Hearing Issues?

Hi Guys... so a short background - I have always had various symtpoms of an autoimmune disease (bone pain, swelling, exhaustion, etc.) and my mom had SLE. My cousins have various autoimmune issues, as well. My doctors have tested my ANA and it's always come out negative, so then they pass off autoimmune issues as an impossibility. I recently shared my exasperation with this issue a few weeks ago, when I decided to not go to the rheumatologist, thinking he would just dismiss me like the others have.

Well, about 2 years ago, I started having stomach issues. I saw a GI, who did a colonoscopy and diagnosed me with GERD and IBS. Back in January or so, I started having bad ear pain and some hearing loss. I went to the ear doctor and she told me I had LPR Silent Reflux and gave me prescription Prilosec, which in fact did help to clear up the ear pain.

Fast forward to Tuesday, I woke up and could not hear out of my left ear!! It felt like there was a cotton ball in there or something blocking me from being able to hear. Additionally, I could not hear any of the normal noises you would hear inside of your own head (like swallowing, etc.) when there's a cotton ball in there. So I called the ear doctor and asked for the first available appt, which was not until today. Yesterday, I still had some hearing loss, and a terrible echo in my left ear but the cotton ball feeling had gone away and I was quite dizzy yesterday. Today, I woke up, less dizzy but still a little hearing loss.

I went in to the ear doctor, expecting her to tell me that this was another symptom of LPR silent reflux, but instead, she examined me, made me do some movements, did some odd things and then said to me at the end that she wants me to come in the same day that this happens again for a hearing test and that she wants to try and rule out an autoimmune cause!! I did not mention any of my autoimmune suspicion at all. This is the first time that a doctor has said this to me and it made me feel so triumphant that finally a doctor sees that that could be going on!!

Sorry for the novel, but I just felt so excited that a doctor finally listened to every symtpom I described and came to that conclusion.

I've lost some of my hearing too. I don't know the exact cause but it does seem suspicious.

Hooray for the affirmative voice! Indeed, what a triumph! Goes to show that you just never know where the "break" is going to come from. I hope this never happens to your hearing again, but on the other hand, I'm curious about what the hearing doctor has to say. . . .

Jan

AubreyBear, I have not had that specific hearing issue. I have had my hearing in one ear sound muted and then I hear I high pitched ringing in my ear. It only last for about 2 minutes and then goes away.

Has anyone had this before?

Sometimes I have the ringing, too. I have a lot of pain in both of my ears (deep inside) and my ENT has always said it was LPR/Silent Reflux, but now I'm wondering if it is actually inflammation. Any thoughts? The Omeprazole did seem to help, but the side effects were so terrible, I had to try natural supplements, like aloe vera.

Some of the medications we take can cause ototoxicity which is in effect a poisoning of the inner ear.

http://vestibular.org/ototoxicity

I've experienced this with plaquenil although it seems to be subsiding somewhat now. I've had vertigo, dizziness, ear pain, hearing loss and ringing in my ears since starting it. Some NSAIDS can cause it too, so it could also be the combination of my taking celebrex and plaquenil now.

The side effects warnings on most prescriptions will state that the drug may cause these symptoms but it doesn't explain how or why.

In many cases it will pass and is usually not severe enough to warrant ceasing a certain medication. However sometimes it can, so it's important to see a specialist and have it checked out. Autoimmune disease can also cause inflammation and the same symptoms, so it's tricky to diagnose (ofcourse! When is it not?!).

I just thought it was important enough to add to the conversation as it is a possibility.

Hello AubreyBear--

I was looking for some things online and came across this article (link is below), but I do NOT mean that it fits your situation. The title caught my eye, and I thought you might find it interesting to read.

I'm not sure how to search for other Healing Well posts, from the past, but I bet there have been some that relate to your problem!

I was searching for information about having tender scalp, of which I'm having now, with the last time being a couple of years ago. Several of the sites I checked out about scalp tenderness also referred to ear issues.

Here's the link that I mentioned:
http://www.asha.org/aud/articles/innereardisease/

Take care--
Jan

Pretty wild, but you might be on to something! Hmm...alcohol intolerance and hearing loss/pain associated with a flare.

Sorry I don't have anything helpful to add, but I'm curious to read what others have to say.

Hang in there, AubreyBear!

Jan

Jan - I spoke too soon on the IBS board about my ears being better. I'm having one heck of a time today. Bad, bad bad shooting pain in my right ear. No alcohol this time and have been on a super strict diet the last two weeks. I'm actually incidentally going to the GI doctor this afternoon and I'm going to mention the LPR/GERD thoughts of my ENT doctor and my recent visit to her where she indicated that there might be something autoimmune going on. But either way - I have to get this ear thing figured out! I can tell I'm losing my hearing gradually in my left ear and the pain is becoming unbearable and inescapable

More specifically, I entered "autoimmune and shooting ear pain and hearing loss" in my Google search...

As for the rheumatologist, I have not gotten any recommendations. The ENT wants to see me ASAP next time it happens and then refer me. I did a brief search and none of the ones near me come very highly recommended. Then again, people only go online to review doctors or businesses when they want to complain and far less often to say nice things.

My method to find a rheumy -- visit www.lupus.org and find your closest local chapter. Check in with the chapter and see what rheumies work with them. These are the rheumies most likely most up-to-date on Lupus & auto-immune diseases, and the ones most interested in helping you out.

When my inflammation was greatest, I had ear issues & eye issues -- that's on the days I didn't have joint/muscle issues, or whatever else. I would skip the ENT with their relatively narrow focus and head straight to a rheumy. But that's just me....

Gosh, AubreyBear, you have received so many thoughtful suggestions and heartfelt commiserations from the wonderful forum folks. I know you'll get this figured out and be able to tame the beast. But in the meantime, that's another story . . . one step at a time.

Thinking of you--

Jan