If You Have Even a Slight Hint of Suspicion That Your Tinnitus Is Noise Induced Don't EVER Do an MRI
- Thread starter Arseny
- Start date
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Red
Member
I only wore the ear muffs provided. I've considered this but don't believe it much. Not like I'm going to be willingly hopping into a mri soon though.
Both my onset and worsening were triggered from headphones, loud impulse sounds isolated to the inside of the ear. So I consider these traumatizing life experiences where I dislike anything close to my ears.
Hopefully I won't need a mri to get help for my pain. Because I might never do another one unless my life depended on it.
Thx @Jack Straw. I already had the CT scan today. Less waiting time for them and i know like there's 99% chance my head -skull-brain will be fine. I had some bad T spikes in 2012 and the MRI then showed out ok. But it spiked my T for a while (i geuss a week or 2), even wearing -30DB protection! I saw one of the top surgeons on head and neck surgery in my country in 2014. He said not to worry! All they could see was some shotty lymph nodes (hard lumps under my ear near my jaw) and he advised to stay of them cause getting them out could make my ear jaw problem worse.... if they caused no extra discomfort that is, and they were just lumps... wise man i say that top surgeon. They caused no pressure issues or other problems. My best medical talks are with surgeons anyway. These guys know so much more then many docs, but their time is always limited ... and expensive. My TMJ Doc did me a favor there, reffering to a top doc cause i am always so polite and she cared about my probs! The other surgeons i had luck with talking too.
That was just mild H then acting up i geuss in the 2012 MRI. Now my H is worse due other sound trauma so i'm not taking any risks.
ps. I will give the neuro psych another chance next visit and see if he's as good as they say. He will have the imaging to rule out any pathalogy in my skull(again).. and we'll talk seriously or its exit with this doc for me. Just like @Arseny i want the help thats fit for me... Not some unnecesary clinical examinations or guessing doctors who dunnow jack shit (hehe sorry here
) about T and H.
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Some youngsters call them DubStep machines. If they only had volume control ...
Sound level will vary from manufacturer, bore type: open or closed bore. Coil field strength (0.75- 1.5 or 3tesla) and scan duration and sound sequence types may vary from the type of scan: brain, torso, spine etc.
Maybe there could be a sticky threat in the treatment section with wich are loud tests: loud or risky Ear tests and MRI info etc? We could add locations with the more open bore silent machines over time? We shouldn't fear monger of course (for some these tests are live saving, i'm thinking about brain tumors early detection), but information can be gold and patients should be informed as best they can get. Im' not tagging markku etc for now, but we could with this idea. If it can prevent unnecessary setbacks and suffering...
Red
Member
Yes, I agree. Information to best evaluate risk vs. reward would be very helpful. There have been threads like this, from Bill Bauer and dpdx. Both threads got called out as fear mongering. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I know how to program synthesizers to make dubstep and yes this is pure electronic dubstep sound.
The nasty.
we as a community need to be more proactive and investigative. this condition is horseshit. the ATA and the BTA are actually completely flaccid. Why do they exist? I could single handedly replace both of them and be 100X more effective on their budget. They are complete jokes and deserve relentless ridicule. They have no basis for existence.
- Oct 14, 2016
- 1,270
- Tinnitus Since
- All my life, but got worse 2016
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Noise induced / Concert
Thanks to whomever posted that mri sound thingy, holy crap that would drive me insane! That looks like it would be super obnoxious =\
- Jun 26, 2014
- 2,264
- Tinnitus Since
- 11/2013
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Drugs barotrauma
I think a person will be fine with the right protection. If the machine is 120db foam plugs are not enough in my opinion, muffs over top should be sufficient. My tinnitus was caused by barotrauma, and antibiotic ear drops, not noise, so I was a little less carful than say a person with noise induced tinnitus. Even though I had severe hyperacusis, I still didn't put noise and tinnitus together in my own mind. When I reference it, I think about deafening myself at clubs for years with no consequence. I'm sure if mine were originally caused by noise I wouldn't have been so careless in that machine, and had insisted on the right protection
- Nov 1, 2018
- 283
- Tinnitus Since
- 2018
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Possibly from problems with blood flow
@Arseny
I feel bad this had to happen to you! Your posts are so well written and nicely detailed, asking for the right things to do, seek out the help you need ... And then this happens! It makes me very sad, and a bit angry MRI operators don't seem to know the sound risks for us with pre existing Tinnitus and sound sensitivity like Hyperacusis.
