To all the good doctors here and anyone else who might know something...
For several months - I can't seem to remember exactly when this all
started - I have had a very weird pain in my right ear - hard to
describe in spoken, never mind written form... It seems to have become
rather worse in recent weeks. It resonates painfully with a kind of a
"whump..." sensation - set off by my own speaking/singing voice as well
as certain external sounds. It tends to happen indoors, in smaller,
more "closed in" rooms. Singing in a studio or theatre somehow seems to
be less of a problem, but something like speaking at "normal or louder"
volume in a kitchen and/or a "clattery" sound like putting dishes in a
cupboard is excruciating. Holding the ear or putting in a wax earplug
helps... My actual hearing ability seems normal. After not having a
regular doctor for about a year, I have seen two physicians at walk-in
clinics about this and I have just now obtained the services of and had
a check-up with a regular "holistic" physician. None of them can see
any problem with the outer ear - e.g., injury, wax build-up, etc. My
new doctor says I need to see an ENT specialist to do a full test of my
ears and have an MRI scan to eliminate the possibility of a tumour in my
inner ear.
Here is a problem: Here where I live in Victoria/Vancouver, there are
months-long waiting lists for "specialist" stuff like the above - all
part of "bigger picture" systemic problems with dysfunctional
healthcare, which is stuff for a "backstage" rant... I am committed to
move north in just a couple weeks, for the 4-month summer gig I do up in
the Yukon. At this point, I'm certain there are no ENTs there and
probably no MRI scanners, which makes me wonder if I might have to do
something like take time off from my gig to fly back down for this...
Tumours and other bad stuff notwithstanding, I'm wondering about other
causes. It just occurred to me, I have worn earplugs as a sleep aid for
many years. Could chronic earplug use be problematic? How about hay
fever/allergies? water trapped in the ear from swimming/showering?
other...?
Thank you all so much for any thoughts, ideas... Feel free to respond
on or off list...
Blessings.
Michael
Michael Eckford <michaelb@i...>
Michael Eckford <michaelb@i...>
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
http://www.angelfire.com/me/interdependence/
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