In terms of treatment, I relate to the frustration expressed here. Most ear specialists I’ve been to just ran hearing sensitivity tests (ie, for detecting hearing damage) but when it came up as no problem, they were stumped (apparently diplacusis can be a symptom of this (or possibly vice versa?), but I suspect they were running those tests by default as opposed to chasing a relevant lead). Having said that, none of them tried anything that would look in to measuring the actual problem itself, such as mapping the problem across the frequency spectrum in either ear. Having done very simple tests at home using a tone generator and different harmonics of A, I’ve found it’s most pronounced for me in the 220-440Hz range and less so continuing upwards. 110HZ seems either too low to pick a pronounced difference or the effect is diminished in that range too (interestingly, when on a singing gig, I reference my pitch off the bass (which is playing the harmonies); perhaps this makes it easier because they seem less affected?). I find it interesting that the problem is not a consistent % shift across all frequencies, but targeted at a limited range; I’m assuming that there’s some kind of physical factor in my ear/sinuses etc that’s causing some kind of phase interference primarily in that wavelength range and harmonically less so in the others. I’ve also noticed that my right ear generates a harmonic overtone when listening to simple sine tones, whereas the left does not; it would be very interesting to try to find out if there’s a most significant key at which all these problems occur (and at which pitch).

I also suffer a very, very mild tinnitus at a very high frequency; it’s like hearing the really soft high-pitched whine that the old CRT TV’s used to make, but I’m not sure if this is related or not.

Like everyone else, I wonder about the cause too and one question that I think is worth asking is: did you notice any other physical changes for yourself around the time the problem started to appear? Or perhaps an accident? The only ideas thrown up at me by the specialists was that it was allergy based (ie, resulting in swelling of the sinuses & Eustachian tubes) and that it would fade, but this seems unlikely (unless I’m permanently reacting to something; not impossible, I guess, but anti-histhamines had no impact, so I’m guessing that’s not it). The various articles on-line mention that physical trauma could be a cause; unfortunately I didn’t know this when I was seeing doctors about it, as I would have mentioned there are two physical traumas that I believe may have/are contributing to my state: (i) I fainted about 5 yrs ago and banged the left hand side of my head on concrete (from a standing position!) & (ii) I clench my teeth rather tightly at night from stress which causes me terrible headaches and I’m sure a minor swelling in the jaw muscles (which are very close to the ear). I use a mouthguard to take some of the pressure off, but it only helps a little.

I’m also now wondering if my condition is not Meniere’s Disease, given the various references to one accompanying the other. I do experience very occasional spells of the rotational vertigo referred to in articles on Meniere’s (interestingly, most commonly after a particularly bad night’s teeth-clenching), so now that’s got me wondering.

Daniel (Post #33 above) mentions muscle re-training for the ears, and I’m also wondering about whether brain re-training isn’t also a possibilty (as per the notions of brain plasticity discussed in Norman Doidge’s book: “The Brain That Changes Itself”; if the brain can be re-trained to create new brain-maps for body movement after stroke damage, perhaps we can do the same with hearing?).
I’ve found that when comparing simple tone pitches alternately in each ear using headphones (ie, where only one ear is ever getting the tone at any one time), by remembering the tone I just heard in my good ear, I can ‘focus’ my brain to adjust what the bad ear’s saying that it’s hearing and cause the perceived pitch-offset to diminish a bit so that it’s harder to pick the difference. I also suspect that the regular singing I do on gig helps, as it forces me to focus on and tune both aurally and mechanically into the correct pitch.

I’m also curious about post #17 (Kirk): interesting theory, will have to look into that.

Incidentally, here’s an interesting article I found online; haven’t finished digesting it yet, but if someone makes full sense of it before me, let us all know!

http://www.isa-audiology.org/periodicals/1962-1970_International_Audiology/InternatAudio,%20%20Vol.%202,%20%201963/No.%202%20%20%28159-270%29/Gotze,%20%20InternatAudio,%20%201963.pdf

Best wishes in shared frustration,

Paul

Thanks
Sally

salattfield@gmail.com

I used eardrops to clean my ears and stupidly used a normal syringe to wash out the mixture. Everything was fine, but about ten days later I have a loud ringing in my ears. Would the damage to the eardrum take 10 days to start – or would have the Tinnitus started very soon after I used the syringe? I went to the doctor and he said my ears look a bit weepy. He said I could have a slight infection and put me on antibiotics. The ringing noise has caused some panick attacks, so he perscribed an antidepressant.

I do not really want to take them, but wondered if you think it might help? (Many thanks for your help).