Deafness or just infection?
Comments
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Hearing
Did you have cisplatin for chemo?0 -
I did have Cisplatin
lol I did this post on my phone, so please excuse ALL of the typos!
anything* because*
Yes I did have Cisplatin, I know hearing loss is a side effect, but I didn't realize it could be gradual like this. I've been done with treatments since Oct 2010.0 -
I did have Cisplatin
double post, dang I should have never did this on my phone lol0 -
Kristyn
I have had something similar, off and on. It seems to be related to ear-stuffiness (maybe borderline ear infection). It may also be related to my edema and swelling in the inner ear area. Sometimes I am muffled, sometimes I am not. You might check with an ENT and ask to have your ears examined and your hearing checked. I'm betting it's not permanent hearing loss. Mine isn't.
Deb0 -
Ditto - Great AnswerD Lewis said:Kristyn
I have had something similar, off and on. It seems to be related to ear-stuffiness (maybe borderline ear infection). It may also be related to my edema and swelling in the inner ear area. Sometimes I am muffled, sometimes I am not. You might check with an ENT and ask to have your ears examined and your hearing checked. I'm betting it's not permanent hearing loss. Mine isn't.
Deb
Couldn't say anything more.....
JG0 -
Haha!KristynRuth86 said:I did have Cisplatin
double post, dang I should have never did this on my phone lol
I didn't even know you could get on here on your phone. I'm kinda technologically challenged though.
I had Cisplatin and I was supposed to have 3 treatments but because I got the stuffy underwater thing and my ears started ringing all the time, my oncologist said it wasn't worth the risks to do the last one. But my symptoms started within a few weeks of my second treatment so I agree to see the ENT. It's amazing how long the side effects of what we go through can hang on and even appear! I hope they look and just figure out you have allergies and it's nothing a little decongestant can't fix!
Hugs!
Karen0 -
about the hearingSkiffin16 said:Ditto - Great Answer
Couldn't say anything more.....
JG
I had a hearing test done soon as my cancer treatments stopped and the ENT doctor said both ears are pretty bad hearing low sounds and he told me I would have to get hearing aids since of the hearing loss from all the cancer treatments. But the kind of hearing aids I needed was about 6k and insurance doesnt cover it so I am just going have to deal with the hearing loss right now.0 -
Hi Kristy
Some times the Eustachian Tubes in the Ear can become stopped up and will not drain like they should; this will give you the underwater effect in your ear. You may need to see your ENT if it don’t go away in a few days, he can prescribe some medication to help dry it up.
Take care
Hondo0 -
Also Kristy.......Hondo said:Hi Kristy
Some times the Eustachian Tubes in the Ear can become stopped up and will not drain like they should; this will give you the underwater effect in your ear. You may need to see your ENT if it don’t go away in a few days, he can prescribe some medication to help dry it up.
Take care
Hondo
have him check for dead skin tissue in the ear canal that was due to radiation burn. ( I can't remember if you had radiation or not.) I couldn't believe the amount of residue they removed from my left ear area a few months after treatment. I was a sort of welcome relief.
Larry0 -
DeafnessCajunEagle said:Also Kristy.......
have him check for dead skin tissue in the ear canal that was due to radiation burn. ( I can't remember if you had radiation or not.) I couldn't believe the amount of residue they removed from my left ear area a few months after treatment. I was a sort of welcome relief.
Larry
Cisplatin caused hearing loss in my left ear.Plus I had a major earache a few month's back & Dr took a look & said radiation caused ear wax to harden. I used mineral oil & it finally came out & I can hear a bit better now. It is best to go in & have both ear's checked.0 -
Hondo's Explanation was my problemrozaroo said:Deafness
Cisplatin caused hearing loss in my left ear.Plus I had a major earache a few month's back & Dr took a look & said radiation caused ear wax to harden. I used mineral oil & it finally came out & I can hear a bit better now. It is best to go in & have both ear's checked.
I went 50% + deaf in both ears 2-3 months out. Went to a GP and had my ears flushed etc but no improvement. Went back to my ENT, he took one look and said : "Your Eustachian Tubes are blocked".
He had me equalize, and they both popped and squealed and I felt the fluid drain down my throat and my hearing came back. It was a very happy moment. I hope yours is as simple.
I didn't Get Cisplatin.
Scam0 -
Thanks!tnsilcncer said:Haha!
I didn't even know you could get on here on your phone. I'm kinda technologically challenged though. I had Cisplatin and I was supposed to have 3 treatments but because I got the stuffy underwater thing and my ears started ringing all the time, my oncologist said it wasn't worth the risks to do the last one. But my symptoms started within a few weeks of my second treatment so I agree to see the ENT. It's amazing how long the side effects of what we go through can hang on and even appear! I hope they look and just figure out you have allergies and it's nothing a little decongestant can't fix!
Hugs!
Karen
Thank you so much Karen!! I really hope you're right and I also was scheduled for 3 Cisplatin, but only did two!0 -
Scambuster said:
Hondo's Explanation was my problem
I went 50% + deaf in both ears 2-3 months out. Went to a GP and had my ears flushed etc but no improvement. Went back to my ENT, he took one look and said : "Your Eustachian Tubes are blocked".
He had me equalize, and they both popped and squealed and I felt the fluid drain down my throat and my hearing came back. It was a very happy moment. I hope yours is as simple.
I didn't Get Cisplatin.
