Just a post for the sake of posting, but I finally got to see an ENT
for the first time since realizing I had a high pitched T and posting
to this group. I'm not sure if I am disappointed or relived by what
transpired. I was in and out pretty quickly, but during my time there I
was first subjected to several hearing tests. I had some strange
results (so I thought) and had the nurse even thinking I was pulling
her leg. One test involved masking one ear from background noise (using
white noise) and then clicking a button when I could hear a sound that
was originating from behind the other ear. Problem there was I was
hearing it through the opposite ear I was supposed to hear it from!!
Either my hearing is rotten or some wires are crossed somewhere!

Despite the odd hearing test results, however, the ENT didn't mention
any crossed wires, but he did mention that my hearing has become
impaired slightly. He told me that my hearing was still pretty much in
the normal range but with a "dip" at the high tones and he said the
ringing in my ears is me "hearing that damage". I guess that sounds
reasonable; the ENT tried to explain it by saying that the brain is
good at blocking out background noise usually (e.g., blood pumping in
vessels etc), but the "ear damage" is making me hear the high pitched
noise and likely its not that the sound has gotten louder, but for
whatever reason my brain has become less adept at blocking it out. One
of the potential reasons the ENT cited was stress/tension and in
particular he mentioned neck/shoulders so that would tend to agree with
some of what Elly has been writing. What else did the ENT say? Steer
clear of coffee (although he only said that after I brought it up), get
exercise, get a head/neck/shoulders massage, consider posture (I sit in
front of my PC just about all day every day) and basically try to
relax.

One thing that caused me a little concern is that after the hearing
tests, the ENT didn't seem to be too concerned about anything else I
had to say that wasn't directly related to the hearing test results. It
was like the test results confirmed something for him and the fact my
ears feel full, and sometimes I get ear pain etc didn't really concern
him. I also mentioned to him my history with orthodontic treatment and
possible (self diagnosed currently) TMJ. My jaw has been popping a lot
lately, but am I only noticing it more now that I am conscious of it?
Anyway I do get to go back to him later so I can bring up the other
things again if necessary. My ENT did refer me to an oral surgeon who
turned out to be the same oral surgeon I saw from ages 12-20. For now I
think I am going to give that a miss since the 15 minute ENT
appointment cost $165, and I have more appointments scheduled.
Definitely not good for the bank this whole T thing is it?

So my next steps are to undertake an MRI scan next week (the ENT noted
that the hearing loss is more to one side which apparently is an
indication of something potentially sinister; he said if it was
completely symmetrical then no MRI would have been required). After the
MRI I have some puretone and speech discrimination tests, and auditory
brainstem response tests. I think the latter is basically listening to
clicking sounds for an hour with electrodes attached to my head and
neck. Looking forward to that one.

As for the now, my T is still quite obvious, although not at its worst,
but I've been ignoring it fairly successfully recently. It always gets
to be its loudest when I write these posts presumably because it's the
foremost thing in my mind at the time...

Until the next update.

Cheers,
Wayne H.