Freaked Out

[missingsilence]

I apologize in advance for this post, I know it is likely not helping me move on but I am simply not able to let go and accept things how they are. I keep going in circles.

My T although quite aggravating is not the only thing that has me worried. For the last 2.5 months I have had a feeling as if my ears are stuffed or full, it seems quite persistent. I try to pop my ears (Valsalva maneuver) and it doesn't seem they are actually physically clogged. The only thing that would indicate that is that when breathing in our out I notice some resistance which is making me think that maybe something else is going on.

Certain sounds are muffled and I sometime hear as if my voice was resonating or distorted. I have had standard 8 kHz hearing tests done (with visible dips at 4 kHz and 6 kHz of around 10-20dB) but nothing above those frequencies was tested. So today I decided to use a tone generator to see up to what frequency I could hear.

I found out I don't hear anything above 13,000 Hz, and I am barely 20 years old. I had an acoustic trauma 3 months ago (from people blasting a TV at 100% volume) and I am devastated to say the least. I feel like it wiped out a significant portion of my hearing range. I wonder if this fullness will ever subside not to mention the roaring T. I generally avoid loud noises (never been to a concert, and rarely go to clubs).


Sorry for bringing this up, I am alone at home and freaked out. At just 20 I feel like I am screwed for the long run.

 

[NimQ]

Hey @missingsilence

Really sorry to hear you are feeling down. Hearing problems can be devastating and it can indeed feel like things can only get worse. I was 10-12 years old when they detected hearing loss in my left ear - caused by something or then been there forever, no one knows. My left ear has hearing loss starting suddenly with -30 db from 1.5k and going down from there, so can't hear high pitched sounds at all. One could think that it can only get worse with time, right? I really thought that having suffered two acoustic traumas resulting in T in both ears, the left ear would be worse. But somehow that didn't happen - instead, the -30 db dip starts now at 2k and rest of it has remained exactly the same than it was in the late 90s. 20 years and my screwed up ear had not lost anymore hearing, even when it had been exposed to a lot of damaging noise when I still went to nightclubs/concerts.

My point here is, that even when you do have hearing loss, it doesn't necessarily mean it gets worse. You now know better than most people your age to protect your hearing etc., so while they are blasting away ultra high frequencies, you know how to keep the hearing you have safe. Then when you are all in your 40s or 50s, they can't hear crickets either and you could have normal hearing for your age. Everyone loses the high frequencies at some point and it really does suck that it happened to you, but not all is lost. Your hearing on the most important frequencies is intact and while protecting it is important, it may very well be you can keep it unchanged for many decades.

Furthermore, testing the ultrahigh frequencies with a tone generator with home audio isn't reliable measurement. It could very well be that your speakers can only play sounds up to 13 k. This is something you can look into, but perhaps booking a visit to an audiologist who measures ultra high frequencies would be better.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Consider no longer using that Valsalva maneuver. It can be tough on your ears, and you say that it doesn't seem to be effective. I also experience that full ear sensation. Like T, it takes forever to go away, and someone on this site reported that they've had it for years.

The fact that you are young, means that the chance that you will recover is higher.

 

[Karl28]

Maybe its your eustachian tubes thats clogged up.
Goto an ENT and have do a Nasal endoscopy and they can check.
It likes like less then a minute.

 

[missingsilence]

Had a talk with an audiologist, he says it could subside with time, but no guarantees. I've been struggling with this, it bothers me almost as much as my T. When I'm at home I hear my T, when I'm outside I feel like my ears are really stuffed. I worry this may be because I lost some higher frequency hearing and thus I perceive the lack of sound as aural fullness, but that's just my guess, I really hope its not the case.

In some ways I feel like I'm doomed to having to deal with this, it makes me feel terrible. I miss just being able to wake up with a mild T and live life normally. I'd give anything to go back to normal. I feel like I'm done, it saddens me.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'd give anything to go back to normal.

I know the feeling...

My ear fullness got better over time. However, it hasn't disappeared...