Scam
</b>
I can't even explain how much I love you guys!! I have so much relief right now. I'm more convinced now that it's something like y'all said about congestion, or skin or something! I have an ENT aptmnt May 26 so I'll bring it up and pray it's something simple! It's really annoying. I don't even like to talk because I hate the way I sound. (like if you're laying in the bath tub with your ears under the water). I love how I can count on y'all!!0 -
Thoughts and Prayers Girly...KristynRuth86 said:</b>
I can't even explain how much I love you guys!! I have so much relief right now. I'm more convinced now that it's something like y'all said about congestion, or skin or something! I have an ENT aptmnt May 26 so I'll bring it up and pray it's something simple! It's really annoying. I don't even like to talk because I hate the way I sound. (like if you're laying in the bath tub with your ears under the water). I love how I can count on y'all!!
I'm sure it'll be nothing serious and hopefully they can give you some quick relef...
John0 -
Hi KristySkiffin16 said:Thoughts and Prayers Girly...
I'm sure it'll be nothing serious and hopefully they can give you some quick relef...
John
If you start having pain or ear ache call your ENT right away, other than that the fluid should drain off eventually.
Hondo0 -
Eustachian TubeHondo said:Hi Kristy
Some times the Eustachian Tubes in the Ear can become stopped up and will not drain like they should; this will give you the underwater effect in your ear. You may need to see your ENT if it don’t go away in a few days, he can prescribe some medication to help dry it up.
Take care
Hondo
An Eustachian Tube connects the middle ear (where the 3 bones are located) and the throat and it balances the pressure in the middle ear. If the Eustachian Tube is blocked, the cells of the middle ear use up the oxygen and actually create a vacuum. This pulls and holds the ear drum in, which can be both painful and cause a severe hearing loss. It is the hearing loss and pain many people get while flying. It also often occurs in children. Chewing gum and/or swallowing can briefly open the Eustachian Tube and restore the proper pressure. But the correction of the pressure could be short lived, since the vacuum will be created again.
A doctor (especially ENT) can easily diagnoses the condition by noting the position of the ear drum (if the Eustachian tube is blocked at the time he/she is examining you). But the condition tends to come and go in adults, and the diagnosis can be missed. Testing will show a "conductive hearing loss". The tests can be done with an audiometer or with tuning forks.
Sadly, chemo as well as many other medications attack the sensory cells (called hair cells) of the inner ear. However, this type of loss is progressive or constant. I don't think you would notice a fluctuation in hearing. And of course there are mixed hearing losses.0 -
constant ringingToBeGolden said:Eustachian Tube
An Eustachian Tube connects the middle ear (where the 3 bones are located) and the throat and it balances the pressure in the middle ear. If the Eustachian Tube is blocked, the cells of the middle ear use up the oxygen and actually create a vacuum. This pulls and holds the ear drum in, which can be both painful and cause a severe hearing loss. It is the hearing loss and pain many people get while flying. It also often occurs in children. Chewing gum and/or swallowing can briefly open the Eustachian Tube and restore the proper pressure. But the correction of the pressure could be short lived, since the vacuum will be created again.
A doctor (especially ENT) can easily diagnoses the condition by noting the position of the ear drum (if the Eustachian tube is blocked at the time he/she is examining you). But the condition tends to come and go in adults, and the diagnosis can be missed. Testing will show a "conductive hearing loss". The tests can be done with an audiometer or with tuning forks.
Sadly, chemo as well as many other medications attack the sensory cells (called hair cells) of the inner ear. However, this type of loss is progressive or constant. I don't think you would notice a fluctuation in hearing. And of course there are mixed hearing losses.
I have constant ringing in my ears, but it is at a low level and doesn't bother my hearing. Unless you ask my wife, she'll say it does, lol....
I had wax build up in my ears from the radiation and when cleaned out, my head felt better and the ringing went down a little in volume
good luck Kristyn
Steve0 -
Cisplatin & Tinnitushawk711 said:constant ringing
I have constant ringing in my ears, but it is at a low level and doesn't bother my hearing. Unless you ask my wife, she'll say it does, lol....
I had wax build up in my ears from the radiation and when cleaned out, my head felt better and the ringing went down a little in volume
good luck Kristyn
Steve
As you are probably already aware...the two are very related. In some patients that have had Cisplatin, the possibility of Tinnitus is always a possibility to some degree.
I personally had some tinnitus going in, I had three sessions of Cisplatin and seven of Carboplatin, but I don't think the tinnitus is any worse than before treatment.
Best,
John0 -
In addition to the wonderful
In addition to the wonderful posts above; how are your teeth?
I'm a caregiver; did not have cancer; my hub was treated for stage 4 tonsil cancer; right side- 3 cisplatin (100- 75 & 75) 33 rads..
I had one of the "fang" teeth break; since then I've been having the ear trouble. I've also been having other teeth capped- teeth issues will affect the ear; so keep it in mind. If you haven't seen a dentist familiar with radiation damage; find one to at least have a check up.
Having said that; my hub has straight hearing loss on the right side- my guess is that it's more from radiation then the cisplatin since it's on the treatment side. I could be wrong but if it was from cisplatin; I'd assume both ears would be affected. He had teeth issues for probably 10 or so months after treatment which is another reason I question teeth. He ended using our regular dentist even though I wanted him to see one at the university- our dentist gave him a root canal in one tooth which he says went bad & wanted to either retreat (insurance wouldn't pay) or do a reverse root canal where he cut the gum & went in the bottom of the root- I know dental work (such as pulling teeth) is not good to have the 1st year; so I insisted he see the University dentist who said he didn't need the proceedure.
Are you using fluoride trays? If not; you should get them if you had radiation.
His treatment ended 12/24/09- his throat was not fully healed until the end of August; so a good 8 months. I always watched him getting scoped. He had problems with mucus probably as long & the last thrush infection he had was a year later; so expect things to not be right for a good year. He went fishing in Mexico 10 months out & it kicked his butt- lowered his immune system
I typed this out yesterday; didn't get to post it. Hopefully the information is useful to you.0
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