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Hearing Sounded Robotic Suddenly. What Is The Reason For High Pitch Noise?

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Posted on Mon, 9 Jul 2012
Question: A few days ago the hearing in my left ear suddenly changed in the middle of a conversation and now my hearing sounds robotic. Higher pitched noises sound like Eve from WALL-E (the movie) what is going on with my hearing?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (1 hour later)
Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1. Your left ear has distortion which makes the sounds robotic.

2. Get an eardrum examination and a Pure Tone Audiogram (PTA) done immediately.

3. If your PTA shows high frequency hearing loss at 4 KHz or more then it is NIHL (Noise Induced Hearing Loss).

4. If your PTA shows more than 20-30 dB hearing loss in three contiguous frequencies then it is defined as Sudden Sensori-Neural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). SSNHL is a medical emergency.

5. The normal course of treatment provided for SSHL in a non diabetic is high dose steroids. Since you are already on steroids, the dose may have to be increased if it is SSNHL. Other medication includes anti-virals, blood thinning agent, rheologic or blood flow improvement, neural tonics, Carbogen (vasodilator) and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), if available. The alternative treatment is transtympanic (intratympanic) steroids.

6. If your PTA is normal, get an impedance Audiogram (Tympanometry) to check for middle ear fluid or pressure changes. You eardrum will also look abnormal in this case.

7. If this an autoimmune hearing loss, your current steroids and Infliximab (remicade) may have altered the rate of progress of the hearing loss but are unlikely to have caused hearing loss. Naproxen may be involved here. MRI Scanning is advised.

8. If all your hearing tests are normal, then this is a Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) and should recover in a few days.

9. You may share your investigation and progress reports here for more specific treatment and rehabilitation options.

I hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sumit Bhatti (24 hours later)
I went to my primary physician today and my eardrum looked very normal. He was very out of his comfort zone with this issue. He is putting in a referral for me to see a ENT. I am grateful for the information that you have given me and am going to print it off as a refrence guide to take with me.
thank you, XXXXXXX burkhardt
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (20 hours later)
Hi,

Thank you for writing back.

1. Please get the ear examination and investigations done as soon as possible.

2. Kindly share your investigation and progress reports here for more specific treatment and rehabilitation options.

I hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Sumit Bhatti

Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 2686 Questions

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Hearing Sounded Robotic Suddenly. What Is The Reason For High Pitch Noise?

Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1. Your left ear has distortion which makes the sounds robotic.

2. Get an eardrum examination and a Pure Tone Audiogram (PTA) done immediately.

3. If your PTA shows high frequency hearing loss at 4 KHz or more then it is NIHL (Noise Induced Hearing Loss).

4. If your PTA shows more than 20-30 dB hearing loss in three contiguous frequencies then it is defined as Sudden Sensori-Neural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). SSNHL is a medical emergency.

5. The normal course of treatment provided for SSHL in a non diabetic is high dose steroids. Since you are already on steroids, the dose may have to be increased if it is SSNHL. Other medication includes anti-virals, blood thinning agent, rheologic or blood flow improvement, neural tonics, Carbogen (vasodilator) and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), if available. The alternative treatment is transtympanic (intratympanic) steroids.

6. If your PTA is normal, get an impedance Audiogram (Tympanometry) to check for middle ear fluid or pressure changes. You eardrum will also look abnormal in this case.

7. If this an autoimmune hearing loss, your current steroids and Infliximab (remicade) may have altered the rate of progress of the hearing loss but are unlikely to have caused hearing loss. Naproxen may be involved here. MRI Scanning is advised.

8. If all your hearing tests are normal, then this is a Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) and should recover in a few days.

9. You may share your investigation and progress reports here for more specific treatment and rehabilitation options.

I hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.