MRI Safe Earmuffs

My tolerance to noise is pretty good but this was something else. Felt like I didn’t have any protection at all. Gonna have to just ride the anxiety wave now. Not like I haven’t a million times already.

 

Sorry to that Tinker Bell. I’m assuming the machines you use are tolerable?

 

I think so. I mean, they are loud but not every sequence is the same volume. I will say that I have had an MRA/MRV and it was louder than any scans I have ever endured. Fortunately I will not have to do those again.

I understand what you mean about feeling like you have no ear protection, but that happens to me in other settings too. I get so accustomed to the volume level that I can’t tell that my earplugs are dampening the sound. Could you hear the techs speak in a normal voice with your ear protection? Once my ear protection is in place, they always have to shout at me when they’re in the room. So when the scan is particularly loud, I try to stay calm by reminding myself that the techs kept having to shout so clearly my ears have some protection.

 

Fortunately, there is progress being made to create "quieter" MRI machines. I am thinking about the Toshiba technology called "Pianissimo" for example. I wouldn't be surprised if MRI machines are twice less loud in 5 years.

 

Unfortunately the sequences went from bad to worse there was no restbite whatsoever for 20 minutes. I was on the verge of pressing the button multiple times.

 

Wow, I am so surprised it was a 20 minute run through of all sequences. Granted, I have not had a shoulder MRI so those could of course be different. I have had full spine, abdominal, and multiple head MRIs. For all of those they usually ran a sequence, then had a brief pause while the machine reset, then the tech would come over the room loudspeaker to tell me how long the next sequence would be and sometimes they would even warn me (this one will be louder, this one will make an odd taping sound, etc).

After a particularly annoying and long sequence in the spinal scan, the tech once came in the room and told me that it had to be repeated because I had breathed at the wrong moment. Her advice was try not to breathe.

 

No one asked if I was ok or gave any warnings there was no communication the whole time. At the end I asked how long I was in there and she said 20 minutes. The MRI I had on my wrist was nothing like this. With my wrist I only used the crappy earmuffs they give you as well. This time I used double protection. I’ve got the worst headache ever at the moment; my head is killing me. It was like my brain was rumbling with the intensity of it. I’m not doing the other shoulder. Thanks for the feedback though Tinker Bell.

 

That sounds awful, I wouldn’t either — and that’s saying something given how many I’ve had without problems. Was it an MRI clinic, a hospital or an orthopedic surgeon office? I feel like service quality can vary.

 

It was done in a static caravan outside the hospital. It’s possible the noise was further amplified from the steel walls and small enclosure.

 

What?! Oh my goodness, yes that would definitely contribute to the noise level. That seems like such an odd set up, I do not think that is normal for MRI operations. At least not in the U.S.

Very sorry that was your experience. Hope the headache subsides soon. Drink a lot of water, that’s what techs always tell me after a scan.

 

Yea the last one I had was in a large hospital room. This was the loudest thing I’ve ever heard. Still shocked by it.

 

Hi @Ed209 how are you doing now? Did you suffer any spikes? Are they now resolved?

I also have to have an mri scan and I am now concerned regarding the noise.

Amy protection advice?

 

Hey ED

I'm sorry that did not see your post before you went for your MRI, I hope your doing ok, You should be. I just had an MRI done about a week before you, yes it was loud, but with my foam ear plugs and a pair of light weight all plastic gun muffs over them I was fine. I had the Tech pack towels over the gun muffs as you can see in the pictures, just for extra protection. It was still very loud and made me very uncomfortable, but I just toughed it out the 40 minutes. I ended up with a minor spike but I was able to return back to my baseline in a couple of days. Honeywell now has a totally quiet MRI machine out, I don't think that many hospitals have it yet but I'm sure as the old ones are replaced we will see more of these new quiet ones. I plan on seeking them out if I ever need another MRI in the future.

These pictures are funny, I had the Tech take them from the control booth. The towels are covering up the gun muffs, they were supposed to take a picture before they put the towels around my head, but you get the idea. I really thought that I had enough protection, I'm sure that the towels did nothing it was still loud.


