To MRI or Not to MRI

[Mathieulh]

@maltese I totally agree with @Foncky. Why bother to MRI when you already know that your tinnitus is noise-induced. I don't believe it will give you any useful data. Too much noise for nothing. I 've undergone two MRIs to no avail...


My neurologist was laughing when I mentioned about my concerns on tinnitus and how it can affect an individual's quality of life. He even didn't believe me when I told him about tinnitus sufferers that ended their own lives.


The same neurologist advised me that SSRIs would be a good idea and assured me that they are side-effect free and that I can stop them whenever I want. WTF?


You tell me! I'm done with docs and MRIs

Avoid that neurologist like the plague, no matter whom he might be.

 

[Mathieulh]

I got it and regretted it. Brain looked impeccable. Noise wasn't too bad (earplugs!) but MRIs do cause radiation which increase the odds of future brain troubles.

A MRI does not "cause" any amount of radiation whatsoever (not that you aren't exposed to background radiation on a daily basis though) and the contrasting agents used during MRI are non ionizing (they do however come with quite an extensive list of potentially serious side effects, though their occurrence is statistically insignificant).

 

[Mathieulh]

Is there a possible risk of worsening tinnitus from the contrast drug?

That's quite unlikely, they have however a (relatively low risk) of causing kidney failure or acute kidney damage (among other things). This is why contrasting MRI are not usually prescribed to people with a history of kidney dysfunctions.

 

[Chinmoku]

I have an MRI booked for next month. I called the MRI dept of the hospital. They told me that with the earplugs they provide in place, the MRI level of noise would range from 58 to 66 dB. I have tinnitus due to a ear infection (presumably) but I am concerned about the MRI noise. The MRI with contrast would not be used to rule out a neuroma, I had that in the past. This MRI would be used to assess whether I suffer from cochlear hydrops.

I would like to have that piece of information. Any advice whether I should risk the MRI noise or not?
Thanks.

 

[ChrisBoyMonkey]

I have an MRI booked for next month. I called the MRI dept of the hospital. They told me that with the earplugs they provide in place, the MRI level of noise would range from 58 to 66 dB. I have tinnitus due to a ear infection (presumably) but I am concerned about the MRI noise. The MRI with contrast would not be used to rule out a neuroma, I had that in the past. This MRI would be used to assess whether I suffer from cochlear hydrops.

I would like to have that piece of information. Any advice whether I should risk the MRI noise or not?
Thanks.

I did one recently and was just fine. I brought my own earplugs, the tech even said that was a good idea. If they let you bring your own strong earplugs, do it. My tinnitus was not affected by the MRI.

 

[Chinmoku]

I did one recently and was just fine. I brought my own earplugs, the tech even said that was a good idea. If they let you bring your own strong earplugs, do it. My tinnitus was not affected by the MRI.

Thank you, I have 3M earplugs but I need to check the model. What earplugs did you use?

 

[ChrisBoyMonkey]

Thank you, I have 3M earplugs but I need to check the model. What earplugs did you use?

They were 3M also, they have a clear light green look. I got them from Walmart and actually work very well.

 

[Candy]

MRI 100 hours - fancy that anyone?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/...-produced-detailed-scan-human-brain-ever.html

 

[Foncky]

Yes MRIs are noisy, that doesn't mean you can't get one done without wearing suitable ear protections.

Good for you. I couldn't have a MRI even with foam earplugs + earmuffs. That's how my H is, even though I realize most people are not in my case.

BTW Peltor 3M earmuffs, the most efficient ones available, have metal in them. And apart from that, many people with acoustic trauma won't even think of ear protection to do the MRI. They just don't know. They'll use the (poor quality) earmuffs provided IF provided, IF allowed.​

I met several ENT doctors who asked me to do a MRI. When I refused, they all admitted that they were certain it would show nothing, given my profile. But that they had to ask for it no matter what. Most of them completely undermine what certain hearing conditions really are.

I'd be glad to learn more about bilateral neuroma being so frequent though.

 

[Kriszti]

I'm going to have an MRI with contrast next week, because my tinnitus is unilateral.

I know that they are very loud. I had an MRI years ago, pre-T, and it was loud, but I didn't have any problems. Now, of course, I'm very scared that it would make my tinnitus worse.

I will be using 3M 1100 foam earplugs, and I'd like to ask whether it's a good idea to take magnesium, NAC, curcumin in bigger dosage before the MRI?

Thank you.

 

[Juan]

I'm going to have an MRI with contrast next week, because my tinnitus is unilateral.

I know that they are very loud. I had an MRI years ago, pre-T, and it was loud, but I didn't have any problems. Now, of course, I'm very scared that it would make my tinnitus worse.

I will be using 3M 1100 foam earplugs, and I'd like to ask whether it's a good idea to take magnesium, NAC, curcumin in bigger dosage before the MRI?

Thank you.

You should have diazepam (Valium) to bear the MRI.. it is super loud (power tool - loud). Let us know how it goes and whether your MRI shows anything! Good luck!

 

[Kriszti]

You should have diazepam (Valium) to bear the MRI.. it is super loud (power tool - loud). Let us know how it goes and whether your MRI shows anything! Good luck!

Thank you. I will definitely refer back about how it was.

 

[JohnAdams]

 

[Kriszti]

I had the MRI today, like an hour ago. It was really, really loud. I guess it was a GE machine, but I don't know the type. I don't have ear fullness or pain in my ear, but the high frequency sound is definitely increased in volume. I hope it dies down and goes back to baseline. I was extremely anxious, now I'm trying to calm down in order to not make matters worse. I won't have the results for like a week.

