Yesterday's MRI Made My Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Worse - What To Do?

[Katarina]

Hello. Please advise as I do not want to go to the doctors' unnecessarily or have treatments done which will only make things worse. My experience is such ..

Yesterday I had to have an MRI done to my neck. I did wear earplugs, but one was not properly lodged in and loosened itself. I also wore ear muffs, but they were kind of big and did not feel like they offered much protection. I was inside the Siemens Magnetom Avanto 1.5 machine for about 30 mins and I found the noises very loud. In fact, I asked for the procedure to be ended 1/4 way before its end as I could not tolerate the sound any longer. Immediately, upon leaving the MRI, I felt fulness in my ears. My tinnitus has gotten worse and my sound tolerance is lowered now. I am also in total panic. What should I do? Rest a few days and hope my ears will calm down? Or rush to the ENT and get tested for hearing loss and treated with steroids, HBOT or whatever else they offer me? I am paralyzed with worry and actually having suicidal thoughts, because I cannot take these problems anymore. I've been dealing with them for too long. Please advise.

 

[yonkapin]

Sorry to hear about that, hope you're doing alright!

If I was in your shoes, I would probably head to the GP or ENT and get on a short course of high dose oral corticosteroids, the sooner the better. That's of course if you really think it's that bad, it could possible just be a temporary spike but if you're willing to try the steroids then I would probably go for it.

I have previously been in a couple horrible situations where I experienced significantly increased hyperacusis and tinnitus but I have a GP who has been pretty cool with me and has given me corticosteroids when I feel that my hearing has been damaged badly, this has only happened a couple times since initially getting tinnitus but I think it definitely helped me out of a few scary situations.

I would also probably try get on a short course of benzodiazpeines to help deal with the increased anxiety you are dealing with at the moment, I usually err on the side of caution and try to suggest that people deal with their anxiety through other methods but it sounds like you're going through a really rough time and they might be of help to you along side the steroids to help calm things down a bit.

Anyway, I hope things get better! Hopefully it's just a temporary spike and things will be back to normal soon, good luck!

 

[Danza]

@Katarina

I hear you! This happened to me as well! The hearing protection was not in place and the muffs were too big (I guess). because I was so nervous in there, I tried to press my left ear (bad ear) more close to the muffs and they where angry to me because I was moving. If I would have known this, I would have brought my own protection. My right ear (the better ear) reacted to this "shit" (excuse my language). I panicked and called to the clinic where I had had my HBO treatment before. Just to have a feeling that I was doing something to prevent further damage, I went there for one more session, and tried to rest my ears. The noise I got from the machine faded with time, but I feel it was still a mistake.

So I have the same experience, let's don't blame to ourselves, I was angry, that how they can treat Tinnitus patients like this, they should know better! But to you I want to say, that wait for 2 weeks, Try to do something to help you; Steroids, vitamins, sleep, HBO or/and time. It will get better - mine did!

Danza

 

[Katarina]

Thank you Yonkapin and Danza!

I have previously been in a couple horrible situations where I experienced significantly increased hyperacusis and tinnitus but I have a GP who has been pretty cool with me and has given me corticosteroids when I feel that my hearing has been damaged badly, this has only happened a couple times since initially getting tinnitus but I think it definitely helped me out of a few scary situations !

Are there any contraindications when it comes to corticosteroids? I might have read somewhere that it can make H worse, possible?
I do use Clonazepam sometimes, to sleep when in the grip of anxiety, but that too can be harmful to the ears if taken on a long term basis. Is your experience only positive?

@Katarina
I panicked and called to the clinic where I had had my HBO treatment before. Just to have a feeling that I was doing something to prevent further damage, I went there for one more session, and tried to rest my ears. The noise I got from the machine faded with time, but I feel it was still a mistake.
Danza

And you danza, did you have a full course of 10 HBO sessions or just a one off session? Which vitamins are useful for treating this?

I am so panicked, I wish I could fast forward to next month and hear/feel what has happened. Hopefully nothing, but I fear the worst .. to many bad experiences. This condition is such a continuous battle!

