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A weird type of hearing loss?
Hi everyone, I have an interesting question that may stump the panel. I am four months out of chemo radiation (7 weeks of Cisplatin once per week), 35 radiation sessions (ugh). My recovery seems to be going well, but lately I have noticed something weird with my hearing. It’s not hearing loss per se, and seemingly not Tinnitus, but I am perceiving a background noise that to me is the sound of a bunch of birds chirping in the distance. Like a bunch of them sitting in a tree outside the house. That’s as close as I can get to describing the sound. Any ideas or experience with this? As I said in the title, it’s weird. I definitely am going to make an appointment with an Audiologist, but wanted to mention it here to see if I’m crazy or not 😵💫 thanks!
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Hello @robolobo, that is an interesting description. Since I have had Tinnitus in both ears for 13 years due to different causes, I would guess this is a form of Tinnitus. Mine started like crickets chirping and has progressed to bells ringing and the most annoying, a loud buzzing. It changes periodically but usually the right ear which had the radiation is so loud that I can't even hear the left, which is more crickets and ringing. Knowing that Cisplatin affects hearing I would also guess that is also a possible cause in addition to the radiation. My Mayo ENT says that radiation damage can continue to worsen for years hence the changes in hearing. Loud noises also trigger a louder Tinnitus. Have you talked to your oncologist or an audiologist about this symptom?
You’re not crazy my friend, it’s Tinnitus caused by the Cisplatin.
I have been dealing with this for 8 1/2 years which began during my second round of Cisplatin. Hearing loss also jumped in there.
My Tinnitus is usually in sinc in both ears but occasionally it gets out of sinc but usually returns to stereo soon after.
Sometimes I describe it as birds, crickets, buzzing or a high pitched ringing.
Hope that helps,
MOJO
Oh boy, such great news :-\ I will go see an audiologist sometime soon to see what can be done if anything. Fortunately it's not bad, at least not yet. Thanks for helping to diagnose what's going on. If I move to a tropical rainforest the sounds will fit right in. Maybe Hawaii, that might be more doable 🙂
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2 ReactionsWeird sounds in the ears? Or so it might seem. I also had similar but more like squeaks and squawks for roughly four months. It sounded like an old short-wave radio being tuned in. Doc said it was nerves healing after radiation bombardment. It eventually went away. It took a lot longer for other nerve damage to go away such as the feeling of bugs crawling on my face and neck or the sharp short pains in the ears and face. Radiation gives us such delightful experiences which few can relate. Good healing.