My ENT Appointment :(

Had my ent appt earlier this week.
Had a audiogram and then was sent to see the consultant.

The meeting with him took no more than 3 mins literally. He didnt explain or advise anything at all!!!
I was so dissapointed and angry.
He didnt even tell me results f the audiogram. When i asked him he just said it was fine??

Hes ordered an scan which later when i enquired by phone to find out what type of scan was told its mri.
today i received a letter telling me im to go for a balance test.

The lack of interest was so frustrating.

Can anyone tell me why hes ordered these tests specifically or are they just routine?

Also what is this balance test and what am i to expect.

Thanks everyone

 

The reason you were sent for an MRI scan is because the cause of your tinnitus is considered idiopathic at this stage. In other words, your ENT considered your tinnitus not to be related to hearing loss. So to rule out any other possible causes, he is sending you for a scan and other tests.

The reason it only took 3 min. is because there is nothing immediately wrong with you, and because ENTs do not know how to diagnose tinnitus properly. Nor how to deal with it (because there is no cure).

In my opinion, you got "reasonable" care ie. your ENT is at least taking all possible precautions by sending you for further tests. The balance test is not routine.

In almost all cases, hearing loss is the reason for tinnitus; it's just that the way hearing loss is defined today, doesn't go hand-in-hand with the way hearing loss can be related to tinnitus using an audiogram (ie. normal hearing = within 25db for 0-8 kHz).

Your scans and other tests will almost certainly come back negative. MRI scans are better than CT scans (and less dangerous, but more expensive), so in my opinion, your treatment was relatively good...

EDIT:

You can always ask for a copy of your audiogram.

 

Thanks for your reply.

Its just i wish he could have just said what you have just wrote instead of no explanation and leaving me in a state of anxiety.

So if he said the audiogram was fine does that mean there is no hearing loss??

Why has he ordered a balance test?

Im scared now if there is no hearing loss could and thats not the cause of my t and h then could it be AN!!

Thanks for your support

 

You probably do have some degree of hearing loss. And probably that hearing loss is causing your tinnitus. It is just that hearing loss - when it comes to tinnitus - is not defined properly. An audiogram was not invented to detect "tinnitus"; it was invented to detect whether or not people can hear speech (= above/below 25 db hearing impairment for 0 - 8 kHz). Tinnitus begins to potentially occur already with hearing loss of 10 db or more. But ENTs don't know that.

You can read more about tinnitus and audiograms here:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...maybe-we-can-know-more.3131/page-8#post-48135

Take care.

 

Usually doctor worry for 0-8k hearing frequency. ..
T might also be caused by hearing loss in higher frequency. .. I have losses above 8k and the ent did not care for it.. balance test and mri is to rule out scd and tumors and stuff .. but that is a rare condition.. as long you don't have any dizziness or vertigo you should be fine..

 

Thanks for the reply.
If i had vertigo would it be regular.
Reason i ask is about a year and half ago i had a couple of occasions of vertigo after long hours of driving and it never happened again since but just wondering if this would class me as having vertigo?

Thanks

 

Flexi,
What country do you live? I believe you got make a buck style care. Get a copy of your audiogram. Use it as a baseline for future tests.

 

No.

 

...I should add that not all MRI scanning clinics will provide ear protection (you would think that is standard everywhere - but it isn't...!).

Therefore: bring your own 33db earplugs, and pay attention to these important steps I have mentioned about earplugs usage in this thread:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/it-will-get-better.5030/#post-50075

(these steps may seem trivial to some, but for sure, not everyone is aware of them...)

 

It seems most appointments with ENT's are just a waste of time as they do not understand our problems. It seems as though we are kind of left on our own to figure out what to do with our condition. I know I just had another appointment with an ENT and it was the same old story-sorry but we cannot do anything for you. Oh well lucky just to have a good Audiologist to work with who is interested in our problem. She even has tinnitus so she knows a bit how it feel to have it.

 

I think we have to give ENTs a break to some degree. As @attheedgeofscience said, you did get reasonable care, though I agree, the bedside manner obviously left something to be desired.

However, ENTs were not trained about tinnitus because they can't do anything about it unless it's caused by something like an AN (as others have said, rare) and even then they refer you to a surgeon. I feel like a lot of people who have tinnitus and are bothered by it are relatively emotional people and a lot of doctors are not necessarily operating through that lens. They are results oriented and taught to use only verifiable methods for their patients. I think a lot of them feel they are scientists dispensing information, they don't all want to teach or hold our hands. They wanted to be problem solvers and if they can't solve the problem, then that's it. It's not that they don't know about it, they just know that it will go away or you'll have to get used to it. It's not a nice thing to hear, but really, how did most of us here "get better" - we habituated, which is a fancy way of saying we got used to it.

I'm not saying that's awesome, but it seems to be how it is in not all, but many cases. My ENT has tinnitus and he gave me about the same treatment as you got. Adequate, but not exemplary, with perhaps a bit of pity since I was such a mess. I just have to demand his time and write down my questions.

On the flip side, I had an ENT who was really sweet in the beginning, but also a bit of an idiot in my opinion. I'd rather have the dry scientist than the hand-holder. And every now and again, you get a little of both - just takes some hunting!

So I think you got pretty good care, and I would write down all your questions that you're asking here and ask you ENT instead. He'll have something to say. You just have to demand the answers! They wont offer it up to you otherwise. Also, if you doctor is awful, "fire" him, and find another.

 

I was, in a weird way, looking forward to my ENT meeting. Seems, from reading on this forum, it wont amount too much.
Who know. I may get there, get a diagnosis, get treated, and get a cure, and live tinnitus free.

Then again, i may get a phone call from angelina jolene to tell me she's left brad pitt, and wants to sleep with me to see if we're compatable.