Author Topic: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?  (Read 8679 times)

gunns

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Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« on: August 21, 2017, 05:27:45 pm »
I had retrosig on July 25, 2017 and lost all hearing permanently in my AN ear.  When I was warned that this could happen I tried to look for a bright side to it.  Shoot, if I loose the hearing at least the tinnitus will be gone right? - WRONG!  It's still there but why.  I have an appointment with my neurosurgeon later this week and I'm sure he'll have a good answer for me.  But for now has anyone ever had this mystery explained to them?

ANSydney

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2017, 05:40:53 pm »
Surgery may destroy your hearing but will not fix tinnitus. For instance, if you completely cut the cochlear nerve or destroy the cochlear function, you will not be able to haer since your sensor=or its "wire" will no longer be present. However, tinnitus is your brain giving the illusion of sound. Removing the sensor will not remove the illusion.

gunns

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2017, 06:19:16 pm »
So are you saying tinnitus is in your brain not in your ear?

ANSydney

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2017, 07:49:18 pm »
Exactly.

ANSydney

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2017, 08:42:15 pm »
gunns, didn't your doctor alert you to the fact that tinnitus is not fixed with surgery?

milhaus

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2017, 04:17:55 pm »
My surgeon explained it to me like the gain on a stereo. He said the brain isn't getting a signal from the ear (before the surgery because the tumor is interfering, and after because the nerve is cut) so it tries to amplify the signal and you end up with the equivalent of static on a radio. That explains why it never goes away. Its just like what would happen to your car stereo if you cut the wire to the antennae. First you would be hearing your radio station just fine, and immediately after you would hear static.
3.8 cm left side AN diagnosed June 2013

Drs. Thedinger and Milligan at St. Lukes Neurosurgery (Kansas City)

Translab July 2013
Translab round 2 March 2014

gunns

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2017, 07:21:10 pm »
My surgeon explained it to me like the gain on a stereo. He said the brain isn't getting a signal from the ear (before the surgery because the tumor is interfering, and after because the nerve is cut) so it tries to amplify the signal and you end up with the equivalent of static on a radio. That explains why it never goes away. Its just like what would happen to your car stereo if you cut the wire to the antennae. First you would be hearing your radio station just fine, and immediately after you would hear static.



Love the analogy!  Very fitting.

Mitz16

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2017, 10:57:02 pm »
Does the Tinnitus ever go away?  I waiting for a consultation on February 2 nd 2018..I have a 3 cm AN
And will hopefully have surgery soon after that.  I have lost 60 % hearing in my left ear.  The Tinittus is driving me crazy it’s so loud...Ive that some people have had their hearing improve after surgery does the tinnitus get any better or is it here to stay?
Diagnosed with 30x28x26 mm acoustic neuroma
Progressive hearing loss and tinnitus
No other symptoms yet..

Greece Lover

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2017, 09:33:21 am »
Generally, the tinnitus doesn't go away.  My Dr. told me that for some people it can improve, some it gets worse, after surgery.  There's no way to know or predict.  He also told me that for a lot of people it fades over time. Whether that's actual fading, or people just getting used to the new normal, its hard too say.  But, from what I can tell, tinnitus is mostly a mystery.  And an annoying one at that!
Vestibular Schwannoma 1.2 cm. Right side.
Middle fossa surgery at University of Iowa on May 9 2016.
Hearing saved.  Face is fine. Balance pretty darn good most days.
One year follow up MRI showed no tumor. 
Five year follow up showed no tumor, so I'm in the clear.

JLR

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2017, 05:05:39 am »
Good Morning, Before surgery my tinnitus was pounding, noisy, and annoying.  After surgery it's still annoying but not pounding.  It's a softer noise. I too lost hearing in the AN side and thought the noise would stop but nooooo still active because it comes from the brain and not the ear canal. Good luck. Hope things quiet down. JLR

Jet747

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2017, 08:42:26 am »
Gunns,

Nothing is guaranteed since our cases are all unique (that’s my legal disclaimer)...

The tinnitus didn't go away for me after my RS and radiation so I tried a product made by WidexUSA.  It is extremely small and discrete and I wear it in my surgery side ear.  It plays random tones all day and somehow this makes your brain not "hear" the tinnitus.  It isn't annoying and you can hear conversations just fine.  I've had it for about a 2 years now and I would say it's definitely worth trying if tinnitus is really bothering you.  They give you a 30 day money back guarantee so it might be worth a try.  It isn't a cure though.  Also, my insurance didn't cover it so it cost me $2,300.

Best of luck,  Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!
Jet
RS Surgery May 2015

GK Radiation October 2015

https://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=21969.0

joyoreilly

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2018, 03:38:17 pm »
My Tinnitus was loud and bothersome and just before surgery got a bit better and since surgery is either gone or volume is turned way down.

One thing that helped me when mine was loud was an app I downloaded on my cell called white noise
It has white noise sound that almost helps you to hear awhile instead of your loud ringing it helped anyway try it

Kjayhill

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #12 on: February 05, 2018, 10:37:00 am »
I agree that this is a frustrating topic!   My surgeons had forewarned me that tinnitus is not removed with the AN.   It was still hard to handle that you are deaf and the sound is still there.
It was explained to me that it is your brain compensating for the hearing loss.    I have tried sound machines to help with the tinnititus.
I also have an Oticon Ponto BAHA and it seems to decrease it quite a lot.  Of course, you can't wear the BAHA 24/7 so it is present when the device is off.
Kathy
Kind Regards,
Kathy

AN Warrior since March 28, 2017
(Middle Fossa)
PONTO BAHA since November, 2017

SET WE300B

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Re: Tinnitus - after surgery - really?
« Reply #13 on: February 07, 2018, 03:33:17 pm »
My tinnitus remained after a AN Gamma knife procedure as well. The tinnitus gets louder with exposure to high noise levels (factory) and takes a while to subside in the evening. Just like before. Sadly it also caused the ultimate rejection of a Transear device (which I loved) due to the tinnitus being stimulus induced. The tinnitus is only manifested in my effected ear and not at all in the good one. Go figure.