I had it too when i read @Telis similar topic a few weeks ago.
I experienced that nasty spikes can reside, especially in the early T days. And some spikes can go down even after many weeks, months! Hang on and do the HBOT and stick to the good empathic doctors and therapists.
@Jack Straw and @Telis
My general practicioner has referred my to a neuro psychiatrist this week due me being of work for a few months. Due severe burnout from T and H and me keeping on going a few years like a stoic monk on steroids ( i dont take these, just as a matter of speaking).
My life was/is 'all work no play' during 3-4 hard to bear years, including the dead of my mom and dadto make a long story short ...
I tel him the neuro psychiatrist how T and H has affected my whole life ... First thing he does after 20-30 minutes of my talk ? Orders an MRI! And then EEG next appoitnment (ok that's quiet)! But does the guy even know what bad hyperacusis is if he offers an MRI? And then he writes Tinnitus (ok) ... and Phonophobia on my CT scan note.... grrrrmbl. I wouldn't fearr sounds if they 'd casue no discomfort,pain, or loduer T!
I said hell no to the brain / head MRI (i had one in 2012 when my T was very mild, and no tumors or damage )! And went for a CT scan for the brain. My geuss is he wants to rule out other diseases or strucural problems, but i had zero things spoken about wich weighed on my mind the most.isn't that wath bloddy shrinks are about to be? I had many good sessions with physical and psycho therapists before that helped me cope and lower my stress levels...
Buth medical protocols and T and H, sigh.Creates stress!
ps, i have nothing against life saving medical imaging! In some cases its just a bit overdone for the patient.
Thank you for you support.
I'm very sorry for your experience. How do you handle life with this torture?
I don't know what to do at this point. It's been almost a month I don't have any progress, in fact since I'm off steroids fluttering sensation of pressure on my eardrum has come back. I feel it even complete silence. I don't know if it's ETD or TTTS. Or is just some kind of low pitched tinnitus? I don't know what to treat and I can't just sit around doing nothing.
I don't know what to do
People told me that the spike will probably go down. I don't know what to think at this point. What if I didn't insert my earplugs correctly? I rolled and squished them hard then pushed them inside my ear canal, but I felt like I had to do it with force, I couldn't just slide them in. Did I mess up? Could improperly inserted earplugs exacerbate the noise? But earmuffs were -18 db, so the noise must have been less than 85 db for 15 minutes... Or could it the vibration from the machine itself? Also I already had an MRI done before with zero protection and I had no issues at all.But then again I heard horrible stories of people getting tinnitus and hyperacusis after acoustic reflex test that's only 80 db for 20 seconds... Also the story of @dpdx comes to mind.
I'm very afraid, I don't know what to expect. Will my ears recover? Will this spike go away? I started HBOT within 8 weeks after the onset and 4 weeks after the spike. People say wait 6 months... I should have waited in the first place instead of poking around
My life is not livable like this. I die inside every millisecond. I barely endured these few last weeks until HBOT treatment and the results might show themselves in the following months. My baseline jumped from 3-4/10 to 7-8/10. Is there a chance it will return to the previous base line or fade away completely?
I get a new temporary tone at 450 hz every time I expose myself to a 60 db+ environment. Even a shower gives me a spike. Does it mean I damage my ears further?
How to live like like this? Always in earplugs and earmuffs listening away to this merciless shriek inside my hear?
Should I go overboard with hearing protection for a couple of months to give my ears a chance to heal? I've read posts from @Michael Leigh and he says you shouldn't over do it.
I feel like my life is over even if my tinnitus fades away completely. I wanted to ditch my office job and pursue my dream being a wedding filmmaker. Now I had to quit my job. I stopped working since November 2 and I don't know how to return to work. I don't even know how to gather enough attention to do some work from inside my house.
I got so traumatized by tinnitus that at this point I will never EVER go to a loud place in my life again. I'm not even talking about events or concerts... I don't want to even go to a local coffee shop or McDonald's. I will religiously check every medication for ototoxicity. I might have gotten my tinnitus from antibiotics treatment in the first place and then only exacerbated it with noise exposure. I was completely fine before being treated in the hospital this August. And my allergies don't give me a rest, I might really have an ETD.
I don't know what to do I'm having multiple mental breakdowns every day and I'm crying hysterically trying to escape the noise.
