Tinnitus and Surgery

[Tim Collman]

For a number of years, I have had significant hearing loss in my right ear. Recently, I developed a high pitched tinnitus in the same ear.

The tinnitus was bothering me so much that I decided to go to an ENT specialist to look for possible relief from this.

They did routine audiology testing. They told me my hearing loss is conductive, not permanent nerve damage. At this point, I am most concerned with the ringing in my ears.

From what I have read on this subject, the ringing is caused by damage to hair and nerve cells in the cochlea, and is not the result of any conduction problem in the middle ear.

I am thinking that this surgery could possibly make the tinnitus worse.

Does anyone have thoughts on this?

 

[annV]

I am thinking that this surgery could possibly make the tinnitus worse.

What surgery are you talking about?

 

[GregCA]

From what I have read on this subject, the ringing is caused by damage to hair and nerve cells in the cochlea, and is not the result of any conduction problem in the middle ear.

Not always. It sometimes is due to a problem in the middle ear (in some case, simple wax can cause T, so that's even further away from your hair cells).
Have you reached a diagnosis? You could have otosclerosis.

If you do have O, statistics on surgery (stapedotomy) are pretty favorable when it comes to recovery of your hearing, and about 50/50 on tinnitus, if I recall correctly.

 

[Tim Collman]

The ENT physician I saw did not mention the name of the surgery that I needed. He just indicated it involved the apparatus of the middle ear. He said he did not do that type of surgery, but suggested a colleague of his (in the same clinic). I made an appointment with her. As yet I do not have a diagnosis, but I will check out otosclerosis.

 

[Contrast]

For a number of years, I have had significant hearing loss in my right ear. Recently, I developed a high pitched tinnitus in the same ear.

The tinnitus was bothering me so much that I decided to go to an ENT specialist to look for possible relief from this.

They did routine audiology testing. They told me my hearing loss is conductive, not permanent nerve damage. At this point, I am most concerned with the ringing in my ears.

From what I have read on this subject, the ringing is caused by damage to hair and nerve cells in the cochlea, and is not the result of any conduction problem in the middle ear.

I am thinking that this surgery could possibly make the tinnitus worse.

Does anyone have thoughts on this?

no, conductive and inner ear damage can both cause tinnitus.

Even ear wax or wearing ear plugs for several weeks!

Anything that prevents the brain and the ear from communicating correctly can cause the brain to generate tinnitus. Research about this is here.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3366980/