Had or Having Medical Tests for Tinnitus? Please Share!

I thought having a thread to share what tests we have had or will have would be helpful for some.

Please share with us here.....even if you have mentioned them elsewhere on this forum.

Many here have had numerous tests and have shared with us what they have had and the results, but the posts are scattered throughout this forum.

So.... if you feel like it, share what tests, when and the results of them.

 

Tests I've had:
1. Audiogram (by an ENT). Sitting a quiet room, listening to various frequencies at increasing volume; pressing a button to indicate when I heard the frequency. Resulting graph, showing sensitivity of each ear to frequency. Showed hearing loss a the frequency I hear my tinnitus.
2. Audiogram (by my audiologist). Same thing as before.
3. A special tinnitus audiogram by my audiologist. Special ear buds were placed into each ear. These were connected to a computer software analysis program. A frequency was sent into one ear and was received by the other ear. The data was anlayzed using a "tinnitus protocol". Verified the traditional audiogram results, but much more detailed information. "No work" on the patients part - they just sit there.
4. MRI (ordered by a second ENT). Used to rule out certain possible brain related causes of tinnitus.

 

I have had hearing tests. All is well on that front. Just a normal high pitch hearing reduction in upper frequencies - they say my age is a factor and it is normal.

Blood tests... just fine.

MRI a few weeks ago. All is well in my brain and auditory loops.

ENT took out small bits of wax.

I am having an ultrasound for the carotid artery tomorrow because my ENT thinks he hears a heart murmur and that could be the cause of the pulsing T. He says I have vascular tinnitus.

Next week I am having a VNG to see if my auditory and sight connection is troubling as I am experiencing some balancing / dizziness issues as well now. Not looking forward to having intentional dizziness with the tests.

 

Thanks Karl!

Your explanation may help others as it was detailed.

Question .... what did they hope to find out about the tinnitus protocol?

 

I've only had a hearing test which confirmed that I had hearing loss at the same frequency as my Tinnitus.

 

Thanks for that Molan.

Hmmm..wonder if that is typical...

 

All sorts of tests,the only thing that came up was an MRI on my TMJ which showed arthritis and inflamation.

 

I found my audiologist after reading about her in the local newspaper. She may be one of the best in the Chicago Land area. It took me over a month (of suffering) to get an appointment. I belong to a tinnitus discussion group, and it seems that a lot of people know about her.

She uses a test in which you wear two ear buds that are analyzed by a software program. I heard frequencies, and somehow these earbuds produced a "tinnitus protocol". I just sat there like a lump, didn't have to say a thing or push a button. The results were very detailed.

I don't think this test actually offered any better "fix" for my tinnitus. Habituation seems to be the only fix at present. I was offered two options: Neuromonics ("The $5,000 IPod", 7 months until habituation) or maskers ($1,800, 12 months to 24 months until habituation). I chose the maskers, choosing to tough it out for the extra bucks I will save.

Sometimes I hate these maskers. I stopped wearing them for about a month. Today, I'm trying them again, and they seem to help. It's like an old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movie: "The Road to Habituation".

 

Nice sense of humor Karl!

 

I think this is a good thread. Maybe we could find things we have not tried yet.

Among the tests I had:

1. audiograms - all ok
2. tympanometry twice - all ok
3. tinnitus loudness/tone matching - 75 db in both ears, impossible to match
4. head CT with contrast - all ok
5. blood tests - all ok
6. videonystagmography (VNG) - all ok
7. spine RTG - revealed mild hypolordosis

Suggested treatment - massage therapy, more sports, avoid sitting too much. Also I was accepted to try this electrical stimulation of cochlea I mentioned in the forum before. I had no guts to try it yet...

 

Thanks for your contribution Fish!

Why did you have a VNG test? Are you having dizziness or imbalance issue?

And, what happened if you don't mind sharing. I have that coming up on Monday.

 

VNG is a procedure that tests the middle ear function and some cordination with eye movement (I am not sure). I have no problems with dizziness or imbalance.

Do not worry calin you will be perfectly fine! This test is absolutely painless and not that unpleasant either. First I wore a special kind of goggles and followed a moving red dot on screen with my eyes (without moving head). Next I had to lie down, the goggles closed themselves so I had my eyes open but couldn't see anything anymore. Then the red dot appeared for a moment and I was supposed to stare in that general direction. Next the doctor poured first cold, then warm water in my ears. Shortly after that I got dizzy and it became difficult to stop my eyes from moving, haha. Dizziness is unpleasant but it wears off quickly. Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes calin!

I am sorry for my english, I am not good at forming long sentences.

 

Along with a CD of the ultrasound, I have a copy of the doctors report for my US carotid artery scan.

Antegrade flow is seen within the vertebral arteries bilaterallt. No significant plaque is seen within the carotid sustem bilaterally. No hemodynamically significant stenosis or occlusion is identified.

Impression:
1. No evidence for hemodynamically significant stenosis or occlusion
2. Antegrade flow seen within the vertebral arteries bilaterally.

All is well there!

Next up is the VNG on Monday.

 

Thanks Fish. I am not happy about the dizziness part!

Why did they do that test if you didn't have problems?

 

I survived! lol

VNG test shows all is well. No Labrinthitis or any other physical cause found.

My T was not even audible while I was having the tests. And hours after... only a mere faint whisper.

The dizzy reaction to the hot and cold air was a good sign. Everything is healthy.

She gave me exercises to do to acclimate my brain to compensate for the floating sensation or dizzy spells.

She told me that this condition is frequently from stress. hmmm... no kidding. Try having tinnitus for a year and all the life issues we are bombarded with these days.

I guess this is good news. I still for some reason cried .... could be from combo of joy and the fact that I was causing this myself.

Haha.. she asked me if there was anything I didn't know about the test and tinnitus. Oh and ...to stay away from tinnitus searches and forums. Yea... like that is going to happen!

 

Gosh Erik... I wish you the best.

Take an Ativan... I feel asleep a couple of times. Also try counting the seconds for each session. Keep your eyes closed.

 

Glad to hear that all is well, Calin! I am sorry for not responding to your last question, somehow I missed it

I don't really have problems with dizziness but the doctors probably wanted to rule out every possible cause.

 

No worries!

Thanks for getting back to me!

My floating head thing has faded big time. I think it may be a result of the Reflexercise. It may just have been stress as the clinician suggested.