I feel for the original poster and for everyone whose tinnitus has been worsened by MRI. I know entirely too well how terrifying it is to know that just one noise accident can cause a long-term setback. I fervently hope that MuteButton 2 and the other bimodal machines will finally be able to lessen the burden.
However I don't think that completely swearing off MRI is the answer. Sometimes unfortunately a MRI is just necessary. There are quiet MRIs that are safe even for us. Healthcare systems vary by country and I know only mine, but where I live you can opt for a private MRI appointment for approximately $200. Not only is there zero waiting period, these private hospitals use new and quiet machines. Well worth every penny in my opinion.
I've had 2 scans because of lower back issues and the experience was perfectly fine both times: the machine was quiet to boot, plus I brought my own earplugs, all was good, I almost fell asleep during the second appointment.
Bottom line: please do go for a MRI if you need one, but do your research and opt for a quieter machine even if it costs a lot more.
However I don't think that completely swearing off MRI is the answer. Sometimes unfortunately a MRI is just necessary. There are quiet MRIs that are safe even for us. Healthcare systems vary by country and I know only mine, but where I live you can opt for a private MRI appointment for approximately $200. Not only is there zero waiting period, these private hospitals use new and quiet machines. Well worth every penny in my opinion.
I've had 2 scans because of lower back issues and the experience was perfectly fine both times: the machine was quiet to boot, plus I brought my own earplugs, all was good, I almost fell asleep during the second appointment.
Bottom line: please do go for a MRI if you need one, but do your research and opt for a quieter machine even if it costs a lot more.
Yes, this shit condition does that to you. I carry 2 sets of earplugs literally everywhere (a -20dB for lighter stuff and a -33dB for when it's really necessary), and I have an industrial decibel meter which I take everywhere that might be remotely loud, such as restaurants or the cinema (where I of course wear the earplugs). And if the noise level is above 85dB, which would theoretically be safe even without earplugs, I just leave.
I'm religious about dental hygiene to so that I won't ever have to get a tooth drilled again. I do not use earphones and do not go to parties, concerts or nightclubs at all. I use earmuffs even for vacuuming and plug my ears if an ambulance passes by. The goal is that my ears never again get exposed to anything that's louder than 70-75dB. I stick to a small selection of "safe" medications and research anything new religiously. I wear a cap from the moment the weather turns just a bit chilly to prevent ear infections.
A silver lining of all this is that I've really learned to not give a fuck about what others think. Someone thinks it's funny that I'm taking out my bright yellow decibel meter at the dinner table? Or thinks it's weird that I'm already leaving even though it's just 9PM? Yeah and who gives a damn? Ear protection is the absolute number one overriding priority I have. And may other people never have to learn the pain of tinnitus that's forcing me to do it.
- Feb 17, 2017
- 10,400
- Tinnitus Since
- February, 2017
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Acoustic Trauma
Are MRI scans of the abdomen or feet as dangerous as an MRI scan of one's head? Are all MRI scans off the table now?
For ex.
120Db peak at 1 meter(about 3 feet) is about 114 at 2 meters (about 6 feet). But you're in a very confined space, room. So not much attenuation there... the further away from the ear the better of course, as like with speakers vs headphones.... The 120Db peak is not constant off course and not so for any machine.
And I'm with @Telis, just wear good ear protection, bring an extra plastic ear defender if you you can't handle other loud sounds (no metal in the headband). A peltor x4 above your plugs would do fine for ex, these are small and thin and light and still -33Db average. Off course blocking the lower ferquenties is always harder. There's probably a bone conduction element too.
This might be a problem for people with TTTS maybe? Or other middle ear problems. Or some of us our T or nervous system is just super sensitive, the H part where science is still struggling with??
@Arseny 's case is an example here. It puzzles me and i'm no H newbie! Telis had a loud machine and long scan with a pre existing conditon. Dpdx had another test a little less loud then MRI, but i think its the so close to the inner ear - eardrum part here that's probably the problem, or a problem with inner ear pressure regulation or the other problems i mentioned ...
I agree that in case of medical emergencies it's hard or maybe even stupid to decline MRI. If the doctor agree's with CT it's because they do not need the super high res image of soft tissues and small body structures in wich MRI is so good.
Arseny,
Its been quite the ride handling my condition over the years. I can tell you that you have a lot of chance for recovery within a few weeks or months if you take care of your ears now. I've had spikes like this happen too in the past, and some of them lasted 6 weeks to go down (not from MRI doh). Some episodes of the reactive like T and worse H lasted months.
