Poll: Tympanometry / Acoustic Reflex — Did You Experience A Spike in Your Tinnitus Afterwards?

[Bill_]

So as of now I have figured out that my stupid ENT actually DID do an acoustic reflex test along with the tympanometry, as I have already discussed in another thread.

What I'd like to know though is if anyone has experienced TEMPORARY spikes from that, because right now my tinnitus is a solid 6 or 7 (compared to a 3-4 before that).

I'd like to tell myself, that this is only temporary but I've read a few stories about people having sustained permanent damage.

So, please vote and feel free to elaborate!

 

[iGL0CK]

I developed new beeping sound after tympanometry but after a few days finally disappeared.

 

[dpdx]

I got permanent damage after caloric and cvemp test which was 90db in loudness. I lost hearing in both ears. Tinnitus is still a 8/10 and still battling with Hyperacusis, in 2-3 weeks it will mark a year after those tests. Please be careful.

 

[Marceline]

Tympanometry. Permanent damage!

 

[PDodge]

Is that the air pressure test?

 

[Marceline]

Yes, it is. It changes the pressure of your ear and measures the reflex of your ear drum. I assume that this caused my hearing loss, because since the moment I've done this test, I don't "feel" my ear drum on the right anymore, whem I'm smallowing, yarning or hear loud noises. It's like the ear drum is dead!

 

[Bill Bauer]

It changes the pressure of your ear and measures the reflex of your ear drum.

Is it loud? A test was done on me, but it wasn't loud. Could it have been a tympanometry test?

 

[GregCA]

Is it loud? A test was done on me, but it wasn't loud. Could it have been a tympanometry test?

Yes

 

[Bill Bauer]

Yes

Just to double check, are you saying that tympanometry test is not loud, so it could have been the test that I had experienced?

 

[GregCA]

Just to double check, are you saying that tympanometry test is not loud, so it could have been the test that I had experienced?

Yes

 

[Bill Bauer]

Yes

In that case, it might have been what had given T to me. My T began on the evening of the day when I had those tests done. I thought that the tests couldn't have hurt me, as they were so quiet. I am still not sure how it could have given T to me if it was so quiet...

 

[OnceUponaTime]

Stay away.

 

[Marceline]

We should do a big campaign for preventing T- and H-suffers from ENT-tests. For ourselves, we can do nothing anymore. Our damage is already done! But we can save other people from the suffering, we have.

There are so many users here, complaining they have spikes in their T after the tests and the doctors just calming down and don't care. So many unneccessary hearing losses. Enough is enough!

 

[Juan]

We should do a big campaign for preventing T- and H-suffers from ENT-tests. For ourselves, we can do nothing anymore. Our damage is already done! But we can save other people from the suffering, we have.

There are so many users here, complaining they have spikes in their T after the tests and the doctors just calming down and don't care. So many unneccessary hearing losses. Enough is enough!

Probably if some doctors are sued and they have to pay compensation they will refrain from carrying out dangerous tests on patients without previous warning.

 

[Marceline]

Probably if some doctors are sued and they have to pay compensation they will refrain from carrying out dangerous tests on patients without previous warning.

"Prove that it was the doctors fault!" they will say. The doctors always have the better lawyers. They will say something like "Stress caused your T" or whatever. They would never blame theirself.

As long as we stay quiet and do nothing, doctors will perform this tests over and over again. I warned all my friends to never perform a tympanometry test in their lives from now on!

 

[iGL0CK]

In that case, it might have been what had given T to me. My T began on the evening of the day when I had those tests done. I thought that the tests couldn't have hurt me, as they were so quiet. I am still not sure how it could have given T to me if it was so quiet...

Maybe pressure was the problem, not loud sound? I think if ears are really sensitive this test could cause barotrauma or something. When I have done tympanometry and acoustic reflex 1st time the dB level was close to loud music from earbuds which I listened before T. After developing H it seemed much louder.

And for clarity - tympanometry is only middle ear pressure test (pressure and 226Hz humming sound). Most of you talk about acoustic reflex test but they are usually made together as impedance audiometry. Acoustic reflex is from 500 to 4000 Hz and between 75 and 95 dB (usualy about 20 pretty loud beeps)

 

[Bill Bauer]

Maybe pressure was the problem, not loud sound?

I don't remember experiencing any pain or discomfort during the test...

Acoustic reflex is from 500 to 4000 Hz and between 75 and 95 dB (usualy about 20 pretty loud beeps)

I definitely haven't had that done.

 

[iGL0CK]

"Prove that it was the doctors fault!" they will say. The doctors always have the better lawyers. They will say something like "Stress caused your T" or whatever. They would never blame theirself.

As long as we stay quiet and do nothing, doctors will perform this tests over and over again. I warned all my friends to never perform a tympanometry test in their lives from now on!

This test is still considered the best for the evaluation of the middle ear by audiologists and ENTs.
Unfortunatelly only exlclusion criteria is lack of eardrum..
They perform this test even on babies under 6 months of age (but on different freqency).
And after that they are still talking about hearing protection for children.. Ridiculous!

 

[Juan]

"Prove that it was the doctors fault!" they will say. The doctors always have the better lawyers. They will say something like "Stress caused your T" or whatever. They would never blame theirself.

