Aeropane Ear....

[harry]

Hey Guys,

i recently spent a few months touring europe, and this involved catching a fair few planes..

on the way back home i hopped off the plane (with a cold) and noticed a bit of pain and my ears were really blocked....

it kinda wans't that noticable for a while but then a month later i started getting dizzy as my right ear was really blocked.

My doctor told me my ears were clean (no wax buildup) to wait another month (need a new doc i think) before checking with a specialist...

I used a ear candle and it unblocked my ear ... found all this wax in the bottom of the candle.

But - lately i have noticed that i can hear a hissing noise in my ears when i go to sleep. Its not loud but its there....

I work as a DJ all around town and it does get loud - i use those crap foam ear plugs when im not playing and take em out when i play..

I was wondering if i have a middle ear problem or the beginnings of tinnitus or both?

Where do you guys recommend i get a hearing test and set of decent ear plugs (hopefully ones that are 'flat' so i can mix and work with them in)

I saw a post that mentioned the school of audiology - looks promising....

I don't expose myself to loud levels and have always thought my ears were good (always noticed that my rock mates talk really loudly and that they crank the treble)

As i'm writing this i can notice the hissing - i have just spent an afternoon crusing around in my car - with sunroof down - its an old car which has really bad wind noise.... could this be part of the problem...

I'd be very grateful if you could share your experiences in this manner...
Rick - i'd love to know what you have to say..

p,s going to borrow a decibel metter and drive home with it tomorrow.. i bet my car is louder than i think...

cheers guys

Disco Harry

[jkhuri44]

hi harry,

i am in a similar boat to you.

I have "hyper acusis", ie, hypersensitive ears, but frequent loud sound systems, and also DJ, and play in a band, add to that doing production work.

I got a pair of attenuators...and can work with them in...was doing some live sound eqing the other day with them on, and they didnt screw me up!

Go to these guys in Sydney, u can get a pair for 170$:

http://www.eih.com.au/

These guys will give you a hearing test and also make up custom moulds for attenuators.

Best money i ever spent...i can trully go out without worrying about pain from loud sound!!!

[heathen]

You've most likely got a virus or other middle ear infection which can cause tinnitus and vertigo, I had the thing a few years back, though I had a really nasty dose and it gave me severe tinnitus and vertigo. Took 6 months to clear up, i reckon it was a virus as it hit me overnight, went to bed fine and woke up sick as hell.

Also out of interest most drugs and alcohol can really make these things worse too, not saying you indulge but....... just out of interest anyway.

My Dad actually got diagnosed with this, hope it's not the same thing I had. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A9ni% ... 7s_disease

[rick]

i recommend you go and see a ears nose throat guy .. today
my guy has a 3 months waiting list , but i have bullied him into seeing me on the spot in the past :)

if its been rapid enough to notice its probably a persistant infection

[musikwerks]

Go to the doctor immediately and get a referral to a specialist.

When I was 17 I had an ear infection that resulted in a perforated ear drum. The GP (not my regular family doctor) said it was "just an infection" and prescribed me some ear drops. I was in a lot of pain and something just didn't feel right. My mother and I asked for a referral to an ENT specialist and he refused, saying his diagnosis should be enough. We ended up having a stand up argument with the guy 'cos he would not refer me to the specialist, even after explaining to him I was a musician and studying audio engineering and my ears were very, very important to my desired career. In the end, the admissions staff arranged for the referral and we went down to see him immediately. Turns out that the drops the GP prescribed would have been like fertiliser for this particular infection and the specialist predicted I would have permanently lost hearing in my ear in about 2 weeks.

Sometimes you have to be pushy.

I've been on a plane with an ear infection (didn't know it until we started to land) and man was it painful. Don't fly again until this is sorted out. You could do yourself some serious damage.

[lumbago]

Get a specialist's advice.

[Mark Bassett]

Hey, I hope it all clears up, a specialist is definitely the way to go.

Whatever you do, DON'T USE EAR CANDLES!

[Gian]

Whatever you do, DON'T USE EAR CANDLES!

Mark, do you have an ear candle story?

I used them once. Not sure if they are a gimick though?

[ChrisW]

I went to St George Private (had a hearing test and got fitted for protective earplugs).
The cost wasn't outrageous, a couple of hundred dollars from memory and it included two consultations, the test and two pairs of custom moulded plugs.
I got in with a few days notice.

[harry]

Thanks guys,

looks like this problem is more common that one might realise.

I got in touch with the audiology faculty at melbourne uni - have heard good things about them.. thing is there is no point getting a hearing check and plugs made until i solve my inner ear issues..

Gonna go to the ear and eye hospital first chance i get and get my ears sorted out - have done some reading and it might explain why i have had sore ears and strange headaches / pressure since i hopped of that plane..

will let you all know how it goes..

Disco Harry

[Mark Bassett]

Mark, do you have an ear candle story?

I used them once. Not sure if they are a gimick though?

Firstly, sticking anything at all in you ear because it 'feels' blocked is a terrible idea. If there is stuff in your canal, there's a great chance you'll push it further down and your ear drum is really easy to damage, as for then setting the object now in your ear on fire, well do you really need a horror story to discourage you from doing that?

I'm not a doctor, but I've seen one on TV.

[Chris H]

Mark, do you have an ear candle story?

I used them once. Not sure if they are a gimick though?

Firstly, sticking anything at all in you ear because it 'feels' blocked is a terrible idea. If there is stuff in your canal, there's a great chance you'll push it further down and your ear drum is really easy to damage, as for then setting the object now in your ear on fire, well do you really need a horror story to discourage you from doing that?

I'm not a doctor, but I've seen one on TV.

Hey Mark, I've seen heaps of doctors on TV..... In this case though i think it best to see one in the flesh so to speak:)

[harry]

I just borrowed a decibel meter from work and drove home with it..

this is what i found: (A - weighted average levels)

100kph all windows closed: 76-79 decibels
100kph sunroof open: 84-86 decibels
80kph all windows closed: 70-73 decibels
80kph sunroof open: 78-80 decibels
80kph window open: 80-85 decibels
60kph all windows closed: 68-70 decibels
60kph sunroof open: 75-79 decibels
60kph sunroof open: 77-80 decibels

Sometimes what i perceived to be louder didnt raise the level in the meter -
i think it was more sensitive to the engine note than the wind noise..

but i'd say 85 decibels of white noise for a couple hours is not good for my hearing...

will test my dads newish falcon tomorrow (double seals, thicker glass, good sound deadening in firewall, and very aerodynamic)

might be justifying a new car purchase on the basis of protecting my ears...

And - It seems that the eye and ear hospital in melbourne is the place to go - there is a big waiting list but they have an emergency ward - might have to wait around all day but that looks like the ticket..

will see how it goes

Disco Harry.

[musikwerks]

80-85 db is about the level of a normal conversation I think. I'd be more worried about anything over 90, but you should do what you feel is best for you. Everyone is different. Best of luck with your appointment... hope it goes well.

[Mark Bassett]

85 decibels of white noise for 8 hours is very very unlikely to do anything at all to your hearing, it may drive you insane however.

[Mark Bassett]

Harry,

can you write your real name in your signature at the end of your posts?

[wez]

85 dB SPL is a good, solid level for monitoring... reasonably safe for long-ish periods but can still be enough to be fatiguing after a long day.

i used to find car noise really exhausting after a 3 hour drive up the hume.... newer cars are significantly less stressful.

90 dB for extended periods is potentially problematic. if you have to raise your voice to be heard over it, then you are in that ballpark. 95 is a good, comfortable gig level, 100 is starting to get just a tad loud if you're over 35 ;-)

so i'd be keeping the windows closed! you're also decimating your fuel economy by having them and/or the sunroof open at that speed.

w

[Mark Bassett]

so i'd be keeping the windows closed!

That's why most male drivers have a dip around 3k in their right ear (if they drive on the same side of the road as us), they're more likely to drive with the window down that women.

[TimS]

so i'd be keeping the windows closed!

That's why most male drivers have a dip around 3k in their right ear (if they drive on the same side of the road as us), they're more likely to drive with the window down that women.

you just solved my issue - thanks Mark!!
how simple...;-)

[harry]

hey guys,

i just did some further tests with this great new toy of mine (decibel meter)

on my monitor system 80-85 db 'A' weighted is very loud the room is literally thumping - it is the equivalent of about 95-97 db 'C' weighted when i switch the meter to read in this format.

So yeah, Kristian maybe you mean 80-85 db 'C' weighted as being conversation level - i measured a conversation (with myself...) at about 70db - with the meter set to 'A' weighting....

long story short - my car is really noisy... i wouldnt be comfortable monitoring at this level for more than an hour..
the audiology website lists 85db (a weighted) as the threshold of where damage occurs after extended listening..

good to know this stuff - i can only imagine what my DJ gigs sound like - i'm guessing at least 100-110db (A Weighted) (120bd C weighted)

can't wait to get those custom earplugs....


thanks for sharing your knowledge guys,

Harry Arvanitis

[heathen]

i measured a conversation (with myself...) at about 70db - with the meter set to 'A' weighting....



Harry Arvanitis

Mark you're right Harry has gone insane. :)











Just joking Harry, hope the ears get better.

[JulienG]

While we're on thread, does anyone have a guy in Melbourne that's good?

Although my ears are mostly better I'd still love to see an ENT to find out what sort of damage my horrible (off work for two months) infection from a few years ago did. My GP never referred me.

[Martin]

i flew to melbourne a year or so ago with a cold

on the plane on the way down my right ear just wouldn't equalise

caused me intense pain for the whole stay, and even more on the flight back - it just wouldn't 'pop'

i saw a doctor who said the fluid from my cold has been stuck in my ear and not cleared out of the eustachian? tubes

one round of anti biotics later, still no ear back

went to a differnt (my local) doctor, and she prescribed anti biotics that actually worked and within a few days i was feeling much better

still took almost 2 weeks to get full hearing back

[rick]

if i have an infected ear canal issue issue i push in line with my ent and he gives some heavy antibiotic that usually clears it mostly all up the same day !
but he says its really "heavy" and there is no way you would ever get it from a G.P.

[Wiz]

i flew to melbourne a year or so ago with a cold

on the plane on the way down my right ear just wouldn't equalise

caused me intense pain for the whole stay, and even more on the flight back - it just wouldn't 'pop'

i saw a doctor who said the fluid from my cold has been stuck in my ear and not cleared out of the eustachian? tubes

one round of anti biotics later, still no ear back

went to a differnt (my local) doctor, and she prescribed anti biotics that actually worked and within a few days i was feeling much better

still took almost 2 weeks to get full hearing back

years ago I was on a light flight from wagga wagga to melbourne in a flying deathtrap....I experienced this very problem.


I thought my head was going to explode...man the pain was intense...


I was in the RAAF at the time....

later on I did a course where they put us in a decompression chamber and took us up to 25000 feet (equivalent) and we took off our oxygen masks and experienced hypoxia (I was working for the roulettes at the time and had to fly with them on trips..so we had to know what hypoxia felt like in case something went wrong)


...any hoo.....it happened again...and the medical attendant called a stop to the ascent/descent and shooted some liquid out of a bottle fair up my nasal passage...I said NASAL passage!!..8)...and it cleared it...

I would never fly with a cold again though...

cheers

Wiz

[heathen]

I still think a virus is the main cause of a lot of the ear trouble people get when it has a very rapid onset. The secondary bacterial infection is easy to clear with the right antibiotics but the actual cause of it all for me was without doubt a virus. It's like it was actually messing with my audial nerve, I could be wrong but it does make sense. Ears only started feeling blocked well after the tinnitus had started. Thing is I had a couple of small episodes of this 1 in the year after and never since each time less severe, whick is obviously a sign of immunity kicking in, even my tinnitus is gone.

I had another ear episode about 2 years back though, woke up in the middle of the night and my eustacian tube was blocked and everytime I tried to equalise pressure it got worse, I freaked cause it was getting to stage where I knew my ear drum was bulging. My friend drove me straight down to manly hospital, doc a look and says "yes your earum is bulging a bit, no perforations". Gave me some eardrops and 20 mins later was fine, stayed on them for a week and was all good. This was bacterial cause I had a strep throat in the days before.

[TimS]

if i have an infected ear canal issue issue i push in line with my ent and he gives some heavy antibiotic that usually clears it mostly all up the same day !
but he says its really "heavy" and there is no way you would ever get it from a G.P.

and that is how we develop antibiotic/drug resistance in the 1st world - giving inappropriate (heavy) antibiotic treatments for the type of infection (generally a simple infections)..

[TimS]

Gave me some eardrops and 20 mins later was fine, stayed on them for a week and was all good. This was bacterial cause I had a strep throat in the days before.

If your GP had treated your strep throat originally, then you'd unlikely have had the inner ear issues develop.
Treat the cause and not the symptoms.. your symptom was you inner ear reaction to strep throat! Glad it settled quickly though Heath

[heathen]

Gave me some eardrops and 20 mins later was fine, stayed on them for a week and was all good. This was bacterial cause I had a strep throat in the days before.

If your GP had treated your strep throat originally, then you'd unlikely have had the inner ear issues develop.
Treat the cause and not the symptoms.. your symptom was you inner ear reaction to strep throat! Glad it settled quickly though Heath

C'mon Tim with all the stuff that's happened to me the last place I go is to the Docs for something mild, as you said about "antibiotic resistance", I wait till I know I need them, which just happened to be around midnight on a Monday night, doh!

That's why the viral one is so rotten, there is nothing you can do to treat the cause except to try and stay healthy and by eating your veggies. :)

Yeah Rick, hope you finish all your antibiotics also, otherwise you could be making a super powerful biological deafness weapon. Hmmmm good way to corner the market. :)

[TimS]

Gave me some eardrops and 20 mins later was fine, stayed on them for a week and was all good. This was bacterial cause I had a strep throat in the days before.

If your GP had treated your strep throat originally, then you'd unlikely have had the inner ear issues develop.
Treat the cause and not the symptoms.. your symptom was you inner ear reaction to strep throat! Glad it settled quickly though Heath

C'mon Tim with all the stuff that's happened to me the last place I go is to the Docs for something mild, as you said about "antibiotic resistance", I wait till I know I need them, which just happened to be around midnight on a Monday night, doh!

That's why the viral one is so rotten, there is nothing you can do to treat the cause except to try and stay healthy and by eating your veggies. :)

Yeah Rick, hope you finish all your antibiotics also, otherwise you could be making a super powerful biological deafness weapon. Hmmmm good way to corner the market. :)

the drug resistance point was more aimed at Rick's ENT guy just handing out "heavy" antibiotics. Unless his infection warranted heavy A/B therapy, then fine, but if its just a simple infection that could have been treated with 'lighter' A/Bs, then that is the preferred option. Docs never send swabs to check the actual bug growing - they just nuclear blast them instead as its quicker, but this action causes longer term problems. What happens after a few yrs when the heavy drugs don't work on your ear infection anymore? Hmmm...
Antibiotics just get thrown around so easily these days.

I know your no a 'visit the doc often' kinda guy Heath - no probs there :-)