Something Is Destroying My Hearing

It's getting worse every single day!

Today I had several times a piercingly loud fleeting T 'eeeeeeeeeeeeeee' in my right ear (the healthy one!). I had this already a few times. But now I can hear a very, very faint 'eeeeeeeeeeeeeee' when being in total silence, which feels like having a different pressure in the middle ear than the ambient pressure. It makes me cringe involuntarily, and open my eustachian tubes to equalize the pressure -- but the T just won't resolve.

Well, I had times were my T on my left ear was so loud I could NOT tell if it was on both ears or not.

It seems like something is destroying my hearing, and I do not know what it is. I haven't change anything in my life (diet is topnotch, I do not smoke or drink, no drugs.) -- except that I got extreme loud reactive T on my left ear. Is this phenomenon normal? First one ear than, after a short while, both?

I consider trying the pressure chamber.. would it make sense?

 

You must do all audiologic exams audiogram(high frequency) OAEs ABR etc
blood/biochemichal/immune/microbiology/endocrine exams MRI/MRA/CT to find the cause

If in that way you can not find the cause you can start take drugs with known mechanism of action for diagnostic purposes for example have you response to corticosteroids antivirals etc..

 

@NiNyu I was told by my audiologist that it is normal to eventually get T in both ears, even if it starts out unilaterally, because it gets all mixed up in the brainstem. I'm not sure I trust this audiologist though. She is the one that told me to keep doing Neuromonics, even though it was giving me severe hyperacusis--and she claimed to be a tinnitus and hyperacusis "expert." I quit doing Neuromonics and then had T in both ears and hyperacusis that I had not had before. I quit seeing this audiologist, who refused to refund the $5000 I spent on Neuromonics. What a racket! No business being in a health care field, whatsoever. She and Neuromonics only care about the money.

I agree that you should get all of the tests you can to try to pin down a cause, or to give you a course of action. I have also had T so loud in my bad ear that I couldn't tell if it was in both ears. My diet was also top notch, no drinking, drugs, or smoking, and I ran 5 miles every morning followed by 45 minutes of Yoga. You already know the laundry list of treatments I tried for T. If you can determine a cause, you can work on treatments that may make sense for your particular affliction. It is important to have a differential diagnosis for Tinnitus. My heart goes out to you! ~hug

 

I get this all the time. I never had it once pre T. It feels exactly like you describe it. Momentary deafness, presure change and tinnitus so loud I don't think I could handle it for a day. I however have a dirty diet since T, also smoke and drink more than I should (again since T). Im also still stuck on half 37.5 effexor which I started for T. Luckily this goes away in a about 1 minute. I don't panic like I used to but it is very very unsettling. I guess it is just fleeting T which many here say they have on a regular basis. Not sure if it is something to be concerned about or not.

 

What you guys are describing is "fleeting tinnitus" and it appears to be very common, even among people without tinnitus. I know a lot of people who get this who have no chronic T or hearing loss.

Just echoing that it's very normal for sounds to change, move around, etc -- especially in the early days of T when everything is in motion trying to sort itself out.

Definitely get all the tests you need to make sure there isn't some kind of arrestable or diagnosable issue going on, but also try to accept the idea that this is normal, par for the course, not a sign that further damage is happening, and not a sign that you need to take any particular action.

T has the really annoying tendency to make us think it's an alarm clock that we need to respond to in some way.

 

I am not a doctor. But I do have similar symptoms. The fact is that noone will tell you with certainty that it is and most will try to take money from you without even identifying what you have. And then they will perscribe you pills or give you white sound therapy, trt, etc.

The simple fact is: You do have tinnitus, if the tinnitus cause could be found it would help, but most people don't find anything. If your T cause is not found, pray for a new cure, because for now none exists right now.

Now about what you can do to identify a probable underling problem is an MRI of the ears. I have had one, and microvascular compression was diagnosed. Not that it hepled much though!! They prescribed me neurontine, then tegretol, nothing changed. The next step? If it is really what causing my Tinnitus, a microvascular decompression operation, a brain surgery that is, could cure my tinnitus. But noone can say for sure it needs to be done! Or what the results may be (@svintegrity did such an operation and is recovering right now).

I also was unluky enough to suffer an acoustic trauma which brought my tinnitus to a higher level, so my case is a most difficult one, cause many attribute my T simply to a/t and hearing loss of high frequencies.

Did you remember having an acoustic trauma? Or being exposed to really loud sound? (headphones for music, work conditions, etc). If not, you should most definitely do the MRI of the ears. Perhaps the rest exams (ABR, OAEs) may help, but I don't know if you will find the right people to conduct the exams or to be able to read them correctly. I even doubt many doctors could really read a microvascular compression syndrome in an MRI. Here in my country it is considered a natural phenomenon that half of the population do have, and it causes no trouble at all!!! While abroad brain operations are being performed to aliviate exaclty this condition which causes tinnitus! Go figure...
What do you make of these? What could a simple patient make of such a mess when even doctors havent got a clue?
It is simply one of the most difficult and most troublesome conditions one may have.

PS: I have tried hyperbaric oxygen therapy (15 sessions in the pressure chamber) and I can't say it hepled. There may have been a minor help, perhaps that was only placebo effect. I did it mearly 2 months after acoustic trauma. They say it helps if it is days close to acoustic trauma, such as taking corticosteroids. I can see there is a specific starting day in your T, I would be surprised if it helped you right now, but you never know for sure until you try.

 

Oh gosh! I hope that's not what's happening. I go insane here.

@Telis , why is your diet dirty?

I think something is damaged in my left ear. When I have eraplugs in and jump (tiny jumps), or stay on my toes and fall back down to my heels, I hear a distinctive bubbling sound in my left middle ear. Sounds like something is loose or liquid that is moving (inner ear?). I have to say, I can easily open my e-tubes so there's no liquid inside the middle ear.

@skoupidis , you are so right! Most will just try to take money from me without identifying what I have. And then pop some pills.

Can an MRI of the ear show any damage? I just heard about tumor..

I always protect my ears from loud music/noise. That being said, in the hospital they did a hearing test up to 120db! Without telling me! At that time I was completely deaf on my left ear. And prior to the test I did tell them that I am completely deaf..
Now I wonder, perhaps they have damaged my ear further.

@skoupidis , do you consider doing the brain surgery abroad?

 

I also here sounds when jumping, even walking, coming form inside. A zip, zap sound is also present. And also like running water (blood circulation?) for a second or two. A non bothering sound that is there at times. Perhaps that last one is normal, I don't know. I do know that the zip zap while walking has been there long before my acoustic trauma! Perhaps a comination of acoustic traumas? Or acoustic trauma spoiled my hering and I can here the tinnitus that was there all along for another reason (microvascular compression?). Damn we get literally NO medical exams from doctors! Trying to find out on our own...

It can, it is something that can positivelly identify an underlying problem in the system. Like a tumor, small rumors, or vascular compressions. Unfortunatelly it cannot show cohlea problems, like hair cell damage. In fact there is no direct examination that can show that, apart from inserting a microscope down there, something that cannot be done in a living person yet.

I cannot consider anything, I am no doctor. I cannot just tell them to drill my skull. They will have to do the tests they do to evaluate my case. Unfortunatelly, in my country most Ents or neurologists do not even know what tinnitus is and what it causes to a person. Let alone do any tests. Microvascular compression is like a natural phenomenon to them and tinnitus is something that most people habilitate after 6 months. That much is known by experts! And I really cannot say anything about doctors and clinics from abroad. There are good people here, suffering, that have visited such places and well known doctors but have not yet managed anything! How can I consider surgery? If it works I would do it! But I only rely on other people's experience. Till today, I have failed to see a single person that actually was cured trying any therapies that exist. I only haven't thoroughly examined microvascular decompression, because there are very few people that have done it. It is a really tough and dangerous surgery. And I cannot easily visit a clinic aborad, my fear are they will do some tests and end up suggesting that scam TRT therapy and counceling! That is something undesired and much different than what I want. I want to be cured. Otherwise why spend my time and money? I already spend a lot to my countrymates... One suggested doing TRT and pointed me to a shop that sells mp3 masking devices to start TRT on my own. With a masking device. With no guidance. And he also suggested I buy a laser pen and do therapy on my own.

These things are rediculus. TRT may be something more complicated, aparently I will never know as it is not available in my country, but judging by what it may potentially bring (habituation) I may not need it. I want to be able to enjoy music, movies, enjoy silence, enjoy life and going out as I used to do. This is my gole. Habituation? Why not just wait for that? Do they know better than our own organism? It will come on its own. They named learning to live with a disability "a cure" and charge for that. I say BS!

 

That's interesting. So you do hear sounds in the middle ear. Have you tried it with wearing earplugs?
Due to the occlusion effect,
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occlusion_effect
you should be able to hear the sounds much clearer and louder.

Can you also do the knock-test?
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/knock-test-droning-in-inner-ear.8462/

If an MRI can't show cochlea damage it may be useless in my case. Maybe I need a tympanoscopy?

And that does scare me!

I totally agree about TRT and counseling, you just cannot talk T away. What we need is a cure or a the very least a treatment that does address the symptoms!

That's all I want.

It's always the same people exploiding the misery of others. It's a sad world. And there are always gullible people that fall for it.

 

I was only aware of tinnitus on the right side of my head/ear in the beginning. That was 16 months ago.

Now, I hear it in both ears (still predominantly my right side), and constant central head noise. I spike in both ears. My audio said that it is normal to hear the t in one side more than the other with a bilateral, equal hearing loss. She explained the theory behind it but its gone in one ear and out the other (pardon the pun)

I was just told that because the tinnitus is generated in my brain, that to perceive t in both ears is not uncommon. I tend to agree with that. I am not as anxious about it as i was in the very beginning, when my awareness of this increased. ive had regular audiograms, and they have failed (yippee) to show any further deterioration..so im not worried that my hearing t in my other ear is an indication of worsening hearing loss.

i would do the sensible things..see an audio if you haven't already..explain your concerns and follow through with any tests that are deemed required at the time. let us know how you get on.

