MRI Noise Causing Hearing Issues? What's the Chance?

[Eric N]

Is there any chance noise from 30 mins scan in a GE 1.5 T MRI while using double 30 NRR and 33 NRR (muffs / plugs) hearing protection can cause hearing issues? As far as I know you can't get any stronger protection than that.

I had a scan 3 days ago and I am feeling a noticeable spike in some of the T frequencies - primarily in the frequency which I have a minor hearing loss- but can't tell if its from the stress of having the test one or not.

I didn't notice any other issues like ear pain or reduced hearing after the exam however the test was still uncomfortably loud on some of the MRI sequences, I would not be surprised the MRI it went over 100 db .

Is it worth have another hearing test? or doing anything? If you get hearing damage reduced hearing should be a symptom as well right?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

The GE 1.5 is 110 db. The manufacturer's db protection as stated on their website for both the muffs and plugs as combined would be minus 34 db.. 110 -34 = 76 db. I wouldn't worry with a 76db. Today, a neighbor hit her car alarm several times in front of me. Her alarm is 120 db and I was 5 meters away = 113. That hurt. What's gets me, is she parks in front of my house instead of her house, driveway or garage.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

The maximum safe exposed time of 100 db is 15 minutes. At 80 it's 25 hours and 34 minutes. At 110 it's 1 minute and 29 seconds. At your test level with your double protection it's 3840 minutes.

 

[Eric N]

The GE 1.5 is 110 db. The manufacturer's db protection as stated on their website for both the muffs and plugs as combined would be minus 34 db.. 110 -34 = 76 db. I wouldn't worry with a 76db. Today, a neighbor hit her car alarm several times in front of me. Her alarm is 120 db and I was 5 meters away = 113. That hurt. What's gets me, is she parks in front of my house instead of her house, driveway or garage.

Could you please provide me the link to where you got this info? I had an brain MRI with a Siemens Avanto before this which seemed much quieter than the GE

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Popular Science September 12, 2013. Also in their online index of stories - keyword - MRI. "According to GE, the typical MRI scanner generates 110 decimals of noise when it's hard at work". I'm assuming if it was loud for you, the model was pre Sept. 2013. Around September 2013, GE marketed a 1.5T silent scanner model that's "quiet enough to have a conversion over". I can't find the db on the silent model, even from the GE product and specs site.

 

[Bobby B]

The maximum protection possible is about 38db maybe 36 NRR (USA scale) to be more realistic as plugs may not always for well

31 muffs + 33 plugs give you 33 + 5 because it's a logarithmic scale

So yes 110 minus your 36 is perfectly safe for this short amount of time

Bone blocks 40db so above that noise will come from surrounding bones even if we could block the ears completely you would not be able to get above 40db of sound reduction

What kind of ear muffs can be used in MRI ? They would not have any metal part in it

 

[Rubenslash]

The maximum protection possible is about 38db maybe 36 NRR (USA scale) to be more realistic as plugs may not always for well

31 muffs + 33 plugs give you 33 + 5 because it's a logarithmic scale

So yes 110 minus your 36 is perfectly safe for this short amount of time

Bone blocks 40db so above that noise will come from surrounding bones even if we could block the ears completely you would not be able to get above 40db of sound reduction

What kind of ear muffs can be used in MRI ? They would not have any metal part in it

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Howard-Lei...ielectric-Headband-Earmuffs-1010928/203066854

T3 if no head MRI

 

[Eric N]

I used this earmuff

http://www.earplugstore.com/mri-safe-proears-ultra-pro-earmuffs.html

 

[Eric N]

OMG there is a new tone developing!!! what am I going to do?!!!

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Some questions: What kind of new tone? Do you grind your teeth? If you raised your head and had your mouth open during the procedure, then you could have new problems, but I'm sure you knew to keep your head flat at all times without movement.

 

[Eric N]

Some questions: What kind of new tone? Do you grind your teeth? If you raised your head and had your mouth open during the procedure, then you could have new problems, but I'm sure you knew to keep your head flat at all times without movement.

Its a new pure tone 1.5khz sound which i dont think i had before. No i dont grind my teeth
Wow unfortunately I did both of those things but just once , I opened my mouth just for a second to see if it would be louder it was but very slightly, what makes you ask though is it for that reason?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Constant sounds when one have their mouth open like with dental drilling can lead to high tone pitch T. Sounds in mouth can travel by way of the 8 nerve to the ear. Drilling should be 5 seconds on and then 10 seconds off for those with T.

It seem like you had a decent fit with your head phones by having short hair. Hopefully this will go away for you in a few weeks.

 

[MidnightOilAudio]

Its a new pure tone 1.5khz sound which i dont think i had before. No i dont grind my teeth
Wow unfortunately I did both of those things but just once , I opened my mouth just for a second to see if it would be louder it was but very slightly, what makes you ask though is it for that reason?

"I don't think I had before". This sounds like panic induced T. If you really had a brand new tone, you would know FOR SURE. If the possibility is even in your mind that it may have always been there, it's probably just your heightened sense of awareness "looking" for a new tone.

I could be totally wrong, but I have been exactly where you are. As soon as I calmed my ass down and carried on, I always realized my "regular" T was still just that, my "regular" T.

Good luck and I hope you find some relief very soon.

 

[Eric N]

oh god the spike is brutal, even my masking sounds are not working well anymore this is terrifying beyond words

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Eric, I can relate. I'm having a high pitched ringing spike in my left ear going on two days. I can feel a little liquid in the ear. In the past, when I went to bed, some T would change ears depending on what side I was laying on. I can't notice a real serious sinus problem. This new high pitch T & H started after going to the dentist. There's so many bones, nerves, veins, muscles and conditions related to ears, neck, jaw and mouth that's it's hard to know what could be causing a new spike.

Bill B. had recently mentioned that ear protection isn't as good as the manufacturers claim. So I just don't know in your case. A lot of us have stress with T and that doesn't help. In my opinion, many ENT's are not able to spend the time with a patient to find conditions making T worse. So, we are here and other places trying to find solutions to stabilize our T back to a base level.

 

[slipware]

My own theory, when I had a couple of MRI scans, it was so noisy it definitely made my tinnitus much worse. They give a set of noise reducing ear muffs, but they are made for bigger heads than mine, they came off leaving my ears exposed to the full noise. The second time they gave me foam as well, but still caused a new permanent spike.
You just get used to it, but my advice, push for the best ear protection you can get.

 

[Eric N]

I had a hearing test (pure tone, acoustic emissions etc,) there were no significant changes (+5, -5 db here and there) from last years. I am not sure how much these tests can help but I can at least rule out a genuine acoustic trauma. Is it quite unlikely that higher frequencies than 8k have been damaged leaving those below 8k intact?

The audiologist thinks I am too stressed and thinks my anxiety might be contributing to the issue. I personally don't think stress can cause spikes for this level and time, the only thing that seems to make mine worse is noise but I could be wrong.

Spike still remains and fluctuates I got some Xanax to help me sleep.

 

[Eric N]

just an update sadly no improvement the high pitch sound is brutal , I will have my high frequency hearing tested again.

I don't usually write stuff like this, but I am not sure if I can survive with it at this level for very long, this condition has no mercy whatsoever, I am having my will filled out just in case.

 

[Apocalypse77]

Did the spike go away or do you have it still?