shot. Maybe the tinnitus will go away with time. I’m so stupid thinking wax was in my ear after the first shot! At least I have my right ear for now. Good luck to all.
afrost77 says
I experienced tinnitus after the first Moderna shot and have been able to nearly eliminate it with the following regimen of Pure Encapsulation supplements that I ordered from Amazon. The Pure Encapsulation brand is more expensive than others, but I didn’t want to mess around and wanted to reduce my symptoms as quickly as possible so I would recommend going for that brand if you can afford it:
Breakfast: 1 Zinc 30mg capsule, 1 B Complex Plus capsule, 1 R-Lipoic Acid capsule
Between Breakfast and Lunch: 1 Ginkgo 50 160mg capsule
With Dinner: 1 B Complex Plus capsule, 1 R-Lipoic Acid capsule
Between Dinner and going to bed: 1 Ginkgo 50 160 mg capsule, 1 “UltraMag” Magnesium capsule
If I could only pick one of the above and go for cheaper with the rest it would be the Pure Encapsulations UltraMag Magnesium, but I am continuing with all of them for the near future. It took about a month or so. I hope this helps.
jonbrett5 says
This is my first posting here. Initially my teeth felt super sensitive following my first Moderna shot (March 24th). A day or so after my second Moderna shot (April 24th) I developed, for the first time in my life, tinnitus, best expressed as a high pitched “hiss”. It has continued unabated for the ensuing 4 weeks, except for the past three nights – when it softened to a near zero at around midnight. And then it picked up again a couple of hours later.
I have seen two ENT docs. One gave me a prednisone taper (which I haven’t taken yet). The other didn’t think the prednisone would have much effect. My audiology seemed OK. I happen to live in farm country near the hub of most of the US Pharma companies in NJ. Many of my neighbors work for these guys — J&J, Merck etc. One of them, a researcher who has worked on vaccines, speculated that the “trigger” in the Moderna shot might have something to do with the specific “adjuvant” that Moderna included in the “cocktail” in the shot. An adjuvant (from the Latin verb “Adjuvo” – to help, or to assist) is used to help enhance the body’s immune response. And in our case it seems to have certainly pulled that off.
I believe we are all experiencing a neurological/inflammatory event. I did reach out to the neuroscientist Professor Bao at the University of Arizona, who as you know from this site takes this view. (BTW, I’m not a scientist, just a humble fiction writer with an imagination!). I am, however, guardedly hoping that this inflammatory response will eventually calm itself down. Like the 19th Century “Farr’s Law” which predicted that most epidemics experience a quasi-symmetrical bell shaped curve. In other words, what goes up will eventually come back down. I just so hope that happens to us all.
But for now, it is pure unmitigated misery. And yes it does bring you to tears. Certainly it has as far as I am concerned.
I am very happy to have found this site and to have met you all. I will keep you posted.
J
Brian Buntz says
Thanks for sharing.
Couple of things came to mind when reading your comment. One is that there isn’t a lot of data that focuses on the degree that people with tinnitus improve over months and years. There have been several studies that have found significant easing of symptoms from things like tinnitus retraining therapy.
A recent study found that the most effective treatments included medication, hearing aids, brain stimulation, dental visits (maybe for TMJ management?) and physiotherapy.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83068-5
The other thing that came to mind is that Pfizer and Moderna have not claimed to use of an adjuvant in their vaccines, but that the mRNA in the vaccine can have “immunostimulatory properties and signals through pathogen recognition receptors,” as this paper explained:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7553041/
ehrlichvivian says
Hi,
I just want to say I found an article on the web entitled
Concerns of Lipid Nanoparticle Carrying mRNA Vaccine into the Brain:
What to Make of It? And I am wondering, like the author of the
paper, if the mRNA vaccine encapsulated by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) might
interact with delicate cell types – such as neurons in the brain. In other
words, a tiny, minute amount might cross the blood brain barrier and enter the
brain. And this is what I am wondering, is that causing the tinnitus and/or tinnitus
spikes? I think maybe but then why are some people fine (no tinnitus or spike)
and others not? I don’t know but I think that even though the author is
not talking about tinnitus, what he says could explain the onset of tinnitus or flares.
Rand says
I have concerns about the lipid nanoparticles, but the AZ shot is also causing tinnitus. Ditto J and J.
Seems more likely the tinnitus is a side effect of the immune system cranking up, regardless of vaccine platform. Its seems like many had preexisting tinnitus that went bonkers after the shots.
ehrlichvivian says
Hi Rand,
Yes, you are right. There is something with the immune system because the tinnitus
issues are happening with all the different vaccines. And the question is not just
“What is happening?” but also “Why are some people getting tinnitus or tinnitus
spikes and some not?” I wish Dr. Vernon from the Oregon Hearing and Research Center were still alive. I bet he would have had some theories.
Kenneth says
I am now 90 days in since the Tinnitus flared up (As per previous post I had mild tinnitus before the Moderna Shot on 2/24/2021). This is so unpredictable, I get all the types – hissing, crickets, high pitch buzzing – and it varies day-by-day. The most difficult part of it is having a good day where you feel like it might be going away, then suddenly you get hit again with a bad round of it. If I think back, I do believe it has improved – less bad days than before, lower levels than before, but still bad enough and not gone. The pressure in my ears had gone away for a couple of weeks, but I am experiencing it on and off again. I did not get the second shot and will not get it at this point. My heart goes out to all of you – this is very difficult to manage because of the unpredictable nature of it. I do take a regimen of vitamins that I do believe helps somewhat – Morning: Zinc, Chelated Cal-Mag, Ginger (for inflammation), Vitamin E —- Night – Ginger, Chelated Cal-Mag, L_theanine (this helps to sleep despite the tinnitus). Best of luck to all of you and here’s to hoping it does go away for all of our sakes. I will update again after more time passes, hopefully with good news for everyone.
Rand says
Very similar to my experience. After a very “loud” Tuesday May 18 (and the two days prior), I experienced near total silence for a period of time on the 19th and minimal tinnitus May 20-23. Yesterday a little louder and today (May 25) very loud. Crazy stuff. The trend seems to be toward gradual improvement with flare ups but I really have no idea. Hearing is within normal ranges (some high frequency loss in both ears) and the ENT did not have much to add other than speculation. Suspects that my family history of migraine might predispose me to a tinnitus trigger (vaccine/inflammation) and suggested I clean up my sleep habits and maybe try Mg, Zn, and antihistamines. FYI, they have been seeing a good number of people with vaccine-induced tinnitus, so there is clearly a safety/side-effect signal.
ehrlichvivian says
May 26, 2021
Hi,
I had my first Pfizer shot on March 17th and my tinnitus spiked for about 11 days to
2 weeks. Since then, the tinnitus has calmed down and it had not been bothering me.
Is it where it was before the shot? I don’t know – all I know is that I am
not having any trouble, not even with sleep.
The Problem- I am beyond the CDC guideline of the 42 day window for the second shot.
However, I am within the 3 month time frame that England has been using.
So, I was wondering if anyone
has received the 2nd Pfizer shot within the delayed time frame? According to a study
out of England, the delayed time frame leads to a greater humoral antibody response but
a weaker cellular T cell response.
Question -How was your tinnitus after the second shot?
For me, I am pretty sure the tinnitus will spike again. I don’t mind as
long as it calms back down again.
Rand says
Ask your physician, but the prime-boost is textbook dogma in immunology and you need that 2nd shot if you want protection from Covid. Be prepared for a tinnitus blast within 24 h and hold on tight; it can be hard to bear. However, you are betting that the tinnitus is caused by an inflammatory response that will eventually calm down. At least that was my calculus.
JT says
I had minimal tinnitus before my first pfizer shot. Within about a week of the vaccine my tinnitus spiked. I saw an ENT and he prescribed a 6 day course of prednisone at 3 days of 40 mg and 3 at 20 mg. On day one this brought down the tinnitus volume significantly. I waited 7 weeks to get my second vaccine after the tinnitus was reduced to very low again. I also started an anti inflammatory diet a week prior ( no gluten, no dairy, no processed foods etc.) and i took fish oil and curcumin to reduce inflammation. After the second vaccine I am pleased to report that I did not have a spike in my tinnitus. It did go from very low to medium. I saw the ENT and got another prescription for prednisone but have not started it yet. I want to wait 2-3 weeks post vaccine so I don’t reduce its effectiveness. I think it has naturally gone down a little already but is not as low as it was. I believe it is an inflammatory immune response to the vaccine which will eventually go back to baseline. It may take longer in some with greater inflammation. My ENT says he is seeing a lot of increased tinnitus sounds related to the vaccines. People that never had it getting it and others that had it soft getting spikes. He said it was random and that the second shot didn’t always have a worse response but it certainly can. Varies by person. I delayed my second shot in part because I wasn’t sure whether to get it and in part because he told me i shouldn’t get it within a couple of weeks of finishing prednisone. I felt comfort getting it late as it seems to be working out for UK giving it 12 weeks later. I also wanted my tinnitus to reduce to as low as possible before i got another shot.
ehrlichvivian says
Hi,
This has nothing to do with tinnitus but it is interesting that a small number of myocarditis cases are surfacing in teenagers and young adults. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart.
Also, to avoid this side effect, Israel is considering giving teens just 1 covid vaccine dose as the condition is occurring after the second Pfizer dose.
Tinnitus – myocarditis – why are some people having more inflammation that others?
Rand says
Complex genetics of the immune response. I’ve read a couple papers (quality uncertain) linking polymorphisms (small sequence differences) in cytokine/inflammatory genes to tinnitus susceptibility in the elderly. Individuals with one version of the gene were susceptible to tinnitus; those carrying a different version were resistant. Could be something similar with the vaccine.
JT says
I am holding on vaccinating my 12-15 year olds. Will wait for more data. Risk of virus is low right now and will continue to be be low through the summer. Will reassess in a couple of months when more data is available. I like the idea of one shot for teenagers though. Their risk of severe illness from covid is very low and heart inflammation is no joke.
Don says
Hello Everyone,
I had posted earlier about the tinnitus I experienced after my first Pfizer shot on March 25. I still have tinnitus. It is annoying but is manageable. However, I am concerned it may get worse with the second shot, and so I have held off until I can get more information.
A medical professional I spoke to recently said that I should consider getting the second shot in the thigh (anterolateral thigh) since that location is furthest away from where I am experiencing the side effect. He pointed out that the deltoid muscle of the arm is actually ranked number three on the list of preferred sites for intramuscular (IM) injections. The first is the buttocks, followed by the thigh, and last is the deltoid. The deltoid is the easiest injection site to access and so that is why they are doing the injections (speed). He also felt that not following correct procedures with IM injections (i.e., not pulling back on the syringe for a few seconds to check for blood) can lead to accidental injection into a vein or artery where the vaccine solution can quickly travel around the body, which you don’t want to happen and could increase chances of side effects.
Any thoughts from Brian or anyone else here on getting the injections in the thigh? That location is actually listed as an alternate in the CDC Guidelines.
I was also concerned about having to restart the series of shots since I am outside the recommended 42 day window. However, a footnote in the CDC guidelines indicates the series does not need to be restarted, so it appears that if I just get the second shot I will be considered fully vaccinated.
Rand says
Shot in the thigh sounds like a good idea to me. I had both shots in the left arm and, perhaps not coincidentally, my left ear is much worse than my right. The second shot is a tough call for those who postponed it. I’m still not aware of anyone who has fully recovered from the more severe tinnitus that occurs after the 2nd shot and we’re now talking months, not weeks, post vaccine. I thought I would be on the mend by now.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Rand,
I can’t speak to the point about the duration of tinnitus, but was wondering if you had come across the neurophysiological model of tinnitus developed by Jastreboff, who created Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. I’ve heard mixed things about TRT, but there is perhaps more scientific data behind it than other treatments.
I found this overview of the neurophysiological model, which I found interesting:
“…it is proposed that tinnitus results from the abnormal processing of a signal generated in the auditory system. This abnormal processing occurs before the signal is perceived centrally. This may result in ‘feedback’, whereby the annoyance created by the tinnitus causes the individual to focus increasingly on the noise, which in turn exacerbates the annoyance and so a ‘vicious cycle’ develops. In this model tinnitus could therefore result from continuous firing of cochlear fibres to the brain, from hyperactivity of cochlear hair cells or from permanent damage to these cells being translated neuronally into a ‘phantom’ sound‐like signal that the brain ‘believes’ it is hearing. For this reason tinnitus may be compared to chronic pain of central origin ‐ a sort of ‘auditory pain’ (Briner 1995; Sullivan 1994).”
Rand says
Sounds interesting and plausible. Certainly the perception of tinnitus is central and there are all kinds of theories (including synchronized firing of hair cells leading to harmonics; threshold changes in the auditory centers to offset high frequency hearing loss etc). My ENT suggested my migraine with aura history means that I am sensitized and predisposed to this kind of thing. Not sure I buy that.
Since some with tinnitus are also experiencing vertigo, shouldn’t Meniere’s Disease be number one on the list of suspects for all of us? My ENT did not even mention it. Whatever it is, I think we can safely infer it was triggered by the immune response to Spike.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Rand,
I heard from one ENT who suggested that it is plausible that people with conditions like Meniere’s disease could have their symptoms worsen post-vaccine (especially after second dose). He stressed that this idea was conjecture and I’ve not seen any clinical literature on the subject, but JAMA just recently ran a piece concluding that vaccines likely didn’t lead to an elevated risk in sudden hearing loss.
Just based on what I’ve read, it seems like things like Meniere’s disease can be tricky to diagnose given the overlapping symptoms of several vestibular conditions.
You’re certainly right that there is a lot of theories. Seems like more rigorous clinical research could help bring some more clarity to the field, although I’m not sure how one would, say, prove or disprove how synchronized firing of neurons linked to hair cells would result in various harmonics.
I’ve seen studies using fMRI but it seems most rely on subjective questions to understand the condition.
jonbrett5 says
Hi Brian,
I found this neurophysiological model that you referenced very interesting.
When I fall asleep and wake a few hours later, I realize that the tinnitus “hiss” has completely gone. Vanished. Then as I begin to ” increasingly focus” on its absence it is as if my brain is waiting for the “hiss” to reappear. And within a few minutes I sense it begins to reappear softly at first and then builds until it has fully returned.
It is uncanny. It is as if my brain has been programmed to expect to hear the “hiss”. And then of course, wide awake and stimulated, it does exactly as it had been programmed. It is, as your post mentions, a possibility that my brain is synthesizing this “phantom-like” sound — while my ears/cochlear are not picking up anything.
Simply put, It is only then when I focus on the absence of the sound that it “returns”.
Rand says
I find it can come on over a 5-10 min span regardless of whether i am thinking about it or not. Almost like a migraine. It often does this in the morning before I awake and then I’m stuck with it for days. Its just crazy loud. What in the world happened with this vax?
Brian Buntz says
Hi Jon,
Thanks for the great feedback.
It seems to me too that there is a feedback-loop element going on. I’ve also noticed the intensity seems to drop when relaxed. When first waking up in the morning, the volume is sometimes really subtle and then begins to increase from there. I’ve notice the reverse phenomenon when drifting off into sleep.
It seems like one of the main criteria for tinnitus severity (measured by the Tinnitus Functional Index) is the percentage of time one is consciously aware of tinnitus. Many people who habituate report going for longer and longer periods where they don’t focus on it. It generally is a very gradual process though.
tidetoshore says
After my first Moderna shot on on March 11th I had the usual side effects of swelling and soreness in the site, then weeks later I developed the lymph node swelling in the arm pit area of the same arm I received the shot which was my left arm, it lasted for several weeks. I received my second shot on April 7th.. no bad side effects but now have the ringing, hissing in the ear on the same side the shot was given, I am also having lymph node swelling in the same arm pit area still today and it’s been 7 weeks since my last shot. The ringing at this point is mild and can tolerate it but the lymph node swelling is bothering me more, bothers it when clothing.. ie bra, shirt, cami touches it.
Rand says
Its remarkable how similar many of our experiences are (waking up to tinnitus; the periods of silence late in the night; waxing/waning aspects; the nature of the “hiss” etc.)
Seems like there is an initiating event (inner ear inflammation?) and then a propagating/amplifying mechanism (your brain locks in and/or the hair cells sending the signal synchronize?). Personally I think there is an actual problem with my left ear (that the ENT had little interest in) that started this whole roller coaster. I’ve thought about seeking out a prescription for beta histine that is used to treat Meniere’s. BTW, beta histine is a weak H1 AGONIST and this is thought to underly its benefit in Meniere’s, which may involve vasodilation of inner ear capillaries and reabsorption of perilymph/endolymph from the cochlea. Notably Zyrtec and other antihistamines are H1 ANTAGONISTS. I had been taking Zyrtec. Not any more.
jonbrett5 says
Hi Rand,
I read your last post with interest. Yes, I, like Brian, fall asleep with a glorious period of silence. No hissing. My dreams are, however, more unusual and vivid than the ones I can recall I experienced before this current vaccine “onslaught”. I then wake (usually in my case like clockwork around 4am) to be greeted by the hissing sound. In my left ear.
I thought about what I might’ve taken in the evening that quelled and erased the hissing. I am a vodka drinker. Not to excess, but a drink I enjoy with orange juice. So I began to Google if there had been any research studies regarding the anti-inflammatory effects of vodka. After all, vodka originated in Eastern Europe as a medication back in the middle ages.
I came across a study at the University of Sheffield in the UK where there was a report given by a consultant rheumatologist/clinical lecturer which showed that a moderate intake of pure alcohol/vodka lowered the risk of inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis by 40% or so. Simply put, 873 patients with RA, and 1004 patients without RA, took part in the study. The conclusion was that there seemed to be a 4x greater risk of developing inflammatory RA amongst the non-drinkers than the drinkers.
A number of sites including WebMD reported this back in 2010.
Then I read up on a study from Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. This seemed to show that pure alcohol (ie. vodka) reduces the biomarkers of inflammation — including CRP (C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin-6, and TNF Receptor 2). It also reduces stress (as we all know!) increases blood flow and circulation (good for clots etc) and even has a positive impact on lowering cholesterol.
I know I am not a scientist, but a lowly writer, but I believe that the Moderna shots have certainly fired up my immune response system — and caused inflammation (possibly neuro-inflammation). The two ENTs I have seen have not come up with any explanation or effective meds.
I just thought I’d simply throw in my two cents, and a casual observation that a moderate amount of pure alcohol at night seemed to reduce this terrible “hissing” to a zero.
Brian Buntz says
Thanks, Jon.
This is perhaps the article you mention, right?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20667949/
Interesting. It seems like it is worth keeping an open mind in any case. Given how tinnitus is generally not well understand by researchers, there is reason for skepticism regarding a lot of the advice concerning the subject.
It is fairly common advice to hear people say avoiding coffee and caffeine, for instance, can help with tinnitus or at least avoid worsening it. That may be the case in people with high blood pressure, but at least one study I saw found an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and tinnitus symptoms: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4127368/.
Maybe the rise in incidence in tinnitus during the pandemic will lead to more research on the subject in the long run.
One common denominator I’ve seen is stress-relief and sleep, which seem to help reduce tinnitus severity (or at least facilitate habituation) over time.
Rand says
Hard to say if there are triggers or not. Alcohol sounds like a wonderful antidote.
In my case, the early AM increase in hissing is quite dependable. Sometimes that leads to a really rough day; sometimes it subsides (or does not worsen) after I get moving around. The body physiology changes quite dramatically around 6 AM; blood glucose begins to spike; cortisol levels increase; blood pressure rises. Are any or all these factors contributing to tinnitus? Is it simply having your head in a lying position too long? A poor nights sleep? I have had days of near-normality the past two weeks; days where my head felt like it was going to vibrate off my shoulders; and everything in between. I also have intermittent pressure and popping in my left ear (that was worse a couple weeks after the 2nd shot) and I’m just now on a nasal steroid spray to see if that helps with the tinnitus. Beyond that, just Mg and regular vitamins for me.
I still think there is an actual “pathology” in my left ear that
gingerjacky says
Hello,
My background:
1st Moderna vaccine shot April 4th – 2 weeks later developed a red spot on the arm and place of shot. It didn’t really bother me though
2nd shot May 2nd – in the middle of the night, same night, I woke up and was burning (fever). Got up, took 3 motrin and went back to bed. Next morning, woke up and noticed I was sweating (fever broke). That same day I was extremely fatigued and had chills. Next day, no chills and not as fatigued. Third day, was fine. No symptoms.
I week later I started to get tinnitus…have had it since…somedays are better than others.
I have a sister who is a registered nurse and works at a hospital in Boston, MA. She contracted Covid-19 in March of 2020…Lingering symptoms were loss of taste and smell and tinnitus. She told me the tinnitus was the worst…It took a full year for her to regain her sense of smell and taste and a good 6 months for the tinnitus to go away…But it did…
She also told me if the tinnitus is from the vaccine (which it DEFINITELY IS!!), then the tinnitus is only temporary…So, I am hanging on to those words…Hope this helps – Ginger
maknisa says
I had a preexisting tinnitus for about 30 years , more or less stable. Got fist doze of a Pfizer and 6 hours latter on one ear the sound aggravated, became more intensive with different tones. Plus hearing on same ear deteriorated, feels like cotton ball inside. One week passed so far, no changes. In doubt if I take another shot.
maknisa says
After 3 weeks passed, with only slight tinnitus subside and still stuffed my left ear I’m waving my second dose. Will follow the advise from: https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20210603/qa-link-between-covid19-vaccination-tinnitus-worth-looking-into
“…Poland: People have asked me that, and I’ve said, ‘I don’t know, even for myself.’ Let us wait another 6 months from now to see if I am still experiencing tinnitus or if it decreases to baseline. If it were to go back to baseline, and I was convinced that a booster was warranted, I personally would do it.”
jozef.zsapka says
Hey guys,
like many of you I have developed a strong tinnitus (along with a clogged ear feeling) approximately 1 hour after my first Pfizer shot. Having read some of the anecdotal reports here I felt super anxious as the new sensation kept going for many days without a sign of relief.
The whole clogged-ear hearing loss and strong tinnitus felt somewhat similar to the one I usually experience during a common cold-like illness, which I’ve always attributed to the inflamed sinuses. This time however, the tinnitus was a completely isolated symptom.
I’ve asked around my friends and colleagues and found a pretty significant percentage of them had it too, so I definitely wasn’t alone in this. However, each and every one of them also reported having found relief after 5 to 10 days.
Similarly, I’ve started feeling better on the day 4 – there was a quite noticeable hint of the symptoms finally subsiding. On the day 6 and finally a week after my shot there was eventually no hint of any hearing loss or excessive tinnitus.
Now, I’ve suffered from mild tinnitus for as long as I can remember, but this episode was indeed extremely unsettling. But as I mentioned above, having experienced a similar sensation during a real illness I was 99.9% certain this would go away and was probably connected to the lymph nodes doing their work(?).
So much for my story, I hope I managed to bring a little light at the end of the tunnel for those currently experiencing it. Hang in there, it’s gonna get better 🙂
jozef.zsapka says
Hi again,
just a quick heads up to those interested – I’ve taken my second Pfizer dose approximately a month ago and happy to report that this time there were absolutely no signs of tinnitus or any other side effect. I was quite worried it might come back or worsen after having had the isolated episode after the first dose, but this time the vaccination was without any complications at all. Thus, taking into account my personal experience I can confidently recommend getting both shots to those worried or hesitant. It’s worth getting immunised!
v_v_s_1980 says
Same here. 7 days exactly after 2 shot of Pfizer, having mild tinnitus. Doesn’t bother me that much, at least for now, we will see how it’s going to go. I am on the second day now with this crap
Largus Mars says
SEE: Link between COVID-19 vaccination, tinnitus ‘worth looking into’
At: https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20210603/qa-link-between-covid19-vaccination-tinnitus-worth-looking-into
Within a few hours of receiving his second COVID-19 vaccine dose in February, Gregory A. Poland, MD, a vaccinologist and director of the vaccine research group at the Mayo Clinic, knew something was not right.
Within about 90 minutes after receiving his second dose of an mRNA vaccine, he experienced the sudden and severe onset of tinnitus. He soon discovered that he had tinnitus, becoming one of at least 2,250 people who reported developing the condition following COVID-19 vaccination. The actual number may be higher, and a critical question is whether it is coincidence or causal, according to Poland.
He said it is time for federal health agencies to examine the COVID-19 vaccine-tinnitus link, although he acknowledged that the FDA and CDC are “overwhelmed with the amount of data” they are receiving regarding vaccination.
Largus Mars says
RE: JAMA Article
Association Between COVID-19 Vaccination and Sudden Hearing Loss Using US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System Data
Eric J. Formeister, MD, MS; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2780288?appId=scweb
“Anecdotal reports are rapidly emerging from the otolaryngology community of SSNHL occurring after inoculation by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines” !!!
I believe the author of this study, Dr Formeister, does a disservice.
“The CDC VAERS is a national repository of incident reports associated with adverse reactions that occur after any vaccination. Any individual may submit a report, and all reports are publicly available.”
As Dr Formeister goes on to state, “Because VAERS reports are unverified, susceptible to underreporting bias, and the number of unique individuals within the vaccine cohort is not known exactly”.
*** But then Dr Formeister goes on to use that data set to show SNHL following covid vaccination is not larger than the background rate.
I have been to three specialists for my symptoms, and none reported it to VAERS.
Garbage in/ Garbage out. But this methodologically flawed study may make it harder to get attention for this potentially debilitating adverse event.
Rand says
Agreed. They should also be more broadly considering tinnitus/vertigo instead of focusing solely on sudden hearing loss. Tinnitus>vertigo>SNHL in terms of frequency from all the message boards. Clearly there is a safety signal with hearing. Investigate it for crying out loud!
Honestly, the companies and public health leadership have no interest unless the adverse event kills you. Even then, they try to explain it away as “background noise” (see the AZ response to clotting).
jbeef2 says
You are so right! Cover it up and hide it, if you can not explain it! Loss my hearing within 24 hours of my first Moderna shot! It has not returned and my ENT said it will not likely do so. It’s been really tough to adjust and it’s really bad in some situations. But we are on our own because too many don’t want to admit there is a problem.
cjridder says
Hi all,
First of all thank you for this conversation. It stopped me from the second shot. I got my first Pfizer shot on March 23rd. My left ear started ringing with a high EEEEEEEE sound three days later. I have had slight tinnitus my whole life. I had expected the ringing to go away. The day before my second shot I read this conversation for the first time. I cancelled my appointment and called my ENT. I saw both the ENT and an Audiologist. They both agreed that the ringing was caused by the shot. They had both seen a number of vaccine related tinnitus cases. The consensus was my ear was affected by the vaccine in the same way ones ear rings after an explosion or a rock concert. My autoimmune system made my ear think it had been damaged. It should heal and get better. Using ear plugs and staying away form loud noises, the ringing is a little better now in June. After waiting to see what would happen, I saw my GP on May 26, he was also aware of the tinnitus side effect and he gave me the J&J shot. Now almost 3 weeks in no worsening of the ringing. My GP said to avoid mRNA vaccines from this point forward and to use J&J’s follow up boosters. There is hope out there.
