Do I Have ASD (Acoustic Shock Disorder)?

[Samir]

Hello!

I tried to clear wax out of my ears recently, just to be sure I don't have any wax. I was told by the doctor I had no wax plugs. But I just went on with it anyway to be sure, because it's a cheap and painless procedure, one that can done at home. So I bought the special drops (local brand called Revaxör) that are used for ear wax removal.

I laid down on my side and put 15 drops in the ear facing up. I allowed it to act for 30 minutes and then got up and cleared it out with warm water and a rubber ear syringe. There was nothing! No wax plug! I then repeated the procedure for the other ear. This was my left ear, which is my bad ear. As soon as I started putting the drops in my tensor tympani muscle went into spasms. Then calmed down, then went into spasms again. I could feel the tension in the muscle. By the time I had all 15 drops in, my eyes had become watery as if I had cried. I got up 30 minutes later and cleared it out. No wax! At least I know I don't have wax plugs, but I want repeat this anytime soon again.

Watery eyes or crying is said to be one of the signs of Acoustic Shock Disorder (ASD). I have also I had a bad episode of Tonic Tensor Tympani (TTT) in July to August 2016, where it would manifest itself mostly at night. The contractions would last for like 20 seconds... I estimate it was about 200 contractions with a rate of 10/s. Followed by a pause, then a tension lasting anywhere from 1 to 20 minutes. Then off we go again... just as I would start to fall asleep. That was a nightmare for me. That's when I started seeking help, thinking it was some fort of (objective) tinnitus. This was before I became aware of my (subjective) tinnitus in December that same year.

The TTT has subsided since, and I rarely get these anymore. But I can still feel a tension in the muscle, and occasional 1 to 3 contractions. It also seems to be triggered by putting things inside the ear canal.

Do you think I might have ASD? Is there no way to cure TTTS? I think if I could cure my TTTS my mild T and my occasional H would subside.

What research is being done on TTTS, AS and ASD? I think these are important conditions to understand and study, because they seem to be present in many T and H patients.

 

[RaZaH]

What is acoustic shock disorder?

 

[PaulBe]

Look up the website of Dineen Westcott & Moore in Australia for more information on ASD and TTTS.

 

[Tommi_boi]

I think if it is TTTS , this will go away with time as the muscles contract less . I would not panic just yet

Here's a great article on it http://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/do-i-have-tonic-tensor-tympani-syndrome-ttts/

 

[Samir]

What is acoustic shock disorder?

It's yet another acronym to write down on the list.

Acoustic shock disorder (ASD) is an involuntary response to a sound perceived as traumatic (usually a sudden, unexpected loud sound heard near the ear), which causes a specific and consistent pattern of neurophysiological and psychological symptoms.

There is a good explanation here: http://www.hyperacusis.net/other-factors/acoustic-shock-disorder/

The most prominent symptom is TTTS, itself a syndrome. So ASD is like this syndrome that consists of TTTS syndrome, plus some other symptoms like ear pain, TMD, crying, etc. It's like a big bucket of problems.

Look up the website of Dineen Westcott & Moore in Australia for more information on ASD and TTTS.

I have, and their website is like one of few that explain this. It seems like Westscott is one of few people in the world who understand this and have done research into this. But I don't really understand this, so I am not sure if I may have this thing called ASD. But if I have TTTS then it would seem possible that I might have ASD.

While the TTTS may have subsided, I think I still have what's known as Middle Ear Myoclonus or MEM. I have been hearing clicks in my left ear, and I think this started before I got T. Then I started noticing it sometimes in my right ear. I was thinking that this was just one of several T sounds. But just the last night, I decided to put my phone behind my left ear and start recording sound. The click sound was very faint on the recording but the microphone picked it up. I thought this was in my head! But apparently it's a real, objective sound.

One thing I noticed when I was examining myself is that the click in my left ear is triggered sometimes by swallowing. Not every time, but it's a consistent pattern. Every three or four times I swallow I hear a click. The right ear was unaffected by swallowing.

I just wish there was some effective treatment for this. I am hoping that if I can get this under control my tinnitus might go away as well. Do you think that biofeedback or TMS can help with uncontrolled muscle?

When I had the difficult TTTS episode I didn't even know what it's called. But the sound I heard was like "wow wow wow", like the speaker membrane of a subwoofer. But this clicking is said to be also caused by the same muscle, the Tensor Tympani. But I just don't get it why it now sounds like clicking, instead of that wow sound? Maybe the contractions are not as fast or not as violent? I'm thinking it's the hammer bone that causes the clicks.

Do you think ENT can see the hammer bone moving in my ear? Could they use fMRI to see the bones in action? I'm also thinking that it might be the stapedius muscle causing the clicks.

 

[Mila9828]

Hi! I know it's been years but any update on this?