Let me know how your doing ....and how you came out of your MRI scan.

Take care


Louie
Quietatnight

 

They need to make the near silent MRI scanners standard. Why risk it for people with T or other hearing related conditions, or anyone else for that matter?

 

30 minutes MRI gave at least a 30% increase last year despite wearing double hearing protection and I have never recovered. Hope it goes well for you.

 

Gman

I agree with you, that would be nice, it's all about the money. But like I said before, I bet they will replace them over time honeywell is a big company. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned no one should habve to endure that loud noise in my book.


Louie
Quietatnight

 

Eric N

I'm sorry that you had such a bad out come, I see it's listed as the cause of your tinnitus, what a shame. I hope you never have to go through another MRI again, if you do you might want it call around so see if there is one of these new Honeywell units not too far from you it would be worth the extra drive I'm sure.


Good Luck in the future

Louie
Quietatnight

 

For noise induced T, Find places that use the Toshiba Vantage series - 1.5T and 3T. Toshiba patented hardware mods to reduce noise, which no other maker provides as its patented.

The other brands like GE claim silent scans but if you ask the operators of the machine this is just a marketing scam ..they can make some scans very silent but for most deep tissue scans the silent software sequences are not used and it's as loud as any other MRI.

I dated a MRI/CT doctor , asked her for advice, and did extensive research on MRI calling various hospitals and talking to the machine operators directly, as most docs don't know much about noise since they only look at the resulting scan pics, and I ended up going for the most silent 3T MRI in the world which is the Toshiba Vantage Galan, top of the line modern unit released in 2015.

I called Toshiba medical to give me a list of places where they have sold those.

And I could not use plastic muffs, since they create image noise and reduce image quality, only my solid silicon plugs which were sufficient. I estimated the noise to be in the 75-85 db range which sounds like being inside a banging loud, old subway car but this is fine with plugs

no spikes no issues, and 2 hours drive to get there but worth it

 

Ed the mri you used looks very old which may be why the sound was the way it is. If you must have an mri call around to find mris with noise reduction technology.

 

I got an MRI last week it was incredibly loud but had no effect on my T, I wore regular foam ear plugs with muffs over

 

Do you know if it was a 3t mri or 1.5t??

 

@josf3 im honestly not sure but I have had MRI’s in the past and this was by far the loudest I was ready to press the panic button a few times but I told myself just get through it! It was strong enough to make my Tattoos burn and that neverrrr happened before

 

I had an MRI of my head backin 2010. It gave me hyperacusis and said to myself I would not go through it again for anything but I will probably need one done on my liver very soon and am very concerned about it.

 

My T got worse after the MRI I had. Two things that didn’t help:

The ear muffs they gave me were useless (hence why I wanted my own). However, I still used earplugs.

The machine itself was located in a mobile unit made of steel. I believe, acoustically, it was as loud as an MRI can get.

 

Did they ever get back to you?

 

Yes they told me which places use the latest quietest 3T MRI and I went there and had no issues at all, spent about 45 min inside

You cannot use your own all Plastic earmuffs as they create image noise in a 3T machine, only earplugs

 

Oh, I see. You asked for places close to your location. I thought they sent you a list of all hospitals, worldwide.

Would you still have the phone number (or e-mail) that you used to contact Toshiba? May I ask you to share it with us, please?

 

I called. Just look it up online the sales office is different for each country.
Ask for the Vantage series

 

Hi Bobby,

In which country did you get your silent MRI? I'm afraid I will have to travel to another country to find a medical center with this technology.

Best regards,
João

 

"MRI safe" ear defenders are just metal free ear defenders, that are also (somewhat) slimline.

So, if your ear defenders contain no metal (and aren't bulky), they're generally considered fit for use during an MRI.

Here's a current UK supplier I found:

EP106X (ultimateindustrial.co.uk)

And a current US supplier also:

MRI Safe Pro-Ears Ultra Pro Premium Ear Muffs (NRR 30) - Pro Ears (Altus Brands) (earplugstore.com)