Today I Got Steroid Injections Directly Into the Ear

Today I had my second (follow-up) hearing test since my onset of sudden hearing loss in my right ear with significant Tinnitus approx 3 weeks ago. I have been on oral prednisone these past three weeks. Following today's exam I was told I have a slight improvement in hearing, but for all intents, I am still deaf in right ear. Improved, but still considered deaf. Hmm... I'll take it. Moving forward, I then had a nice talk with the ENT guru and we went over the treatment options.

He recommended the steroid injections direct into the ear, but it was my call of course. I was also told that there was only a 25-30% chance that I would get even a little bit of noticeable hearing restored in my right ear, in which case I would then be able to be fitted for a hearing aid. As it stands right now my hearing loss is so profound that a hearing aid will not help me. I gave the okay for the injections. It was not a very pleasant experience, but it did feel exactly as he said it would feel.

So now I wait. I was told that I even if I get results, that I will likely not notice anything until after I get my second injection in a week from now...if at all. So, brothers and sisters in arms, I will let you know how things go.

I am not expecting much, but will be so pleased if I even get a little bit back. Even a little, is way more than nothing. Stay tuned.

 

If you're unlucky (which I obviously don't wish for) and hearing doesn't improve, would you be a candidate for a single sided cochlear implant?

 

If you are talking about the behind the ear bone implant, yes, I think that would be an option. Basically a receiver is implanted into the bone behind dead ear and sound waves are transmitted through your skull into the good ear giving the illusion that you are hearing from both sides. I'll probably consider that eventually, but I'm in no hurry. The loss of hearing is not my main concern.

Right now, all I am thinking about is reducing the level of tinnitus. A restoring of any hearing will only be a bonus. I am guessing that the bone implant thing will not do much for the tinnitus, but maybe it will. If I can get some actual hearing restored (even a little bit) in the next few weeks, I am hopeful that my tinnitus will also be reduced. If the cochlear implant is something else, I have not yet had that conversation with my ENT Doc.

 

JohnFox, where did he inject the steroid, what part of the ear?

 

That is called a BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) and is not what I was talking about. I was talking about a cochlear implant in your "bad ear".

Note that the BAHA doesn't exactly give the illusion that you are hearing from both sides, as you can only hear from one ear, but what it does is pick up the signal that you cannot hear from your bad ear and funnel it to the good ear so you hear left+right content into your "good ear" (so it all seems to come from one side, but you won't miss content that was reaching the other side).

Yeah I know, but I mention it because cochlear implants often do have an impact on Tinnitus, sometimes for the better. There's quite a few related studies out there for your perusal on pubmed.

Indeed. Recovering your hearing should help with your T.
Good luck!

 

Did the prednisone give you any side affects??

 

Was pretty much a non event. It felt exactly as the Doc described, which made me feel better. No surprises. There was about 5-6 seconds of pain when I got the shot, followed by 20-30 seconds of mild dizziness. I stayed on my side for about 20 min before going home. It's evening now, and I feel pretty much the same as I did prior to injection.

 

Remember that you got a hole in your ear drum now, so avoid water getting in there. When I had my transtympanic shot my hole took a long time to close and it was taken care of surgically while I was down for my stapedotomy. You can monitor your hole with an otoscope too (some can be used on yourself, such as USB otoscopes).

 

I'm talking oral prednisone after exposure to loud noise and my ear still feels full and tinnitus is louder! Does that mean it's not working? I'm on day 3 of 5 days of the prednisone.

 

Still too early. I was on prednisone for 3 weeks. Higher does the first 8 days and then tapering off. I don't think the prednisone should be making it louder. It's pretty common for Tinnitus levels of volume to change like the weather.

 

Right thru the ear drum. Two holes were made. One hole for air to escape, and one for the steroid.

 

Yea, after I play this out and come to the stark realization that I will probably never get any hearing back in the right ear, I will be looking at all this stuff. I would certainly like to read some first hand accounts of those who have had the Cochlear implant, and see how it worked out for them. And it sounds expensive, not sure my insurance will cover. I am on Medicare with a supplement.

 

Thanks. I'm going to Hawaii a couple of days after my next injection. I will definitely ask my doctor about swimming. I might be the only tourist in Hawaii that isn't going in the ocean. And to think I used to be a deep sea diver. (many years ago.)

 

My mother-in-law has one of these.

 

You can use special swimming plugs that prevent the water from coming into your ear. My daughter has some. Ask your doc.

 

Thank you very much. Will do.

 

Welcome to club ear injection.
The part where you get dizzy is really awesome isn't it?

 

@JohnFox John, I just saw your profile and that you lost hearing in one ear last month. I wanted to say I'm pulling for you and we're here for support if you need it. I hope the injection works.

 

JohnFox.... ouch....?

 

It only hurt for about 5-6 seconds.

 

Pulling for you, man.

 

I got steroid injections for Ménière’s disease. The effects were too temporary.

 

There's at least one success story of someone using Dexamethasone through ear tubes or a wick instead. Apparently the shots are just too short term.

Did your sounds go down considerably for a while?

 

Yes and Renka just posted a few hours ago with an update. Seems that after 3 years the method is still effective.

 

For 4 days my right ear was nearly silent.

 

@Lukee, you know the Wim Hof breathing was the only thing that ever spiked my tinnitus when it was mild. I avoided that after. The spike only lasted an hour or so.

 

Unfortunately, it ruined my life. I can't shout loud enough to warn every single person to stay away.

 

Where's your hearing loss in the audiograms Hz and dB wise? Any air bone gaps bigger than 5 dB?

 

I have Ménière’s disease, so all of my loss is 500 Hz and below. I am -35 dB at 250 Hz and -25 dB at 500 Hz, although this fluctuates wildly depending on the day. High range I can hear out until 16 kHz at -10 ydb. No air bone gaps. It’s all SNHL from this shit disease. The vertigo is no joke either, luckily it doesn’t happen often. I also have such pressure in my left ear it feels like it will pop. The tinnitus was mild until the Pfizer vaccine made it suicidal. I didn’t even consider myself as a tinnitus sufferer before the vaccine.

 

Doesn't that imply autoimmune? Man push your doctors for those tests if you haven't already and some IV Dexamethasone. If the vaccine made it to your ears through your veins so can Dexamethasone.

I wonder if ENTs would consider the microwick for Dexamethasone in your ears considering you aren't deaf "yet" and it helps you.

I'm guessing this shit has hit you in both ears right away or within like a year?

Yah I can imagine the vertigo is fucking crippling, at least it eventually ends unlike the garbage noises.