Hello everyone. This is my first post, although I have a long history with tinnitus/hyperacusis/hearing loss. It started when I was 14. I am now 22. It has marred my university years (I am now in my fourth year, and will be starting a PhD after). But my present post is to vent frustration and also to ask some advice.
Last Thursday (the 2nd of Jan) I had a consultation for IPL treatment (Intense Pulsed Light) to treat a small red patch on my face. This included a 'test patch' of IPL, which was done behind the ear. Unfortunately, it was done on the soft part of the tissue, and I seem to have lost quite a bit of my hearing that day. I noticed it within an hour of the test patch. In particular, I can't seem to hear low tones and reverberation, like when I am speaking, and very high notes. When I have tried to listen to music, I lose so much detail of what is coming in that ear. I have been struggling to hear both my guitar and my voice when I am playing, and I have my right ear to the guitar, but I am fine with my left ear. I also have a slight increase in tinnitus. I recall that the day after I had a couple of instances of high pitched squeeling in my ear, which receded.
Firstly, I am puzzled. I am still not sure how I could have had this effect. And secondly, I am really upset. I had only started listening to music through earphones (at a reasonable volume) again within the last month. This was the first time in 8 years, and now everything sounds off. I only started going out within the last couple of months, and was really enjoying myself. And now I have this from a source completely unrelated to loud music. I am struggling to focus on my work again.
Any support would be much appreciated. And if anyone has any advice on the specific case of this being triggered by an IPL test patch, I would be grateful. I do not have access to a GP I am registered with until next week. When I enquired with the IPL clinic, they simply told me that the muffled hearing could not have been caused by the IPL (of course).
Last Thursday (the 2nd of Jan) I had a consultation for IPL treatment (Intense Pulsed Light) to treat a small red patch on my face. This included a 'test patch' of IPL, which was done behind the ear. Unfortunately, it was done on the soft part of the tissue, and I seem to have lost quite a bit of my hearing that day. I noticed it within an hour of the test patch. In particular, I can't seem to hear low tones and reverberation, like when I am speaking, and very high notes. When I have tried to listen to music, I lose so much detail of what is coming in that ear. I have been struggling to hear both my guitar and my voice when I am playing, and I have my right ear to the guitar, but I am fine with my left ear. I also have a slight increase in tinnitus. I recall that the day after I had a couple of instances of high pitched squeeling in my ear, which receded.
Firstly, I am puzzled. I am still not sure how I could have had this effect. And secondly, I am really upset. I had only started listening to music through earphones (at a reasonable volume) again within the last month. This was the first time in 8 years, and now everything sounds off. I only started going out within the last couple of months, and was really enjoying myself. And now I have this from a source completely unrelated to loud music. I am struggling to focus on my work again.
Any support would be much appreciated. And if anyone has any advice on the specific case of this being triggered by an IPL test patch, I would be grateful. I do not have access to a GP I am registered with until next week. When I enquired with the IPL clinic, they simply told me that the muffled hearing could not have been caused by the IPL (of course).
