<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>In a message dated 7/7/2001 10:08:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Doctorb 01
<BR>writes:
<BR>
<BR>
<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
<BR>
<BR>Dear: PTG forum,
<BR>
<BR> I wrote a very short e-mail yesterday on hearing trouble. I wanted to
<BR>see if I got a response, or if I did correctly. I did get some responses
<BR>and I am glad, thank you for those who did!
<BR>
<BR> I want to begin by saying that this will be a rather long letter. My
<BR>situation is rather odd, and It would be very much appreciated if anyone
<BR>can shed some light on my condition, or is suffering from the same problem.
<BR>
<BR> To begin, my name is Simone Tucci, and I live in Toronto, Canada. I
<BR>am 26 years old and I have been tuning pianos professionally since 1998. I
<BR>am not a member of the PTG though I do get their monthly magazine. When I
<BR>began my career I had perfect hearing, and no genetic hearing disorders in
<BR>the family. I was tuning an average of 3 pianos a day sometime 5-6 and
<BR>sometimes 1, it varied. I also began to work at an institution where there
<BR>were many big grands in very small studios. I was coming home at night with
<BR>headaches, like I blasted my ears for too long every day. So I decided to
<BR>wear ear plugs. So I just bought ear plugs at the local store, 3M brand
<BR>(foam) were the ones that I was using. I thought that they were great I
<BR>could hear everything that I needed and I was protecting myself. I wore
<BR>them for a period of 2 years, every piano I tuned I wore them. Until last
<BR>October 2000, that is when the problem began.
<BR>
<BR> I first noticed that my ears began to ring (tinnitus) mostly in my
<BR>right ear. Then I noticed that when I would do something like drop a part
<BR>or a screw on my work bench my ear drums would have some sort of popping
<BR>reflex reaction. It felt almost as if they popped from out of their
<BR>footing, I hope that makes sense! I sort of ignored that symptom, I didn't
<BR>think that it was important. So I saw my doctor and he sent me to an ENT. I
<BR>had my hearing tested and it came out completely normal. The audiologist
<BR>recommended that I get a pair of ER-15 musicians plugs, and continue tuning.
<BR>
<BR> So I did. I did have to wait for an appointment to see the
<BR>audiologist to fit the moulds for the ER-15 plugs, so I went on doing what
<BR>I was doing. Then in October 2000 I noticed that is really began to get
<BR>worse. I noticed that kitchen noises bothered me, and in the bathroom, and
<BR>people talking to me really blew my mind. My ears couldn't take it. I then
<BR>tried to tune without the ear plugs and it was Impossible!! I thought that
<BR>my ear drums were going to explode. so I got scared. I went to my doctor
<BR>and he sent me to a Hyperacusis clinic. Once there, I saw an audiologist
<BR>and told him the whole story. He said that it was a classic case where I
<BR>became excessively sensitive through the use of improper ear plugs. He
<BR>tested my hearing and again it came out as normal as can be and then he
<BR>arranged for me to have a ER-15 ear plug fitting. (For those of you who
<BR>don't know of the Musicians Plugs there is a ton of stuff on-line.) He also
<BR>said that I should have a radio on in the background with it set in between
<BR>stations, to hear the static or white noise, this will help to desensitise
<BR>my ears (brain really) from sound, and it should take 2-3 months. I was
<BR>glad to hear that.
<BR>
<BR> So the months pasted and no change. I kept going back for visits and
<BR>telling them that there was no change and they said give it more time.
<BR>After 6 months I went back and asked them to put me on the TRT ( tinnitus
<BR>retraining therapy) this also treats Hyperacusis. So they did a test on me
<BR>to see if I was Hyperacusic and I am not. So I told them what do I need to
<BR>do??? they arranged for me to have a ABR (acoustic Brainstem response test)
<BR>to see if there was a problem with the acoustic nerve. Had the test, and
<BR>came out completely normal. I asked them What do I do? They recommended
<BR>that I take Valium. I said that that is not the answer, that will only dope
<BR>me up and cover the disorder and not heal it in anyway.
<BR>
<BR> So I began to seek out other doctors, I saw a Marshall Chasin, a very
<BR>known audiologist that works with musicians, and he did a test to see I was
<BR>Hyperacusic and technically I am not. All the other audiologists agreed
<BR>with the similar tests. He didn't know what it could be. I also saw an
<BR>Otologist, and he did know ethier. He said try Valium.I saw in total 12
<BR>doctors between audiologists, ETS, Otologists, and I also tried acupuncture.
<BR>
<BR> I have now stopped tuning, because it's unbearable and trying to take
<BR>it easy. I am seeking a Homeopathic doctor to see if that can help. I have
<BR>also been researching hyperacusis online and I do think that is what I
<BR>have, there are different forms of it. I am going to demand to do the TRT
<BR>so that I can continue with my life. In addition I also had an MRI and that
<BR>showed everything to be normal.
<BR>
<BR> Just to clarify what is happening with my ears. They are (the ear
<BR>drums I think) very sensitive to sound. People talking specially women, and
<BR>my own voice, and sudden volume changes, and if at the piano, the higher
<BR>register. Not all the notes some here and there. I have distortion to
<BR>somewhat loud sounds, but the strangest thing is that if I hear one sound
<BR>at the time that is the biggest problem for me. If I go to some dance club
<BR>I'm fine, weird!!
<BR>
<BR> I want to thank all of you people for taking the time in reading this
<BR>situation that I am in, and if anybody can tell me something, or is in the
<BR>same situations or has questions please, please e-mail me. I got a computer
<BR>just to get help from anybody.
<BR>
<BR> Sincerely, Simone Tucci
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>Simone Tucci
<BR>Toronto, Ontario, Canada
<BR>
<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<BR></FONT></HTML>