Charlene says
I am 28. Currently based in Melbourne, Australia. Never had tinnitus. No underlying health issue. Do not drink nor smoke.
I had my second dose of Pfizer vaccine on Fri 11 June and experienced the usual symptoms (fatigue, soreness, low-grade fever, chills) on Sat 12 June. However, I have also developed a sudden onset of tinnitus in my right ear. It has been three days since the continuous ringing but symptoms have yet to improve.
I have just reported to Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS.hhs.gov) – will be seeing my GP tomorrow.
bulvide says
From personal experience I’d skip going to the ENT. They can’t fix tinnitus and will only drain you of some cash. I’ve followed advice from an Aussie named Liam Boehm and I’m down to almost silence from debilitating 10/10 volume tinnitus. It takes time, effort and some lifestyle changes but tinnitus is not for life! Liam has free content on YouTube which is all I needed to start reducing my tinnitus. He also has a course you can follow as well. I also started going to a holistic health practitioner who does muscle testing (nutritional response testing) to help get my body in a better state of healing too. Chances are there’s someone in your area who provides a similar service.
The nuts and bolts of steps to start silencing tinnitus: Start keto, remove seed oils, remove processed carbs, cut out all sugars. Get in daily meditation, grounding, fresh air and sunlight without sunscreen (30 minutes a day) along with cold showers or doing saunas. Implement some type of fasting routine. Try to reduce stress in your life. Interval training or higher intensity workouts help as well. It takes time but you can see results fairly quickly.
Or you can just wait and see if it goes away on its own. Best of luck to you!
Rand says
Sounds very familiar but I had the Moderna shot. Just watch your hearing in that ear; some people exhibit hearing loss that can be permanent if not treated ASAP. If its just tinnitus, consider yourself lucky but think weeks/months of recovery.
kris_pill says
I am 47 and got my first Moderna 1st week of April. Almost 10 days later, got pain on my left ear. Next day the pain went away but with sound of crickets on my head. Didn’t know it was due to vaccine initially . Searched online and ended up here. Was bit relieved to see folks sharing similar experience. Got an appointment with ENT. He said everything seems fine. Sent me for an audiogram . Everything came up normal. I had to turn on some songs at night to even sleep initial days. Later I think my brain got used to the sound and felt bit better. I kept on delaying the 2nd shot. And after close to 8 weeks , i got the 2nd shot after hearing lot about the Delta variant . My family convinced that getting COVID can also cause similar or worse . The first 2 days after the 2nd shot was horrible, noise got louder and I felt faster heart beat especially when I try to sleep that wakes me up. Some how after couple more days everything just went away. I was following some of the suggestions from folks about taking Zinc / Vitamin-D/ Honey ……. Not sure its just a temporary relief and it may come back again. Just wanted to share my experience to give some hope to others. These positive comments helped me earlier. I know how this feels when we get it.
** This is the first time I have written anything on a forum . Felt I have to write something here.
brionh77 says
Kris,
Thank you so much for posting. You had tinnitus for about 8 weeks. and then it went away? I am 7.5 weeks in and really hope this goes away. I got tinnitus 5 days after second shot. My sister had tinnitus for only about a week after her second shot.
-Brian
Rand says
I am at about 11 or 12 weeks after the 2nd shot and still dealing with it. Some days much, much worse than others for reasons I dont understand. There does not seem to be a therapy to explore. There is a Facebook Covid tinnitus site (that I found more depressing than helpful) where people have tried just about everything. It seems like the tinnitus will resolve when its ready to resolve and not sooner. My ENT thinks its similar to migraine, FWIW.
JEE says
Still have tinnitus since 24th march, some days it seems to be getting worse. Very worried that it is now going to be permanent.
hoardingpuppies says
Just curious if you’ve had any relief since posting this. Did you visit an ear, nose and throat doctor or get any treatment?
gingerjacky says
There are a group of doctors that have been treating patients with Covid-19 successfully with the drug ivermectin…I spoke with one of the doctor’s in Florida, Dr. Aikey, and she said although she has never yet treated someone with tinnitus side effects of the vaccine, she did say she has successfully treated Covid-19 patients with tinnitus…worth a shot maybe?
https://covid19criticalcare.com/covid-19-protocols/i-recover-protocol/
https://www.exstnc.com/ – List of doctors
Brian Buntz says
Ivermectin, which is not an FDA authorized COVID-19 treatment, is suspected to be ototoxic and to cause symptoms “primarily manifesting as vestibulopathy”:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lary.29424
Rand says
No rational reason to try Ivermectin. Everyone is frustrated but there is potential to do more harm than good with many of the drugs people are trying.
Brian Buntz says
Thanks for the feedback, Rand.
Rand says
Brian, what is your stake in all this tinnitus dialogue? Have you experienced it as well? Increasingly I believe the acute damage to the ear(s) after the vaccine is permanent, at least in my case.
jbeef2 says
There is potential for harm with any drug one takes! Look at the number of drugs listed that can cause cause hearing loss or tinnitus. I wish some good Dr. would tell me this–
What is the Ototoxic potential for Ivermectin taken at 18mg per week,
compared to taking furosemide (Lasix) two 40mg daily??
JT says
Update. After first vaccine my very soft tinnitus became screaming loud. After a round of prednisone and after 7 weeks the tinnitus got down to very soft again over time and after following anti inflammatory eating, meditating etc. I did go back for the second vaccine at 7 weeks past the first one and my tinnitus did not go up to screaming loud but it did elevate to a medium level and now 6 weeks later it is still stuck at the medium level. It is tolerable at this level as during the day I mostly do not notice it with other noises around. At night I use melatonin or magnesium and ocean music to sleep. Hoping over time it goes back down to soft though I would be reluctant to consider a booster shot in the future. I’m also not vaccinating my 12-15 year olds awaiting more detail on symptoms for that age group from covid. I read the delta variant often produces cold like symptoms in this age group. Not sure risking heart inflammation from the vaccines (which has been confirmed as linked) is worth it. Trying to gather more info on how teens are affected by the new variant.
Rand says
Doing a course of prednisone after Dose 1 is potentially going to short-circuit your immunity. You might get a titer at some point to rule it out.
I started a 1-week prednisone taper a few days ago but its not doing much and I will probably taper off it early. While the tinnitus was most certainly initiated by inflammation (12 weeks post 2nd shot), I’m not convinced its still an inflammatory condition, if that makes sense.
Agree about the risk/benefit to Covid vaccines for children and teens. Clearly there are many significant side effects that have not been adequately vetted or publicized and, despite what the CDC says, I would error on the side of caution.
hoardingpuppies says
I wanted to share my story with this. I have no idea if my tinnitus is related to the vaccine I got, but it’s been suggested to me there may be a link. I’m in my 30s, totally healthy as of my physical this year. Normal BP, no diabetes, etc. In the past I’ve had seasonal allergy issues where I hear crackling/whooshing in my ears, but these last a few seconds at a time and are not constant.
I got my 2nd dose of the pfizer vaccine April 29. I didn’t get the fever or common symptoms I’ve heard about. I actually felt fine, but had a swollen lymph node under my arm on the injection side for a week, which resolved on its own. My tinnitus started sometime in mid-July. A really faint, nonstop pitch in my left ear. Sometimes I think I hear it in my right ear as well, but I can’t tell if it’s just reverberating through my head at this point. It’s been going on for three weeks now and has not stopped for even a single second. When I watch TV, listen to music or even talk, I hear the “jingling” sound in my left ear, essentially distorting all sound that comes in. Sometimes I try to just tune it out, and other times I’ve had debilitating panic attacks because it just will.not.stop. These are especially bad at night. I woke up earlier this week and had heart palpitations and was coated in sweat because I was so distressed and losing so much sleep to this.
I went to the ENT this week. They did a full hearing exam and also a brain scan. My hearing falls into the normal range (I’m not exposed to loud noise) so this isn’t hearing loss related. Also, the brain test they did (sticking these buzzing headphones in my ears to monitor my brain’s response) was also normal. My ENT basically gave me a diuretic, told me to take lipoflavinoid over the counter, and gave me a prescription for the anxiety as well. She said it should just clear up on its own, but it’s been like three weeks at this point, so I’m not really sure what to make of any of this. ENT also said she has had patients with tinnitus shortly after the vaccine, but my case is pretty far from the injection date so she hesitates to say it was that. If this can provide any peace to the people reading this, my ENT assured me that the vaccine-related tinnitus she saw in her office eventually cleared up with or without intervention.
Brian Buntz says
Thanks for sharing.
I think the one thing to point out is that there likely isn’t a defined interval for recovery or habituation. There are data on how things like anxiety, insomnia, etc. can exacerbate symptoms.
Not sure if there are any research papers that have taken up the topic, but a JAMA study concluded there was likely no link between sudden onset hearing loss and COVID-19 vaccines: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2780288
Still haven’t seen any research papers on COVID-19 vaccines and tinnitus…
Hang in there and try to get some rest. If it is really faint, should be fairly easy to mask.
hoardingpuppies says
Thanks for the encouragement. I hope everyone here finds some relief from their symptoms. Even if it is temporary or on the milder side, it’s scary to have something happen to your body that you have no control over.
I have no idea if it is vaccine related so I wouldn’t want to mislead anyone. Worth noting that a few months back, well before I even got dose 1, I had a weird health issue that resolved. It had no explanation and I definitely would have wondered if it was linked to the vaccine if I’d gotten it before it happened.
hoardingpuppies says
Hi to anyone who may be reading this. I wanted to give an update and maybe a bit of hope. My vaccine was April 29, and the tinnitus started mid-June. Hard to pin down the actual date. My tinnitus has been in the left ear mostly, with occasional ringing of a different pitch in the right. But the left has been the loud one and the reason I’ve not been getting any proper sleep this past month. Went to the ENT on June 29th and got prescribed a diuretic, which I’ve been taking every day. No idea if it’s doing anything.
But last night I had the first good sleep I’ve had since this all started, and when I woke up feeling great, I realized it was because I hadn’t heard any of the ringing in my left ear all night. And for much of the day today, I’ve had long moments of just…. silence. It’s been beautiful.
The ringing hasn’t completely stopped, but in order to hear it, I have to plug my left ear, at which point I’ll hear that nonstop jingling sound. I also still hear it in my own voice when I’m talking, and sometimes a little bit when watching TV. But it really does seem to be diminishing. It used to be an endless eeeeeee sound that haunted me day and night, and now I only hear it if I push down on my ear or I really really listen hard for it.
I’ll update if it totally goes away, but today has been the first really hopeful day I’ve had in about a month. I’ve actually felt like I have my life back and I was starting to think about my usual things–friends, family, work stuff, without obsessing over the ringing in my head.
Kenneth says
I just wanted to update everyone on my “progress” or lack there of. This is not an attempt to scare anyone because everyone’s experience can be different with this. I hit the 4 month mark on 6/26/21, and it seemed soon after the tinnitus actually got worse. I only got the first shot on 2/24/21 and my mild tinnitus flared up thereafter and has not relented since. How have I managed this? Two things – as of 6/30/21, re-started lipo flavanoid and pushed through the first week (had trouble taking it before, figured I had nothing to lose by pushing through, the tinnitus was become a real nightmare). Also went to ENT and got on a steroid dose. The tinnitus has reduced about 50%, so as far as I am concerned, it is a form of inflammation and something or both things are working on it. I find it strange that none of these companies, other than J&J reported tinnitus, because frankly, we all know it happened in their testing. I have also been taking Zinc, Magnesium, vitamin E to try to push this garbage (yes garbage) out of my system as quickly as possible. Vaccine was not worth it, no matter what anyone tries to tell me. No one understands how life affecting this can be unless you are going through it. Again I did not get the second shot because of fear of making this worse. This has really beaten me up over the past few months, I just want to have my body back from this junk. So, for those of you curious and got their shots at a later time, you may be in for the long haul. One thing that I have found that helps to is an app on my phone my ENT recommended – Whist – you can actually change frequencies to match your tinnitus and it seems to mask it very well when trying to sleep at night. I would suggest trying the free version and if you find it works, by all means buy it – you can save your profiles and settings. Any and all of these things could potentially help you, so try them all until you find something that works. I said this before, but my heart goes out to everyone going through this. The other side has be out there – we will get there, just hang in there everybody. My prayers to all of you, seriously, I know how maddening this is – I am with you. Look to your loved ones for support with this and make sure they understand how much of a struggle this really is for you. We got this….
hoardingpuppies says
Do you have some reason to believe this will go away once the vaccine has left our system in a few months?
mjcamarda says
If I had seen this site before getting the vaccine I may have given it a second thought. About two weeks after receiving my 2nd Pfizer jab, loud tinnitus started, first in right ear for three weeks but now in both. This was around mid-May. It has not stopped. 24/7, a high pitched ringing that sometimes sounds “wavy” and like little electrical shocks. I also have very bad pressure headaches and sharp pains in my head every day. I had none of these symptoms prior to the vaccine. I also have weird dreams every night all night. It seems like my brain never rests. During this time black floaters showed up in my right eye. I never experienced these either. All of this after the vaccine. I have seen two ENTs, my PCP, and an eye Dr for the floaters. Both ENTs told me to learn to live with it. The ENT I saw last week told me she thinks it’s the vaccine. Nobody had mentioned that before. It was the first I’ve heard of it until I found this site. I have no hearing loss, my hearing was tested. It’s 100% ok. Just loud ringing which has caused me a lot of anxiety, even days I don’t care if I live. Prior to the vaccine, I was happy, healthy, and active. I can’t believe this has happened. Some days I’m angry and some days I’m sad and I mourn the loss of my previous, peaceful life. I try to continue my exercise routine and find some gratitude but I can’t believe this might be how I feel for the rest of my life. I’ve also read that studies have shown that tinnitus may cause accelerated aging of the brain. Wonderful.
