Riffster Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 So 3 weeks ago I had what I thought was a mild sinus infection, I thought maybe allergies as it is spring. Well, one day I woke up with ringing in my right ear and after a few of days I decided to have it looked at, I could not get an appointment with a Specialist before leaving the country for a week and a half so I went to my Doctor, he gave me antibiotics and allergy medication. He told me I needed to go to a specialist. Earlier this week I went to the Specialist and got a hearing test and a look at my problem, turns out the infection I had was bacterial and had attacked the nerve in my right ear, I have significant hearing loss, nerve inflammation and a high pitched ringing that has not stopped in 3 weeks, he put me in antibiotics again and also steroids, he tells me if this thing does not react to the medication I could face permanent ear loss and ringing for life! WTF, just like that. He says we have only a few weeks before the problem is permanent. I explained I play guitar and go to my fair share of live shows but he immediately dismissed as the cause based on what he sees. If this damage is permanent I don't even have a cool story to tell, something like "Yea man I blew my ear out with a Les Paul and a Marshall Stack" Does anyone have a similar story? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Not me. But my best wishes to you for a full recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahKeen Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I had a real bad allergy attack 2 years ago, where I could not hear out of both ears worth a dime . I felt like they needed to pop, but wouldn't. I believe I got put on antibiotics but this thing lasted a good 3 weeks. I was never told it's could be a life thing. It sure is not reassuring to hear that at all. Hope it heals quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lungimsam Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Try another specialist for a second opinion. I'll be praying for you. My sister has partial hearing loss due to an autoimmune attack (they think). It seems to go in and out slightly over the years.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Oh man! That sucks, I hope it sorts itself out :( ! I had a pretty bad sinus infection all through my grandmother's wake and funeral, it was unpleasant, but I'd take that over permanent hearing loss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I had the same thing - bacterial infection, leading to tinnitus (ringing in ears) and hearing loss. I now have one ear that works well and one that does not work well at all. The ringing disappeared after a few months...which was a relief, 'cos it was driving me mad. I still go to loud gigs and listen to music loud in the car, but I am a bit more careful with headphones and if band practice gets very, very loud (I have a Marshall 100w stack , the other guitarist has a Blackstar 30w (still loud!) and we have a banging loud drummer - so every now and then I use musicians earplugs - they are ok.) My main advice - see the most highly recommended / competent ENT consultant or Audiologist that you can.....and do whatever they tell you to do. Get a proper hearing test done and keep the result, so you can get re-tested and see if things are stable or getting worse over time.... and be careful....once it's gone, it's gone. and good luck, Manse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 I am going to a pretty competent Specialist Manse but I will ask for a copy of the results on the hearing test. That is a good idea. He asked me to see him in 9 days after the first appointment, he was very firm on the exact numbers of days. Since I have started taking the new medication the ringing has gotten higher in pitch, I hope something is working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 All I can say is... all my best to you... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 At least they caught with a chance to treat it; best wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I hope everything turns out ok. Please keep us up to date on your status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Stiffhand, I had the exact same thing happen, and had the same test..they do a extensive hear test, put you on prednisone for 10 days then redo the same test....you will blow up like a balloon from the prednisone, you won't sleep well and will need to hydrate a little more than usual.. In my case they determined I have permanent hearing damage and Tinnitus, (ringing in the ear).. I could have told them that before the test, that's why I went to them....duh... So the good news is my hearing loss is just in a few frequencies and the ringing which I have had for many years is something I just have to live with... The Dr. said it could be from load amps or from shooting..or from using headphone & earbuds. It's very hard to sleep with the ringing in your head...so I leave a ceiling fan on all night.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesrob Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I have a mild ringing in my left ear from a shop vac (a weird incident when the nozzle got caught in a weird way on a windowsill and made a strange penetrating sound that i could feel in my head). Since then the ringing hasn't left. It hasn't decreased much, but my mind pays less attention to it. In the daytime I hardly notice it at all. At night I have white noise from my ipod through a small clock radio and that works really well. I've learned to live with it -- but mine is not too bad. I have a friend who had infections in both ears and lost some hearing. He got some hearing aids. he still is a really good guitarist and singer. Technology can do a lot today. Nonetheless our hearing is so important. I'm a little more sensitive to loud noises and avoid them. Good luck and let the doctors do