Spike from MRI

I had an MRI yesterday. I don't think that they gave me adequate protection. My T went crazy during it. Then I felt like my hearing was reduced afterwards. My T is still out of control today and more high pitched. I was doing better and now I am worse. Is this a spike or did this machine do permanent damage. I am so upset about this.

 

I did MRI when I first gor my T 4 months ago. I got too excited that they had to cancel it and I had ti do it againg few days later. They gave me ear protection but of course these machines are so damn loud but still I could hear my T(damn it)

Do not worry. You may have reactive T and it will settle down in a week I think. This is what happened to me when I had a spike after wathcing a movie in theatre.

 

It will settle down!

 

Hi I had a 1 hours MRI. no increase. but I wore my own earplugs and then the ones they give you to put over your head. Never trust other people who dont have T.

 

It was an hour and I used their ear plugs which were useless. I could hear my T above the machine. Every time it started up my T went out of control. I am really afraid that my ear was further damaged. It has been so fragile since the T started.

 

What kind of plugs do you recommend ?

 

I found these ear plugs advertised and thought I may give them a try. They are available in Titanium or aluminum. They are supposed to be better then standard foam one's. Please let us know if anyone has ever tried these before. I think this link will work, but I found it on Facebook so please let me know.


https://ksr-video.imgix.net/projects/2538837/video-686127-h264_high.mp4


Thank You

Louie

Quietatnight

 

Hi natalie,
I was worried in the beginning. But I took the very normal foam 33db earplugs. the ones you get in the pharmacy. I have custom made ones as well but they only protect 25 db. So the foam plugs + the ones over the head and you will be 100% good
they did an MRI of my entire back, so thats why it took so long.

 

Thanks I am seeing a new ENT next week and plan to ask for an MRI because no one will give me one and I feel like I really would like one to rule anything else out. The idea of an MRI and the noise is scary but I will wear foam plugs and the ear muffs. I have foam ones that are 33db! I bet it was still loud with that? My t is very reactive so sound scares me.

 

@Natalie Roberts

MRIs are usually provided for asymmetric hearing losses or T in only one ear. The logic is that acoustic neuromas are usually located in just one side. The chances are very low (<0.5%). It is more useful to get DPOAS or high frequency audiograms to 16KHz.
When I got my MRI, noise was not a problem since they provided foam ear plugs. I got a CT scan also and nothing was found either. Our noise is invisible.

 

Thanks. My noise is not unilateral but is primarily in the right ear and sometimes moves to the center or the left side. I don't know why I want an MRI.. I just would feel better knowing it's nothing more serious . I have seen an EMT, my family dr and an audiologist all who said I didn't need an MRI because of my symptoms. I have a new hearing test tomorrow (last one done in November of last year). I will ask about the high frequency test as that is where my hearing loss was primarily noted in my last test and the dr told me both ears although when I look at the results it appears primarily right sided which is why I want a new test. I feel my hearing has deteriorated since then and also having issues with increased sensitivity and pressure fluctuations. I just want to cover all my bases with either a CT scan or MRI.

 

@Natalie Roberts

Yes, it is a good idea to have baseline data from all the possible diagnostics even if it is just for reference. In fact, I wish I had it before I got T. I posted my high frequency audiogram recently (they are not that easy to get and most audiologists only go to 8KHz):

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...re-are-any-useful-patterns.16989/#post-198604

I am getting an audiogram and DPOAS refresh at the end of this month also.

 

How often do they recommend audiograms for someone with our condition? UGH. I haven't had one since November and I'm not sure my insurance will even pay for it but I'm getting it done regardless because I want to know. If there is serious decline they should probably order the MRI or more testing minimally.

