---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Simone, My left ear has always been sensitive, and when I took over 3 universitys for a tuner moving out of state, the small rooms got to me also, but not as bad as what you have. I did not have tinitus but a buzzing sound was with me all the time in those days. I had some hearing loss in that ear, which was really a blessing. The other ear had never bothered me. What has helped more than anything else, I discovered accidently. My wife makes small noises when she sleeps and this kept waking me up in the middle of the night and then I couldn't get back to sleep. My sensitive ear was the culprit, so I started sleeping with a foam earplug in that ear. The change has been marvelous! Apparently the absence of sound for eight hours was just what it needed! I no longer have buzzes and my hearing accuity while tuning is much improved. My irritation level has also gone down considerably also, according to my wife Hope this helps, Warren Doctorb01@AOL.COM wrote: > Dear: PTG forum, > > I wrote a very short e-mail yesterday on hearing trouble. I > wanted to > see if I got a response, or if I did correctly. I did get some > responses and > I am glad, thank you for those who did! > > I want to begin by saying that this will be a rather long > letter. My > situation is rather odd, and It would be very much appreciated if > anyone can > shed some light on my condition, or is suffering from the same > problem. > > To begin, my name is Simone Tucci, and I live in Toronto, > Canada. I am > 26 years old and I have been tuning pianos professionally since 1998. > I am > not a member of the PTG though I do get their monthly magazine. When I > began > my career I had perfect hearing, and no genetic hearing disorders in > the > family. I was tuning an average of 3 pianos a day sometime 5-6 and > sometimes > 1, it varied. I also began to work at an institution where there were > many > big grands in very small studios. I was coming home at night with > headaches, > like I blasted my ears for too long every day. So I decided to wear > ear > plugs. So I just bought ear plugs at the local store, 3M brand (foam) > were > the ones that I was using. I thought that they were great I could hear > > everything that I needed and I was protecting myself. I wore them for > a > period of 2 years, every piano I tuned I wore them. Until last October > 2000, > that is when the problem began. > > I first noticed that my ears began to ring (tinnitus) mostly in > my > right ear. Then I noticed that when I would do something like drop a > part or > a screw on my work bench my ear drums would have some sort of popping > reflex > reaction. It felt almost as if they popped from out of their footing, > I hope > that makes sense! I sort of ignored that symptom, I didn't think that > it was > important. So I saw my doctor and he sent me to an ENT. I had my > hearing > tested and it came out completely normal. The audiologist recommended > that I > get a pair of ER-15 musicians plugs, and continue tuning. > > So I did. I did have to wait for an appointment to see the > audiologist > to fit the moulds for the ER-15 plugs, so I went on doing what I was > doing. > Then in October 2000 I noticed that is really began to get worse. I > noticed > that kitchen noises bothered me, and in the bathroom, and people > talking to > me really blew my mind. My ears couldn't take it. I then tried to tune > > without the ear plugs and it was Impossible!! I thought that my ear > drums > were going to explode. so I got scared. I went to my doctor and he > sent me to > a Hyperacusis clinic. Once there, I saw an audiologist and told him > the whole > story. He said that it was a classic case where I became excessively > sensitive through the use of improper ear plugs. He tested my hearing > and > again it came out as normal as can be and then he arranged for me to > have a > ER-15 ear plug fitting. (For those of you who don't know of the > Musicians > Plugs there is a ton of stuff on-line.) He also said that I should > have a > radio on in the background with it set in between stations, to hear > the > static or white noise, this will help to desensitise my ears (brain > really) > from sound, and it should take 2-3 months. I was glad to hear that. > > So the months pasted and no change. I kept going back for visits > and > telling them that there was no change and they said give it more time. > After > 6 months I went back and asked them to put me on the TRT ( tinnitus > retraining therapy) this also treats Hyperacusis. So they did a test > on me to > see if I was Hyperacusic and I am not. So I told them what do I need > to do??? > they arranged for me to have a ABR (acoustic Brainstem response test) > to see > if there was a problem with the acoustic nerve. Had the test, and came > out > completely normal. I asked them What do I do? They recommended that I > take > Valium. I said that that is not the answer, that will only dope me up > and > cover the disorder and not heal it in anyway. > > So I began to seek out other doctors, I saw a Marshall Chasin, a > very > known audiologist that works with musicians, and he did a test to see > I was > Hyperacusic and technically I am not. All the other audiologists > agreed with > the similar tests. He didn't know what it could be. I also saw an > Otologist, > and he did know ethier. He said try Valium.I saw in total 12 doctors > between > audiologists, ETS, Otologists, and I also tried acupuncture. > > I have now stopped tuning, because it's unbearable and trying to > take > it easy. I am seeking a Homeopathic doctor to see if that can help. I > have > also been researching hyperacusis online and I do think that is what I > have, > there are different forms of it. I am going to demand to do the TRT so > that I > can continue with my life. In addition I also had an MRI and that > showed > everything to be normal. > > Just to clarify what is happening with my ears. They are (the > ear > drums I think) very sensitive to sound. People talking specially > women, and > my own voice, and sudden volume changes, and if at the piano, the > higher > register. Not all the notes some here and there. I have distortion to > somewhat loud sounds, but the strangest thing is that if I hear one > sound at > the time that is the biggest problem for me. If I go to some dance > club I'm > fine, weird!! > > I want to thank all of you people for taking the time in reading > this > situation that I am in, and if anybody can tell me something, or is in > the > same situations or has questions please, please e-mail me. I got a > computer > just to get help from anybody. > > Sincerely, Simone Tucci > > > Simone Tucci > Toronto, Ontario, Canada > -- Warren Fisher RPT Beginners & Lurkers fish@Communique.net Basic Pianotech discussed 1422 Briarwood Dr. Ask any question. Slidell, LA 70458-3102 fish@gs.verio.net ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/1e/28/7e/c5/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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