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Twanging sound in my ear
I have been feeling dizzy and off balance for the last few weeks. I have been to the ear doctor and all he has done was look into my ears and send me to the hearing test booth.
Once my voice recognition levels were around 30%, after some steroids and a week later they increased to 70%. The problem is when sounds come into my right ear it sounds as if the sound is bouncing off a stretched rubber band before entering my ear. I have a loud ringing going on and my right side of my face, lips, nose and tongue has a slight numbness feel to it.
When I hold my nose and blow I can feel the pressure in both ears, but no change in my right ear.
The doctor has pretty much written this off as severe hearing loss. I do have some loss in both ears, but this slowly came on, started as a pressure feeling below my ear and with in a few days has moved all the way up my right side.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jim
Once my voice recognition levels were around 30%, after some steroids and a week later they increased to 70%. The problem is when sounds come into my right ear it sounds as if the sound is bouncing off a stretched rubber band before entering my ear. I have a loud ringing going on and my right side of my face, lips, nose and tongue has a slight numbness feel to it.
When I hold my nose and blow I can feel the pressure in both ears, but no change in my right ear.
The doctor has pretty much written this off as severe hearing loss. I do have some loss in both ears, but this slowly came on, started as a pressure feeling below my ear and with in a few days has moved all the way up my right side.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jim
Thanks for the info.
I am going to get a second opinion sometime this coming week and I will bring up the VRT test to the doctor.
Sure I can cope with the dizziness if I just want to lay around on the couch all day and not have a life, but when your job is driving a truck, safty is my first concern and this of course is not safe.
I am going to get a second opinion sometime this coming week and I will bring up the VRT test to the doctor.
Sure I can cope with the dizziness if I just want to lay around on the couch all day and not have a life, but when your job is driving a truck, safty is my first concern and this of course is not safe.
For some reason dizziness doesn't get a response on this board so I thought I would comment on it since I am experiencing the same thing for the last three weeks. I'm not a doctor just another patient (disclaimer alert!). Dizziness should be diagnosed and treated. Don't let your doctor brush this off since it is a very frustrating and annoying symptom. In 99% of cases dizziness is not serious. At least that's what two ENTs told me. Well, that's all good and fine but it's very difficult to function when the world is spinning and/or shaking!!!
That being said, the doctor should have referred you to his/her audiologist to perform a VRT test. This test takes about an hour and has several parts. The first task is looking at moving light with your eyes, following it up and down and side to side while you wear an annoyingly heavy eye mask. Then you are asked to move your head up and down and side to side while following a light. The next part consists of head movements and body turning. Finally water or air is pushed into the ear to induce temporary dizziness. All the while you are being monitored via video to see how your eyes are reacting to the stimulation. This is recorded and played back. The reason for these tests is to determine WHY you are dizzy and which ear is causing the problem.
If you haven't gone through these tests INSIST that you do. If an inner ear dysfunction is detected, your doctor might prescribe you medication (antibiotics in case of infection) and cortisone for possible inner ear inflammation. Unfortunately, the inner ear is NOT visible to the doctor so much of the cause of the dizziness is speculation. There are also exercises that the doctor should give you to do to help the brain adjust to an inner ear problem or damage to the labyrinth of the ear that regulates balance. These exercises are pretty simple.
Sometimes dizziness is caused by inner ear infection or a virus. Other times it is caused by the crystals in your inner ear. I know that sounds made up but it's not. Read more here: http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/bppv.html .
You'll have to copy and paste the URL into your browser.
That being said, the doctor should have referred you to his/her audiologist to perform a VRT test. This test takes about an hour and has several parts. The first task is looking at moving light with your eyes, following it up and down and side to side while you wear an annoyingly heavy eye mask. Then you are asked to move your head up and down and side to side while following a light. The next part consists of head movements and body turning. Finally water or air is pushed into the ear to induce temporary dizziness. All the while you are being monitored via video to see how your eyes are reacting to the stimulation. This is recorded and played back. The reason for these tests is to determine WHY you are dizzy and which ear is causing the problem.
If you haven't gone through these tests INSIST that you do. If an inner ear dysfunction is detected, your doctor might prescribe you medication (antibiotics in case of infection) and cortisone for possible inner ear inflammation. Unfortunately, the inner ear is NOT visible to the doctor so much of the cause of the dizziness is speculation. There are also exercises that the doctor should give you to do to help the brain adjust to an inner ear problem or damage to the labyrinth of the ear that regulates balance. These exercises are pretty simple.
Sometimes dizziness is caused by inner ear infection or a virus. Other times it is caused by the crystals in your inner ear. I know that sounds made up but it's not. Read more here: http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/bppv.html .
You'll have to copy and paste the URL into your browser.
1 Comments
I've been experiencing vertigo since March 2019. I was put on medication, which didn't work. Had a CT scan that came back claer. Finally was able to get into the ENT doctor. Had a hearing test...all is well there and had ears checked...no blockage or water. But this doctor tried to get me fitted for a hearing aid! I refused, as nothing indicates hearing loss. Went to the chiropractor for an adjustment, which did help, but still having vertigo, especially in the mornings and when I turn to my right side. I'm now scheduled for MRI with and without contrast. I'm a little nervous about it, but want to rule out anything serious.
Although ringing can happen with Bell's Palsy, by this time you should have had some unilateral facial weakness along with the change in sensation, so that's unlikely.
It's reasonable to get a second opinion when the first is not to your satisfaction.
Enoch Choi, MD
It's reasonable to get a second opinion when the first is not to your satisfaction.
Enoch Choi, MD
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