Brian Buntz says
Sorry to hear about your experience.
Hang in there. Tinnitus often improves with time, but it can be a slow process. There are a lot of books, free resources available to explore. There are professionals specializing in helping people with tinnitus. There is also a fair amount of doom-and-gloom material on the subject, which can be counter-productive.
Sounds like your intuition to continue exercising and looking for gratitude will be helpful in the long run.
I’ve seen some similar materials to what you describe about accelerated brain aging and was not clear on whether it was the tinnitus per se that contributed to that or the stress related to tinnitus. Sometimes those two things are difficult to unravel.
lchmgesnohg says
I’m in the same boat with you, but hoping that it will resolve one day, for all of us. My tinnitus came after the 2nd jab on the following night (3 weeks ago) with high fever, chills, body aches and neck stiffness. The high pitch sound feels like it is ~70% on the left side, where I also got the injection. Sometimes it is getting much louder for few seconds which is quite frightening. Also, my ears have been “locked” (like waiting to be popped but they never do) since then and I experience pain in my ears every now and then. I also feel some pressure in ears. For instance, when I walk into my apartment, the pressure sensation is getting stronger and therefore it is less pleasant to be indoors than outdoors. Went to see a GP and audiologist – all tests came back normal, hearing was OK and no inflammation in ears was observed. So nothing much to do now and I’m just waiting… If it gets better, I’ll come back here to let you know. Hope springs eternal.
All in all, it’s pretty difficult decision for us to make – to get vaccinated and risk with developing some rare long-lasting side effects or get COVID and…who knows what can happen. But I’m scared to get another mRNA vaccine in the future or a booster shot.
mjcamarda says
I’m sorry we are all experiencing this. It truly is awful. My quality of life has gone way down since the vaccine. People I know don’t fully understand how lousy I feel every day. I made the decision today I will never take another vaccine or booster shot. The doctors brushed me off, told me to learn to deal with it. I was devastated. They were completely disinterested. Please take care. I hope for better days ahead for all of us.
Rand says
My tinnitus is now comprised of attacks that start in the morning, build through the day and last anywhere from 24-72 h before subsiding. I get a good day or two or three and then it happens again. Almost always starts at daybreak over the course of a few minutes. The tinnitus spikes begin in the left ear but eventually I get reverberating vibration/hiss/ring in both ears, with unique clicks in the right. These qualities are quite different from the tinnitus I was experiencing a month after the second shot. The spikes are actually more severe. The ENT I have seen twice is hopelessly cynical and arrogant and I will rely on my primary to help navigate forward. I did a week of prednisone and can’t say it helped, but its possible it did, if only slightly. I may try a diuretic for a week and see if that does anything.
maryfig717 says
Any updates please?
gingerjacky says
Hello,
I received my 2nd shot of Moderna on May 2nd and have had daily ear ringing since.
I did reach out to one of doctors on the FLCC site and was told I have inflammation of cranial nerve (VIII).
The primary function of the vestibulocochlear nerves (VIII) is a special sensory, but of two types. The vestibular nerve handles balance and equilibrium, while the cochlear nerve is responsible for hearing. The vestibulocochlear nerves originate in the monitoring receptors of the internal ear—the vestibule and cochlea.
The course of action is not ivermectin treatment but to get rid of the inflammation. Right now I am treating the inflammation with the below supplements:
Liquid liposomal glutathione – 1500mg once daily
Nasal spray liposomal glutathione – 1 spray in each nostril twice a day
Liposomal Vitamin C – 1500mg once daily
Omega-3 – 2000mg twice a day
Vitamin D3 – 5,000 IU once daily (take with omega-3)
Quercetin – 2000mg once daily
Zinc – 22mg once daily (take with Quercetin)
Curcumin – 500mg twice a day
Vitamin k2 – 100mcg once daily
Melatonin – 9mg at nighttime
Two whole eggs per day
NO ALCOHOL
I can honestly say these supplements have been a game changer! I have just completed two weeks on these supplements and there are days where the ringing is almost non-existent. And when it is there it is manageable.
I had a follow-up with the doctor today and told her in the morning and during the day the ringing is at a level 1 or 2. But I notice as the days wears on it does get a little louder…This she says is the cortisol in the body. High levels in the morning, lower levels in the evening…the below has been added to my supplements for this reason…
Aveeda tea (licorice flavored) You can find this on amazon. I hope this helps someone out there because I am truly HONEST when I tell you this has changed my life for the better!
Rand says
Sounds like you are making real progress and have a doctor who is on the ball and actually interested in your well being. My ENT was a real jerk. According to him this is form of migraine.
rj9cali says
Hello GingerJacky,
Hopefully you can help me I am in need of desperate advice and come to you for help. I read your Vaccine message of what you are doing to help cope with the reaction you had to the vaccines, really hoping this gets to you. I as a very healthy young 42 year old prior to taking my 2nd shot of the phizer shot on July 23 of this year. Since doing this in July it has been unrelenting pain that I am now going through. I believe you and everyone else on drugdiscoverytrends.com. and hoping that you can give me the exact brands and the names of the supplements that you took to help with the inflammation of the Cranial Nerve, it seems like this is exactly what I am experiencing unfortunately I have constant pressure like migraines that come and go. I am so scared and hope that you can provide me with the list and links and anything else you can so that I start getting better.
gingerjacky@verizon.net
July 9, 2021 at 5:42 pm
Hello,
I received my 2nd shot of Moderna on May 2nd and have had daily ear ringing since.
I did reach out to one of doctors on the FLCC site and was told I have inflammation of cranial nerve (VIII).
The primary function of the vestibulocochlear nerves (VIII) is a special sensory, but of two types. The vestibular nerve handles balance and equilibrium, while the cochlear nerve is responsible for hearing. The vestibulocochlear nerves originate in the monitoring receptors of the internal ear—the vestibule and cochlea.
The course of action is not ivermectin treatment but to get rid of the inflammation. Right now I am treating the inflammation with the below supplements:
Liquid liposomal glutathione – 1500mg once daily – What brand
Nasal spray liposomal glutathione – 1 spray in each nostril twice a day What brand
Liposomal Vitamin C – 1500mg once daily What brand
Omega-3 – 2000mg twice a day What brand
Vitamin D3 – 5,000 IU once daily (take with omega-3) What brand
Quercetin – 2000mg once daily What brand
Zinc – 22mg once daily (take with Quercetin) What brand
Curcumin – 500mg twice a day What brand
Vitamin k2 – 100mcg once daily What brand
Melatonin – 9mg at nighttime What brand
Two whole eggs per day
NO ALCOHOL
I can honestly say these supplements have been a game changer! I have just completed two weeks on these supplements and there are days where the ringing is almost non-existent. And when it is there it is manageable.
I had a follow-up with the doctor today and told her in the morning and during the day the ringing is at a level 1 or 2. But I notice as the days wears on it does get a little louder…This she says is the cortisol in the body. High levels in the morning, lower levels in the evening…the below has been added to my supplements for this reason…
Aveeda tea (licorice flavored) You can find this on amazon. I hope this helps someone out there because I am truly HONEST when I tell you this has changed my life for the better!
Really hoping that this gets to you and hope you are in great health as I am just not doing good. Please if you can reply this would really make my day. Thank you in advance and look forward to hearing ack from you.
Kindest regards,
RJ
gingerjacky says
Forgot to add this: drink 1 to cups of Aveeda tea around 3:00 PM daily
msmith13571 says
Hello everyone,
I wanted to bring some light to this thread and let you all know that 4 weeks have passed since my second Pfizer vaccination and my ringing is now a 1-2/10 when I notice it, but besides that I barely notice it and can finally sleep again without waking up in the middle of the night to the sound.
To give you some context, I am 23 years old and developed tinnitus 3 years ago in the right ear after a flight, but it would come and go to the point that I barely noticed it after the first few months of the initial onset. My tinnitus was gone for almost an entire year until it came back within 24 hours of receiving my second Pfizer shot and it was raging at a 10/10 in sound for a couple of days. I do believe the shot has something to do with my tinnitus coming back because I have never experienced such loudness and it never woke me up in my sleep before. However, the ringing/static noise slowly went down to a 6-7/10 after 2 weeks and finally it has subsided to a 1-2/10 in terms of loudness.
To anyone reading my post, I am sorry you are going through this and I know it’s very scary, especially to those who have never experienced tinnitus prior to the vaccine. I understand how worried and concerned you might be, however I want you to know that in my experience I’ve found overtime the brain does become accustomed to the sound and starts to block it out so that you stop noticing it as much – but you need to stop stressing and try to keep it off your mind for this to happen. In my experience this seemed impossible when I first developed tinnitus because it was all I could think about, however I began to stop worrying as time went on. When I first developed tinnitus I visited multiple ENT’s who had no idea what caused it and really couldn’t do much for me, but test my hearing and tell me common things that trigger it such as stress, caffeine, sodium, etc. I found it hard to believe that the sound would go away and I was so upset to think I would never live in silence again. However, the people who told me that the brain gets used to it were right – and I barely started noticing it after the initial 3-4 months of having it to the point where it was completely gone unless I focused on it.
I wanted to leave this comment to help anyone suffering. I’ve heard tinnitus from the vaccine can be caused due to inflammation, but it’s too soon to really know what’s going on. My recommendation would be to get a hearing test for peace of mind and an MRI of the brain if you are able to. I just received my hearing test results and they came back great with no hearing loss, which has helped calm my nerves.
Hang in there everyone, you are going to get through this and as easy as it is to say you now regret getting the vaccine or wish you didn’t get it, you did not know that any side effects would come with it. Try to stay positive and good things will happen.
Take care
Brian Buntz says
Appreciate you taking the time to share. We have received a lot of comments from people looking for positive stories.
hoardingpuppies says
I never had tinnitus before this, but I would say my experience is also that it’s gotten softer about a month after it started. The ringing was always in my left ear (still hasn’t stopped). At its worst it was maybe a 4 or a 5, and I was really really struggling to sleep. There were a couple nights where I was just like a zombie by morning. Now, while it hasn’t stopped, it’s down to a 0-2. I can actually find a position at night where I don’t even hear it and I’m able to get to sleep so I’m really grateful for that.
More recently my right ear has started acting up, and that one so far has stayed at a 0-2. Pretty relentless but thankfully not too loud.
I just really hope it all goes away eventually. I’d hate to think this is permanent.
gingerjacky says
Has anyone here notice their symptoms are diminishing? Just wondering…
Thanks
hoardingpuppies says
It’s been about 5-6 weeks since onset and I’m not sure if I’ve gotten more used to it or if it’s genuinely gotten quieter, but I do have some better days and some nights where it doesn’t wake me up. My ENT insists it will go away on its own. Hoping she’s right….
gingerjacky says
It’s been 10 weeks for me and it is significantly better. I don’t know if it is the passing of time, the supplements I have been taking, or a combination of the two. I do hope your ENT is correct in that it will resolve on its own…
hoardingpuppies says
Glad to hear it’s better! I have good days and lousy days but at least there have been good days. 🙂
bansheexyz says
Hey all. Just thought I’d share my experience. I am a 36yo male and got my first Pfizer shot June 29. I had no symptoms but a sore arm for 3 days. Then on the 4th day, the tinnitus started. And it got bad fast. I would rate it as an 6 out of 10 on the suicide scale. I thought it would go away within a few days but it didn’t. After 10 days with it, it hadn’t waned in intensity and I started freaking out that it was permanent and that I had damaged myself by not doing enough research on the vaccine. I was angry too. I went to the doctor and got my blood pressure taken. 120/79 (normal). Got blood tests taken. All normal. I then requested additional blood tests for histamines, antibody response, and immune system dysfunction. My doctor refused and tried to put me on xanax. LOL! Referred me to an ENT that would basically look in my ears like a highly paid caveman and give up, because according to google, the brain is still a total mystery and doctors are glorified therapists when it comes to tinnitus. I asked family, friends, all my coworkers if they knew anyone who got ear ringing, and they all said no. Well aren’t we special?
Not only was there a constant high pitch in both ears, there was also a tingling sensation in my brain that produced a fast modulation sound behind it that I suppose could be described as “crickets”. You know those movies where a control panel is damaged and the sparks randomly start popping out? That was my how my brain felt. I could feel AND hear the tinnitus.
I also noticed that certain things would increase the intensity for hours. Eating a big salty meal would take it from a 6 to an 8. Running the track for an hour would take it from a 6 to a 9. Noise in my ears would take it to an 8. I started wearing 30db earplugs everywhere. I started eating fresh cherries and raspberries, and steamed veggies. The earplugs and drastic dietary changes helped me identify my triggers and keep it from spiking. The supplements I bought didn’t do squat.
I’m now on the 21st day and it is at a 3, HALF of what it was when this started. No joke, there was a sudden change a few days ago that has stayed solid. I am back to eating salty meals and it’s only spiking to a 4. It appears to finally be waning and I suspect will be gone completely given another month. I will definitely post another update then. Don’t give up, give your body time to calm down. Get lots of rest in noise-free environment. My current theory is that our immune systems are overreacting. I never felt BAD this whole time, never had headaches or pain, just the endless ringing and hyperactive brain.
hoardingpuppies says
36 female here. I’m so glad it’s going down! I’ve had my tinnitus since sometime around the second week of June. It started in one ear and eventually became noticeable in the other ear at a totally different pitch. Sometimes it does seem very fast like crickets. I think mine probably started at about a 3, which was just loud enough to make sleeping a real problem for me. But eventually, it got to where I’d have a good night and then a bad night, and then it went down to a 1-2, and there it’s mostly stayed for the past few weeks. It’s much quieter now, and no I haven’t changed my diet or lifestyle–still taking the multivitamin I was taking before this started
My experience with the ENT was also “huh. That’s weird. Well I’m sure it’ll just clear up on its own.” And my visit with my primary turned into more of a lecture about how important the vaccine is and how I’m better off for getting it. Not really helpful, I mean, I can’t undo it.
I do think you’re right, and with time it will just go down and hopefully away. Wishing you lots of luck and some nice silence.
gingerjacky says
Thank you for logging in and sharing your story…Ringing in the ears is my only symptom as well…I like you believe our bodies need to calm down…and I hope it does resolve in time…
jpsinclair1986 says
Just thought I’d also log my current experiences here so far, perhaps it will help some one? I know some of the posts here have helped me.
I got my inital jab Pfizer around 12 weeks ago. I’m a 30-40yr old ex-smoker male. 2-3 days after vaccination the tinnitus began in both ears. I’ve experienced this (tinnitus) before after some fairly serious road traffic accidents but nothing this severe. Definitely the loudest and most distracting tinnitus I’ve ever had! Reported on the yellow card system.
I kept a wee diary, after a week I could see symptoms where diminishing so my stress levels lowered. Eventually the tinnitus was only effecting my left side (which is where i got the vaccination. Correlation?) After aprox. 10 weeks all signs of tinnitus had vanished thankfully. I went hiking alot, I found places with running water etc helped mask the constant hissing of the tinnitus and brought me some peace.
Altogether I’ve found the experience very stressful. Much more so than when recovering from the RTA injuries. The sound is just so loud!
Anyway.. I’m due my second Pfizer on wednesday. Hopefully I won’t suffer a recurrance of the tinnutus. I can cope with any other side effect!!
Has anyone been able to get the vaccine in the calf rather than arm as previously suggested & did it help?
Good luck and i hope you heal soon to anyone suffering similar symptoms
hoardingpuppies says
For what it’s worth, I got vaccinated in right arm and the tinnitus started in my left ear and eventually also in the right ear. When your tinnitus went away, was it like you woke up one morning and it was gone, or did it stop at some point in the day? Just curious. Dreaming of the day mine stops!
maryfig717 says
Any update?
goodkyle.281 says
Why is it everyone posts their initial onset of tinnitus after getting vaccinated but no one follows up to people’s replies on whether it’s still occurring, etc.
Brian Buntz says
Four possibilities come to mind. 1) They either have turned elsewhere to share their experiences. 2) They have begun to habituate and are thus less focused on it. 3) Or their tinnitus has improved. 4) Their tinnitus hasn’t gotten better, but they are trying to move on and not focus on it too much.
It does seem like the topic is getting more attention (this is an interesting case in point: https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20210603/qa-link-between-covid19-vaccination-tinnitus-worth-looking-into), but it seems like more data are required to understand what is going on.
There is one case report involving three patients: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14992027.2021.1931969
hoardingpuppies says
I’ve been posting my updates. I’m about 7 weeks out and it is much, much quieter now. It used to be so bad I couldn’t sleep no matter what I did and I was like a zombie in the mornings. Now it’s either so soft I can tune it out, or I genuinely don’t hear it most nights. I’d guess it started to improve around the 5-6 week mark. I’ve been able to sleep without any aid other than my usual white noise machine that I always used before tinnitus onset. I am noticing a lot more headaches and I’m not sure if it’s related to the tinnitus.
I talked to my ENT this past week for a followup remotely, and she told me that in her experience with other vaccines, and with this one so far, this is likely an autoimmune overreaction and will resolve on its own. She guessed it will be gone 4-6 months from onset. Praying she is right for all our sakes.
gingerjacky says
That makes two of us!!
Adam S says
Hi, I wanted to add my story to the list of reports. I received the pfizer vaccine on the 28th of March and on the 5th of April my Tinnitus began. Im a healthy 35 year old male with no prior Tinnitus or health conditions. I have seen 2 ENTs who refused to acknowledge this condition is vaccine related and I also saw a Neurologist who seems just as confused. Its has really been a rollercoaster. The ringing has travelled all around the head, sometimes it is in the ears, sometimes it feel like my whole brain is ringing.
The loudness varies, some days it is very faint and the next day it is unbearably loud. Overall, its been a hellish 4 months. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, it is truly a brutal side effect. I pray that the vaccine manufacturers look into this as I know that almost all negative articles and press of the vaccine is being hidden. All hope everyone suffering from this will eventually recover.
hoardingpuppies says
Please report this to VAERS. You can call them. I believe the only way we’ll get this looked into is if everyone who has this side effect reports it and the manufacturers stop thinking it’s just a random outlier case or attribute it to other things. I was also healthy, like you, and had no reason to think I’d be a risk for a side effect like this. When I called VAERS I had a really nice person who asked me questions and also told me where I could go to see reported side effects. Just have your vaccination card on hand so you can give them the lot number.
Patsy says
I originally wrote comments to this site back in April and updated over a month ago. I received the Moderna shot on March 4th and got tinnitus on March 27. Not thinking it was related to the tinnitus (since it’s not listed as a side effect) the second shot was received on April 1st. Four months later I still have tinnitus. Some days are worse than others but there’s always either a high pitch noise or a hissing sound 24 hours a day. I have learned to live with it for now and hope it goes away with time. I have not found what triggers it to be louder or to settle down and have tried everything from food, vitamins, activity, etc. I’ve decided to keep doing what I was doing before tinnitus since nothing seems to help one way or the other. My frustration is that health care professionals or the government refuse to acknowledge this side effect. I know it’s a small percentage of people who get this but it must be listed as a possible side effect. I will update if and when the tinnitus disappears. I encourage all to report this to the CDC, Vaers report.
nogo says
Received Janssen (J&J) vaccine. After 4-5 days a mild hiss was in my left ear. From day 6 to 14 days it continued to get louder and was VERY loud and had multiple tones by day 15 – 16. From day 16 on to day 22 it kept me up at night, was distractive during the day and at times forced me to stop activities. Now after a few days of this it is going back to a lesser loudness with just hissing. It involved BOTH the ears, but mainly the left. I have reported this to the VAERS website and have a confirmed report via email.
hoardingpuppies says
It’s really interesting to hear from the J&J vaccine folks. I was worried this only happened because of something in the mRna vaccines, but since J&J is the more “traditional” style, it appears that’s not it. Glad you reported it, and hope you feel better soon!
jonbrett5 says
Hi recent posters HoardingPuppies, AdamS, GingerJacky, Patsy and Nogo.
I am into my fourth month since my second Moderna shot and I am still experiencing constant left ear hiss. My ENT guy has a bunch of other patients all of whom are experiencing the same sound. In my case, and a little more troubling, my eyesight in my left eye is not what it was before the last Moderna shot. I have been to see one of the best retina surgeons and had scans done. But so far no one seems to know what’s really going on. I kinda suspect it has a neurological component.
This has really changed my life as it seems to have done to you also. I try to balance it by telling myself that the shot will soften a Covid (Delta variant) “breakthrough” — if that happens. But still, I’ve never known anything like this.
I feel for all of you guys.
j
hoardingpuppies says
Hope you find some relief soon, and thanks for sharing. I’m curious if you talked to your ENT about whether any of their other tinnitus patients seemed to get better? Mine tells me that her patients see this problem go away on its own in a few months, but I’m a bit skeptical, since she can’t tell me what’s even causing it.
Mine has thankfully stayed at a lower volume, but still enough to cause headaches and a lot of stress. For a while I thought it was going away, but lately it seems to change pitch, or spike for a few seconds or even hours. I’m not sure if that means it’s getting better or worse or neither.
I know people say you’re not supposed to get medical advice from message boards, but we’ve all been to the doctor, and we’re here because the doctors either can’t or won’t tell us anything helpful.
jpsinclair1986 says
It’s now been a week since I received my second pfizer injection and so far I’ve had no tinnitus/vertigo like side effects this time. I was very ill with flu like symptoms, felt like I’d been hit by a truck but that passed after about 48 hours thankfully. Just so glad I’ve had no recurrence of the tinnitus as it was very difficult to live with. Only hope those still suffering see their symptoms improve over time!
@hoardingpuppies@gmail.com:: To answer your question yeah pretty much. For a good while it seemed like the intensity of the noise was diminishing slightly day by day and i was growing to live with it (somewhat). In the few days preceding the tinnitus stopping the “pitch” I was hearing seemed to change and i found it more noticeable once again but then it diminished altogether until I woke up one day to blessed silence.
ericvp1 says
It has been exactly a week since dose #1 of Pfizer. I am 35. Until yesterday I only experienced a swollen and sore arm at the injection site. Day 6 I started “hearing myself breathe” and my ear feeling clogged. Now I have always had this happen but only when I am very very active (like run for 5 miles). Anyways this is day seven and I am still having it regardless of my activities. If I move my ear and yawn, I feel like it will go away temporarily.
damonpablo says
6 Month Update —
Hi all, I posted in March about my situation. Had 2nd shot end of Feb and days after lost all hearing in left ear and had terrible tinnitus; sometimes ringing, sometimes hissing, etc.
Unfortunately I’ve had almost no change at this point in time… Did prednisone, ear injections, hyperbaric, etc. Maybe I’m just getting used to it… It’s not stopping me too much, what choice do we really have.
I was on the Facebook group but they booted me bc I was trying to gather information to offer to a doctor at UCLA who, on his own time, wanted to submit more case reports to the CDC, NIH, FDA, etc… It’s very hard to get their support when everyone is coming from different angles.
Anyway, I have people still on the boards and nobody has really gotten fully better. There are days that are easier, sure. But most of us are simply stuck…. We may never find out if this is from the vaccines or just SSHL.
I am 50 and still hopeful this isn’t permanent — but the longer it goes the less likely it will pass. Cochlear implant on left side would be my next step — though I’d like to see if around 8 months (ideally after the vaccine is no longer in my system; maybe?) if anything lessens.
For now, I was hoping to bring better news. But going into month 6 this week and no real change. Ear is still raging at times and hearing is gone. Not too depressed though, just what it is… 🙂
Hope this helps — feel free to ask any questions.
Damon Pablo
Moderna
hoardingpuppies says
Sorry you’re still going through this! I am at roughly 7 weeks. I didn’t make a note of the exact date mine started–for the first day or two I was in denial and just thought it would go away, but it was sometime in mid-June.
I would say that mine started in the left ear, and after a couple of weeks it started in the right ear at a much worse and higher pitch. Day to day, I notice that some days are quieter than others. Some nights are awful and some aren’t so bad. So I do think it’s starting to fluctuate, whatever that means. My ENT says this will go away, but she can’t tell me what’s causing it or why she thinks this. My primary doctor is in denial that it’s the vaccine at all, which is frustrating, because he knows I don’t have any preexisting health conditions and I’m not on any medications, and the only thing I have put into my body recently is that vaccine.
prompter52 says
Completely agree with you. Not even being able to see that the vaccine is the culprit makes me question the credentials of these doctors.
jbeef2 says
Hello damonpablo@yahoo.com.
I can feel for you my friend. I lost all hearing in my left ear within 24 hours of receiving my first Moderna shot.
Went through the same protocol as you. Still no hearing and my ENT believes it will never come back. He thinks as I do, that it was the vaccine. The medical folks don’t want to admit it or seek to find out. It doesn’t
fit the “its Safe narrative”! What could happen to any who was vaccinated, is it fact, unknown!
At least we did not die from the shot (yet) as some have done. If reported, we will forever be enshrined in the VAERS reporting system! Shouldn’t we all feel great about that! Good luck to all, but realize we are all on our own.
jmd201 says
I’m not sure what to do. I’ve had one-sided deafness and tinnitus for many many years. But the tinnitus wasn’t bothersome to me and I didn’t mind it. Until I got my J&J vaccine in March 2021, and now it’s much louder and very bothersome. I’m a 67-year-old lady on chronic prednisone and immunocompromised, and what I am reading lately is that immunocompromised people should get a booster shot. However, I’m reluctant to do that because I don’t want my tinnitus to get even worse. Does anybody have any thoughts about this?
hoardingpuppies says
Ultimately it has to come down to your own personal decision about the pros and the cons. You’re the one who has to live in your body, so don’t let anyone else make this decision for you. Keep in mind that tinnitus is also a side effect of covid itself, so the vaccine may cause it, but being unvaccinated and then getting covid may also cause it. This is a decision I struggle with myself.
adam says
I started to hear ears ringing after first dose of pfizer. My doctor asked me to many different examinations like MRI of head, MRI of cervical spine, hearing tests, doppler ultrasound etc. Everything was good, but the sound in my ears was very loud. I heared it even when I listening very loud music. Sometimes hearing some sounds like water from the shower or sound of fountain in the park helped, but for some hours maximum. I tried to take a lot of medicine for brain, ears also steroids, but without results. About 2 months rining the volume of the ears ringing decreased. All the time I asked everybody should I take a secont dose, but no one couldn’t assure me that the sound will not get worse. Finally in Poland health minister allowed to mix vaccinetions and I decided to get J&J instead second dose pfizer.
After J&J I had a fever 2 days, but sound staid on the same level.
