Greetings from Warsaw — Hyperacusis from Using Phone

Hello everybody!

My name is Viktor, I am Dutch and I live in Warsaw, Poland.

About a month ago I was on the phone, nothing special, nothing stressfull, not even an unusual long call or so. After a couple of minutes into the call, all of a sudden my left ear (I held the phone to my left ear), began making a lot of noise. It felt like 'lightning', followed by hissing, static sounds.

Of course, I immediately dropped the phone.

The first few days were like this: a 'full' feeling in my left ear, like there is something stuck in there, like an object. The whole left side of my head was buzzing (static) and beeping.

The buzzing and beeping became less within a few days. As well did this 'full' feeling disappear. The static sounds did not go away. But as soon as I am in a quiet surrounding, it becomes a bit less.

I went to see an ENT. They gave me something to stimulate the oxygen (circulation). And two days ago I started on Prednison (15 mg a day, 6 days).

The good news: i had exactly the same experience (on the phone, sudden onset of static sound) about a year or so ago. All the static sound went away within a day or two. This time though, it didn't. Perhaps it takes longer?

For now I find comfort when I am in a quiet surrounding. I try to avoid too much noise. The main complaint is a static sound that is still in the left side of my head. It is much less compared to when it all started. At the same time, it's like noise from around me can actually trigger the beeping in my head (f.e. being outside during daytime).

I have never exposed my ears to any loud noise. No concerts or loud music or something like that. My right ear is 100% fine.

I hope to end this as a success story. In the meantime, any feedback is welcome.

 

How do you describe your hyperacusis? You mentioned Ear fullness, but do you also have pain from noise? Noises sounding too loud?

Tinnitus reacting is not the same thing as hyperacusis, and there are several medical conditions that are all vaguely labelled hyperacusis.

 

I read it is safe to take magnesium with Prednisone, but you might want to ask your doctor just to be on the safe side, and if it's allowed, cheated magnesium - magnesium glycinate is the one used mostly around here. It could take longer if it's decided to stick around, yeah. But for now - your caution of too much noise is good to keep carrying throughout. Just rest your ears and avoid loud noises. Don't press your ear to a phone for right now. Talk on speaker at a volume that's low/comfortable for your ears where you can still hear the voices.

 

Hyperacusis, because noises from outside (like the fan in my kitchen) can trigger a high pitch sound, in my ear. So do other noises, like being in a restaurant, a bar, an office.

Also after swim work out, there is this high pitch sound in my inner ear.

The moment I get to a more quiet room (like my bedroom), after a while, the high pitch sound becomes less.

The static hissing is constantly there.

No pain in my ear or anywhere else in my head.

Thanks for the feedback, tips and all.

 

that isn't hyperacusis. Tinnitus reacting to external noise is not hyperacusis.

Who told you it was?

 

An ENT I saw. And I googled a bit (mostly german speaking websites) which confirmed this: the sudden onset, one sided, the feeling of a full ear, the tinnitus reacting etc.

To be perfectly honest, it is not so important to me, what it is called. More important is the question, what can be done about this.

 

Never again in my life, will I press a phone to my ear. That is for sure! ;-)

 

nothing. there's no treatment to repair a damaged cochlea.

ENT's are known to be clueless, especially the ones in Germany. Just ask @Autumnly