Could really use more help with my ear/tinnitus (?) situation:

Posted by: Lucky2Bhere

Could really use more help with my ear/tinnitus (?) situation: - 05/20/08 07:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Lucky2Bhere:
I posted about this a month ago and thanks to those who replied with some good responses. I’ve been working with many of them.

(last month’s posting)

I'm having discomfort with my left ear and constant ringing in my head on the left side. I noticed it when I spent about two weeks playing the piano appx 5 hours a day a few weeks back. I was emphasizing left hand for hours on end so the music was extra loud on the bass side of the piano. My feeling is there were too many rumbling sound waves from an out of tune piano going into my ear canal day after day.

I went to my primary care doctor and then to an ear, nose, and throat M.D. He found no abnormalities at all. No soreness,irritation, infection, water, etc...nada! I took a hearing test and surprisingly came out of it with a high score.

I explained my "sound wave" theory to the doctor and he replied that it had "nothing to do with it."

I'd like to go to someone who understands hearing as it affects musicians. I'm not sure where to find someone like that.

(back to this posting):

Can I get comments from some of you about this "sound wave" theory of mine that seems to fit my symptoms:

My piano won’t hold a tuning anymore. It’s so far out that it’s not “pleasant” to my (musical) ear. Been that way for a few years, but I thought I would just live with it rather than buy another piano.

I’ve noticed that when I started playing again 3 days ago (after a one month layoff), the sound in my head gets worse on the left side. I’m thinking now that the discordant sound waves from the piano bass notes are causing the discomfort. The doctor dismissed the theory, but then again they dismiss everything that doesn’t come from them directly.

I’m all out of ideas and Internet researching. Do any of you have any more thoughts about this? I don’t want to do further damage to the ear!

Lucky
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Responses from my last post:

key player (Mike)…suggested since this “seems to have come on so quickly, then the ear might just need rest.”

Lucky: To give it the rest, I haven’t played the piano or been around loud noises for a month now. It subsided somewhat. I started playing the piano again 3 days ago and I’m finding the noise in my ear is starting to get worse again.

Caragabal (Cousin Ken)….said “I find loud music from sub woofers most disturbing to the extent of feeling sick.”

Gary (travlin'easy) and Eddie Johnson….said “Tinnitus can also be the result of hypertension (high blood pressure).”

Lucky: Good thought here, so I’ve been monitoring my blood pressure for the last 30 days. It's reading fairly normal taken 3x a week.

Eugene (from Melbourne, Australia): thanks to you for taking the time to write that whole explanation out including pointing out the “stress” factor.

Lucky: I live in a high-stress area and DO get stress related health issues. I'm still studying what you posted.




[This message has been edited by Lucky2Bhere (edited 05-20-2008).]