 

Hi natalie,
my T is reactive as well. It was louder afterwards but it calmed quickly down after 1 to 2 hours. Also vibration aggravates my t. Its loud, yes, but it wont harm you. there wont be a permanent increase

 

MRI started my hyperacusis. Didn't really affect tinnitus. I was given rubbish ear protection but scan was only 10 minutes so not too bad. Just make sure you wear decent plugs. I was given MRI because I had tinnitus. Next day I learned what hyperacusis was. for the first time. I remember my wife emptying the dish washer and opening a cereal packet the morning after and my ears felt so sensitive to these sounds, which I had never experienced before. I had brought my own ear plugs but they said not to use them as the would give me ear protection. I wish I had used my own.

 

Do you still have the hyperacusis? I already have that. I plan to use 33db foam plugs and the protection they give me!

 

Thanks I wish my t wasn't reactive :,( I hate it! It's so hard to habituate when it's constantly changing and everything makes it worse

 

Why are MRI machines so noisey? Half way through one of my ear plugs fell out and it was so tight that I couldnt put it back in my ear.. Between that and that dam vacuum cleaner the ENT used its a wonder I have any hearing left but certainly still have the T....

 

Personally speaking, if one's symptoms do not highly resemble an accoustic neuroma or lesions in the auditory nerve (a retro-cochlear disorder), it is very wise to avoid an MRI, as the noise levels prove it to be a double-edged sword.

I had an MRI performed on a 3T machine last week for my neck (which holds a stronger magnet and is hence a louder machine). Keep in mind that studies have measured the peak decibel level to be 130 decibels (equivalent to a jet engine at close range) in 3T machines; nevertheless, they have become the standard machine to use.

I ended up losing some of my low frequency hearing (no high frequency damage surprisingly), despite wearing specially designed earplugs the techs stated were adequate in protecting me from the noise of the machine. I did not wear the headphones because they only amplified the low frequency noises and were not designed for hearing protection.

The truth of the matter is that it is very difficult to shield oneself from high decibel low frequency noises, and even more so if that noise is accompanied by vibration (as it is in an MRI machine). I don't exactly understand the physics of why, but imagine a neighbor playing heavy bass music at a high volume or a boombox car driving close to you. It is very difficult to block the noise out, and earplugs do not attenuate the low frequencies if they are excessively loud as much as they do the high frequencies.

So the takeaway from my experience is that it is a good idea to be wary of an MRI order- up for ear problems, that MRI technicians are not properly educated in protecting patient's ears, and that even with maximum protection (earplugs and earmuffs) you are not necessarily out of harm's way.

 

My hyperacusis improved by wearing white noise generators for a few months. I can now tolerate most everyday sounds. It sometimes gets bad for a few days but goes away again. Antibiotics, anaesthetics, bring it back and so do sudden loud noises but it settles down. At the start I had it so badly, I could barely tolerate people talking or sit round a table for dinner with my family. It was an ordeal. Living with H is worse than T in many ways.

 

So I just got some hearing aids with white noise generators. I am trying them out for a few weeks before purchasing to see if they help. So far, I notice a spike in my T while wearing them. I am trying several different programs and amplification also. She has me trying white and red noise. I'm just not sure! I was also told its normal for t to spike a bit while getting used to the hearing aids for a few weeks. I'm not sure how long until I see improvement but I'm hoping they help.

 

I don't even think they will order me an MRI but I have an appointment in a week to see what, if anything needs to be done .

 

One thing you could start with is the hearing amplification only (no masking). Sometimes it's enough to help with T on its own. Then you can slowly introduce masking if that's not enough.

 

I've been kind of playing through 4 programs she put in. One is just amplification, one is amplification with white noise, then no amplification and red noise and no amplification and white noise. I also can turn down the masking sounds if I want . My hearing loss is in the high frequency ranges and so is my tinnitus. These amplifications are only designed to amply sounds around the same frequency as my hearing loss. It's very interesting. I have been cycling through them all day but my T doesn't really seem to like it. I will try just amplification tomorrow. I've never ever masked before and have had T about ten months. So it's all very new to me.