meirad

I've been having fluctuating hearing in my right ear. One day i was just watching t.v. and all of the sudden there was the huge lack of noise, the actors on t.v. sounded like they were mumbling and then this horribly loud tinnitus hit; worst loud ringing noise i've ever heard. I threw my hand over my ear in shock afraid i had lost my hearing and after a few minutes it was back to normal, but there was a feeling of pressure in my ears like i was on a plane. Has anyone experienced this before?

That was one of my worst experiences, but i've also experienced (every few days) where my hear will just dim out and come back after ten minutes or so, usually in my right ear and with a lot of pressure. My sister says she has this every day .

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Sarfarigirl2011

we have someone here who's been here since she's a cookie biter and her name's plasticdinosaur so she'll bump up.

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18 yr old girl with a moderate/severe in the right and severe on the left.
currently wearing purple Oticon Safari P 600s

meirad

Thanks Safarigirl2011 for a step to research! Do you think it may be sensorineural?

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Chadbert

Yes I have had this condition for most of my life (currently 30) where it attacks my "good" ear (My right ear is completely deaf). Most of the time the fluctuations are minor but every now and then my hearing can drop significantly. You have described all of the major symptoms for what is called Delayed Endolymphatic Hydrops. Basically whenever my hearing drops I feel massive pressure in my ear, I'll start having massive tinnitus, my hearing will then drop, and sometime later most or all of it comes back. Occasionally I'll experience some minor vertigo but it is rare, mild, and last less than a minute.

Here's an article on DEH: [Delayed endolymphatic hydrops]. [Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 1998] - PubMed - NCBI

Keep in mind that there are varying levels of this and this article talks about more severe cases. Other than the fluctuation, do you have a hearing loss? In particular, do you have a loss in your left ear?

Anyways I would definitely go talk to a Nuerotologist about your symptoms and see what he says.

celly37

same thing happens to me sometime, my ears ring constantly and some days I can hear just fine, and other days I cant understand a lot of speech, I can hear it, I just cant comprehend it... its wierd. I have been thinking about going to the doctor, just havent yet.

Bottesini

menieres

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meirad

Haven't seen a doctor yet, I'm working on scheduling an appoint with an ENT this week. I don't have hearing loss that i know of, sometimes strange things happen with my left too but my hearing is pretty sharp except when it comes to words, but that could just be my intolerance for noise (hyperacusis). I can hear a radio playing from over a block away.

I've only had one case of vertigo a few years ago. It lasted over four hours, i couldn't even open my eyes because they would move uncontrollably.

Celly37 I have tinnitus every day, it doesn't go away but varies in frequency.

Chadbert, exactly, i also get mini bouts of dizziness, and when i turn my head sometimes it feels delayed. Pretty strange ... Also, my ears pop and crackle. Do you get this?

Will look this all up, thanks guys!

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Bottesini

Dehydration can make your ears pop and crackle.

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meirad

Really? I didn't know that. I will definitely drink more water.

I think your right on with the DEH, i just looked at what causes it and found that it can be caused by: Labyrinthitis, that one vertigo attack i had included every single symptom of it, and it was after i had a severe ear ache where i went to the hospital for pain meds. Here's the list:

"Abnormal sensation of movement (vertigo)

Difficulty focusing the eyes because of involuntary eye movements

Dizziness

Hearing loss in one ear

Loss of balance, such as falling toward one side

Nausea and vomiting

Ringing or other noises in the ears (tinnitus)"

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Bottesini

We have genetic deafness in our family, but I found that out when one of my daughters, who is moderately hoh, was told that was the problem by the doctor.

At least at that moment. We were afraid we had somehow added Meniere's into the mix, which is one thing we haven't had in any of our generations.

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Chadbert

Meirad, when you say pops and crackles I'm going to assume you mean that there is a sound kinda like fireworks/firecrackers going off or your ear physically pops like an elevation change?

I'm going to assume the first for now. I don't personally get the pops and crackles but I have heard of a few people with menieres that experience this. The pops and crackles may precede and attack so keep track of when they occur versus hearing fluctuations.

Unfortunately with a 4 hour long vertigo attack, that keeps straight up menieres in play. All of my few vertigo episodes have lasted less than a minute.

Another sign of either DEH or menieres is a reverse slope hearing loss where your high frequency hearing is better than your low frequency hearing although this is not a requirement.

PS. ENTs specialize in middle ear (as well as nose and throat) and may not be able to diagnose this. Definitely still go and present your symptoms and get a hearing test. If they aren't able to help, I would find your local nuerotologist/otologist as they focus on the inner ear or even ask the ENT for a referral. I went through 4 ENTs before I was referred to a nuerotologist that had answers. YMMV.

meirad

That must of been scary... I don't know if anyone in my family has ever had hearing problems, no one has ever said anything about it. But there have been a lot of firsts lately... If i get by with something like meniere's and nothing else it would be a miracle.

