These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
[posted 07/14/2000]
Question: I AM 29YR’S OLD I BECAME DEATH FROM MY LEFT EAR FROM AN EAR INFECTION AT THE AGE OF SIX. MY MOTHER PUT ALCOHOL & MATERNAL MILK IN MY EAR TO SEE IF IT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE PAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT WAS THE ALCOHOL & MATERNAL MILK THAT CAUSED MY TOTAL HEARING LOSS & I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF OPERATION OR DEVICE THAT CAN BE INPLANTED TO RESTORE MY HEARING FROM WHICH I AM DEAF COMPLETELY? PLEASE REPLY.
Answer: This would not be the alcohol/milk combination but the ear infection. This can commonly be corrected with surgery on the ear drum/ossicles of the ear. I would find an ear surgeon in your area for an evaluation.
[posted 03/18/2000]
Question: I noticed just over a week ago now while talking to a friend I’d lost the ambient background noise of my clothes/street noise etc. Over the weekend my hearing loss became moderately worse. Tuesday morning I woke and touching my chest and stomach felt puddles of water. I’ve never encountered this and got into my G.P. right away. He said my ear canals were clear but he could see fluid behind the eardrum so advised Entex LA which I took for two days with no change. During this time the night sweats were getting worse and I was getting dizzy walking around so I walked into Emergency and asked if they could take a quick look at me and get they’re opinion. The Dr. there told me there was no fluid behind my eardrums and I should go back to see my regular G.P. By this time I was very worried (Tues) I dreaded going to sleep as I could feel hot flashes coming as I got more tired. I saw my G.P. again and he gave me Cipro in case it was an infection. So far there is no change. The night sweats aren’t as bad because I’m dehydrated and getting the expected headaches that come with it, but I’m almost drunk when I wake up and have to lay for a while before I can get up. I’ve booked an appointment with an audiologist to have a baseline done so I know if my hearing loss is getting better or worse.
Happy as long as I’m apart of the food chain.
Answer: Ear infections commonly start with hearing impairment or vertigo. This is due to fluid in the inner ear and may be seen(bulging of the ear drum) or diagnosed by symptoms. The fevers/chills would go along with this. Sounds like they’re on the right choice. The antibiotic is usually picked to be a good broad spectrum antibiotic since we rarely know the exact organism responsible for the infection.
[posted 03/12/2000]
Question: During hearing tests an air test and a bone conduction test is normally carried out. Should the result of both tests be the same, even thought there is a haring loss. I have a diagnosed 35% hearing loss due noise trauma from naval gunfire. I have done a lot of tests but no one practitioner has explained the situation to me. One question that I have is – will such conditions normally deteriorate. I would appreciate any information that you can give me.
Answer: Generally, the bone conduction should exceed the air conduction. A mismatch is usually indirect evidence of a conduction(rather than nerve) deficit. However, if you have documented hearing loss, you should be having formal testing performed and the hearing test you describe is too inaccurate for quantification, merely gross screening. Hearing loss due to trauma will usually deteriorate slowly over time and you should be having formal hearing evaluations from time to time by an audiologist/Ear specialist.
[posted 01/29/2000]
Question: Went completely deaf in my left ear on l2-l6-99. Saw ent dr.
Gave me prednisone 2 weeks. No hearing came back. I had the flu prior to the loss, An ER Dr. said I was dehydrated, and gave me levaquin for l0 days orally. Also may have given it to me interveinously. I’m not sure. Going to ask hospital if I was given interveinously. Do you think the levaquin made me lose my hearing. The ent Dr. says it was the flu virus. Devastated, because of all my other health problems. Thanking you in advance for your medical input, advise. Sincerely, Lenore Shoemaker
Answer: This occurs without clear cause, I have 3 patients with the problem. One had a pre-existing viral infection, the others were without this. I doubt the antibiotics had anything to do with it, or it would be bilateral. The treatment regimen is what we do, with little success and the hearing rarely returns. Ensure your other ear is protected from high noise sources in the future.
[posted 08/26/1999]
Question: I was given Prevasid for a problem with what the doctor called “sudden deafness” I do not have this problem but was wondering why the doctor would prescribe this medication?
Answer: Not a clue.
Hearing Loss
Question: I was diagnosed with Sudden Hearing Loss Syndrome. I am 42 years old and was told the nerve to my ear was damaged as a child when I had German measles. The loss was instantly and total. There is no cure, procedure or device to help? What can you tell me about this? Do I qualify for Social Security Disability?
Answer: There is no current help, but a lot of research into an electric “ear”. This is actually a fairly common
problem, but it’s not publicized much. I have two patients with this problem. The etiology is not
perfectly clear, but does appear to focus on previous nerve damage (usually infectious). It will
not return. Disability usually depends on bilateral loss, which is uncommon in this problem.