their thing -- they just might get you back pretty close to normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Sorry to hear that (no pun intended) hope your OK with time. Permanent hearing loss sucks big time. I had already done some damage with loud guitars, guns and racing motorcycles when I was in my late 20's but I also had a medical issue with a very strong antibiotic they used for a little to long after a serious accident it had a pretty risky potential side effect of hearing loss (but it still beat dying I guess). That was 20+ years ago and when you combine all that I lost about 60% on the left side and 25% on the right ear,at least that's what they estimate. Also doesn't really help to wear a hearing aid since the ringing is still there and everything is still garbled, so it makes it really challenging. I now wear high-end ear protection especially made for musicians whenever I play with any kind of volume. Screw the cool story though, at least your hearing loss was medical and not just because you were stupid, so at least you can have that small consolation, I think it would be worse to be deaf just because you didn't protect yourself from damaging sounds. Ears, knee's, good eyesight, a trim solid waistline along with a back that doesn't hurt every time you move, are something everybody takes for granted when they are young and almost everybody regrets not protecting when they get older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duende Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I could face permanent ear loss and ringing for life! I know that is worrying to hear, but today doctors are always saying the catastrophic outcomes to protect themselves from being sued! Does anyone have a similar story? Yes, I lost my hearing in both ears for a few weeks when I was 17. It too was an infection and I took antibiotics, I am here now with my canine hearing back and I think you will be too. I am thinking of you and a good recovery! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Tari Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I did mine to myself (Hearing Loss that is). I've worked Heavy Equipment all my life, an in the early years (being Dumb) had no use for the pulling out and putting in of earplugs. So now (not wanting a hearing aid) I still have everything up loud. TV ,Stereo, And my amps (I'm told by my wife) she wishes I'd turn down. Sorry you got yours messed up that way. Mine's to the point I don't hear the ringing anymore. Hope you can find a way to turn yours around. --------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Look after your hearing folks....!! IMO there are 2 main issues... Over exposure to loud noise/music A propensity to pick up infections of the inner and outer ear, sinuses etc which many musicians are prone to Resulting in some or all of... Tinnitus, hyperacusis, pain, wax build-up, blockages, vertigo, dizziness, deafness.... Be Healthy..... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I'm wishing you the best Stiffhand......Some antibiotics can cause hearing problems, although the science has gotten better to prevent it....The tinnitus may be temporary; see the best docs, which you are.......Some hearing loss is tolorable ( well, it does happen to us guitarests ), but, tinnitus, not cool at all.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 Thanks all for the good wishes, I do hope it all goes away, if not at least is only one ear, I could not take this sh!t in stereo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 No story for me, but my dad had a very similar story. Hope your's works out better than his. He lost hearing in his right ear when he was a kid. (don't remember how). Anyway, because he could not hear out of the right ear, he didn't notice an infection that built up in his inner ear. Had to have surgery and totally remove the inner ear. Since he couldn't hear anyway, it didn't matter. But I hope your's gets better so it doesn't have to be removed. As for me, I occasionally have some noticeable ringing, but that's either from playing too loud or wax build-up, or maybe a little of both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Best of Luck, to you Stiffhand! Hope it all works out well, truly! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Well, sadly things have not changed for me. This is just one of those things without a known cure, today the doctor gave me more steroids which I can't stand by now. The doctor said my hearing improved 10% on the affected ear but that was just me breathing more appropriately during the test. This blows, going into the sound proof booth was bad because I could hear how bad the ringing is without any ambiance noise. Not a lot I can do apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Is it, impending "nerve deafness," or tinitis? Sure sorry, to hear about this (no pun intended)! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 . Sounds like at this point, any bit of improvement is still a good thing. My best wishes for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 If they can make a deaf person hear again I'm sure that there could be any number of cures developed in our lifetimes, but hopefully you won't even need that. I can't imagine what you're going through, so I'll just wish you the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Is it, impending "nerve deafness," or tinitis? CB It is nerve damage by viral sinus infection, the nerve inside seems to have been affected and as with all things related to nerves you just never know if it will heal. Nothing to do with the inner or middle ear, I do not have physical damage to my ear, only nerve damage. The tinnitus comes from the brain not receiving the proper signal from the ear...this is worse than my car's infamous seatbelt alert!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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