Hearing & MS

[jensequitur]

Okay, so has anybody had any experience with hearing loss?  

My hearing has always been excellent, and I'm not experiencing any problems with it now... not exactly.  However, I get a lot of white noise in the office because of the ventilation system, and I've noticed it going away and coming back - like I lose the ability to hear that high-frequency noise for a second.  I also get ringing in the ears, although not excessively.

[Want to feel well!!!]

bump

(I'm curious about this one...but I don't have an answer)

[CtResident]

A couple of years ago, I could not hear well in my left ear (everything about me seems to be on the left.) It got so that the kids could recite my new house rule (yelled at them)

COME SPEAK TO ME IN THE ROOM I'M IN!!!! And LOOK AT ME!

I also had what I called aches of the head, not exactly a headache. This went on for several months. I went to a hearing and balance type of place and they told me I had perfect hearing. Go figure.

I know your situation is different than mine, but all I can recommend at this point is to get your hearing tested if it's becoming more common than you'd think is normal?

Suzanne

[Quixotic1]

Loss of hearing and aberrations of hearing (like hyperacusis) are well-described presentations and symptoms of MS.  It's not super common, but not rare either.  Young at heart wears hearing aids, and her hearing loss has been attributed to her MS.

Hearing and vestibular function are governed by the 8th cranial nerve called the Vestibulocochlear Nerve or an older name is the Auditory nerve.  MS can certainly involve any of the Cranial nerves, but especially II through VIII.

Quix

[young at heart]

JEN,

I HAVE SENSI-NEURAL HEARING LOSS IN BOTH EARS.MODERATE TO SEVERE IN

MY LEFT EAR AND MILD TO MODERATE HEARING LOSS IN MY RIGHT EAR.

I HAVE BILATERAL TINNITIS (RINGING IN THE EARS).IF THIS PERSISTS YOU SHOULD SEE A  ENT TO EVALUATE YOUR HEARING TO SEE IF ITS CONDUCTIVE LOSS OR SENSI-NEURAL HEARING LOSS.

MOMZILLA ALSO WEARS HEARING AIDES SHE HAS THE SENSI-NEURAL HEARING LOSS,SHE IS GOING THROUGH THE DX PROCESS.

T-LYNN

[Super_sally888]

Hi Jen,

I'm about to get hearing aids.  Have mild-moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.  Have had this for a long time, but lately though it hasn't gotten worse (according to tests) I am having noticeable more difficulty hearing things....

I so related to requiring people to come into the room, and face me to talk to me.

Sally

[Momzilla]

T-Lynn's right.  I have sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally, just like T-Lynn, but flipped.  I'm much more severe in my right.  Just moderate loss in the left.

Also, my aids help with amplification of sound (volume) which is wonderful.  I'm so grateful to have my hearing aids.  The thing which is still difficult for me is "speech discrimination."  

Now I can hear better, but I still tend to read lips.  My audiologist cautioned me to hang onto the skill.  I still rely on it if I'm not in a quiet room.  If my neighbor is speaking to me from across the street, I can hear that he is talking (I may not have been able to even hear, before), but I have a really hard time making out what he's saying.  So, I walk over.  He knows I can't hear or walk, so he meets me half-way!

Hope it helps,

Zilla*

[Heather3418]

One of my first tests, was my hearing, after my diagnosis of MS.  I was found to be unable to hear certain syllables.  I was told by the Neurologist that this is very common in MS.  One side seems to be affected more than the other.

Overall though, I can actually hear a pin drop, from what my family and friends tell me...

Heather

[jensequitur]

Thanks, guys - that's good to know.  Neither the ringing or the muffled noise is enough to send me to the doctor, but I'll keep an eye on it.  

It's happening today again - there's definitely a frequency dropping out at the top of the band, and it feels like my ear's filling with wax... weird!  I think it gets worse toward the middle of the day, as my body temperature rises and I get wobbly.

[Quixotic1]

I can't recommend strongly enough to go get a "baseline" hearing test now.  If you wait until there is a definite problem, you will not know how far down you have gone and in what amount of time.  Now is the time.  

Quix

[debj52]

i have had operations on both of my ears ...have had hearing aids but one of them broke and i cant wear the other...i have allways had hearing probs tho..

my euciation(definitly msp) does not open..and i have the ringing in ears 24-7...grrrr even tho i to have to have someone come in the same room to talk to me ,i can not stand noise and im not sure where that iscoming from....

when i was born i had a cleft palate with out the hair lip....so i consider myself lucky...and if your wondering why i had surgery on my ears they had to rebuild the mastoid bone...you all have a blessed day and hugs to all....deb

[jensequitur]

That's a good point, Quix - I just hate going to the doctor!

[Rena705]

This is something that I wasn't sure was "pertinent" or not.  

You mentioned hyperacusis and I looked it up and I am going to see if I can get my dr. to make an appointment for me to have my hearing tested.

People, especially my hubby (of course) have been remarking in the last few years at how good my hearing is but that isn't the problem.

When I empty the dishwasher, the sound of the plates crashing together really bothers my ears.

When my husband is cutting up a turnip on the glass cutting board, I just about go through the roof!

Even when I am speaking at a certain level I have to lower my voice because it is REALLY hurting my ears!

The dog barking is especially troublesome but only if she is indoors with me, when outdoors with me it doesn't bother me.

So...I will ask the doc if she will arrange for a hearing test for me because this is something that I have been concerned about for some time but of course didn't bring it up for fear of looking foolish (what would hearing problems have to do with MS???)  This is a problem that is driving me crazy though and I am so appreciative that you and jen brought it to light!  Thanks!

Rena

[Quixotic1]

Exactly!  When my problem with vertigo began, I developed hyperacusis.  It's certain frequencies that actually make me gasp and wince.  Gassware clashing, flatware for the table being dropped into place, pots and pans banging around.

The vacuum cleaner, any two-stroke motors like leaf blowers make me absolutely murderous.  Sudden booms of any frequency.  .....Audience clapping!!!!! I went to one live performance a year or two after the vertigo started.  When the audience erupted in applause, it knocked me off my feet, disoriented me and they had to help me walk out of the theater.  That was my LAST live performance.

They make soft little ear plugs that lower the decibel level of all that comes in by a certain percentage. But don't muffle the sound too badly.  They are often used by orchestra musicians with hyperacusis, to allow them to continue their profession.  These can be useful if you are going to have to be around intolerable noises.  Ask an audiologist.

Quix

[jensequitur]

Hey...  this sounds familiar!  Sharp sounds can make me jump out of my seat, and sometimes it's almost painful - like somebody whacked me in the head.  Like all other symptoms, it comes and goes, and it's worse when my vertigo's acting up.

My brain also shuts down with certain kinds of sounds, especially loud music.  Specifically, music with electric guitars in it.  Bluegrass music,  classical music, tangos, all those don't bother me - but start playing rock music and I can't think straight.  I have a hard time even reading a book.

[jensequitur]

Interesting...  there's a kind of hyperacusis that comes from cerebellar damage.  I have a lesion in the right cerebellum.

[Rena705]

I checked out the report from my 1993 MRI and it says that there are several small lesions of high signal intensity seen in the left cerebellar hemisphere.  It this what you are talking about?

Rena

[jensequitur]

Interesting...  yeah, I did some looking around for where the cerebellum handles sound, and I couldn't find it.  All I could find was that the cochlear nucleus hooks up with the ear, and transmits sound to the brainstem.  

[Tabs]

I'm not diagnosed yet, but I've had very odd hearing problems on my left side.  I often feel like everything's duller sounding on that side, especially if I'm really tired, and I've had sudden high pitched ringing a lot.  I also get a strange vibrating sound/sensation if I touch my face or neck around the area of the ear.

[Quixotic1]

I think the cerebellum likely processes sound to help maintain your position in space.  The whole cerebellum, brainstem, cranial nerves and cerebraum interact in an incredibly complex and redundant way to make use of the sensory info coming in.

Ryan - With your hearing change, do you have any disequilibrium, or feelings that you are changing position (losing position ) in space?

The sensations you describe when you touch around the ear, may be paresthesias from problems in the Trigeminal Nerve, Cranial Nerve VIII.

Quix