Auditory Evoked Potentials — Any Experiences?

Hello! My ENT wants me to do an Auditory Evoked Potentials, which has been programmed for September (Spanish Health Service is very slow this days).

Well, I’ve read that you get a 90 dB noise emissions directly into your ear canal. This terrifies me and I’m just about to cancel it because my tinnitus is extremely reactive and it could badly spike for hours after a minimal exposure to a laud noise. I’ve tried to speak to the doctor in charge of the test but he is on holidays and his nurse wasn’t helpful at all, so, please, I wonder if there is someone here who has any experience with this test and could clear my doubts.


Thank you very much.

 

Unless there is an extremely good reason why you need to have this test, I would not subject my ears to it. Pumping that sort of volume into compromised ears is medically irresponsible, if not negligent. It just demonstrates that ENT's have absolutely no idea of the impact of volume on tinnitus affected ears. No idea!

 

@Anima I agree and so does professionals on the net. Scroll down to Hearing Assessments. http://www.dineenwestcottmoore.com.au/uploads/ASD_TTTS_guide_medical_professionals.pdf


Scroll down to ASD Assessments
http://www.hyperacusis.net/other-factors/acoustic-shock-disorder/

 

My ENT wants to be sure that my hearing loss is neurisensorial, that’s the reason. I’m not sure what to expect, that’s why I’m asking. Did you ever get one? I'm not goin g to get that test if what I have read is right, no matter what my ENT wants. I agree with you, they know very little about tinnitus and it's very frustrating and can be dangerous too.
Thanks for your reply.

 

Here is some background on sensorineural hearing loss.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensorineural_hearing_loss

sensorineural hearing loss is 90% of hearing loss reported.

 

@Anima, I have not had such a test. It is also called an Auditory Brainstem Response test. Doctors have specific reasons why they order such a test, with some serious conditions able to be diagnosed with it. I am neither doctor nor expert, so I don't dare to query the doctor's intentions. I would discuss the process with your doctor, making clear your concerns about the effects of volume and tinnitus and if it's utterly necessary for the test to proceed. I believe other people on TT may have written about their experiences with this test also.

 

Thanks very much for all the background.

 

Fabrikat, the main reason of the test is because I was diagnosed otosclerosis 25 years ago and my ENT thinks that a stapedectomy could help my severe tinnitus, (which is ototoxic related) because I’m deft in my left ear (lauder tinnitus) and have only a 40% hearing in my right one, so a better hearing would diminish the tinnitus in his opinion. I don’t want to go surgery because after such a long time, and also due I’m 70, it wouldn’t do much for my hearing and, if it failed, complications could make things even worst and I don’t want to run the risk. What I wanted and asked him for is a middle ear stimulator ( a sort of implant with minimum surgery and little complications), but it seems he doesn’t listen. They have made me all type of tests and in a week I’m getting a high resolution scan of my middle ear and cochlea. I’m not quite sure that a ABR is strictly necessary, that’s why I would like to hear experiences of people who got it done. I can’t talk to my ENT till my next appointment which won’t be till October.
Thanks for caring.

 

@Anima, I too have otosclerosis in my right ear. I know what you mean by not wanting to risk surgery. Even one or two per cent failure rate for stapedotomy, is enough to scare me off the thought. The only other option then, is a hearing aid. Still useful, even with conductive hearing loss. I wish you the very best!

 

Fabrikat, I have a hearing aide for my right ear, but my tinnitus gets worst when I use it. Dam reactive tinnitus.

Have a look at this: http://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/au/home/discover/baha-bone-conduction-implants

That’s what I would like to be implanted, but the cochlea has to be absolutely healthy, which I don’t think mine is. A lady friend of mine, who after a failed stapedectomy was suffering deftness, permanent vertigo, severe tinnitus and a horrible hiperacusia, was implanted a BAHA and everything went back to normality for her, even her tinnitus is gone, she can only hear it when the implant is switched off at night, but is so mild that doesn’t bother her at all. She has taken her life back after living a hell on earth. Is a non risky procedure with just local anaesthesia. That’s what I would like for me if I were a good candidate, of course, but I’ll find out after all the tests are done. I told my doctor that stapedectomy is out of the question, although my doctor still believes that would be my only possibility of getting a better hearing. If he is right, then I’m fine like this. My doubt now is if I want to take the Evoked Potentials test, hope somebody can tell me his/her experience.

I’m much obliged Fabrikat and I wish you well.

 

Hello!

I wanted to update in order to help other people who might have to get this test done.
Yesterday it was the day of my appointment. Previously, at my request, I was assured on the phone that no noise would be given to my ears.
I drove to the hospital with the estrange feeling that the information I had been given was wrong.
There were two physicians waiting for me, who, as soon I entered in their office, seated me in front of an apparatus with a pair of headphones. That told me it all !! My feeling was right, that nurse on the phone didn’t know what she was talking about .
They explained to me that the test was going to be 30 minutes long with a range of noise going from 70 to 90 db. all the time. I told the doctors that my tinnitus was the reactive kind and that, with much regret, I had to cancel the test.
I drove back home cursing my stupid ENT for ordering such a dangerous absurdity.
How the hell could I go through a test like that without having a massive tinnitus attack or damaging even more my hearing? There surely must be a less aggressive test to determinate if my hearing lose is definitely the sensorineural kind. If he says that there is another alternative, I’ll have to tell my doctor a few words then.
Two weeks back I had a CT scan concerning my otosclerosis, I have an appointment with my ENT next week to find out about the results of both procedures. He won’t be very happy when I tell him that I refused the test just because it was too noisy, but I couldn’t care less. Can a tinnitus specialist ignore that noise up to 90 db. can spike tinnitus or even permanently aggravate it? I can't believe it. I’ve no words to express how annoyed I’m with him about this matter. If I'm wrong, please, don't hesitate to let me know your points of view.
I’ll update you after I see him.
Thanks for reading me.

All the best to you all.

 

@Anima You can always have your hearing tested at a later date. As you say, your ears are probably still in a sensitive state. There's many articles where professionals would understand your decision.

Here's one. Scroll down to section: Hearing assessment.

 

Greg, thanks very much for the information, I’ll talk to my doctor about it but it will be vain, I’m afraid. They don’t usually empathise because don’t pay much attention to the patients point of view concerning medical tests.

My last audiological test done at my ENT’s cabinet spiked my tinnitus badly for two days, and prior to that, one year ago before my aggravation, an audiologist spiked to the roof during a week my still, in those days, mild tinnitus. When I complained they just said that the tests have to be done the way they have been designed. End of the story. So, I don’t take test anymore unless they lower the level, which they don’t usually want to do. Go figure. I can’t wear my hearing aid because it also spikes my tinnitus. I have a hiperacusia concerning high pitch sounds and I can’t either use a cell phone because of that. I have to plug my ears when I drive or go downtown because of the heavy traffic. I don’t understand why tinnitus specialists, like mine, are generally refractory to accept that noise is a poison for sensitive ears and that certain tests should not be carried out the same way that they usually do to others who haven’t this specific problem. Anyway, I’m convinced that 90db is far too much for a tinnitus victim, no matter how sensitive his ears are.

All the best.