Today after 3 months when it started I allmost don’t hear the ears ringing. Usually when somebody ask me about it and I start to focus I can hear that it is still there but much silent. Usually I just forgetting about it
Kenneth says
This is my third post – nearly 6 months in now. It hasn’t changed much – got first shot on 2/24/21, my mild left ear only tinnitus flared up then went into my right ear also. I opted out of shot #2. As everyone else is saying – good days, bad days, good nights, bad nights, and it completely unpredictable and cannot relate anything to the flare ups that occur (food, vitamins, activity, drinks, etc.). Also, like most, I have gotten somewhat used to or accustomed to this cycle and overall the tinnitus itself. I am definitely not “ok” with it and never will be, but I am really at the point of just letting nature take its course with this because I have absolutely no control over it and there is absolutely no real logic or reasoning to its patterns. I have not given up hope that it will go away at some point, but I stopped counting on a real stop date (and specifically “6” months like I keep hearing). It is best to learn ways to deal with this and not sit and wait for it to go away, because you don’t know how long you are putting yourself in that holding pattern for. I definitely still have my moments (and I am sure everyone knows what I mean by that), but just live your life best you can with this. I will only report back at this point if I see real improvement or if it actually does go away. I am sorry for all of you going through this too, it really is very difficult to navigate, but you can navigate it, somehow. The toughest part is changing your thought process, took me 4 of these 6 months to do so. Best of luck to everyone, I am with you on this.
Rand says
My tinnitus has also settled into a pattern of oscillation that runs on a 48-72 h cycle (4.5 months out) and I too have abandoned the notion of it just “going away”. However, the tinnitus is not always intrusive and its quality and characteristics have definitely changed with time. While this probably reflects some level of adaptation, I suspect there is also some level of healing/recovery of whatever structures were irritated/damaged after the shot. I think the inflammatory infiltrate (presumably in the inner ear but who knows) peaked 8-12 weeks after my 2nd shot and its a slow recovery as those angry cells and antibodies decline over time. A 1-week course of prednisone tape improved my tinnitus in early July and my PCP agreed another round of low-dose (10 mg) prednisone for a couple weeks might help calm things down. My only hesitation is that it might be too far out from the initial inflammatory event and could diminish my existing Covid immunity, if only slightly. I have no plans to receive a booster shot in 2021 and need to roll with immunity I have. Good luck and stay safe.
gingerjacky says
After a trip to urgent care last evening, it turns out I have fluid in the eustachian tubes. I have also noticed that I have brain fog from time to time and tiredness. Anyone else experiencing other symptoms?
Adam S says
Thank you for this update. I am in the same boat, 4.5 months out and my tinnitus continues to Oscillate. I have some days where it is barely perceivable and then it comes roaring back with no rhyme of reason. I tried prednisone 2 months after the side effects started and this changed the tone to more of a hiss rather than a ringing. Im hoping that the good days start to outweigh the bad days over time. Appreciate everyones comments and feedback in this thread. Good luck everyone!
arayshaw says
It’s been twenty-five years since I experienced sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss on one side and simultaneously, very loud tinnitus. I guess no one knew about trying steroids back then, but I did have a friend with serious health problems who had greatly improved after starting acupuncture treatments, so with little to lose, I began acupuncture. I am writing because I want to report three things about tinnitus which I’ve learned on my journey. First, if you are able to find a qualified acupuncturist, preferably trained in China, then you are very lucky and she/he might be able to help you. My doctor was able to decrease the volume of mine so that I could live with it. (It does get louder if I cannot get treatments at least twice a month.) Second, I have been using the noninvasive wrist watch-type device call the Buzz by the company Neosensory, developed in the lab of Dr. Dave Eagleman at Stanford University. I believe it has reduced the volume of mine as it has for 87% of users. This is cutting-edge science of bimodal brain stimulation.
https://hearinghealthmatters.org/blog/2021/neosensory-duo-tinnitus-bimodal-stimulation/
Dr. Eagleman also has best-selling book just published about his work called Livewired. Third, after reading about the work of Dr. Kenneth Brookler with tinnitus patients, I found that there are quite a number of studies linking glucose tolerance to tinnitus onset and progression. He had found that some patients who were not positive for diabetes or metabolic disorder on standard tests still registered on Glucose Tolerance Tests, and putting them on a low-carbohydrate diet, along with a bisphosphonate, improved or ended their long-standing tinnitus. (The bisphosphonate was on the theory that bone loss in the skull also contributed.) People know that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness through the deterioration of the capillaries in the eye. Similarly according to this theory, glucose intolerance damages the tiny capillaries that nourish the hair cells in the cochlea. His theory and record of success “curing” tinnitus seems to imply that many tinnitus sufferers are experiencing a progressive deterioration of the hair cells. Immediately upon reading about this work, in a kind of personal trial, and found that not eating bread or high-glycemic index foods dramatically lowered the volume. Starting to eat several pieces of bread a day once again raised the volume. It may be that people who are below the testing threshold for metabolic disorder still have enough glucose intolerance that it is damaging the hair cells. My tinnitus had gotten worse again when I stopped being able to see my acupuncturist last year during pandemic and has improved with both the Neosensory device and the low carb diet.
Having struggled with this for so long, and still feeling in some sense that my life revolves around keeping it under control, I have not had either vaccine. I am a science-loving, humanity-loving person and would give anything to be able to take it both for myself and others, but am not willing to take the chance. Isolation and extreme safety measures are preferable to me.
prompter52 says
I am wondering what your doctor thinks about your decision of not getting the vaccine. A standard practice should be formed regarding this issue among the ENT doctors. But unfortunately I haven’t seen it yet.
Brian Buntz says
For what it’s worth, one study suggested that up to 7% of COVID-19 cases lead to tinnitus: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14992027.2021.1896793?journalCode=iija20
The association between tinnitus and vaccines is less clear with different researchers/regulators either rejecting an association or entertaining the possibility for certain vaccines. Here’s an example of one regulator linking a vaccine to tinnitus: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/meeting-highlights-pharmacovigilance-risk-assessment-committee-prac-5-august-2021
limited.release says
I had my second Pfizer shot way back in early April. About a week ago, I was waking up and thought I heard a whistling in my ear. I plugged both ears and heard a rhythmic whistle whenever my heart beat. It eventually went away but it was still in the back of my mind. I’ve heard it about three times now, in different circumstances and while doing different things – so there doesn’t seem to be a “trigger”. Today I felt compelled to research it online after hearing the whistle again, but while working quietly in my office. I read about pulsatile tinnitus and it was exactly what I’ve experienced. I’m surprised it took over four months for something to show up. My fingers are crossed that it improves over time and eventually goes away. Thank you everyone who has posted, I’m still reading through everyone’s experiences.
maryfig717 says
I have suffered with severe tinnitus for 6 years now, and have learned when I am ill or under severe stress it is a horrible nightmare for me. My current issue is I have to be FULLY vaccinated by the 27th or I am fired from my job and I carry the health benefits for my family. My question is, does anyone have tinnitus issues after receiving the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine? My fear is this maybe my only choice as it may appear it’s more with the MRNA vaccines that folks are experiencing this issue. But I am also hearing that the booster for the J&J will be a MRNA vaccine anyway. The thought if my condition being amplified just slightly will debilitate me with no doubt. I can’t even express how I suffered the first 2 years until I have learned to accept and manage it. It has altered my life. I can go into the horrific details but will spare the long story.
Brian Buntz says
Hi there,
For what it is worth, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) in the EU has concluded that tinnitus is a possible side effect of that vaccine:
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/covid-19-vaccine-safety-update/covid-19-vaccine-safety-update-covid-19-vaccine-janssen-11-august-2021_en.pdf
I haven’t seen other authorities make that determination.
Tinnitus is also a possible adverse event from COVID-19:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14992027.2021.1896793
Don says
Thank you Brian for this interesting info. A few months ago you had also posted the VAERS data by manufacturer for tinnitus. Would you mind posting the current info from VAERS (the percent reporting tinnitus by manufacturer). I would like to know that but I have had trouble searching VAERS as it’s complicated. Thank you!
jmd201 says
I’m not sure what to do. I’ve had one-sided deafness and tinnitus for many many years. But the tinnitus wasn’t bothersome to me and I didn’t mind it. Until I got my J&J vaccine in March 2021, and now it’s much louder and very bothersome. I’m a 67-year-old lady on chronic prednisone and immunocompromised, and what I am reading lately is that immunocompromised people should get a booster shot. However, I’m reluctant to do that because I don’t want my tinnitus to get even worse. Good luck to you.
mskatherine68 says
Had my first shot of Pfizer a couple of weeks ago. Everything was going okay, then a few days ago I started getting a little bit of chest pain, not much to really run to a doctor but noticeable, then the next day I got this horrible sound in my left ear, like something was flying around in there. I’ve had tinnitus for many years, but this was something I have never experienced before. It’s very concerning and today I woke up with a terrible burning sensation in my head/scalp….almost like I had been sunburnt (I haven’t been) and a throbbing headache that hurt my eyes. Is this a delayed reaction to the shot? If so, I’m going to be honest here and say that I’m very hesitant to get the second shot…not until I figure out whether or not this flapping sound in my ear goes away and if the light chest pain/head pain subsides. BTW, I don’t have a family doctor.
peter.delaney1 says
Hi everyone,
I thought I would share my experience with getting the Pfizer shot.
A bit of background first. I’m a 37 year old Irish man. In 2005 I had sudden vertigo, potentially brought on by a stressful event. After seeing specialists I was diagnosed with Menieres. Years later this was changed to a vestibular migraine diagnosis. However, I don’t get migraines. To this day the symptoms I have are hearing loss in my left ear and tinnitus in that ear. I learned to live with it. My right ear doesn’t have tinnitus or hearing loss when I was tested a few years ago. My worst fear has always been my good ear losing hearing and getting tinnitus.
I got my second Pfizer dose on Mon 16th August. Over the next couple of days in work I noticed a change in my right ear. Hearing seemed different. As I write this I have tinnitus in my right ear and the tinnitus I’ve always had in my left ear is louder. This does happen occasionally anyways. I went to the doctor yesterday, no sign of infection. I had an audiologist remove wax from my ears. The tinnitus is still there. I have an appointment with my GP next week and will take it from there. I will book an appointment for a hearing test.
I am angry to say the least. I wish I never got the vaccine. I hear for some people the tinnitus lessened or disappeared. I have 15 years experience with it so I’m less hopeful.
Rand says
Since you are only a couple weeks out from the 2nd dose I would not jump to conclusions about how it will play out. Many have recovered to varying degrees, myself included (but its been a slow process with many bad days still). Discuss the possibility of a prednisone taper with your PCP; earlier is better.
Peter Delaney says
A bit of an update since I first posted.
I had my ears checked by a doctor. No sign of infection. I had all the wax in my ears suctioned out. No change to the tinnitus.
Out of interest, I got a hearing test. My previously unaffected ear is still in the normal hearing range which is good to know. I saw an ENT today. He is referring me for an inner ear scan. I brought up the idea of steroids, he doesn’t think I need to take any.
My tinnitus is probably the worst today, 3 weeks since getting the second vaccine. The previously good ear is as loud as my bad ear. I’m not doing well mentally.
Brian Buntz says
Hi Peter,
Thanks for sharing. Tinnitus tends to get better over time — either on its own or through habituation. Hang in there!
mhoroky3 says
Brian Buntz, I have been reading your comments on this thread. Please remember that you are not a tinnitus expert, nor are you an ENT specialist, nor do you have a medical background. You are a journalist. And you’ve never had tinnitus either. When one has severe, chronic tinnitus, one doesn’t just simply habituate to it, nor does it simply disappear. Tinnitus is the # 1 reason for disability claims among members of the U.S. military right now, since many soldiers are exposed to loud noises during tours of duty, and suffer hearing loss/damage and the resulting tinnitus. I have tinnitus resulting from noise induced hearing loss, and I’ve had it for nearly 15 years. I know much more about the mechanisms involved, and why thousands of people worldwide are getting tinnitus following COVID infection or vaccination. Don’t tell people about something that you are not an expert in. For your interest, and the interest of those who actually have tinnitus or worsened tinnitus following vaccination, here’s a link to an informative article from a vaccinologist at the Mayo Clinic, who got tinnitus following vaccination. He explains why the vaccines and COVID are resulting in tinnitus for a number of people. Copy and paste the link into your browser, then read and learn…..
https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20210603/qa-link-between-covid19-vaccination-tinnitus-worth-looking-into
Brian Buntz says
Hi there,
Thanks for your feedback. Sorry if I shared anything that seemed insensitive or inauthentic. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I have first-hand experience with the condition, which inspired me to cover it initially.
Appreciate your sharing your perspective and the link.
Best wishes,
Brian
rob.mg says
Can anyone confirm if their Tinnitus has stopped after the first Pfizer vaccine shot? If yes, after how much time?
