Argh!!! I woke up with rather remarkable hearing loss about three weeks ago.

[Madrone]

I went to the doctor yesterday. His opinion? *Hope* that it's viral and will just "go away." Wait 2 weeks, and if there's no DRAMATIC improvement go back again. It's definitely the inner ear, and from what I've scrounged up on the internet, while viral infections are the most common reason for sudden hearing loss, people usually have some sort of viral sickness just before the hearing loss comes on. I got nuthin! No sickness, no viruses, no colds, no nothing. Loud noises also bring it on suddenly - but none of that either. I just woke up, and couldn't hear right. The other cause? TUMOR. Greaaaaaaaat.

:nopity:

*sigh* I just wanted to whine. It's aggravating me a lot right now. Feels like I need to stick a q-tip in there and dig something major out - but there's nothing I can do. Listening to music is no longer as fun as it used to be, as any song coming in through the right ear sounds like it's playing through a blown speaker.


/whine

[KitchenWitch]

1. EEK

That is awful.

:hug:

I hope it is a virus and clears up soon.

[Connonym]

2. see an ENT specialist

you have any dizziness with it? any ringing in your ears? I worked for an ENT practice for 10 years. You should have this looked into. Possibly a round of steroids or antivirals (like Valtrex) can help. Tumors are really not that common but I think you'd feel a lot better if you talked to an otolaryngologist about it, have them get a hearing test and all that. Seriously, see a specialist asap.

[Madrone]

3. That's what I'm waiting two weeks for.

If it's no better, I'm going to be referred. It just hit me tonight that by the time I wait another 2 weeks it will be over a MONTH this has been going on.

No, no dizziness. I did have an incident on Monday when I went to work after a 4-day weekend alone though ... all the noise at work (I think) made me feel kind of sick and crappy, so I went home early.

I did have a hearing test, and I don't know the results beyond "I failed." Hearing is not totally gone, my ear just feels like there's something stuck in there - but there's not. And I REALLY notice issues with music, like when in the car. Blown speaker is the best way I can describe it. It makes music actually uncomfortable to listen to.


edited to add: the hearing test was pretty ghetto. My doctor's new assistant leaves a bit to be desired. :eyes: She's pretty flaky, and I don't think she really knew what she was doing with the machine.

[Connonym]

8. I'm not a doctor but I don't agree with your doctor's recommendation

http://www.utmb.edu/otoref/Grnds/SuddenHearingLoss-010613/SSNHL.htm "Evaluation and management of SHL should be considered medically urgent, if not an emergency." SHL = sudden sensorineural hearing loss. You could at least call an ENT and ask them if they think you should be seen sooner. It's my understanding (and I may be wrong) that early treatment can make the difference between regaining full hearing and not. It *could* be nothing more significant than a wax impaction but why take any chances with your hearing? Seriously, I hope you'll call tomorrow and let us know how this turns out. I wouldn't be overly concerned about tumors but permanent hearing loss. Please, at least call and ask the specialist.

[Madrone]

10. Yeah, it's that kind of stuff that I was reading that prompted me to make the appt yesterday.

I'm going to pick GOPisEvil up in about an hour ... so I luckily have tomorrow off. Perhaps I'll make him make ME follow up on this some more tomorrow instead of waiting another 2 weeks.

[Flaxbee]

4. I second this advice.

Do you have to have your 'regular' doctor recommend a specialist? See if you can get an appointment set up - I don't know how hard it is to get in to see a specialist in your area, but you might as well get an appt. now; you can always cancel if it clears up.

How frightening. :hug: I'm sorry, I hope you get some answers soon! I don't think I'd be able to wait, either - esp. if the dr. was so frigging insensitive as to say "oh well, it might be a tumor, but let's just wait and see". Jerk.

[Madrone]

9. I don't know if I have to or not.... probably.

A specialist is a HUGE hassle though - 1.5 hours away, (the Seattle area, where I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE to drive and will do everything in my power to avoid having to do so) ....

My doctor is WAY cool though. I think he's trying to be "frugal" and not send me off to spend unnecessary money and time off from work. He didn't say that about a tumor ... I found that info on the internets. ;)

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Specialist = HUGE hassle~~~ Hearing Loss...not so much

:shrug:

Choices choices....

[Madrone]

12. Sorry for coming off like an idiot...

but I come pretty close to "anxiety attack" when it comes to having to drive over there. When it comes to THINKING about having to drive over there, even. Hard to understand, I know.

[Whoa_Nelly]

14. I do understand

But as someone who has hereditary hearing loss that is gradually worsening over time, I can tell you...you want to take care of your hearing. :hug:

If your teeth were suddenly falling out, wouldn't you seek the specialist that could give you help and/or answers?

Or your vision suddenly taking a strange turn...?

It's the same with your hearing.

take care... :pals:

[Flaxbee]

13. sometimes the Internets can be your worst friend

;-) My sister diagnosed herself with all kinds of horrible things; turns out she was allergic to a certain kind of mold.

But anyway - anything that comes on suddenly and can't be easily explained is frightening, though. Is there someone who could drive with you to Seattle? I understand how you feel - Atlanta is my closest major metro area and I avoid it as much as possible, and get all freaked if I have to drive into the city (as opposed to skirting the northernmost 'burbs). HATE driving there, and I grew up driving in Los Angeles.

Maybe see how you feel on Monday, and then call your doctor again -- if you wait two weeks, then as you pointed out earlier, you might not get in to see a specialist until early next year....

Let us know how you're doing...

[Breeze54]

5. Have you been to an ENT Specialist?

My brother had a similar experience and they went in and cleaned out his ears
and found TONS of sand from Vietnam still stuck in there! And I mean tons!

Maybe you have a mega build up of dirt from over the years? :shrug:

[puerco-bellies]

6. One or both ears?

Good vibes for you no matter what.

[Madrone]

7. Both at first ....

and when I breathed I sounded like Darth Vader to myself --- REALLY weird. Quickly changed to and stayed in my right ear only, where it's been since the 2nd or so day.

Thanks for the vibes! :)

[Indi Guy]

15. Try this (I'm not a doctor, but I play one on DU)...

I've had ear problems all my life. As a kid I had chronic ear infections & now have some hearing loss from the resulting scarring of the eardrum.

I've been to many ENT's & one of the checks is a test of the eustachian tubes (the channel that equalize the air pressure between the ear & the mouth). -- http://www.medicinenet.com/eustachian_tube_problems/article.htm

If your physician hasn't already asked you to do this -- take a deep breath, close you mouth, hold your nose & force air into air into your head (like a diver would do to clear his ears underwater, or like we do when flying in a pressurized plane).

If done right, you should feel and/or hear your eardrums "pop" (expand outward).

Please let me know what you experienced, after you've tried this?

Also, did you fly shortly before noticing the hearing problem?