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Meiere's Disease Hearing - Noise

Posted , 7 users are following.

pamela03578
pamela03578

I have had Meniere''s Disease for some time now and I find the thing that is bothering me the most is the constant roaring in my ear.  Do hearing aids help?  My Otologist  warned me that if I can't distinguish words,making them louder will not really help.  What help have you found?  I find myself increasingly irritable and impatient.  Plus I am starting to get symptoms in my second ear.  I am really worried.  

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • michael98270
    michael98270 pamela03578

    Posted

    Everyone I have ever talked to says that the ringing goes down since your brain isn't trying to find that level anymore, it is cause by the lack of a certain range.  My mom only get ringing when she doesn't have them in. 

    • pamela03578
      pamela03578 michael98270

      Posted

      Michael, depending on how my word distinction results are at my next hearing test, I might try one on a temporary basis.
  • jeff592965
    jeff592965 pamela03578

    Posted

    Hi Pamela 

    I was diagnosed 10 years ago and my story seems similar to yours.My vertigo is been controlled to a point but the Roaring and fullness is constant now and my hearing getting much worse in that ear. My other ear has had high pitch tinnitus when its quiet only for years but no fullness or that terrible roaring. My ENT currently has me on prednisone for 7 days as the summer has been unbearable. I am on day 5 with no relief. He said the next step would be steroid injections in the ear. From what I read this is typical progression for a lot of us. It is maddening and depressing to say the least. I wish I had an answer for relief. The only thing that seems to help me sometimes tone it down a little is moderate exercise and extra sleep. I wish you all the best.

    • pamela03578
      pamela03578 jeff592965

      Posted

      Hi Jeff,

      Yes, our situations are almost identical.  I have already had the steroid injection through the ear drum and although it helped the "plugged" feeling symptom for a short time, the feeling returned and the shot did nothing for my overall condition.  I am wondering about surgical options - like a cochlear implant or something?  At the moment I am also trying acupuncture.  One session so far and it actually seemed to "unplug" one year for a short time.  Unfortunately, as in the shot situation, the sensation returned fairly quickly.  I am going again this month.

  • dbmarie3
    dbmarie3 pamela03578

    Posted

    Hi Pamela, bought 1 hearing aid for the affected ear. No it doesnt help me at all. Spent 2000 for nothing I'm a bit upset. But everyone is different. Good luck

    • pamela03578
      pamela03578 dbmarie3

      Posted

      Marie, thanks, that is exactly what I am afraid of since my Otologist indicated I was a "borderline" candidate since I am having problems distinguishing words.

       

  • tanney
    tanney pamela03578

    Posted

    Hi Pamela.  Several questions:

    what meds are you taking for your MD?  Are you on betahistine....dose and frequency?  diuretics....dose and frequency? 

    Are you on a very low salt diet? 

    Are you taking Ativan for stress/anxiety reduction?

    • pamela03578
      pamela03578 tanney

      Posted

      The only daily med I am taking is a diuretic - triamterene HCTZ 37.5, 25 grams.  Although my hearing is a serious problem I have been fortunate on very infrequent dizziness and even fewer bouts with vertigo.  I just take meclizine for the vertigo, which I bought in Mexico.  My last vertigo event was 18 months ago and I took the meclizine but basically was put down for 24 hours.  It makes me nauseous to the point I vomit and cannot walk unassisted.  Really scares me for the international travel that is an important part of life plans.  But again, the hearing is the worst.  My Otologist indicated a hearing aid may not help me since I am unable to distinguish words.

      I am not on anxiety medicine and do not wish to be.

    • tanney
      tanney pamela03578

      Posted

      Pamela, has your Otologist mentioned betahistine to you?  It is the preferred med for MD patients in controlling vertigo.  In addition, betahistine is known to give relief for ear fullness and tinnitus when taken at the maintenance dose of 48mg/day.  It most likely will not eliminate tinnitus but should make the loudness softer.  Also, Ativan is often prescribed by Otologists and Neurotologists for softening very loud tinnitus.  Ativan is a sedative that among other things will calm down the inner/middle ear function and thus reduce the loud tinnitus.  You say that you do not wish to be on a sedative and I fully appreciate your wish on this....but be aware that Ativan at 0.5mg is an extremely weak dose but yet enough to calm the inner ear.  I personally have been on betahistine, diuretics (50mg) and Ativan for 2 years because of my bilateral MD and I have not had a vertigo attack and my tinnitus is quite low and manageable.  

      It's certainly your decision on what meds you want to take or avoid but I highly recommend you discuss betahistine and Ativan with your Otologist.

  • mary16977
    mary16977 pamela03578

    Posted

    Hello!

    Everyone is different for sure! I have MD in both ears and got hearing aids almost a year ago (have had MD for many many years, I just turned 59). They do help with hearing (I developed hearing loss in both ears) but I still have issues pinpointing sound and distinguishing sounds. They don't help with my tinnitus at all. sad I had heard that a lot of people have relief from the tinnitus with the hearing aids and I was so hopeful, but it wasn't meant to be for me.

    Keep at it... keep fighting!

    Take care,

    ~Mary

    • pamela03578
      pamela03578 mary16977

      Posted

      Hi,

      When your hearing was tested were you able to distinguish words well?  My Otologist is uncertain if hearing aids will help me since I cannot distinguish words well (borderline) so am not sure if it is worth the investment.  I am going in for another test early September.  Did your doctor talk about any other options, surgeries, or otherwise?

       

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