The impact of loud music dulls hearing for a few seconds, repeated or prolonged exposure to blaring music can reduce hearing power permanently. Surveys reveal less sensitivity to high-frequency sounds in practicing rock musicians, disco-veterans, rock concert fans and those who regularly listened to their Walk-mans at full volume. Any sound is safe for the ears upto a limit of 85 decibels. Typically, loud music clocks in at 100-120 decibels. In the average Walkman-type player, a volume setting 4 or 5 ranges between 93 and 108 decibels. Turn it up to setting 8, and the sound level hits 115 decibels or more. Whether it is a discotheque or an aerobics class, if the music drowns normal conversation, it is not safe for your ears. Researchers recommend a top limit of 100 decibels.
Digital hearing aids
Prisma digital hearing aids which are available as mini-BTE (behind the ear), ITE (in the ear), ITC (in the canal) and CIC (completely in the canal). Prisma offers a combination of digital signal processing (DSP) and twin mic system (TMS). The DSP allows digitisation of the incoming signal for quick analysis of the acoustic signal, which filters out noise and adds clarity to speech signals, while the TMS, advanced multi-directional microphones, allows the user to understand conversations even in noisy environments.

Question: It is of very great import to me doctor that you reply, because I’ve been suffering from noises in my ears for twelve years. I’m also going deaf. I’ve been to specialists and they say there is nothing to be done. Please can you help me?
I believe that you are suffering from Meniere’s disease. Meniere was a physician in Paris in the early part of the nineteenth century who described a syndrome that consisted of dizziness, deafness and a constant noise in the ears. The exact cause is not known, but there is usually a build-up in the pressure of the fluid inside the hearing and balance mechanisms of the inner ear.
The most distressing symptom is the constant noise (tinnitus is the technical term) in the ear. This is usually a high-pitched ringing, but may be a dull roar in some people. Unfortunately, treatment is not very satisfactory, and new drugs and devices are constantly being tried to give relief. Among the drugs, Sere, Adalat and Minipress (all are available on prescription only), act to increase the blood supply to the inner ear, and have been successful in some people. Other drugs tried with varying success are various anti-histamines, diuretics, rochlorperazine, amitripryline and chlorpromazine (most are on prescription).
None of these have more than a 50-50 chance of success, but may be tried to see if they give relief. If medication*is successful in controlling the nausea and dizziness, but not the noises, a tinnitus masker may be beneficial. This is a hearing-aid type of device that is worn in the ear and emits a constant tone that counteracts the noise already heard in the ear. It may take some experimentation to find the right one for each patient, but with persistence, many can be helped. There are also micro surgical techniques to help the sufferers of Meniere’s disease.
Those who do suffer should not despair, but keep trying the various methods of treatment that are available, in the hope that one will suit them.

Question: Recently I had grommets placed in my ears. While the drainage system seems to work, I still suffer a heavy hearing loss, despite Sudafed and ear drops. Is there any solution?
Grommets are tiny tubes that are placed through the ear drum to allow air to pass from the outer ear to the middle ear. The middle ear is connected by the Eustachian tube through the center of the head to the back of the nose. This allows the air pressure in the middle ear to equalize with that in the outside air (popping of the ears) when you change altitude by going up or down a hill or in an aircraft.
If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked by phlegm from the nose, pressure can build up in the middle ear to cause discomfort, or with altitude changes, the phlegm may be forced up the Eustachian tube and into the middle ear where it settles as a thick substance known as ‘glue’ (thus a ‘glue ear’). The glue reduces the vibrations of the eardrum and the tiny bones that transmit sounds across the middle ear to the hearing mechanism in the inner ear, causing varying degrees of deafness.
A grommet is inserted through the eardrum to allow air into the middle ear and the increased air pressure will very gradually push the glue back down the Eustachian tube to the nose, eventually clearing the ear. The grommet will be expelled naturally from the ear drum as it heals after a few months. Not until the grommet is expelled will hearing return to normal. Sudafed reduces the amount of new phlegm being produced in the nose, while ear drops can do many tasks, depending on the type of drop, but many ear drops should be avoided while grommets are in place.
If you are continuing to have problems you should see your GP so that the amount of glue in the middle ear and the position of the grommet can be assessed, and the need for ear drops and further Sudafed determined.

Question: My ears are ringing all the time, and when I get nervous or tense they get worse. How can I help this?
Noises in the ears are a common curse that becomes more common the older you are. Many patients are plagued with such noises to the extent that they are unable to lead a normal lifestyle. The first step in treatment is to be thoroughly examined by your doctor to exclude any disease such as high blood pressure, wax in the ears, or an overactive thyroid gland, which may be responsible for the noise. You should also avoid possible aggravating causes such as coffee, tea and cola drinks.
After this, it is often wise to seek a referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist, or a general physician, for more detailed investigations. Unfortunately, in all too many victims of tinnitus (the technical name for ringing in the ears), no cause can be found, and the next step is to experiment with the many different medications that may relieve your problem. This is very much a matter of trial and error, that must be carried out with the cooperation of your GP, as most of these medications require a prescription, and some may have side effects. None has a better than 30% success rate, but they should be tried in turn to see if any help.
Finally, it is possible to use a hearing-aid type device called a tinnitus masker that produces a constant tone to drown out the noises you hear, or have an operation to deafen the involved ear. When tinnitus is combined with dizziness and deafness, the condition is called Meniere’s disease.

Question: I keep getting ear infections, and I’m sick of running to the doctor. Can I treat an ear infection myself?
NO! Once you have an ear infection it is important to obtain medical attention as soon as possible. This is because untreated infections can spread throughout the ear and cause a more serious infections in surrounding tissue.
Treatment of an outer ear infection involves cleaning the ear of any wax or debris (don’t try to do this yourself either) that may be present in the canal, so that the ear can dry out. Antibiotic drops or ointment are then prescribed. In difficult cases, a wick (piece of light material) soaked in an ointment may be put in the ear, and antibiotic tablets may be given.
Middle ear infections always require antibiotic tablets, and constant medical supervision to ensure that the infection has cleared and no damage has been done to the ear. It is important that anyone with recurrent infections is treated adequately, because each infection can injure the ear and eventually cause permanent damage.

Question: I have had vestibular neuronitis ror 17 months, which causes dizziness that comes for a few weeks and then goes again. What causes the dizziness to come and go?
Vestibular neuronitis is an inflammation of the balance mechanism in the inner ear. It often follows a viral infection or fever, and causes sudden, intermittent attacks of dizziness. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment, but a number of medications can be tried to reduce the severity of the dizziness when it occurs. Most cases settle spontaneously with time, and the younger you are, the sooner you can expect the problem to disappear. Only rarely is it permanent.
I cannot specifically explain why the attacks come and go, but the recurrence of an attack may be associated with a period when you are overtired, run down, or suffering from a minor viral illness.