My story is long and complex and my recovery has been held back by this damn city and all its noise and construction in combo with bad housing the last few years.... and fatigue from work and burnout... and some other bad luck as you could read before.
With rest and doing the right thing things can get better! i'm not there now, bit in a serious down. My plan is to move a few miles away from my city. And then start working on going out more without plugs... I've been needing them too much the last few years wich isn't aways a good thing. Social isolation also became a real problem for my mood and energy. Thats how i dealt... avoiding lots of noise and wearing musician earplugs outside. Not the best way. Especially socially! Music listening is hard too, and i just loved that with all my soul.
But then again... when confronted with loud noise its good to have them in your pokcet (or ears) or to just move away from the noise... i'm fine with short bursts of construction noise that comes with city dwelling (with my plugs) It is stresfull if its every like 50 meters doh! It's mostly the duration of certain louder noises that spikes my problems for longer times and cause me more stress.
ps. i had one exception .. a loud firecarcker bang literally next to my feet made my mild H a lot worse. Sound level was probaly 140Db, instant damage i geuss : ( Some imbicil threw it in broad daylight out of nowhere at the pavement where i walked. You gotto be in an accident or firefight to have that bad of luck.
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Thank you for you support.
I'm very sorry for your experience. How do you handle life with this torture?
I don't know what to do at this point. It's been almost a month I don't have any progress, in fact since I'm off steroids fluttering sensation of pressure on my eardrum has come back. I feel it even complete silence. I don't know if it's ETD or TTTS. Or is just some kind of low pitched tinnitus? I don't know what to treat and I can't just sit around doing nothing.
I don't know what to do
But then again I heard horrible stories of people getting tinnitus and hyperacusis after acoustic reflex test that's only 80 db for 20 seconds... Also the story of @dpdx comes to mind.
I'm very afraid, I don't know what to expect. Will my ears recover? Will this spike go away? I started HBOT within 8 weeks after the onset and 4 weeks after the spike. People say wait 6 months... I should have waited in the first place instead of poking around
My life is not livable like this. I die inside every millisecond. I barely endured these few last weeks until HBOT treatment and the results might show themselves in the following months. My baseline jumped from 3-4/10 to 7-8/10. Is there a chance it will return to the previous base line or fade away completely?
I get a new temporary tone at 450 hz every time I expose myself to a 60 db+ environment. Even a shower gives me a spike. Does it mean I damage my ears further?
How to live like like this? Always in earplugs and earmuffs listening away to this merciless shriek inside my hear?
Should I go overboard with hearing protection for a couple of months to give my ears a chance to heal? I've read posts from @Michael Leigh and he says you shouldn't over do it.
I feel like my life is over even if my tinnitus fades away completely. I wanted to ditch my office job and pursue my dream being a wedding filmmaker. Now I had to quit my job. I stopped working since November 2 and I don't know how to return to work. I don't even know how to gather enough attention to do some work from inside my house.
I got so traumatized by tinnitus that at this point I will never EVER go to a loud place in my life again. I'm not even talking about events or concerts... I don't want to even go to a local coffee shop or McDonald's. I will religiously check every medication for ototoxicity. I might have gotten my tinnitus from antibiotics treatment in the first place and then only exacerbated it with noise exposure. I was completely fine before being treated in the hospital this August. And my allergies don't give me a rest, I might really have an ETD.
I don't know what to do I'm having multiple mental breakdowns every day and I'm crying hysterically trying to escape the noise.
Yes those ear tests will damage your hearing and make you have permanent T and H. I am still dealing with severe hyperacusis.
I've had quite a few MRIs because I had two groin injuries. My first MRI they didn't give me ANY protection. believe it or not, they gave me shit headphones and offered me music.
I had an MRI a year ago and brought my custom silicon 33 dB plugs and was totally fine. This was a brain MRI also because I was having symptoms of a looming aneurysm (short duration very severe headaches). I only say this b/c it means my head was in the machine. I also go to concerts with these plugs in - so I think its all about if the protection is properly used.
- Aug 21, 2014
- 5,049
- Tinnitus Since
- 1999
- Cause of Tinnitus
- karma
I've had my head and ears inside the damn things like six times since my tinnitus got bad and it's never made any difference at all. Some machines louder than others. Have always just worn foam plugs under the headset.
