My tinnitus responds to sound, so when I know I'll be in a loud place, I use an ear plug in that ear, even thought I can't hear on that side. I didn't catch if your tinnitus was in your good ear.

wishing you the best...

Marla

Hello,
I'm gonna add to the old topic. Maybe some of the musicians writing here are still around.
I'm a fellow musician (singer, pianist) from Poland, living in Germany. I was diagnosed with a large AN (2.8x2.5x2.2 cm) in October last year and operated via retrosigmoid approach in an attempt to maintain my hearing in December. I believe after waking up from the surgery I could still hear. Unfortunately a few days post-OP I could feel the hearing is much much worse. A hearing test confirmed a complete hearing loss. What a heartbreak. On top of that I have a loud tinnitus that reacts to sound - when I'm in silence it's gone or very quiet, when I hear sounds it becomes louder, corresponding to the loudness of whatever I am hearing. I am still coming to terms with what happened to me and haven't tried playing piano. I tried singing a bit and it feels strange hearing myself only on one side. I also don't like to listen to music too much, since it's aggravating my tinnitus and is tiring... I do hope this will get better with time...

If anyone is still active here, I wanted to ask you, if you have experience with hearing aids or bone anchored systems and how good are those? I tried a hearing aid in my pre-surgery time and was surprised how bad it sounded (it wasn't cheap at all! I think from Oticon) - artificial and with noticeable latency. I wonder if there is anything that does provide help and doesn't sound bad to the musician ears.

Another question is - if you suffer from tinnitus that reacts to sound - how do you deal with it? Did you learn to ignore it with time or did it become less severe? Mine so far feels a bit like exploding in my head! Any input appreciated 

Hi Michele,

I hope you find relief for the TMJ/ear pain soon...
The MRI results show indeed very good news..... Significant tumor dimension shrinkage and not impacting the brain stem and the trigeminal is OK---that is all so great Michele!!

Onward to progressive healing,

Stella

Hey there Don. Yes and its very good news mine has shrunk quite a bit. No cysts visualised, trigeminal nerve and all structures normal. My hearing is 85% that side. The stabbing ear pain has gone now. My dimensions in 2019 were: 20.3x19x14.5mm and it was cystic. NOW they are: 12x12x10mm. The leasion was touching my brainstem before now it 'only paryially extends into right IAC and does not reach the fundus'. No cystic degenration. I am pleased because I was very very anxious for this MRI re the ear pain (I think that must be TMJ as its responded to some You Tube tips on bruxism, clenching which my dentist also said he thought was causing nerve pain).

Thank you Don! I do think keeping low stress, good sleep, and a few target supplements are helping.