2. Groups
  3. Hearing Loss
  4. Hearing Loss & Valsalva Maneuver: Looking for Information

Hearing Loss & Valsalva Maneuver: Looking for Information

Posted by chasmayhear @chasmayhear, Jun 10, 2020

I'm an older man and have one issue that I am looking for information on. My hearing was recently diagnosed with hearing loss, especially of the higher frequencies. I was told that my hearing test indicated nerve hearing loss common for my age. I had gotten a CAT scan looking for other issues.

If I pressurize my ears (Valsalva Maneuver, I believe) there is a great but brief improvement in my higher frequency response. I was seeing an ear specialist and asked him about it. There was no available information.

I find that hearing the high frequency sound response improve so strongly from simply pressurizing my ears does not seem consistent with 'nerve hearing loss'.

I have tried searching and get nowhere. I noted that the carotid artery passes next to my ear and that the Valsalva Maneuver has some complex effects on blood pressure. What is known about this?

If you have any information that might apply please post.

Chas

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss group.

imallears | @imallears | Sep 5, 2021
In reply to @tonyinmi "@siosal Yes, losing hearing is only one cause of tinnitus. I experience it just about every..." + (show)
@tonyinmi

@siosal Yes, losing hearing is only one cause of tinnitus. I experience it just about every night when I take my hearing aids out so you're right about the brain filling in for what it is expecting.
I could not find anything about the Eustachian tube shrinking by doing a Google search. It would not surprise me if something like that happens though. It would seem that a shrinkage would not necessarily cause a blockage problem, which typically opens when we yawn or swallow.
Regarding you perception of losing speech sounds, you may not want to wait too long to address the problem. Hearing only gets worse as we age. It never gets better on its own. Hearing aids only help a bigger problem.
Thanks for sharing your input. It kept me thinking
Tony in Michigan

Jump to this post

@tonyinmi
Hi,

I have heard or read of the word “shrinking” or “shrinkage” in relation to the Eustachian tube . It was used when the tube was congested or clogged and it meant that the inner lining of the tube had shrunk or returned to normal with either yawning, decongestants etc, or a Doctors intervention. It doesn’t actually shrink from its normal “healthy” size. I liken it to a swollen ankle that will shrink to it’s normal size when elevated or iced. The word can be misleading when thrown around.

That’s about it for what I learned.

FL Mary

REPLY
1 reply
tonyinmi | @tonyinmi | Sep 5, 2021
In reply to @chasmayhear "I read that under some circumstances, the tinnitus one person is hearing can be heard by..." + (show)
@chasmayhear

I read that under some circumstances, the tinnitus one person is hearing can be heard by other people. Of course, that tinnitus would not be very loud and probably a stethoscope was used. If that is true, some Tinnitus would be accompanied by a real sound, Then a sensitive audio spectrum analyzer could record interesting and useful sounds from tinnitus. Has that been done?

Any information or publications on actually hearing sounds that accompany some cases of tinnitus?

When I have Spectroid running on my smart phone and place my thumb over the microphone, it produces a signal in the spectrum analyzer. The frequency shows strongest from 23-170 Hz. Is this a real sound on an artifact? This is one thing of many that I'm trying to understand with the new Spectroid audio frequency analyzer. There is an audio spectrum analyzer for iPhones and iPads called "Spectrum".

Jump to this post

@chasmayhear You may want to post this under one of the tinnitus discussions to make it easier for others to find.
I've not heard of a tinnitus that could be heard by others but it is conceivable. Tinnitus originates in the brain so I suppose that there could be brain matter that could act as a speaker diaphragm??? And if someone could hear that without a stethoscope, they would probably be driven to insanity. The signal would be weak. I sometimes wish I had super hearing but it's probably a blessing to have what I do have.
Spectroid must be an Android app since I cannot find it for my iPhone. I do see Spectrum but it is actually called Audio Spectrum Analyzer dB RTA and has good reviews. When you put your thumb over the microphone, it's probably picking up your heart rate. Nice that a smartphone has so many uses!
Tony in Michigan

REPLY
1 reply
tonyinmi | @tonyinmi | Sep 5, 2021
In reply to @imallears "@tonyinmi Hi, I have heard or read of the word “shrinking” or “shrinkage” in relation to..." + (show)
@imallears

@tonyinmi
Hi,

I have heard or read of the word “shrinking” or “shrinkage” in relation to the Eustachian tube . It was used when the tube was congested or clogged and it meant that the inner lining of the tube had shrunk or returned to normal with either yawning, decongestants etc, or a Doctors intervention. It doesn’t actually shrink from its normal “healthy” size. I liken it to a swollen ankle that will shrink to it’s normal size when elevated or iced. The word can be misleading when thrown around.

That’s about it for what I learned.

FL Mary

Jump to this post

@imallears Interesting fact about Eustachian tube shrinkage. I'll keep that thought in mind.
Tony in Michigan

REPLY
awilst | @awilst | Sep 5, 2021

on question of what you might be hearing:

Infrasound_%20The%20Noise%20You%20Feel%20-%20Audio%20Visual%20Bend%20BlogAudio%20Visual%20Bend%20Blog.html

REPLY
1 reply
chasmayhear | @chasmayhear | Sep 5, 2021
In reply to @tonyinmi "@chasmayhear You may want to post this under one of the tinnitus discussions to make it..." + (show)
@tonyinmi

@chasmayhear You may want to post this under one of the tinnitus discussions to make it easier for others to find.
I've not heard of a tinnitus that could be heard by others but it is conceivable. Tinnitus originates in the brain so I suppose that there could be brain matter that could act as a speaker diaphragm??? And if someone could hear that without a stethoscope, they would probably be driven to insanity. The signal would be weak. I sometimes wish I had super hearing but it's probably a blessing to have what I do have.
Spectroid must be an Android app since I cannot find it for my iPhone. I do see Spectrum but it is actually called Audio Spectrum Analyzer dB RTA and has good reviews. When you put your thumb over the microphone, it's probably picking up your heart rate. Nice that a smartphone has so many uses!
Tony in Michigan

Jump to this post

Here is an abstract and apparently a spectrum analyzer measurement of the sound produce by some tinnitus.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/604822
I would try to find an app from the Apple Store.

REPLY
tonyinmi | @tonyinmi | Sep 5, 2021
In reply to @awilst "on question of what you might be hearing: Infrasound_%20The%20Noise%20You%20Feel%20-%20Audio%20Visual%20Bend%20BlogAudio%20Visual%20Bend%20Blog.html" + (show)
@awilst

on question of what you might be hearing:

Infrasound_%20The%20Noise%20You%20Feel%20-%20Audio%20Visual%20Bend%20BlogAudio%20Visual%20Bend%20Blog.html

Jump to this post

@awilst Interesting article. One quote from the article wants me to believe that perhaps this could be used to treat some hearing losses: "It was found that the prevalence of LFN-complaints increases with age. This supports the conclusion that long-lasting exposure to low-frequency noise, inaudible for years to the exposed persons, may in the long-term result in alteration of the cochlea…"
Tony in Michigan

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.
  Request Appointment