Recent content by ECP

Thank you!

Thanks, everyone. I was told that I can’t wear earmuffs during the MRI because they won’t fit inside the device that steadies the patient’s head. And there is no way I’d rely on earplugs alone. Even with double protection, I am likely to suffer a very bad setback with permanent worsening. Over...

Thank you. They do suspect a tumor. They saw it on a CT scan. Based on its appearance, size, and location, they think it is benign and that it has zero effect on any of my symptoms, but they still want me to have an MRI, and I've told them no. I'm devastated because this is my second tumor...

Experts on chronic pain and tinnitus have said that emotional stress can make pain feel more intense, and tinnitus seem louder than it truly is. I think there’s some truth to that, but in my experience, tinnitus and noxacusis can be much worse on some days than others, no matter what my stress...

I'm stopping by to wish my fellow Americans a relaxing, quiet Thanksgiving tomorrow. I hope you see, smell, taste, and touch things that bring you joy.

Both of those, as well as the levator scapula, scalene muscles, and many others—basically, the entire neck—are involved. It’s also helpful to try some intraoral massage techniques for the pterygoids and the tensor veli palatini, as those can help release tension in the ear. I wanted to post...

@Yellowblue44, I’m sorry to hear that you keep getting worse. This month marks the third anniversary of my ear injury. Overall, the loudness and pain are a little better now than they were three years ago, but not by very much. Some of my setbacks have caused permanent worsening or new symptoms...

@Yellowblue44, thank you for asking. I recovered from the April setback, but it left me with a worsened baseline of pain and sensitivity in my left ear. I am still considering creating a separate sleeping area for myself, although it makes me sad. I can’t decide whether a separate bedroom would...

It improved a lot and then went away, but it took weeks to do so. Sometimes it still comes back when I’m not expecting it. I find that it is most often triggered by exposure to fans and air conditioners, but sometimes even ambient noises from the other side of a wall or a window can set it off...

If I have to be on Zoom, I use captions and keep the sound muted. On a good day, I’ll take a chance and listen to the audio at the lowest possible volume, but only for a few minutes. I still have musical tinnitus, by the way. It tends to be most active during late spring and summer when I have...

It's fairly common for patients with hyperacusis not to feel any symptoms right away. That's what makes this so insidious. I hope your spike goes away.

Oh, I see now. You are on a yearly lease that runs through October. For some reason, I thought your lease was ending on July 31. It sounds like you might be better off making a fresh start somewhere new, especially since your building management has been difficult to deal with and the...

You certainly have my sympathy. I know there is not much time, but is it possible to speak with the construction site boss between now and Monday night to get a more specific timeline of events? For example, what kind of construction equipment will be used this summer, and how loud it will be...

It is now July 8. Did you ever go to Switzerland in June, or are you still deciding what to do? I am so sad for you and for all of us who find ourselves in such an awful predicament. I'm approaching the three-year anniversary of my acoustic injury, and I have not improved to a significant...