 

[Danza]

Don't panic, just try to relax," fake it until you make it!" I did 5 HBO before the MRI and 1 after. Here in Finland it goes on 5 series. Listen to something soothing in a very low volume. I am with you in spirit! We have to move on. Sleep as much as you can. Good luck @Katarina

 

[Katarina]

Thank you, Danza. It's so trying this ... I'll try to relax and perhaps take a pill, to help me.

 

[Danza]

BTW. Vitamins: Zink, B12 (B vitamins), Magnesium, ALA, NAC have been mentioned here.

 

[Katarina]

i am sorry but what are ALA and NAC?

thank you for the others. Will get them tomorrow!

 

[Jay M]

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)

 

[yonkapin]

Are there any contraindications when it comes to corticosteroids? I might have read somewhere that it can make H worse, possible?
I do use Clonazepam sometimes, to sleep when in the grip of anxiety, but that too can be harmful to the ears if taken on a long term basis. Is your experience only positive?

There would be, but probably not with anything you are currently taking - you can always have a look on google to see if whatever you get (eg. prednisolone) has any contraindications with something else you might be taking.

In my experience, steroids have always helped me. I've been through about 3 courses of oral prednisolone since getting tinnitus and hyperacusis, and what I usually experience is louder tinnitus the first couple days into the course, and then after that a very significant reduction of my tinnitus and hyperacusis symptoms thereafter. The most common side effects I've experienced are increased appetite, and increased energy - which I sort of enjoy, haha, I basically eat like a savage and start to train a lot harder than I usually do. Other common side effects that occur from corticosteroids are increased anxiety and insomnia, but if you have something like clonazepam handy it shouldn't be too much of an issue. The duration of treatment also plays a big part in what side effects are experienced, usually with a short term high dose course the side effects are minor, if experienced at all.

You will find mixed reports on steroid treatment, I've seen members post similar experiences to mine and then a couple others where they said they either felt uncomfortable on them or experienced more severe side effects. I do however think it is the most effective treatment available for any sudden auditory damage, but it's completely up to you. However time is key when it comes to steroid treatment, it is most effect within 72 hours but can still be effective a couple weeks out - but the sooner you start, the more likely you will experience positive results.

Most definitely long term benzodiazepine use can be harmful, but this occurs after months of continuous usage and can be usually avoided with a taper, the speed of which is usually determined by how often you use someting like clonazepam. Using it *short term* to deal with this sudden extreme rise in anxiety due to your increased tinnitus and hyperacusis would be fine.

Anyway, hope that helps a bit - hoping things are already getting better for you!

 

[UserID]

Don't panic, just try to relax," fake it until you make it!" I did 5 HBO before the MRI and 1 after. Here in Finland it goes on 5 series. Listen to something soothing in a very low volume. I am with you in spirit! We have to move on. Sleep as much as you can. Good luck @Katarina

Good advice. Take it.

 

[Katarina]

Me again. I went to see an ENT. I had a test done to see if my hearing has been affected. It is fine. I do however have an evident increase in tinnitus and for this the doctor suggested a one-off dose of Corticosteroids (intravenuous). I freaked out ... was too scared to go ahead with it, as I have read on this forum about more than one negative experience with it. But as is always the case, whatever decision I make, I am never happy about it. Have I denied myself the possibility to making myself better thanks to the steroids? Tomorrow it will be the 3rd day since the MRI. The later I leave it, the worse chance I have of improvement - if indeed steroids can make me feel better. I am totally exasperated by not knowing what I should do. I have 3 very bad experiences of doctors' treatments/investigations going bad .. making my health unbearably worse. I am depressed as a result. No wonder that I break into panic whenever a new treatment/investigation is offered to me, especially if it is one which has possible side effects. Please help. Please advise. Flood me with your experiences. Good and bad. Tell me what to do. I think I can learn to live with what I have now, but I cannot take the risk of seeing my T and H getting worse. as a result of another doctor's intervention going bad ...
Yes, I am a heap of nerves as a result of T & H ... I know you do understand though.