Also, has anyone developed chronic knee pain and lower back pain after the first Pfizer shot?
maryfig717 says
Please tell me why you are asking, I got my first shot 4 days ago and I am terrified my tinnitus will become worse over time. My husband said…what if it makes it better, I am curious of your story. Thanks.
rob.mg says
Because I’ve had it since my first shot. It’s been over 3 months and it still not completely resolved.
boydys says
I got my first dose august 6 2021 of Pfizer, got ear ache and jaw pain in left ear, I massaged using my finger the front and back jaw near my left ear to ease the pain on my ear and jaw. Then I grated fresh ginger about 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, pour hot water in a mug then stir grated fresh ginger and strain it to another clean mug, then put 1 teaspoon of honey so it tastes better and drink it. After 3 weeks, both my left ear and jaw pain disappear so I got the second dose on August 29 2021 then the next day my right ear ache and jaw crackling and unable to sleep at because of the loud ringing noise in my right ear. I could not sleep for two nights because of the loud noise or ringing in my right ear. I massage my right jaw near my right ear front and back again to ease the pain and have a break from the noise coming out from my right ear. Then every day up until now September 2 I kept drinking freshly grated ginger tea whole day and I re-use the grated ginger until there is no more taste left from the grated ginger. The pain in my left ear is slightly disappearing but the ringing noise is still there. So I can get a bit of sleep, I relax myself and listen to Hillsong United God worship songs from youtube using my iphone. This relaxes me and removes my anxiety and I pray while listening. I am not sure how long the noise from my ear will stop but I read from other people from this forum, the noise in their ear stops around 3 to 4 months. I will keep you updated when will the noise in my ear will stop. I also eat grated apple a day for a snack, apple relaxes me and avoid anything that will cause anxiety like News on TV or Bad news in Youtube. I hope this helps. Always Be Positive, Think Good Thoughts and Always Be Kind and Be Love. God Is Love.
rob.mg says
Did you already have Tinnitus or this is new? My question was directed towards people that have never had Tinnitus prior to taking the shot.
penny.management says
Hello. I got my first shot of Astra June 10th and my Tinnitus was progressively getting louder. I thought I was hearing “the sound of silence” as I called it. The 3rd week I notice my glands on my right side were a little big but I had no pain so I thought it was nothing, a few days after that, my ringing started to get louder only on that side. I went to and audiologist and the first thing she asked me was if I had my first shot yet, she gave me some tests and gave me a shot of betamethasone and the ringing got lower and also she sent me to a Maxillofacial because the inflammation could be in the joints of the jaw.
I got my second shot 2 weeks ago and it got so so loud I could barely hear the TV . 3 doses of corticoids shots, Cinnarizine pills, local betamethasone on my nose and some natural complements and I can barely hear it 🙂
Also I’m on therapy to block the sound from my brain, the doctor told me I have to disguise it with other sounds so may brain can forget the tinnitus exists, the sounds should be lower than the tinnitus not louder.
I hope this helps!
penny.management says
I forgot to mention, I’mm using Belatone Tinnitus app, you have to play de sound lower than your tinnitus and also I know someone that used this(the article) and got cure in a few days of treatment https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.11040086
Steph says
My first shot of Moderna at the end of March made my preexisting tinnitus much worse. I was actually on the road to the disappearance of my preexisting tinnitus, and the first dose brought it back to epic levels. I was devastated and miserable. Five months later (beginning of September) my tinnitus is almost back to its soft pre-vaccine level. I did not get the second shot for obvious reasons. But I also worry that it is only a matter of time before I get COVID as the virus is not going away and I fear it could have a negative impact on my tinnitus as well (or worse). I am coming up on the 6 month anniversary of my initial dose–the deadline for receiving the second dose, and I feel more inclined to get the second dose now that my tinnitus has recovered. It’s a very tough choice to make and feels like a catch-22. But the fact that the impact of the first dose did eventually wane makes me feel optimistic that if my tinnitus worsens again it will improve eventually. I think the fear of permanence can really worsen tinnitus-sufferers’ quality of life, so I want to urge everyone to believe in the body’s ability to heal. I hope that this belief can help us deal with tinnitus and inspire us to keep pushing forward because, miraculously, tinnitus can improve a lot, just like mine did, even if it took several months.
catlover says
I have had tinnitus primarily in one ear (sometimes hissing seems diffuse, not concentrated to one ear) for many years after attending a concert at a nightclub. Saw ENT specialist at that time. Was diagnosed with hearing loss in upper range in left ear. Tinnitus has remained ever since, sometimes worse than at other times. Sometimes I can’t even hear it. I got the J&J vaccine two days ago. I almost immediately noticed a worsening of my tinnitus. I had no awareness that tinnitus was a possible side effect of the vaccine, and was afraid to look it up for fear that I would find it might be. It is difficult to pinpoint what causes tinnitus symptoms to worsen. Certainly stress is one. Keeping to a set work and sleep schedule seems to help. But being on vacation also helps. It’s a mystery! I have never been prescribed any medication to treat tinnitus, but do notice that taking Benadryl helps. I don’t know if this is a function of the anti-histamine effect or because of the general relaxation that Benadryl causes. A cure for tinnitus needs to be found. I’m not sure why there’s not more effort to find one. Young people listening to music on earphones and members of the military are two groups that likely will increase the number of tinnitus cases in the country. I hope my activated tinnitus subsides and returns to what it was before the vaccine. I will not get a booster now that I know this is a side effect.
hoardingpuppies says
Not much of an update, but thought I’d check back in. I’m now at about 3 months out since the tinnitus stated after my Pfizer second dose. For those wondering, I’m a healthy 36 year old with NO underlying conditions. Normal BP, recently had a full blood panel done as part of my yearly check up. At the time of both doses, I was running 2-5 miles a day. Literally no reason to think I’d have any ill side effects.
The tinnitus never stops, though sometimes it’s less noticeable with ambient noise. Right now, I just hear the crickets outside, but if I go into the bedroom where it’s quiet, I’ll hear the ringing much more. I’ve also noticed it feels louder when I lie down to sleep. I’ve developed some tooth/jaw pain as well.
Honestly, the best I can say is that I’ve had to acclimate to it. Sometimes I really don’t notice it and I try to live my life. At night, when it’s the loudest, I just do my best to see it as white noise and vibe with it. This took a long time to get to this point, and if I think on it too much, I’ll just get mad that I was pushed into getting this vaccine and the very doctor who pushed for it doesn’t even want to hear about what it’s done to me.
Anyway, wishing everyone the best. Hold on. I am clinging to what my ENT said about this going away eventually.
maryfig717 says
Thanks for updating! Sounds like you are doing everything right, I know that frustration, stress etc will only make it worse. I’m due for the 2nd dosage next week and I can’t bring myself to do it since my tinnitus has not improved. Does not help when I am in the edge of losing my job, pension and benefits.
rob.mg says
Has anyone’s Tinnitus stopped after the first shot of Pfizer?
penny.management says
Hello everyone! I have been taking 5mg of Melatonin ( pure melatonin, not mixed with anything else) every 24hrs after dinner and it has done wonders for me.
My tinnitus went from 85% to 10% or even 5%)
I hope this helps!
patelliagustin says
Hello, my name is Augustin , I write to bring you at least my message of tranquility. For several months I was reading the comments hoping to read one that is positive and I do not pass until today. On June 19 I was vaccinated in Argentina with sputnik v the next day I started with a tinnitus of hz 8000, crunched in both ears. I am 39 years old and without hearing loss, I had been told that I was going to suffer forever but that I was going to get used to it.
. Today 15 of Sep the tinnitus almost disappeared, tendo a slight sound almost imperceptible, concurred to several otorrinos, osteopas, kinesiolgos and today I am better. I hope to be able to collaborate with this for those who read and are frightened, apparently and at least to me, it is a side effect and with an end. Best regards!!
penny.management says
Hola Agustin, que tratamientos de indicaron tus médicos?
Saludos y me alegra que estes mejor!
chahinmazin says
Dear Everyone,
Id like to share my experience with Tinnitus after receiving the Sinopharm Vaccine in the UAE.
3-4 weeks after receiving my 2nd Shot on Feb 9th 2021, I started to hear a strong ringing in both my ears, that was actually coming from the inside of my head/brain.
Months went on when I thought it could have been multiple reasons, checking my hearing & ears with over 5 ENTs (that were all more or less clueless on the topic), JAW Teeth /TMJ, checking my spine alignment, and also did mulitple MRI scans for my brain & Jaw.
All doctors will try to sell you potential/magical treatments that more or less may or may not help.
I was prescribed Prednisone for 10 days in the initial stages that did nothing but increase my anxiety, stress and depression (As they are big side effects after you’re done).
Although I am now writing this message 6 Months since my onset to say that my tinnitus has drastically improved, and the most helpful practice was the following:
– 2-3 Time of Chinese Accupunture (focusing mainly on my right side ear, as the sounds are mainly on that side)
– Wim Hof Deep Breathing (although it can increase the tinnitus perception once you complete the excercise, but it kills of all the anxiety & stress that tinnitus will cause, which i’m sure everyone is or was going through)
– Working out and doing a lot of Cardio (Can decrease the level of the tinnitus sound) (Heavy weight lifting could increase it)
– Low Carb Diet, eating only good carbs such as Potatoes, Veggies etc
– No salts & sugars as they can cause spikes
– Avoid Coffee as it may increases anxiety, cortisol, blood pressure etc
– Drinking Alcohol (I have mixed opinions as some days, it may increase it next day and may not)
– Avoid any anti anxiety/ depression meds like xanax, rivotril etc (They may make you feel good momentarily but will later spike the tinnitus once you are coming off it)
– Sleep is the most important element as it will keep your tinnitus under control. Being tired, stressed, or fatigued will increase your tinnitus surely.
– Long Self Massages or Professional Neck, Shoulder, Face, Temple, Scalp massages can significantly reduce your tinnitus
– Try to stay outdoors as it may mute out your tinnitus perception.
Most importantly try to not to sit and focus on it, as its a spiral negative rollercoaster of emotions that can constantly ruin your mood.
All I can say is I have gotten much much better 90-95% better, and not sure if its the timing or the Acupuncture that has helped me significantly.
I have taken tons of Medications, Vitamins, Supplements etc but I felt they have done almost nothing vs traditional self healing techniques such as Acupuncture, Wim Hof Deep Breathing and living a healthy lifestyle.
From my experience it gets better, Tinnitus is surely a side effect of Covid & Covid Vaccines.
Please download the app of Quieten of Julian Cowan Hill .
If you are in the US, go to https://covidlonghaulers.com/ and they may have cures for Covid Vax Long Haulers.
This is my experience of 6 Months later, you can also put neuro-modulation videos on youtube that will tune out the sound of Tinnitus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4V0Uq6h_yU
All the best to everyone, it will get better!!
elangelgabriel2012 says
I got my second shot of Sinopharm on August 17 in Argentina. I’m 34 and had no previous ear-related pathologies and no history of tinnitus. Exactly one week after the vaccination, I started feeling my left ear was clogged and shortly after pulsatile tinnitus started, mainly when laying down, making it very hard to sleep at night. I also have some autophony that comes and goes, which makes me believe somehow my eustachian tube has been affected. I’ve been on treatment with steroids for a few days and then ENTs also prescribed antibiotics (though there were no signs of infection) and more recently a nasal spray. After almost two months I have little or no improvement of the symptoms. Audiometry and other exams were completely normal, so I feel I’m only left to wait for this to get better by itself. Doctors are clueless of what could have caused this or how to heal the condition. Hope everyone feels better soon!
gingerjacky says
Does anyone here have other symptoms besides ringing in the ears from the vaccine? I have multiple symptoms:
Random panic attacks – buzzing in my head during these episodes and pressure in the gut
lightheaded/dizziness
leg pain when lying in bed at night
weight loss to the extreme
pins and needles in forearms and hands – mainly in the middle of the night
out of breath when climbing stairs
weird dreams
hoardingpuppies says
Yes, I do have a history of panic attacks, however I had a big one after both doses, about an hour or two after the fact and totally out of nowhere. One was so bad I almost went to the hospital, which is rare for me. I’ve had some chest flutters and a pounding heart intermittently since. I recommend talking to your doctor about this if you’re concerned, which is what I did. Better safe than sorry.
essingen123 says
Moderna Vaccine, causing
* Tinnitus / ringing in ears
* Slight tics
There’s a correlation; main causing trigger component
b_ott10 says
Six months out from first Moderna shot and my last post on 4/12/21. Still have the tinnitus but it does seem to reduce at times and then intensify at times. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern that makes it less. Sugary or salty foods do seem to increase it. I saw an an internist and ENT in the spring. Neither could say whether it was from the vaccine. They also could not say whether I should get the second shot or not. My employer is requiring full vaccination or face termination. It seems if you want to be able to travel or do anything you have to have the “full” series. I’m reading now that media is reporting on this making the CDC and FDA take notice and admit it is a side effect. Doesn’t help us too much because it will be a long time before they figure out if there anything they can do about it. In the meantime we listen to the noise.
I’m seriously considering getting the second shot. I thought about switching to Pfizer since it has 30mcg of vaccine where the Moderna has 100mcg. But it sounds like dosage has little to do with it. Have to admit, i’m apprehensive about it.
Has anyone switched vaccines and seen better or worse results?
hoardingpuppies says
I’m 4 months out now, and I will say there are times when I don’t hear it! Usually when I’m upright, but as soon as I lie down or experiment with turning my head, I’ll hear it again. Position does seem to play some role. Unfortunately I always hear it when I lie down to sleep, and sometimes it’s LOUD and sometimes it’s not so bad and I can ignore it, which I’ll take at this point. The first few weeks were maddening and I was only sleeping a handful of minutes a night. I wouldn’t say my diet seems to impact it at all. Some days I eat junk food, some days I’m healthy, some days I have my first meal at 2pm, some days I take a midday nap, some days I exercise, and it never seems to make a difference that I can tell.
I only had the two pfizer shots, no other kind.
jm.noir says
I’ve been reading this whole forum since April and want to share a positive story:
I’m a 42 year old female. I suffer from 2 types of tinnitus. Pulsatile tinnitus for about 7 years from a neurological condition and recently developed regular hissing tinnitus (I’ve never had Covid). To say I was afraid to get the vaccine and worsen my conditions would be a grand understatement. I was terrified.
After much toil and deliberation with my doctors, I got it. Pfizer. Both shots. I’m now 4.5 weeks after my 2nd dose and I have NO CHANGE to both my tinnitus loudness levels. None! I can’t believe it.
