Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 5/22/2008

Question
I hear internal noises loudly in my left ear, my voice, scratching my head, things like that. I also have trouble with some external sounds. If I call someone on the phone and put the receiver to my left ear the ring makes the whole room shake. My symptoms prompted the doc to test for syphilis, negative. They tested hearing, fine. I went to the ENT and they didn't know what it was but offered to do an exploratory. This was all 5-6 years ago at which point I decided to live with it.

Within the last 2-3 months I saw a program about a man who had the same symptoms although much more severe. It ended up being some kind of developmental problem with some canal. I wish I knew more but I was on pain medication(in a fog) for herniated disc's at the time. I have been unable to Google it. I was hoping maybe you had heard about it? Or maybe tell what the symptom is called so I could do a more specific search?

Thanks for your consideration. Hope you can help.

Greg

Answer
Hi Greg,
Although I do not know what program this was, it sounds as if you might be experiencing problems with your Eustachian Tube. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to your nose and helps regulate the pressure in your middle ear. When you have a cold, this tube can close up and create that stuffy feeling. In some people this tube doesn't work properly and is always, or almost always, closed. This in turn would make your "internal" noises sound louder.  This phenomenon is known as the "occlusion" effect. I think this may be what you are looking for.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified Doctor of Audiology