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meirad

Chadburt kind of like both (a lot of crackle like when your smashing a potato chip bag, other times it may just be a pop or two) , when there is an actual elevation change like when i was on a plan going to germany, my ears hurt the entire time and wouldn't pop. The crackling and popping happens a lot too. I've only had the one vertigo attack and it was several years ago.
I plan on going straight from the ENT to get my hearing test same day. I'll request a referral.

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celly37

I get pops and crackles too... but its all the time, not sporadic

Chadbert

Well speak of the devil. I'm in the middle of a prolonged hydrops attack (5 weeks so far). Anyways, I just now sneezed, there was a loud pop, and suddenly sounds are highly distorted, some are softer, some are louder. I now sound like I'm on helium.

I'm going to start keeping a journal of what I'm eating, how I'm sleeping, and how my hearing is fluctuating. I would suggest you do the same as that will help with things. Also keep track of how much sodium and caffeine you are intaking as these can be triggers for menieres.

meirad

Strange. I wonder what causes it, maybe it's not just dehydration?

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Sarfarigirl2011

girl, I had sensorineural hearing loss all my life and yes, I have it in both ear LOL!!!

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18 yr old girl with a moderate/severe in the right and severe on the left.
currently wearing purple Oticon Safari P 600s

RBDShadow

Same here! Lol, just wanted to say that, cuz I never really knew anyone who did. :O

Anij

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

I have fluctuations SNHL on my hoh side (my other side is totally deaf +120db).
Typically the flux is between about 5db & 20db and can last between a few seconds and a few days.

I also have times when I'm stressed, tired or when I've almost fallen asleep where my hearing entirely cuts out (making me bilaterally 100% deaf). It usually lasts less than ten mins each time - though sometimes multiple times an hour.

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Hoh/Deaf ~ +120db deaf right , mild/mod flux left & APD
English & ASL ...PAH!!


Ignorance is NOT Bliss

meirad

I didn't know SNHL could fluctuate. I have much to learn. That sounds a lot like what my sister has, her hearing drops for up to a day or two at a time sometimes and she says we sound like we're mumbling to her when it happens. Except she isn't hoh that we know of, i'm dragging her to the audiologist too.

Safarigirl2011- Just new to this, it gets confusing.

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Anij

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

Meirad

I also have APD - which can contribute to the fluctuations. Also like most people with SNHL I also have a bit of CHL as well.

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Hoh/Deaf ~ +120db deaf right , mild/mod flux left & APD
English & ASL ...PAH!!


Ignorance is NOT Bliss

meirad

Anij; I didn't know APD did that! Thanks for the info. It just seems there's so many possibilities.

*I have a history of middle ear infections and head trama, so i'm leaning towards the possibility of DEH or menieres along with APD.

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Chadbert

Anij, I've been trying to find triggers for my fluctuation and I've been thinking that stress and tiredness can affect my hearing. It's good to know that I might be on the right track with this. (I really need to work on getting more sleep)

Also I have a similar hearing situation with one ear that is completely deaf and the other ear with a loss. My fluctuations seem to be about the same as yours but with the possibility of lasting weeks and I have only gone to profoundly deaf with no speech understanding rather than completely deaf.

Sarfarigirl2011

ik you're new to this but once you learn, you get the hang of it.

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18 yr old girl with a moderate/severe in the right and severe on the left.
currently wearing purple Oticon Safari P 600s

meirad

Safarigirl thanks

Chadbert definitely sounds like that could be what i have. Makes sense. Lasting weeks? That sucks, Today i was out shopping and my mom had to grab my attention a few times because i gave up on the conversation. Having that for weeks would drive crazy.

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Sarfarigirl2011

you're welcome

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18 yr old girl with a moderate/severe in the right and severe on the left.
currently wearing purple Oticon Safari P 600s

meirad

Sister is heading to her appointment today with the ENT, i'll let you all know the results. I'll be getting my appointment and test sometime next month hopefully.

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Sarfarigirl2011

that's good

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18 yr old girl with a moderate/severe in the right and severe on the left.
currently wearing purple Oticon Safari P 600s

meirad

Got the results for my sister. She has APD and her ears don't pick up on some frequencies at all. They said they thought it might be there equipment though, they aren't sure. They told her to get either a hearing aid for apd or an fm system. Hopefully i'll get my testing done soon. It's taking a really long time to get everything together.

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coolgirlspyer90

the cause for my deafness was AIED (autoimmune inner ear disease) I got that when i was about 3 years old. I don't remember much from it. But I researched it, and my AIED would let me hear fine one day then the next day it would be all out of place. Plus my balance is really bad. I can't even walk in a straight line, that has to do with my AIED. I had the HAs for awhile until i was 8, i got the CI on my left, my hearing aid was useless for me and my left side was pretty much dead. I was on steroids to help balance out my hearing before i got my hearing aids. It helped a little. But up until my sophomore year my right side started to go bad due to being in drumline or the possibility of my AIED. my audi and I don't really know. So i got a 2nd CI on my right side my junior year of high school. Sometimes i feel dizzy, thats also a part of my AIED. But it goes away after a few minutes.

here's a good resource of AIED: Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED)