Going MAD After Dentist

[Bill_]

So after having 2 almost "struggle free" years I feel like I'm cursed or something this year. First I encountered a mild to medium loud noise exposure which left me anxious and easily panicking. Then I got an ear infection while on vacation which may or may not have been the cause for my mild ETD which I got after that and then I got TMJ. So up to that point I think kept my composure pretty ok (with lots of support of some board members here).

But today I went to the dentist to have a root treatment in the upper left jaw. I never had issues with dental drills before and because I didn't want to fire up my anxiousness I tried not to read those dentist horror stories on this board. I thought "ok, if I put in my earplugs and ask the doc to use the drill only for a few seconds and then pause I will be fine"

An hour on the dentists chair passed and I felt really ok. The drilling was kinda loud in my head but she really only drilled for maybe 6-7 times for no longer than 4-5 seconds with a high-pitched still and twice with some very low-pitches drill, again no longer than 5 seconds each.

After I left the clinic I felt good, just annoyed by the numb feeling in my mouth from the local anaesthetic.

But about 1.5 hours later my right ear suddenly started ringing with a completely new, much louder sound. I panicked almost instantly, cold sweat on my forehead and my pulse just racing.

I'm so scared right now. I thought I took all the right precautions and really didn't feel as if anything in this procedure beyond "tolerable levels" of noise exposure.

The new sound seems kinda keeps coming and going now, sometimes barely noticeable and then again loud and clear.

I just hope this is just some temporary spike.

 

[Jack Straw]

I don't mean to downplay what you are feeling or experiencing because I am sure it is very real, but do you think that its coming and going is related to your anxiety/stress about the situation? How long is this coming and going?

For the future don't wear ear plugs when the dentist drills because it causes an occlusion effect since the dentist drill is bone conductive.

 

[Bill_]

I don't mean to downplay what you are feeling or experiencing because I am sure it is very real, but do you think that its coming and going is related to your anxiety/stress about the situation? How long is this coming and going?

For the future don't wear ear plugs when the dentist drills because it causes an occlusion effect since the dentist drill is bone conductive.

If I had read all those stories before or if I had been very anxious before or after the dentist i'd Agree that it's probably just my mind, but two things really worry me:
1. it started "out of nowhere" while I was actually feeling pretty relaxed because I felt like the visit at the dentist went very well
2. it's just in one ear. All other spikes I had until now were always just an general increase in volume "mid-head"

Now i don't know what to do. ENTs are closed until tomorrow (it's almost 6p.m. here). There's a hospital with an ENT emergency station. What should I do?

I feel so stupid for not checking those stories- anxiousness aside at least I would have known about the occlusion effect and would have let the earplugs out

 

[Jack Straw]

If I had read all those stories before or if I had been very anxious before or after the dentist i'd Agree that it's probably just my mind, but two things really worry me:
1. it started "out of nowhere" while I was actually feeling pretty relaxed because I felt like the visit at the dentist went very well
2. it's just in one ear. All other spikes I had until now were always just an general increase in volume "mid-head"

Now i don't know what to do. ENTs are closed until tomorrow (it's almost 6p.m. here). There's a hospital with an ENT emergency station. What should I do?

I feel so stupid for not checking those stories- anxiousness aside at least I would have known about the occlusion effect and would have let the earplugs out

I am not a doctor so I am not sure. If you feel it is an emergency, you should go to the ENT at the hospital and see if they can do something for you. Some people on here would prob recommend it because they may potentially give you prednisone, which could help. Again, I'm not a doctor nor is anyone else on here a doctor, so if your looking for medical advice I suggest you see a doctor.

Maybe someone else with this experience can chime in soon and give some advice.

 

[Michael B]

I'd like to think it's temporary and a reaction to the procedure. Hope you recover soon.
Mike

 

[hans799]

Did the noise fade, @Bill_ ?