Growing Tired of Dumb ENT's

So I had a pretty unsuccessful appointment with the ENT, and frankly should not have been surprised. Despite having some losses in the low frequencies (10-15 decibels) over the last 2 months, because I am not a hearing aid candidate and can understand people talking to me, of course they say "nothing is wrong with you". If that trend continued I would be deaf in 2-3 years,to put things in perspective, but they could care less.

They could also care less that the losses are breaking my heart and isolating me from music, and that my hyperacusis has kept me in earplugs everywhere and more or less housebound. I told them this that I really needed help and that something was really wrong with me, and that I was essentially disabled. But they dismissed hydrops and all of the other valid suggestions I made, because I wasn't a supreme textbook example; they didn't even know or consider what 75% of the things were that I was suggesting. Didn't even bother to say "hmm, maybe we should do a CT scan, an ABR, etc".
Even my earplugs are a damned curse. Putting them in hurts my hearing, having my voice and vibrations echo back at me through occlusion hurts me, and it takes very little of either to set me off. And they blow off the idea that these devices could hurt me. So I am up against the wall again as to how I should even protect myself.

It's also really scary when the ENT admits that I know more than him, when all I do is google very simple concepts and try to understand the connections between variables that one in middle school could easily learn. And then they accuse me of being autistic or OCD, saying that my fixation on the topic is highly unusual and not ok. Of course it's ok! I don't want to have to kill myself from going deaf or losing sound, I don't want to end up in the hospital again because of my other health problems, and I want my happiness and stability back (I barely have any left to spare).

So, the end result was them not being able to help me, saying that my ears are working fine (and who cares about the losses or the 10 db fluctuations every week? You're fine!!!). All they say is for me to go find a psychiatrist again because it is a behavioral problem, that I am causing the problem for being so obsessed with this. It's the same cycle of 'logic' from another ear doctor that got me into the psych hospital last May, where everything I said was considered delusional, even if I was having terrible headaches and nearly passing out.


So, this is the final time I will ever see an ENT again. They truly know close to nothing about ears (if someone without any medical training knows more than them), and when they are presented with an unusual case, they just call you c**zy. I don't have severe tinnitus, but now I can start to understand the frustration that so many of you here probably go through every time you hook up with the medical community.

This is personal advice but, for anyone here who is new to T or ear disorders, please go straight to a neurologist or a neurotologist (first the latter) to get a sound medical examination for your ears. You will be disappointed and not taken seriously by the local ENT down the block, in the vast majority of cases.

 

yeah when you see textbook hydrops or any other textbook pathology , theres no need to be doctor to make the diagnosis its very easy . dont let this put you down , just look for Neurotologist and let us know how are you doing .

 

I put no stock in ENT's for tinnitus. Oh...they maybe able to pick some of the pepper out of the fly shit for certain aspects of hearing acuity...by performing a basic audiogram. So as smart as you are CH, I guess I ask, what do you expect? There is no cure for tinnitus other than the control of one's mind it minimize it. All an ENT can do is check your hearing. You might be able to have your hearing tested for free at the local shopping mall.

Some doctors aka surgeons do some amazing things. Many doctors simply adhere to rote tests that are taught in medical school like baking a cake. There is no discovery to that. So I believe you are right to not go to an ENT. I have never heard of one doing anything positive for someone with tinnitus. Maybe they have...if T related to say ET blockage....but generally all they can do is tell you what you already know, you have tinnitus and an uncertain future what your hearing will be like tomorrow or 20 years from now.

I hope you find peace with your condition.

 

I personally had a great experience with my ENT. This guy has the best bedside manner I ever experienced. Very witty and had a few terrific jokes to break the ice. He also suffers tinnitus and was extremely comforting when he broke all the bad news to me. He suggested a few changes to my lifestyle via diet and exercise, warned me of allowing this to bring me down and suggested I contact him if I had any struggles at all dealing with my issues. I took him up on that twice. He prescribed me a couple things when I was at my lowest points and was very caring about the issues at hand. Of course he sent me for an MRI just to be sure no growth or nerve was involved and told me they most likely won't find any issues. He actually made this easier for me to accept right from the get go. These ENT's are very rare indeed. Each appointment with him was a positive experience even if it did nothing to lower my tinnitus.......

 

@Coyotesheaven

You have a pretty tough situation. ENTs don't have enough training in this area. You are right that you need a Neurotologist. You mentioned that you have been diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder. That is something that most of your dr's probably do not have any training on and do not understand how it affects you in relation to your symptoms. Sounds like you are very sensitive to your senses. Someone with ASD may feel like a tag against their skin is deeply scratching them while a neurotypical person may barely feel anything. I believe from what you are saying that you are deeply feeling these changes in your hearing that someone else may not notice as much. So when you go to the Dr what you are describing doesn't fit with your exam. The key to this discrepancy is your ASD. Drs are overlooking this and instead thinking that your problems are all related to anxiety. They are exasperated by anxiety but that is not the entirety of what is going on. So this is causing them to dismiss what you are saying. If you could somehow find a Neurotologist who also had training in ASD you might be able to get a better idea of exactly what you are dealing with. Unfortunately, I have no idea if such a Dr even exists.

 

I feel ya. Every doctor blames everything on anxiety and allergies so they can dope me up on antidepressants. My cousin is autistic and he's VERY sensitive to his senses especially sound. Haunted houses or any loud noises are a no-no for him. This isn't a behavior problem. I think it's something tied to your brain and your ears. A normal person shouldn't lose their hearing in such a short amount of time. I'm pissed that the doctors aren't taking you seriously.