hyper sensitive ears and menopause

[wormdog]

My wife suffered extreme menopause symptoms after a historechtomy in 1997.  She has been on HRT since (patches because she wasn't absorbing anything orally because of medicationtaken for severe oesophagitis). She was on 100 patches for some time and over the past few months she has reduced this to 75, 50 and over the past couple of months down to zero. Unfortunately she has experienced extreme sensitivity to noise and tinnitus for the past 8 weeks.  This is to the point that she has difficulty speaking because her own voice is so loud in her head.  She has read on the net about a condition where the tubes in your ear ore left in the full open position because of reduction of fat deposits in the tubes (usually because of severe weight loss - not in her case).  Is it possible for this to occur because of hormone chand=nges? i.e. lack of oestrogen. After she had her historectomy she had a lot of ear problems including "zinging" in her ears etc.  Hasve you come accross this situation before?

Ron Marcin

[linsearch]

Look up "patulous eustachian tube" on the Web.   I think you'll find some relevant info there.   I have had that in my right ear for a few years, mainly presenting annoying popping a lot of the time, esp. when swallowing.   I have a calcium tolerance problem and when it's worse, so is the patulous eustachian condition.  Being of menopausal age, I recently noticed the same noise sensitivity as your wife, perhaps not so extreme.   My hearing has always been very sensitive, so I didn't think much until nearby freeway noises started to sound like 24-hr. low vibration "drumming."  How annoying!  There is also a slight discomfort, almost bordering on nausea at times, but the eardrum itself seems ultrasensitive.  Blowing my nose very gently can hurt because of the noise.  Having a clinical background myself, I'm convinced there is no infection or fluid pathology to speak of.  I know it's either a calcification or nerve problem.   These symptoms are so hard to find on the Web, so I sympathize with your wife.  Loud noise can drive you crazy.  There are some tips on the "patulous" sites about trying to close eustachian tubes -- mainly fr. sufferers who experimented with it.  Have her see a specialist armed with this information, and see if you get better results.  I really appreciate your reminding me that this is a real syndrome and not a psychological anomaly!  

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

The eustachean tube has zero to do with loud sound protection etc. Sounds like she is visiting quack sites.

Now it does sound like she is suffering from hyperacusis as the poster stated he/she has. You are correct in that there is a train of thought that wearing ear plugs/ear mufffs just makes things worse. But it sure is a quick sollution.

Hyperacusis, is in my opinion poorly understood/researched etc.  I know that it is commonly found in autisim, but in regards to menapause.... that I do not know.

[ajovitsky]

I have similar symptoms + dx of Central Auditory Processing Disorder.  My hyperacusis (sounds louder to me than to others) and tinnitis are worse this year than last year, I am wondering if this is b/c of my age (49).  My periods are starting to change, they are pretty regular but some months I get two of them, sometimes they are late a week, most of them are pretty light.  I am wondering what the connection is between hyperacusis, tinnitis and menopause.  

I am actually applying for SSD based on the tinnitis, it is THAT bad.  I am having a hard time explaining/documenting my case.  

Subjectively, it sounds like most people are yelling, and car alarms, sirens, any repetitive noise, at a certain volume and pitch can drive me nuts...by nuts I mean I get paralyzed by the sound until it either stops or I can remove my self from it.  I sometimes feel enraged when this happens, because it feels like the sound is taking over my brain, it's like being raped by noise.  Consequently, I am developing a phobia for crowds, public transportation, malls, parties, any social situation likely to be noisy.

[wormdog]

Yes it was the Eustachean tube she was reading about but the site she visited said that the opening was supposed to be variable so that when loud noises etc were heard that they could partially close off (that is my understanding).  But the crux of the matter is that there is definately something going on here that is not normal.  She wears ear protection (ear muffs) during the day to protect her ears from noises but she has also read that this should not be done all the time because it can heighten the sensitivity even though it gives her some relief.

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

She has read on the net about a condition where the tubes in your ear ore left in the full open position because of reduction of fat deposits in the tubes (usually because of severe weight loss - not in her case).  Is it possible for this to occur because of hormone chand=nges? i.e. lack of oestrogen. After she had her historectomy she had a lot of ear problems including "zinging" in her ears etc.  Hasve you come accross this situation before?


If you mean by Tubes, you mean Eustachean Tube, it would make no difference if they were in FULL opne position, fact is if they were in FULL closed position and maintained that position her hearing over time would become worse. Infection would set in, and there would be a lot of probems.  

In other words the Eustachean tube is suposed to open.

If by tube she means Ear canals... those too are supposed to be open... at all times.

If by tube she means IAC (inner auditory canals) Those too are supposed to be open...  at all times.

Something else is going on here and it has nothing to do with Tubes being open.


If the noise if PAINFUL then that is a signal of recruitment, which occurs within the inner ear (cochlea).  If the noise is bothersome, but not painful...   this may be neurologically based.  Interesting case here....

Have to google hormones and hearing, You may want to google that patch and see if has any ototoxic effects.

good luck