 

An MRI is usually to look for acoustic neuromas, a rare (benign) tumor. I think a tympanoscopy only shows the middle ear, I'm not sure there's a way to see the cochlea without taking your head off.

 

Another cause is viral or perimphatic fistula.
If is is viral treatment is antivirals and corticosteroids and for perimphatic fistula only surgery.Barotrauma can cause perimphatic fistula.

 

What more could you tell us about this? I find hard to pop my bad ear, the other pops easily. Could the tinnitus be caused by such a condition? I have ear fullinness, hearing loss, fluxuating hearing. These are symtoms of perilymph fistula (PLF) or it is just an acoustic trauma induced hearing loss and T? Can a specialist answer that? Who deals with this codition? I remember while swiming, diving gave me small pain in that ear...

Damn they know so little about ears.

Labyrinthine fistula: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinthine_fistula

Cause[edit]
These can be both congenital or develop over time with the thinning of the otic capsule by the persistent pulsations of the intracranial pressures against the bones of the skull. Finally, disease conditions—for example cholesteatoma—can result in a labyrinthine fistula.[2] Traumatic events, with excessive pressure changes to the inner ear such as in scuba diving,[3] head trauma, or an extremely loud noise can lead to rupture and leakage.[1]

 

ear pop has to do with eustachian tube dysfunction.
Try nasal corticosteroids like pulmicort but this requires special manuveur for spray application not simple spraying.

 

Might have been suggested b4..but maybe consider an otoacoustic emissions test?

 

Opening the eustachian tubes with your muscles isn't as hard as you might think. For instance, if you yawn you basically contract those muscles, which move your eardrums and open the eustachian tubes, try to keep the muscles contracted. Once you managed that you can contract and relax these muscles. That's how I open my eustachian tubes, equalize the middle ear pressure.

@DebInAustralia , a constant central head noise.. does that mean stereo?

 

Can you people with tinnitus pop naturally both your ears? Does your T ear pop as easy as the other one? Perhaps hearing loss makes us thing it didn't pop while it actually did?

 

my left ear is generally harder to open that the right. Most of my T is left-sided. My left ear drum is scarred from a history of severe ear infections as a small child. My left tonsil, and left-sided lymph nodes, are always somewhat larger than the right...

 

@NiNyu - You mention you have this fleeting T when you are laying down. Do you clench or grind your teeth? Have you had an evaluation for TMJ, Head, Neck, or Back muscle injuries or strain? Fleeting T when you are at rest is usually a sign of muscular decompression. Other signs include:

• General non-fleeting T is lower in volume when you wake up, but gradually gets louder as the day goes on.
• You can affect the volume of your T, or cause fleeting T, by moving your jaw, clenching teeth, etc.
• You find yourself also having head, neck, shoulder strain; and/or jaw cracking or pain.

Does any of this sound like it might be happening to you?

 

You can test it. Before opening the tubes exhale, when you open the tubes inhale. That way you should feel the air that's filling your middle ear against the eardrums.

@Kaelon , I had fleeting T when lying in bed, when sitting at the pc etc. No, I do not clench or grind my teeth. If I do nothing happens, my jaw has no effect on my T.

 

Doing this makes my ears clogged! Then I have to pop them, again the T ear pops less....

 

One thing is frustrating to me is that we all "just have Tinnitus", when it seems pretty obvious that there any many different, possibly not-even-really-related conditions of people on here. For instance, it seems clear that people whose T responds to muscle manipulation, have a lot more in common with each other than people who's T does not respond in that way. But, both groups of people might go to the same ENT, and get told "you have tinnitus, take some valium or deal with it".

Treating two completely different conditions with the same treatment doesn't make any sense to me, especially when those treatments do not appear to be that useful to start with.

 

@linearb I totally agree with you. I have told the ENTs that I have seen over the past year that they need to be able to do a differential diagnosis with tinnitus. I just get a glassy stare in return @Kaelon did a really good job of describing the different etiologies of tinnitus on the thread: "People whose tinnitus has gotten worse -- Was there a reason for it?" It seems like there needs to be more education in medical schools that not all tinnitus is created equal, and as a result, the same treatment does not apply to all. It is as if ENTs and audiologists have never heard of, let alone considered, a differential diagnosis. There ARE different etiologies, and a treatment for one can be harmful for another. Sad state of affairs.

 

If that makes your ears clogged you may have liquid in the tubes/middle ear, I'd say. Or do you mean with clogged pressured?

We sufferers of T have more knowledge and experience than all those clueless ENTs together. The sad thing is, they do NOT care about us or T. T is just another mystery to them like everything they haven't learned to treat so far. Hence they play the head-shrinker-card if pills won't do it. They seem to be utterly knowledge-resistant. How can a patient, who experiences the malady, teach a doctor, right?

 

Clogged presur is what i get. So what do you make of this?