 

[Hengist]

Take steroids the worsening is in the ear injections.

 

[frohike]

Last time I made a MRI there was a patient yelling "get me out of here". I guess he was claustrophobic. MRI induces a lot of anxiety, one reason being the chance of worsening due to noise. In general, if a doctor tells you to do something, the risk is worth the reward. Don't confuse someone posting a negative experience about something, with so many people (myself included) that has had relief thanks to medication.

 

[Katarina]

Don't confuse someone posting a negative experience about something, with so many people (myself included) that has had relief thanks to medication.

Thank you, Frohike. Are you saying that you had a relief from corticosteroids and vasodilators pumped into your blood?

I admit that I am a highly anxious person, made all the more so anxious given SEVERAL negative experiences of doctor treatments. Doctor advice has not always worked for me, hence my apprehension and tendency to look at fellow sufferer's experiences before accepting a doctor's advise. If there is a minimal risk of getting worse than I am already, then I do not want to take that risk. Because there are high chances that I am going to be one of the few unlucky ones. Doctors are not always aware of the "minority reports". They know their statistics and that's what they go by. I find it easier to just struggle to accept things as they are than to live with the fact that I've made it worse through a treatment ...

I am 39 now and I have quite an array of minor and major diagnosis and if I am to be frank, doctors have never really resolved any of them. Even when I gave them a chance. Unfortunately.

 

[Katarina]

Also, I emailed a specialist in Italy, have given him the back-story and asked him about the treatment. He told me that neither corticosteroids nor Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy are helpful if there has been no evidence of hearing loss. And my audiometry revealed no hearing loss.

I do not know if I did right or wrong, and of course I am torn by the uncertainty. But today, 5 days after the magnetic resonance, I am noticing that the ear fullness has gone down, as has the tinnitus. Not to the level it was before but the decrease is noticeable. My hyperacusis, whilst also worse than before, is also somewhat less frightening: I switched the ventilator on in the bathroom and could cope with the sound. Scared I am, lots and lots, but also hopeful that time and gentle sounds will calm my ears in the due course ...

Thank you for giving me your opinions and sharing your experiences with me.

 

[frohike]

Thank you, Frohike. Are you saying that you had a relief from corticosteroids and vasodilators pumped into your blood?

No, I haven't. But I have had unrelated procedures and drugs that many people here are scared of. Everything carries a risk, but the point of statistical analysis is that 1:1000 chance of a bad reaction is worth it. I know it's comforting to talk to a sufferer here, and that you consider yourself unlucky, but a doctor know best, or should know if he is worth his bacon. Trust your doctor (or look for a better one) and don't succumb to irrational thinking.

For example, how many times did you read here that caffeine exacerbates tinnitus?

http://communications.uwo.ca/wester...mber/study_debunks_caffeinetinnitus_myth.html

After 18 years of follow-up, 5,289 incident cases of tinnitus were reported, showing a significant inverse association between the amount of caffeine intake and the incidence of tinnitus. We don't have a good explanation as to why caffeine would be protective, and have been very careful to use the word 'association' rather than other stronger language.

5,289 cases of real humans over 18 years. And yes, they don't know, and your personal experience may vary. But that beats the anecdotical experience of a forum. How many people takes coffee with sugar, milk, food, and then blame it on coffee because they read it on some forum?

 

[Katarina]

You are totally right. Unfortunately, my distrust of doctors and addiction to health forums have become pathological in their own right. It's a hard vicious circle to get out of .... with no way out that I can see.

 

[Map]

In my experience, steroids have always helped me.

Man, thank you for this post.

I experienced terrible T worsening on saturday, probably because of 3 hours visit in noisy pub. I didn't experience much spikes in recent past, my T is quite stable. After reading your post I took my chance and ran to my tinnitus clinician. Was given two IV shots of steroids. Don't know, if it is really connected but now is my T almost the same as before.

I am happy I tried it.