Strange eardrum vibration problem

[IPodPJ]

I have a weird problem in my right ear, that I've had for at least 5 years now and is obviously permanent. Luckily I still have about 95% the hearing ability in my right ear as my left ear.

However....... I went to an ENT [ear, nose, and throat doctor] when I should have gone to an audiologist, but regardless, I have three little scars on my eardrum. I'm not sure if that's what causes this particular problem, or perhaps the bone in the ear is damaged, maybe someone can tell me:

Whenever an alarm clock goes off, or I hear a saxaphone, or the microwave beeps...sounds of that nature.... it causes my ear to vibrate, and sometimes it is a little uncomfortable and mildy painful.

The stupid doctor said, "Well of course your eardrum vibrates, thats how sound waves pass into the bones in your ear." At that point I felt like punching him in the face as I said humbly, "No crap, Sherlock" and because he also told me I was imagining this.

But I can literally hear it AND feel it vibrate. I'm not sure which part of my ear I am actually hearing vibrate though. When I wear my IEMs, or listen to louder music, it seems not to happen, since more sound pressure is being put on my eardrum. But these low to mid volume high pitch sounds cause this vibration to occur.

When I had a $17,000 car audio system, I guess several times I didn't attenuate the volume levels of the right tweeter [Dynaudio speakers by the way, which are awesome] on songs that I should have. I had 100 watts of genuine true power [not B.S. Rockford Fosgate power] going to each tweeter and 700 watts to each 7" midwoofer at a 4 ohm impedance. There were probably about 3 times [hence the 3 scars] when such shrill sounds came out of the tweeters that I could literally feel it rip through my eardrum. I'm guessing this is why the problem started in the first place -- it's a more than likely scenario.

Might anyone know what's going on? I have no ringing in my ears, so I know it's nothing like Tinnitus. But why only with certain sounds does it do this, and what, if anything, can I do about it?

Thanks.

 

[nickchen]

Had the same kind of thing recently. Reason was a "damaged" inner ear thing because of too much job stress (-> psychosomatical), which hindered ear clearing. The doc didn't find anything as well.

Heavy calming down cured me 100%. That's what I suggest to you. You might try autogenic training or alike.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickchen Had the same kind of thing recently. Reason was a "damaged" inner ear thing because of too much job stress (-> psychosomatical), which hindered ear clearing. The doc didn't find anything as well. Heavy calming down cured me 100%. That's what I suggest to you. You might try autogenic training or alike.

Thats funny. I have too much job stress. I have been under more stress this year than ever before. Boss is a maniac cokehead...literally. I have Ulnar nerve damage and am having surgery soon on my left hand. Pain pills
didnt help the hand but valium did, so I know the stress is exagerrating the
physical nerve condition considerably.

But........ this has been going on for 5 years, sometimes it worse than others... lately its been quite bad, so that makes sense.

Did your doc give you a physical reason [not just psychosomatic] for your
ear drum vibration? Because that's what my problem is.

Please elaborate if you can.

Thank you.

 

[jules650]

I'm not sure how the healthcare system works over there, but if an ENT specialist here suspects hearing loss he always gets an audiogram before reviewing a patient. This is where the audiologist comes in. I think the first step is to rule out hearing loss then to proceed from there. Audiograms can tell you if the problem is conductive, sensorineural or mixed. The other thing you could do is maybe see a ENT specialist who has a special interest in noise-induced hearing loss.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jules650 I'm not sure how the healthcare system works over there, but if an ENT specialist here suspects hearing loss he always gets an audiogram before reviewing a patient. This is where the audiologist comes in. I think the first step is to rule out hearing loss then to proceed from there. Audiograms can tell you if the problem is conductive, sensorineural or mixed. The other thing you could do is maybe see a ENT specialist who has a special interest in noise-induced hearing loss.

But I don't really have any hearing loss. Maybe about a 3 - 5% difference less in my right ear, but that could be from all the loud headphone music I used to listen to with my Sony CD1000.

As a matter of fact, I can hear up to 23,000 Hz in my right ear, and about 24,000 in my left.

But I will try another ENT, obviously my last one was a piece of human garbage. I'm more concerned with the physical mechanics of my ear than the range of my hearing, since that part seems to be okay.

Thank you.

 

[DJShadow]

My guess: specific wavelengths of sound i.e the aforementioned alarm clock, saxophone and microwave beeps, are interacting with the scars in your ear drum in a way that is similar to Young's double slits experiment only with sound waves and not light. In essence when those certain wavelengths get to your affected eardrum they diffract causing your uncomfort and slight pain. Take my words with a pinch of salt

 

[nickchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ Did your doc give you a physical reason [not just psychosomatic] for your ear drum vibration?

No physical reasons. I don't know the right medical phrases in English, but I'll try a mixture out of medical facts & own conclusions. Because of psychosomatic reasons, the canals from the inner ear down towards mouth & throat were closed by "unconscient convulsions" & slime, so the air and the liquids couldn't pass their regular way.

I cured it with anti-stress: Early to bed, no extra duties outside working time, hedonism and concentration upon positive thoughts. Not too much headphony, BTW

 

[Ibiswaters]

I have almost exactly the same thing as you , but mine is affected by micro waves and computers. I have only had this for 6 months and have seen no doctors yet. My husband thinks I have gone crazy as well. It is only my right ear and if I turn away from the computer/microwave, the sound will stop. I turn my head back, and it starts again. Feels like all the tiny hairs on the eardrum are vibrating. I turn off the appliance and the sound stops totally. I feel it 20ft from the microwave and at least 3 ft. from the computer. Mind you, the microwave is 26 years old and the door has cracks in it. I wish you luck with your problem. Regards
Ibiswaters

 

[ecclesand]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibiswaters /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have almost exactly the same thing as you , but mine is affected by micro waves and computers. I have only had this for 6 months and have seen no doctors yet. My husband thinks I have gone crazy as well. It is only my right ear and if I turn away from the computer/microwave, the sound will stop. I turn my head back, and it starts again. Feels like all the tiny hairs on the eardrum are vibrating. I turn off the appliance and the sound stops totally. I feel it 20ft from the microwave and at least 3 ft. from the computer. Mind you, the microwave is 26 years old and the door has cracks in it. I wish you luck with your problem. Regards Ibiswaters

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