As long as we stay quiet and do nothing, doctors will perform this tests over and over again. I warned all my friends to never perform a tympanometry test in their lives from now on!

This is a lesson for never going again to a doctor alone. You have to go to the doctor with someone else in case you get hurt or something goes wrong. This way there will be a witness.

 

[dpdx]

Tests to Avoid
-ecog
-acoustic reflex
- cvemp/ovemp
-microsuction
- caloric test
-ear syringing which is the caloric test

high risk of hearing loss and worsening of tinnitus

 

[Marko Nakovski]

I tested myself with kind of test. If I'm not wrong my doctor put something in my ears and was measuring the reflex in my ears? He told me my reflex is very weak but I should be better after some time. However I didn't find it to be loud and I didn't have a tinnitus spike, worsening in hyperacusis or something similar.

I think it wasn't loud at all, almost quiet. Maybe I wasn't doing the same testing like you did or maybe the device was different, who knows...

 

[dpdx]

I tested myself with kind of test. If I'm not wrong my doctor put something in my ears and was measuring the reflex in my ears? He told me my reflex is very weak but I should be better after some time. However I didn't find it to be loud and I didn't have a tinnitus spike, worsening in hyperacusis or something similar.

I think it wasn't loud at all, almost quiet. Maybe I wasn't doing the same testing like you did or maybe the device was different, who knows...

Do you still have H?

 

[Marko Nakovski]

@dpdx Yes I still have. In the first 3 weeks my hyperacusis was a disaster.

After that I started to improve to a level that people voices and some sharp noises didn't hurt my ears anymore. That lasted for 2 and a half weeks, maybe 3 at most.

After that, in the period of last 3 weeks my hyperacusis is worse, not like in the beginning where even clicking on the mouse, keyboard, toilet flush and similar things were painful but still it's a problem for me to live normal life.

How about you?

 

[dpdx]

@dpdx Yes I still have. In the first 3 weeks my hyperacusis was a disaster.

After that I started to improve to a level that people voices and some sharp noises didn't hurt my ears anymore. That lasted for 2 and a half weeks, maybe 3 at most.

After that, in the period of last 3 weeks my hyperacusis is worse, not like in the beginning where even clicking on the mouse, keyboard, toilet flush and similar things were painful but still it's a problem for me to live normal life.

How about you?

I had Severe H for a year now ever since those ear tests. I lost a lot of hearing (mild hearing loss in noisy areas). Tinnitus is a 8/10 every day since January 16, 2018......kinda sucks

 

[Greg Sacramento]

In that case, it might have been what had given T to me. My T began on the evening of the day when I had those tests done. I thought that the tests couldn't have hurt me, as they were so quiet. I am still not sure how it could have given T to me if it was so quiet...

Electrical currents to the side of outside face can cause tension to the buccal branch of the facial nerve. The pons of the ear (sensory) become sensitive, but rarely will cause tinnitus until undesirable noise happens, renewed electrical current to the face or ear, or when quick sound air pressure takes place.

This causes temporary tinnitus, but because of possible renewed sensitivity from loud noise, quick sound pressure changes or renewed electrical input to the buccal nerve - caution was advised for years in one case study.

 

[hans799]

No damage from tympanometry (the air pressure thingy), wasn't loud at all, but no way in Hell I'm risking it again, maybe second time won't be this lucky.

 

[Juan]

It is amazing that in the twenty first century ear testing involves all kind of dangerous procedures and exposure to loud levels of noise. Isnt there money to research how to improve the ways of testing for hearing conditions?

Why pharma companies assume that debilitating conditions that may make life very complicated deserve less attention than other diseases?

 

[chaLLas]

I had tympanometry done 3 months ago. It damaged my hearing as I have more trouble understanding people in noisy environments than before and I got a new, additional T sound. I had a acoustic trauma from a concert before I did the test ... ENT told me to do the test to find out if there is any damage because my audiometric tests did not show any. How ironic. Until now, I did not recover from this. Lesson learned: never do a test or any procedure at the doctors if you have the chance to inform yourself before. The same ENT wanted to send me to an MRI afterwards ... luckily I did not do that

 

[Bill_]

I had tympanometry done 3 months ago. It damaged my hearing as I have more trouble understanding people in noisy environments than before and I got a new, additional T sound. I had a acoustic trauma from a concert before I did the test ... ENT told me to do the test to find out if there is any damage because my audiometric tests did not show any. How ironic. Until now, I did not recover from this. Lesson learned: never do a test or any procedure at the doctors if you have the chance to inform yourself before. The same ENT wanted to send me to an MRI afterwards ... luckily I did not do that

Sorry to hear that - did your tinnitus turn down a bit after the tympanometry or did it stay the same all the time?

p.s. Ich seh gerade, auch aus Deutschland! Hallo

 

[chaLLas]

Grüß dich, können ja mal per PM quatschen, aber erstmal auf Englisch

The new tone turned down a bit after some weeks, but since I had multiple acoustic incidents, my hearing is so compromised that various moderate noises meanwhile gave me new spikes. That former new tone is also back now. What is happening with my ears is so chaotic that I can't tell which action caused which spike/tone ... I gave up plugging 24/7 and am instead avoiding sound the best I can at the moment (avoid any moderate (electric) devices, only go by the streets or to the city plugged etc.) ...