I want people to know it is possible to get the vax and have success – but I did do some things starting a week before my 1st dose up until now to minimize my chances of problems.
I ate an anti-inflammatory diet. I cut out alcohol completely and reduced caffeine. I raised my Vit D and Zinc a few months prior. I walked for exercise. I got good sleep. I prayed/practiced gratitude to lower my anxiety. I chose to get Pfizer because it “appeared” less potent than Moderna the way it was formulated. I made a plan with my neurologist to have a script of Prednisone waiting in case something went awry, but I never needed it! I was convinced I would. Finally, and arguably the most important thing I did, was to get my doses of vaccine ASPIRATED. I don’t understand why this is an ignored technique that lowers risks of complications. You can look it up.
Anyway, if you have tinnitus already it is possible the vax will not make it worse. I’m proof.
Obviously, we are all different and results will vary. I just wanted to know I tried everything I knew of to help myself succeed and much to my shock it worked. I felt it important to share.
If you are suffering from post-vax tinnitus, I feel for you. You will acclimate with time but you have to put a little effort into making that happen. Take care of yourself, especially your stress levels and hang in there.
All the best to everyone. XO
hoardingpuppies says
That’s great that your tinnitus didn’t get worse. However, the majority of complaints here are from people who did not have tinnitus, who now are suffering with the knowledge that we willingly signed a waiver and allowed ourselves to be injected with a vaccine that has given us this condition. We have no idea if/when it will ever go away, and to date, the manufacturers are denying it’s even a side effect.
jm.noir says
There are people suffering with tinnitus already, silently reading this thread, wondering if the vaccine is going to worsen their quality of life… like me. I wanted to share that it may not. That’s who my story is directed towards so maybe they can have hope. That’s sure what I was looking for on here and I’ve been reading for months – scared, isolated, and unvaccinated until now. We all have tinnitus either way, which is horrible. I wanted to share some positivity. Good luck on your healing and I hope the manufacturers become more transparent.
hoardingpuppies says
Thank you. Same back at you. I’m really really hoping the manufacturers can start to acknowledge that this side effect is real. The reason we’re all here on message boards is because it’s the only place to find any info. All my doctor can tell me is “yep, i’ve seen patients with this side effect after being vaccinated. No idea why or how long it will last.” And yet now it’s mandatory to get it if you want to have a job or travel at all.
myaglubpanny says
Had the Moderna vaccine in August. Four days later, a loud clangor in my ears–the left one was the worst. I had the shot in my left arm. It went on for a month. Had the second Moderna shot in September.. Blam–loud clanging in my ears, along with a plugged-up sensation in my ears. Put the TV volume too high; husband complained. Tried mullein/garlic drops. Tried peroxide. Clanging continued, unabated. Began to feel isolated, verklempt, sad. Now, at the end of October–the 21st, it has begun to subside somewhat. I am hoping it will go away, and that then I can hear as well as I used to.
Vanessa B says
* Hope for those debating the second shot* I have been quietly following this forum since April 13 when my tinnitus started. I had my first Pfizer shot on April 3 and for the following 10 days I had inflammation on the right side of my face, ear pressure and occasional cheek numbness. I have never reacted to other vaccines or had any ear concerns so when the ringing started on April 13th my stress peaked, especially since I still needed a second dose. Over the coming months I saw my family doctor, audiologist, ENT and dentist to rule out any other possible factors- everything normal for a healthy 35 y/o. The second shots were delayed here in Canada so I had time to habituate and work towards acceptance that my immune response to the vaccine was somehow misdirected (as Dr. Gregory Poland wrote in his article that has been shared here) Anyhow, knowing that Covid-19 itself has been so devastating in many ways and all other symptoms had subsided besides the ringing I eventually felt willing to risk the effects of a second dose in order to be fully vaccinated and attend events/travel etc. I am pleased to say that I booked my second shot (with an RN this time) and although I chose Pfizer again I opted to have the injection in my left thigh rather than left arm. The side didn’t seem to matter for me as all symptoms were initially on the right and by May I seemed to have just general ringing in both ears- mostly noticeable when I plug them or go to sleep. The second dose was September 28 and that day I had a mild headache but absolutely NO other side effects. My body didn’t react at ALL the same way as it had to the first. I hope that can give some of you encouragement, though I know we are all different and honestly I feel for everyone here who has posted their experience. Thank you Brian for monitoring this forum and for those of you who have shared your hopeful experiences, reached out to the media and created other social media support groups. I reported my case to the Canadian database of adverse effects and have been in contact with our public health system. I am confident these vaccines will continue to be researched and I certainly hope for more funding & research into tinnitus.
rob.mg says
Hi Vanessa,
I have a few questions about your situation.
– Has your Tinnitus stopped?
– Did the Nurse provide you with any medication before administering the shot?
– What feedback or replies are you getting from the Public Health Unit after reporting your case?
– After seeing your doctors, were you diagnosed with anything? or Allergies to the vaccine?
Vanessa B says
Hello,
-Tinnitus has not stopped, over the course of those 6 months I habituated as best I could so while it’s difficult to know it may not go away it’s still such a relief that it didn’t get worse.
I wonder sometimes if that amount of time between shots made a difference?
-No medication was provided by the nurse
-In May the public health nurse took my info, it was a very thorough conversation and the only feedback she gave was that mine was the first reported case of tinnitus (in my province) but they were doing all they can to gather data of any and all adverse effects. I will be following up with them now that more data has been collected since then. It would be good to know if they are tracking first dose/second dose reactions.
-No formal diagnosis or allergy to any ingredients in the vaccine, I do have seasonal allergies and since it was April/Spring we initially wondered if it was related but I had no other allergy symptoms and my doctor and I agreed since my symptoms started within 30 mins of the vaccine the timing couldn’t be ignored.
Not sure if any of these answers help much but sending you hope and positivity in your experience!
rob.mg says
which province are you in?
rob.mg says
Please email me
trevl says
In Adelaide, South Australia. Male, 54 yrs.
I had my second dose of Pfizer on 30 Sept 2021.
The immediate symptom of my first dose, on day 2, was a full head, brain fog, unable to function on 2 feet. Like being drunk. I’ve never felt like that before. Second dose not so bad.
Five weeks after my second dose, I realised I was hearing nature sounds through a tone.
I paid a bit more attention, and realised I have a constant tone in one ear, and two intermittent flute notes in the other. The constant tone keeps me awake at night, the flute notes are not so prominent. If I listen to PinkNoise at 44dB (head height), I can no longer hear my internal tone. That gives an idea of the volume of the tone I am hearing. My ears feel warm, like there is pressure from inside. I can hear blood pulse in my ears. I thought my hearing was damaged from work or music.
On 11 Nov 2021, I had a hearing test done. I was hearing all tones and volumes, in acceptable range for my age. The audiologist said my hearing was good. The tinnitus is not due to hearing loss. I have reported a Covid -19 adverse reaction to SA Health Advisory Service. They are aware of a number of Covid-19 tinnitus reactions. What number that is, what percentage of ANY tinnitus reaction, removing any and all qualifiers, I don’t know.
I should have listened to my friends who advised against getting the jab, and remind me I’m an idiot for believing side-effects are rare and manageable. The tinnitus is wearing me down.
I suspect the authorities are collecting information but not releasing it, or massaging any released reports to minimise severity. You want to see unedited, verifiable data, of adverse reactions (numbers and symptoms) before deciding to go ahead with a Covid-vaccination.
bbkracher says
Dear all,
I’ve been following this discussion since September when I received the first (and only) Pfizer shot and developed a Tinnitus in my right ear. Two months ago, I was in a terrible place desperately looking for any possible (positive) prognoses. There were a few comments and tricks which really helped me, and I promised myself silently that once I’ve learnt how to deal with this, I’ll get back to you and share my insights. I will try to be as impartial as possible but would like to make the point that that everything I describe here is and was triggered by heavy emotions. Following the first shot of conmirnaty in my right arm, I developed the typical side effects the following day (tiredness, sore arm, feeling of high temperature). I furthermore developed a twitching in my left eye which accompanied me for more than a month. On the second day, I had a sharp pain that moved into my right fingers and later the same night, the same pain was noticeable in my toes. The next morning, I woke up with a high-pitched tinnitus in my right ear and the feeling of clogged ears. Over the next days I was waiting for it to go away which did not happen. Additionally, I developed heavy migraines and brain fog. These migraines came and went for almost one month and I was unable to work (teaching). 7 days after the onset of the tinnitus I went to see my GP, who gave me stemetil which did not have any effect. After doing my first homework on Tinnitus I asked my GP to get me steroids (Prednisone) and I took 25 mg for 3 days. After this, the feeling of a clogged ear went away, but the tinnitus did not. At the same time, the migraines became unbearable, and I went to the ER in the middle of the night when my vision got impaired. One specific blood parameter was indicating clotting (D-Dimer), but clotting was neither visible in a CT nor an MRI. The blood parameter went back to normal in the morning and I was told that there was probably a technical/methodological issue. I went on to see an ENT, who told me that she had 2 more patients who developed Tinnitus after the vaccine (and who also got better). The ENT found that I have balance issues triggered by my left inner ear. We agreed to try again steroids and I took 60 mg Prednisone which was tapered over about 3 weeks. The Prednisone gave me a horrible mood and some other side effects (e.g., insomnia) which made living with Tinnitus even harder. However, after a few days, I had the feeling that the Tinnitus got better. The originally high pitch occasionally turned into something like white noise which made sleeping a lot easier. However, after the tapering the steroids, the tinnitus came back (although less loud). The ENT gave me afterwards a shot through my ear drum with Desoximetasone. After that shot, I heard silence for the first time since ages. Unfortunately, I developed a middle ear infection from the perforated ear drum which had a very negative effect on the ringing, and which was there at a very high intensity 27/7. The infection lasted two weeks. In this two week I relocated to another country and had to look for another ENT. The new ENT told me I have a mild hearing loss in the high frequency range and suggested again to use steroids. This time I got them I.V. (4x 250mg and tapering for 2 weeks) and again heard silence on the third day. After tapering the prednisone again, the Tinnitus is coming and going depending on my lifestyle.
I’d like to dedicate a few lines to how I felt and thought during the first weeks and afterwards describe what alternative treatments (besides Steroids) made a difference for me. I consider myself as a creative mind and always had the feeling that silence was a well for any good idea and decision. The inability to find silence in my head “blinded” me and I was not able to work at the level I was used to. Occasionally, I had the feeling that I lost a few dozen IQ points. I was in a horrible place. I got depressive and (after tinnitus induced sleep deprivation) started having crying episodes. I also had an immense hate in myself which was (and sometimes still is) fuelled by the fact that I took the vaccine out of convenience and political pressure and not because I thought it was medically a good idea. The (blunt) media and political campaign, the inability to access data on vaccine induced tinnitus, prognoses or personal experiences as well as the fact that any discussion on other platforms such as facebook was edited or banned enraged me. My partner luckily saw my pain and supported me with lots of love and patience. However, it would be a lie to say that our relationship was not impacted by my situation. I felt like I needed to isolate and to be alone. Any social interaction felt like a burden. However, whenever my partner persuaded me to see other people, I was actually better afterwards. Nevertheless, whenever I was out, I paranoically looked for silent places to check on my tinnitus and to see if it got any worse.
There were a few things beside the steroids, that helped me:
– I discovered that hot showers and baths were able to break the tinnitus for about 30 minutes which was great to get short rests and to get to sleep.
– I changed my diet to an anti-inflammatory one and took tebonin. I found that the diet has a great impact on the tinnitus (especially at night). I’m not sure if the tebonin made a difference. I just took it all the time and therefore don’t have a reference value.
– Long walks and fresh air improved my tinnitus
– I turned off all mainstream, alternative and social media and avoided any discussion about corona, vaccination and pandemic.
– I started investigating sound masking. Especially cricket noises helped me to forget the tinnitus. This was rather important for me because it meant that I could focus and work again. I’ll paste an example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKmRkS1os7k
– I bought bose ear buds to try the sound masking at night. However, I was not very happy with the specific sounds that were available and bought “swimming headphones”. These kinds of headphones use bone conduction for sound transmission. That means that I was able to wear them during the day, have a masking sound in my head and still was able to hear other conversations. I also use these headphones for falling asleep. If anyone needs a reference, feel free to contact me.
– I started investigating neuromodulation. Neuromodulation is designed to activate hearing cells in the proximity of dysfunctional cells. Their activation triggers an inhibitory process in the cells that cause tinnitus. There are various tracks out there and they can be tailored to the specific tinnitus. There are in fact apps which allow to modify music and to use it for tinnitus therapy. For me this was a game changer. I found one specific track that erased my tinnitus entirely for several hours. I only need to listen to the track for a few seconds/minutes to notice a change in my tinnitus. I started listening to this track before sleeping and sometimes during the day and my sleeping and general perception of the tinnitus has changed dramatically. Here is a sample which I also use on my headphones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LZv3ta13Ws&t
– Some people described another way to alleviate the tinnitus. However, this did not work for me. Anyway, here is the link in case someone would like to try: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBgkPOGD6gw
Today I am in a place where I can manage and although the tinnitus comes back now and then, I have the feeling that I am in control (especially with the abovementioned sound therapy). Subjectively, I don’t think that I habituated to the tinnitus (yet) but that the Tinnitus actually improved. Especially the steroids and the neuromodulation made a difference. I’m still not back to normal and I notice that I’m frequently weak and annoyed, but I have the feeling to be better each week. I’d say I’m at 70-80% at the moment.
I will not get any further CoV19 shots and organised a permanent medical exemption. The necessity to do so and the actual process of getting my suffering acknowledged triggered some more anger and remembered me th