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Ear Hearing problems and distortion fluctuations

Posted , 11 users are following.

andrew52803
andrew52803

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone else is experiencing this issue - about 5 months ago I woke up one morning with severe hearing loss in my right ear - specifically, the hearing loss was really around lower frequency noise (all low frequency noises have a real noticeable vibration and distortion in my right ear).

I did all the tests - Doctors did hearing tests and confirmed there was a HUGE jump down in decibels in my right ear - specifically around the low frequency side of things (which makes sense due to my low frequency distortion and way of hearing)...

After then proceeding with all the tests to rule anything else out (I had a brain scan MRI, more hearing tests, ears were assessed etc etc... The doctors have no idea whats causing it, and have ruled it down to "sudden sensonuerial hearing loss"..

However, heres the catch 22 ... After seeing a specialist for Ear's she explained to me that SSNHL... should NOT be giving me fluctuations in my ear... It is a sudden loss in hearing of which, either gets better with time or doesent at all...

This is why I want to explain what im feeling below right now and if anyone else has experienced this..

Essentially, since it started, It has gotten much better but ive noticed a pattern which is incredibly strange.

My right Ear has never been the same since I woke up with that almost deafness - but what it does do is fluctuate.. I have good days and bad days.. Sometimes I have a good couple of weeks!...

What happens is this -  I will wake up, and notice that my hearing in the right ear has dropped.. and everything sounds a but funny, if i run my finger across my Ear it sounds more blocked.. and then when a car drives by I notice the lower noise frequency vibrates and sounds odd in my ear.. ive also notice that all noise in the right ear soudns incredibly weird.. and distorted.. People voices sound almost robotic over the phone.. and its a real distorted uncomfotable feeling with this sensation of a low frequency tinnitus humming constantly (part of me thinks.. it is tinnitus, of which, the frequency it is humming is overshadowing my normal hearing and causing sound to be distorted and weird)...

THEN! ... after 24-48 hours of this.. sometimes 3 days. I get a piercing loud high pitch in the ear (different tone of tinnitus?) BUT all of my hearing is back!! which is fantastic.. and I hear normally.. with exception of the tinnitus constantly there (this doesent bother me so much.. I am starting to live with it...) 

What I dont understand is its like my ear is constantly fluctuating from normal hearing... to low distorted frequency and odd vibrations with a drop in hearing.. to almost "fixing" itself back to normal but with a high pitch of tinnitus coming in... 

Its back and forth back and forth.. which kind of sucks, as every morning I wake up its like a gamble whether or not I hear that low vibration frequency echoing in my ear.. then I know straight away.. Yup... Ear is going to be crap the next couple of days...

Does anyone else have this constant fluctuation in hearing and tones? - If so, what is it!? what have you done to alleviate it.

The only thing that gives me happiness is the fact its not constant.. but it would be nice to find something to alleviate the fluctuation frequency.

Additionally, the ONLY pattern (of which I am not 100% sure on this... ) Ive notived is it may be down to stress.. Ive noticed when I have something big on whether its a work function etc... without fail, my Ear will go blocked, low frequency vibrations and annoying.. then after the function within a day or two it clears up again... It could be just coincidence based on my "ear cycle" of it changing.. but it may be a pattern I need to assess more moving forward.

Maybe its time to start mediating... 

Cheers!

 

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

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  • Blaine83
    Blaine83 andrew52803

    Posted

    Hey everyone,

    I too have the exact same issue. 4 weeks ago my left ear started to get sound distortion, then filled up with fluid. Tinnitus set in and then I was slightly dizzy (not vertigo) for a couple days. I was put on prednisone for 3 weeks and that did very minimal to restore my hearing. After 3 weeks though, the distortion came back, but i only hear it at certain decibel levels. It has to be loud for it to sound distorted. Has the distortion gone away for anybody? The tinnitus is still there after 4 weeks. This is pretty debillitating.

    • Blaine83
      Blaine83

      Posted

      i also lost about 80% hearing that hasnt really improved

    • rose_maril72604
      rose_maril72604 Blaine83

      Posted

      some articles and forum and asked some people who have been inti distorted hearing , recovered it for almost 4 to 6 months other is 1 year , i have distorted hearing and its seems lessen now , its my 1 and half month of having this. but its not as bad as before so i am hoping that it will be back to normal again . i also have some issue with my hearing like sometimes i thumping in my affected ears have you experience this? and i am a little bit sensitive to loud sound . what was your ent advice to you?

  • suzanne88691
    suzanne88691 andrew52803

    Posted

    Hi Andrew,

    I was hoping for an update on your situation.

    I am currently experiencing exactly the same symptoms.

    5 months ago, I experienced SSNHL in my right ear.

    What followed is exactly as you described. A feeling of fullness, hearing loss, distortion of low frequencies and then loud tinnitus and a return of hearing. Then the cycle starts again. The cycles can last anywhere from 1 day to 1 week.

    I have not read of anyone else who has experienced this cycle.

    My ENT is baffled.

    I would be so grateful to hear what has happened since you posted.

  • alice75980
    alice75980 andrew52803

    Posted

    HI I am having all the symptoms you describe and it give me some comfort that I am not alone with this condition .the doctors over a period of years originally said it was meniers disease and i have been taking SERC and sometimes stemitil.which do not make any difference . I am suffering distorted hearing in my right ear at the moment which makes me dizzy and tired the doctor now says its E.T D and says it should clear up itself in 2 to 3 weeks . i am totally deaf in my left ear with acute tinnitus i had a mastoidectomy many years ago..

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