Tuesday? Trans-tymphanic Injections!
May 1st, 2012 . by CaryI think I have mentioned in the past that I would not wish this type of tinnitus on my worst enemy. Well, I’ve found something else I wouldn’t want to thrust upon anyone – the treatment for this type of tinnitus. Today I experienced trans-tymphanic steroidal injections. This procedure injects steroids directly into the middle ear, in an effort to more speedily get the medicine to the inner ear, where it should assist in clearing up the issue.
First, after rechecking that your hearing is, in fact, not there, they lay you on a table. Using what feels like a tiny blob of hot wax, but is in actuality a numbing agent, the eardrum is disconnected from reality. Don’t worry – you won’t notice. You would, however, notice the next part if the hot wax treatment was not used.
A needle, containing the steroid liquid, and approximately the same diameter as the New York Subway Tunnel System, is used to first poke a “valve” hole, then the injection site, in the eardrum. The steroids are injected slowly, allowing time for equalization of pressure. This also allow some of this material to invade your sinus cavity. Yummy. Swallowing constantly is the only defense. Lather, rinse, repeat on other side.
Instructed to lay quietly for twenty minutes, in order for the liquids to quit dribbling, and to prevent the patient from taking a header because vertigo does that to you, I came up with a couple of descriptions: waterboarding the inner ear, getting water IN your ears, things like that. The vertigo and dizziness wave a little bit, and slowly depart.
Still can’t hear anything. Results are usually between immediate and two weeks. These shots are usually down in sets of three. Set number two will be Friday afternoon, about 1600 hours, on the west side of town this time, and after I see the inner ear specialist to discuss surgical options if the medicinal option does not work.
If you are considering getting this procedure, or if this procedure is prescribed for you, have someone drive you. And allow for about two hours.
This has been a public service announcement. If you have feedback, responses, or just wanna share, then leave a comment here. Or text me. Don’t call, I can’t here your end of the conversation. Can’t really hear my end either, but I do have a chance of imagining what I would be sounding like!
Chat ya later…
Thanks for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, and Wear Red on Fridays!
Wonderful.
Hope things work out for you, though. Of course.
In my case, I’ve had tinnitus for, literally, decades. I’ve managed to put the constant high-pitched shriek on the back burner — until someone talks or writes about tinnitus. Then that crap rips in with both feet into both ears with an incredible screech. Psychosomatic or not, I don’t know. I only know how I react.
I can still mostly hear, but in a loud atmosphere where there is background noise and a number of voices being spoken, I’m at a loss. I mostly smile and try to listen to the person directly next to me.
The quieter it is, the more conversations I can hear.
On the other hand, the quieter it is, the LOUDER and more obnoxious is my tinnitus.
BZ
Please, BZ, forgive me if my writings caused it to flare on you. That certainly was not my intent. Tell you what – the next time I write about it, I’ll put in the first line “BZ SKIP THIS ONE!”
Before the total loss, my symptoms sound a lot like what you’ve had. It’s the “smile and nod” part that always got me in trouble.
Thanks for stopping by, BZ.
It’s strange, some days I can kind of keep it as “background as possible,” and some days it positively drives me NUTS with this shrill, high-pitched shriek mostly in my left ear. Sometimes it changes hour by hour. But I do know that, in the last year, I’ve lost a lot of my high range hearing.
BZ
I hear you – and I empathize. Incomplete loss of hearing is bad enough, believe me when I say that total loss is not anything I would wish on my worst enemy. Aural input is so important – while I miss my girls’ voices, and the music, I find that my “radar” is gone, too – that ability to tell if something is just back beyond the sight line. People are starting to figure out they can sneak up on me.