Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 9/25/2008

Question
Hello, I am asking this question as a result of knowing that I will need a hearing screening to be accepted into my school's Communication Disorders and Deafness program. I had tubes placed in my ears around age three, and I recall them falling out on their own around age five or six. I also have had very high pitched tinnitus in my ears since childhood. Very rarely, the higher pitched tinnitus is overpowered by a lower and louder soud, but only for a few seconds, usually. I am currently on the hunt for my medical records, and I do beleive that hearing loss had been found at some point. Could the tubes in my ears have caused the tinnitus and/or hearing loss? Could the tinnitus possibly be affecting my hearing? Thank you!

Answer
Hi Kaila,
Three years is a long time for tubes to remain in place. By remaining in place so long, it is very possible you have unhealed perforations in your eardrums.  This would cause a conductive hearing loss.  However, high pitched tinnitus is usually a symptom of hearing loss that affects the nerves.  Tinnitus can affect hearing in the sense that if the tinnitus is loud enough, it interfers with the signal that reaches your ears.  However, again, tinnitus is a symptom of something else.  My suggestion is that you consult both an ENT and an audiologist and have a complete audiological evaluation.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology