About Harriet Jacobster, Au.D. Expertise I can answer questions regarding non-medical treatment of hearing loss such as hearing aids and aural rehabilitation. I am also able to answer your questions regarding hearing testing, what types of tests are appropriate, what information a hearing test gives you and what it doesn't give you. As a classically trained musician, I can also answer issues dealing with hearing loss specific to musicians.
Experience I am a Board Certified Doctor of Audiology with over 25 years' of experience working with both children and adults. I have given lectures on Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids to several state chapters of national organizations for the deaf and hard of hearing. I also taught Speech Reading and Aural Rehabilitation both privately and for the Florida Deaf Service Center.
Organizations American Academy of Audiology
American Speech Language Hearing Association
Education/Credentials Au.D. Doctor of Audiology, Nova Southeastern University 2000
Question Hi, to start off about a week ago my left ear felt clogged up and i lost tiny bit of hearing. Then i noticed that when i was watching TV when a high pitched noise was on the TV like a girl talking my ear would beep and like go along with her voice. The that night when i was about to go to sleep i heard a ringing noise in my left ear and it wouldn't go away. I had a hard time going to sleep only slept for about an hour then woke up and i thought the ringing noise was gone but then in about 5 minutes it came back. I just want to no what is causing this and will it go away. I was looking up tinnitus and played a song of common sounds people hear from it and it isn't what i hear. I hear more of a constent ringing. Also i think it might be chronic otitis media and wanted to no if the noise will stop when that is healed up. Thanks allot for your time, i really appreciate it.
Answer Hi Doug,
Any sudden change in hearing needs to be investigated by an otologist (physician specializing in disorders of the ear). The cloggy feeling, loss of hearing and tinnitus can be due to many disorders, all of which have the same symptoms, but very different causes. For instance, fluid in the middle ear can cause all three symptoms, but so can a growth on the auditory nerve. So it really depends on the cause whether or not the tinnitus will go away. Therefore, my advice to you is to see an otologist ASAP and have your hearing evaluated by an audiologist.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology
