---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment In a message dated 7/7/2001 10:08:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Doctorb 01 writes: > > > 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 > > ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/ee/7d/ea/b4/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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