Nervous About MRI

I have an MRI tomorrow for my jaw, my ears have been plugged for two months and I can’t really open my jaw so I know this MRI is needed but I’m freaking out.

I tried to get one last week but the noise freaked me out and I left, I did have a little spike for a couple hours but it faded, I even had some silence yesterday.

I got prescribed a low dose of Valium to calm my nerves but I read that it was ototoxic so now I’m nervous about that too. I just need some kind words/reassurance.

 

Wear good foam earplugs
Also - the most silent MRI machines are the Toshiba Vantage series look for a place that uses those i dit a lot of resarch before my mri

 

Lots of drugs are ototoxic. But you generally have to be on them for a long time and with high dosage to be at risk. I wouldn't worry about it.
BTW, benzo is quite commonly prescribed for T-driven anxiety, so go figure!

You'll be fine.
Unlike CT-Scan, MRIs don't expose you to ionizing radiation, so that's a positive thing to keep in mind.

Good luck!

 

Last week they gave me foam earplugs and put muffs on my ears , I think part of my spike might have been from me being so anxious, I literally had a panic attack while having it done and they had to pull me out 10 minutes early.

 

I'm an x-ray tech and I'm around MRIs in our department very often. Also I had two MRIs recently, a first for me. The other posters are right, the MRI doesn't expose you to any radiation. The only downside is the loud noise the magnet makes. I'd image it would be worse if you're claustrophobic but getting those results are worth it.

 

The other thing to consider is that when you put ear plugs + muffs, your T becomes much more noticeable, so you may feel like you are having a spike, when in fact it's just the removal of ambient noise that made the T stand out.

 

Funny how prednisolone and amitryptiline are included in that list even though they are often used to treat tinnitus.

 

I’m trying to not get worked up about it , the doctor now thinks my T is from my issues with my jaw so I really need it looked at. From what I’ve read some people have had spikes after but it went away within a couple hours. I’m holding myself back from reading the bad stories online though lol.

 

Mri was a success, I should get the results in a few days. My T does seem a little louder but I’m sure it will go back to normal by tomorrow. I’m super high from the meds and all I want is some Chinese food and a nap lol.

 

Cool.
Watch out for Chinese food: it often contains MSG - which is not great for your body in general, and is also known to affect T (some people on this forum reported they got T from it). If you're going to order it somewhere, you better ask for "no MSG" (and hopefully they'll comply).

 

@GregCA Grr I wish I would have checked this before I ate lol. Within the past month and a half I havent noticed any spikes from food but I’ll be more mindful of that next time.

 

I am also going to get a MRI soon. Considering my recent spike in my tinnitus, I am very nervous about the noise. I was told there is nothing else I can wear other than plugs.

But I have also noticed that my hearing has gotten much worse in the past several months. I used to easily hear my car door lock beep well across a parking lot. Now I can't hear it at the top of my driveway. That makes me concerned that something bad is going on. So sort of opting for the MRI now.

I have had a brain MRI a few years ago with negative results. Is it possible that I had a tumor back then but it was so small it was not noticed.

 

any *ionizing* radiation

 

You need to have ear muffs, and ear plugs. Call before you go, and if you can't use both find another MRI to get your imaging done at.

 

If it is a 3T MRI they wont allow muffs because those give image noise even though its plastic, only plugs can be used

If you have your MRI in a Toshiba Vantage machine and wear deeply inserted foam plugs or solid silicone plugs like the 3m you cannot damage your hearing

 

@Bobby B

https://helpingmehear.com/using-hearing-protection-might-not-stop-hearing-loss-from-mris/

"Scientists in China have discovered that people who are otherwise healthy may suffer from hearing loss when exposed to MRIs, even when they wear hearing protection. The 26 people they studied were in a 3T MRI with noise levels that reached between 103.5 and just over 111 decibels. The study participants were wearing ear protection that included earplugs and sponge earmuffs. After studying the participants’ hearing before and after the MRIs, the researchers concluded that the people tested had suffered some temporary hearing loss despite trying to guard against it.

While it represents a single incident rather than a controlled scientific study, the case of Kathy McCain of Texas gives reason for pause when it comes to MRIs and hearing loss. Ms. McCain was wearing earplugs and earmuffs when she had her MRI in 2013. She woke up later in the day feeling unwell and with a very loud ringing in her ears. She later started experiencing hyperacusis, in which everyday sounds become amplified to the point of causing pain."

You can definitely damage your hearing with earplugs alone as MRI's can reach high db ratings.

The article goes on to suggest:

"Bring along earplugs that reduce the decibel level by at least 25, and follow the instructions to the letter regarding how to insert them properly. Use earmuffs over the earplugs, as you simply can’t be too careful when it comes to protecting your hearing."

I have never heard that with a 3T MRI ear muffs cannot be worn due to possible artifact.

https://janlmayes.com/mri-testing-double-hearing-protection/

Another recommendation for double protection.

 

@Digital Doc
Read my post - I wrote to do the scan in a Toshiba Vantage machine, this is the only manufacturer which has patented hardware modifications to bring down noise to a much lower level - mine was maybe 75 to 85 db max, or the type of noise riding in a noisy subway car

Ask Toshiba: "Are Toshiba Medical...

 

I’ve had an MRI since I developed Tinnitus and the hospital provided me with foam ear plugs and on top of that headphones with gentle/relaxing music.

My Tinnitus spiked but went back to baseline a day or two later.

I believe the spike had to do with anxiety because it spiked on the day of.

You can ask your Doctor for sedation, this is very routine. They will usually give you a single dose fast acting benzodiazepine like lorazepam 1-2mg that you take 30 minutes prior. It will help to relax you.

It is quite loud but with proper foam ear plugs you should be okay.

TIP! If you are claustrophobic, ask for a cloth to put over your eyes before they slide you in. Keep eyes closed the whole time and do deep breathing exercises from your diaphragm.

 

"If it is a 3T MRI they wont allow muffs because those give image noise even though its plastic, only plugs can be used"

I did read your post, and you suggested that all 3T MRI's will only use plugs only for protection. Double protection should be used for all MRI's that are not a special quiet model. Also, I have never heard that ear muffs not to be worn for an MRI due to concern of artifact on the image, but they are plastic and this should not be an issue.

If you have access to a quieter MRI, than by all means it is the way to go. This is an international forum, and many users do not have that many choices for an MRI.

 

@Digital Doc

I brought my plastic earmuffs to the MRI and we started scanning but the images were grainy so the MRI operator asked me to try without the muffs and we got much cleaner images
I have all the pics of my MRI saved on a DVD including the first set of grainy ones so there is no question that a large plastic object may cause issues with image quality which is the key point of doing the MRI in the first place

These quiet machines are in operation in most countries

 

@Bobby B

It is a danger to generalize your personal experience, in essence a case series of one, to all other folks getting an MRI. I would suggest double protection is better for an MRI, and users should seek out the quietest MRI they can find, and make sure to use the best protection to avoid further NIT from these loud machines.

 

This is what I was told. I called two different places. I used the plugs they provided, I inserted them as deeply as possible. I swear my tinnitus is worse now. I don't know why I did not think of bringing my silicone 3Ms. They are easier to insert.

I should have checked back here first but was so down about my recent ramp up I have been trying to stay away from the forum to get it off of my mind.