 

[Juan]

I had the MRI today, like an hour ago. It was really, really loud. I guess it was a GE machine, but I don't know the type. I don't have ear fullness or pain in my ear, but the high frequency sound is definitely increased in volume. I hope it dies down and goes back to baseline. I was extremely anxious, now I'm trying to calm down in order to not make matters worse. I won't have the results for like a week.

You're a brave girl !!! I hope everything's ok with the results!

 

[linearb]

I've had like ten MRIs since my tinnitus got worse, mostly head/neck.

Some machines louder than others, all totally fine for me with plugs and muffs.

CTs scare me a lot more, I've had a couple of those too.

 

[Kriszti]

I've had like ten MRIs since my tinnitus got worse, mostly head/neck.

Some machines louder than others, all totally fine for me with plugs and muffs.

CTs scare me a lot more, I've had a couple of those too.

I only had earplugs (3M 1100), they didn't allow muffs and didn't provide one because it was a narrow machine, and put a cage over my head and told me that there was not enough space for earmuffs as well.

Sound is always changing. When I got out of the machine, it was like a sharp loud whistle, now it is more like a sizzle/hiss/crickets, so less tonal.

OffTopic: is there some rulebook here I can read, or why does sometimes posts vanish? I'm on my phone, and haven't come across one, but I may not have been looking for it thoroughly enough.

 

[linearb]

I only had earplugs (3M 1100), they didn't allow muffs and didn't provide one because it was a narrow machine, and put a cage over my head and told me that there was not enough space for earmuffs as well.

the muffs they give you are usually wired and are more so you can hear their instructions than for protection, though the probably provide some additional.

typical MRI = 110db when it's going whum whum, even if we accept the sorta sketchy math on 33db NR and go X-7/2, we get 13db reduction which brings it down into the 90s which is obnoxious and maybe could cause spikes, but is unlikely to be damaging unless you spend all day in one, especially since it's not a continuous sound but on/off/on/off.

I also think that 110db is louder than any MRI machine I've had to use in the last 5 years or so; that's as loud as my chainsaw at full rev, and these machines just haven't hit that mark.

 

[Kriszti]

the muffs they give you are usually wired and are more so you can hear their instructions than for protection, though the probably provide some additional.

typical MRI = 110db when it's going whum whum, even if we accept the sorta sketchy math on 33db NR and go X-7/2, we get 13db reduction which brings it down into the 90s which is obnoxious and maybe could cause spikes, but is unlikely to be damaging unless you spend all day in one, especially since it's not a continuous sound but on/off/on/off.

I also think that 110db is louder than any MRI machine I've had to use in the last 5 years or so; that's as loud as my chainsaw at full rev, and these machines just haven't hit that mark.

Thank you.
I was in it for 20 minutes max, and it was not continuous. I was okay with the whum whum sound, but for like 3x2-3 minutes it was a continuous very, very loud drill like sound which made my bones tremble. That made me panic. We'll see how it goes. I hope that earfullness and pain won't come later and this is just a spike. Also, fingers crossed it doesn't show anything worse than tinnitus.

It's better now than when the MRI ended, but I have a horrible headache right now, and somehow the noises are quieter when my head is otherwise about to explode.

 

[Don Tinny]

Maybe a MRI is useful when you don`t know the cause of your tinnitus. But it has no sense when you did headbanging in front of a wall of Marshalls.

 

[MRItechssuck]

As long as you know MRIs are loud... just wear double protection... I went in without earplugs since I trusted them.

I would personally search out some of the quieter models if the MRI is essential... there is a People magazine article of a woman that had all the ear0lugs and still got first time tinnitus.

Sometimes the rumble of the MRI can be conducted through the bone.

 

[Digital Doc]

Most MRI's are far louder than earplugs alone. I would have insisted on ear muffs also, or gotten up and found another scanner. Open MRI's will have room for the ear muffs, and also tend to be quieter as the sound does not reverberate in the narrow tube. The 3M 1100's are only 29 db also.

Not sure how these places can get away with putting folks through these scans, with inferior protection from the noise.

 

[Kriszti]

Most MRI's are far louder than earplugs alone. I would have insisted on ear muffs also, or gotten up and found another scanner. Open MRI's will have room for the ear muffs, and also tend to be quieter as the sound does not reverberate in the narrow tube. The 3M 1100's are only 29 db also.

Not sure how these places can get away with putting folks through these scans, with inferior protection from the noise.

In my country, it's not an easy task to even get an MRI in the foreseeable future, not possible to pick one that is more suitable for tinnitus patients. I was lucky to have one in a month (unlucky if the spike stays, but if it finds something worse than tinnitus, maybe rather lucky, don't know) Our healthcare is in shambles, it's not a rarity to have a waiting list for these kind of imaging procedures of several months, sometimes a year. You are right though, that nobody takes tinnitus seriously, "it's just a noise, get used to it, you won't die", that is the general attitude towards it. Every doctor said that they haven't heard of anyone whose tinnitus get worse or developed because of MRIs. I keep telling myself that I wanted to have an MRI prior to tinnitus as well, because of migraines and other stuff, and if I didn't have tinnitus, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even thought of using ear plugs. At least, I had earplugs now.

I am not sure whether I made a mistake to start to "treat" tinnitus in the first place, because my low hum went away, but the high pitch sound started, which I have never had before, and it's maybe because of the meds I started to take. But I guess, I will never know, beauty of the tinnitus is this fantastic uncertainty.

 

[Kriszti]

Update: the MRI spike has been fading, don't want to jinx it, and it's hard to say, because it fluctuates a lot, but I feel it is better than it was.

I got the results, I need to go back to the neurologist with the images I got on CD, but based on what I can understand from the written results, it's clear and doesn't show signs explaining my tinnitus.