Microsuction by ENT Caused Hidden Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Hyperacusis and Ear Pain

[Asta]

Hi there,

I suffered acoustic trauma from a microsuction procedure about a month ago—on the 18th of July, to be exact. Since then, I've experienced tinnitus, hyperacusis, ear fullness (which I absolutely hate), and a diminished sense of hearing in the affected ear. All of these symptoms began at the end of a noisy and painful one-minute microsuction procedure, during which saline was used to loosen a piece of hardened wax deep in my ear canal. I felt a sudden cold sensation inside my ear, and I haven't been able to hear properly from it since.

It currently feels like this experience has ruined my life. I've been reading all the posts here about microsuction, trying to make sense of what happened.

I had OAE (Otoacoustic Emission) tests done, which showed that the outer hair cells in my inner ear are either absent or very low in the damaged left ear, while they are fully present and functioning well in my right (undamaged) ear. Despite this, my pure-tone audiogram came back "normal," even though my auditory experience in the left ear feels anything but normal. The ENT specialists keep telling me I should be glad I have "functional hearing."

Has anyone else felt gaslighted by ENT specialists in this way?

 

[2049v]

Has anyone else felt gaslighted by ENT specialists in this way?

Of course, I'm one of those cases. I've had two hearing tests—one through the NHS and one privately. The NHS test was much simpler and more basic; it was done quickly. The private test, however, was conducted in a soundproof booth and was far more professional and thorough.

After the NHS test, the doctor said my hearing was perfect and didn't take the acoustic trauma and tinnitus I had experienced seriously. The private ENT doctor, who was a professor, noted a slight hearing loss but said it wasn't significant. Despite my request, he didn't offer any early-stage treatments (such as intratympanic injections or HBOT) and assured me that my tinnitus would improve over time. Unfortunately, it hasn't improved at all in the last three months. While my hearing loss may not seem significant on audiograms, my hearing is still in poor condition. The constant 24/7 tinnitus and hyperacusis have completely disrupted my life.

Could you share the hearing test results? There may be damage, such as cochlear synaptopathy, that doesn't show up on standard hearing tests.

 

[mikeh]

I experienced the same thing. The procedure was completely unnecessary. I went to the clinic about a cyst near the entrance to my ear. Why on earth the doctor decided to say, "You have earwax," and then perform microsuction on my ears, I will never understand. The result? Terrible tinnitus in my right ear.

Not only did he fail to disclose the risks or ask for consent, but he also did not take a proper history. If he had, he would have known I had experienced mild tinnitus from earwax removal by other methods in the past. On those occasions, the tinnitus lasted a maximum of 10 days, and only twice. This time, it has lasted over a month. The noise during the procedure was very loud. While the pressure and suction felt no different than before, could it be noise trauma? Possibly.

Why is this method still in use? It should be banned. Think about it: you have the risk of acoustic damage, pressure damage, and operator error with this method. All other methods have only one risk—operator error. Why would anyone choose three serious risks over just one?

Even worse, the doctors here seem entirely apathetic. They all protect each other, even if some are completely incompetent. I cannot even get an extended hearing test, OAE, or any other diagnostics to figure out what damage was done.

 

[Jupiterman]

I experienced the same thing. The procedure was completely unnecessary. I went to the clinic about a cyst near the entrance to my ear. Why on earth the doctor decided to say, "You have earwax," and then perform microsuction on my ears, I will never understand. The result? Terrible tinnitus in my right ear.

Not only did he fail to disclose the risks or ask for consent, but he also did not take a proper history. If he had, he would have known I had experienced mild tinnitus from earwax removal by other methods in the past. On those occasions, the tinnitus lasted a maximum of 10 days, and only twice. This time, it has lasted over a month. The noise during the procedure was very loud. While the pressure and suction felt no different than before, could it be noise trauma? Possibly.

Why is this method still in use? It should be banned. Think about it: you have the risk of acoustic damage, pressure damage, and operator error with this method. All other methods have only one risk—operator error. Why would anyone choose three serious risks over just one?

Even worse, the doctors here seem entirely apathetic. They all protect each other, even if some are completely incompetent. I cannot even get an extended hearing test, OAE, or any other diagnostics to figure out what damage was done.

@mikeh, you are correct to avoid hearing tests. They carry a risk of worsening your tinnitus.

 

[mikeh]

@mikeh, you are correct to avoid hearing tests. They carry a risk of worsening your tinnitus.

Is it because the high-pitched tests are highly irritating?

 

[Jupiterman]

There are a few threads that discuss the dangers of hearing tests. Here is one.

 

[mikeh]

I had an extended hearing test today, and the results were normal. However, the OAE test showed absent responses in the high-frequency ranges.

The conclusion? It is likely that the incompetent ENT blasted my ear, causing damage or stress to the outer hair cells.

At just over seven weeks, I am still unsure whether this is permanent or temporary.