General Category > AN Issues

2.2mm ana

<< < (3/4) > >>

ANGuy:

--- Quote from: bikerguy on April 13, 2015, 06:31:32 pm ---anyone here have tinnitus in both ears with an AN in only one ear?

--- End quote ---

Yes.  I have had very low level, barely noticeable, tinnitus in both ears my whole life, even as a child.  Now, with the AN, I have much louder tinnitus in my AN ear and still the mild tinnitus in the good ear.  I actually ASSumed the mild tinnitus was normal since I always had it and never thought much of it one way or the other.  I think that is part, or all, of why the bad tinnitus I have now doesn't really bother me.  Believe me, I would get rid of it if I could, but since I can't, I have just gotten used to it.

That is not to say that it could be that way for everybody.  It is really troubling for some people and I don't mean to downplay that.  It's just that maybe what works for me could be a useful approach for others.

bikerguy:
pardon my spelling, but i'll do my best. what kind of dr. would you guys recommend ?neurologist  or Otolaryngologist (ent)

CHD63:
Hi bikerguy .....

Alas, tinnitus is one of those mysterious brain things and therefore unique to each individual.  My audiologist explained that it is not an ear thing, but the brain trying to fill in the absence of sound (usually starts with the loss of very high frequencies that we do not miss initially).

In my case I never had any tinnitus until after my first AN surgical removal.  Maybe two years afterwards I also began having tinnitus in my remaining "good" ear, although at a much lesser degree (and different noises!).  I now have it 24/7 in both ears, but not equally.  Much of the time I am able to push it out of my conscious thinking, but when I am in a noisy setting (crowds, restaurants, movies, concerts, etc.) it cranks back up to full awareness.

Like Walter-AN, I joined the American Tinnitus Association (see:  http://www.ata.org/ ) and follow their materials.

For me, what helps the most is reducing my stress level, getting adequate sleep, cutting waaaay back on caffeine (I still have a cup of coffee in the mornings) and cutting back on chocolate.  Several years ago I purchased a sound machine with under pillow speakers. I use the babbling brook sound at about the same volume level as my tinnitus is when everything is quiet and it gives me the ability to focus on the pleasant brook sound so I can quickly go to sleep.  Unfortunately for those of us who are completely single side deaf, the only sound therapy that will work is to use the remaining hearing ear.  Therefore, I put my hearing ear down on the pillow to achieve the most benefit.

Early on (after my first surgery), my audiologist made a custom-fit musician's ear plug, which I carry with me at all times and use whenever I am in a noisy situation.  One of the big triggers is road noise so I use it when riding in the car.  A musician's plug lets mid-range frequencies filter through so your hearing is not completely blocked ..... just the harmful frequencies are blocked.

Hope that helps.  I do not think a neurologist or an otolaryngologist will be able to help you very much, other than send you to an audiologist.  I am fortunate to have had wonderful, highly trained audiologists to help me.

Clarice

Sailsurf:
Hey Bikerguy I'm new here too.
I have the ringing in both ears and a small 4mm AN in right ear. Woke up one day about a year ago and it was there along with a kind of spaced out feeling. Both sensations are still with me. Took about 9 months before finding the AN. Will go for CK in a few months hopefully.

bikerguy:
thanks chd63 and sailsurf! sailsurf, i'm glad someone is with me here! just seems like my drs. are just blowing me off!saying its just tinnitus, but yet there seeing something that is 2.2mm on my mri. is anybody on here familiar with hershey medical center in pennsylvania? any reccomendations for a dr. there? also, about 7 months ago had a caloric test(vng), results were 34% weakness in right ear! this is when they blow cold and warm air in your ears. i sure dont want to do that one again.learning alot from this site, thanks everybody!

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page