Hearing Improved During Airplane Flight . Why?

[User132384]

Hi,

On a recent flight, as the cabin pressure changed, causing my ears to "pop", I
noticed that sounds seemed much louder after the popping. I do not know if the
popping was due to increase or decrease in cabin pressure.

I am wondering if my Eustacian tubes are usually shut, and are opened
temporarily by the "popping", resulting in better hearing.

I have had my hearing tested, during which the audiologist fumbled around with
a device that attempted to apply a vacuum or a pressure to my ear canal. She
assured me that she accurately completed that part of the test, and she even
told me the name of the procedure, which I have forgotten. I think she said the
result of the "pressure" test was normal, meaning my hearing loss was not
caused
by the "pressure" or lack thereof. Sorry for the incomplete info. My memmory
loss seems to be worse than my hearing loss. :)

The test revealed a 30 % ( or 30 decible ??) loss of discernment of high pitch
voice sounds. My hearing loss occurred after a nasty cold about a year ago. The
cold also started some tinnitus, which comes and goes.

Eventually I may ask this question of my audiologist and ENT, who after all are
paid to help me, but I frankly think I will get better answers from this
newsgroup !

But back to my main question : Does a temporary hearing improvement on the
plane after "ear popping" indicate that I have hope for improving my hearing by
somehow unplugging my eustacian tubes ??

Thanks,
John

[Tom Boismier]

> told me the name of the procedure, which I have forgotten.

Tympanogram...

> But back to my main question : Does a temporary hearing improvement on
the
> plane after "ear popping" indicate that I have hope for improving my
hearing by
> somehow unplugging my eustacian tubes ??

> John

Givren your hearing test results, probably not. It's more likely that as the
plane ascended, the pressure buildup in the middle ear caused a gradual and
temporary muffling of your hearing, which was suddenly relieved when your
ears popped. I suspect that what you noticed was a sudden return to your
usual level of hearing after that gradual reduction...

----
Thomas E. Boismier, MPH
Director of the Balance Care Center
a division of Ear, Nose & Throat Associates, P.C.
10021 Dupont Circle Court
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825
http://www.entfortwayne.com/
----------------
The Vestibular Disorders association is a national
clearinghouse for information and help with dizziness:
http://www.vestibular.org/
----------------
to join the Dizzinews email support group,send an email
to majo...@samurai.com
with the message:

subscribe dizzinews
----------------

[User132384]

>Givren your hearing test results, probably not. It's more likely that as the
>plane ascended, the pressure buildup in the middle ear caused a gradual and
>temporary muffling of your hearing, which was suddenly relieved when your
>ears popped. I suspect that what you noticed was a sudden return to your
>usual level of hearing after that gradual reduction...
>
>----
>Thomas E. Boismier, MPH
>Director of the Balance Care Center
>a division of Ear, Nose & Throat Associates, P.C.
>10021 Dupont Circle Court
>Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825

Thanks. I thought that might have been the case.

[Unknown]

I have had a similar experience. When I began to notice my hearing
was going in 1992, I also noticed that I could take a vitamin C
tablet and it would tend to help my hearing by a small but noticeable
amount. Later it got worse and I had to get a half shell HA for use
in serious conversation. I still tended to take a vitamin C
occasionally and it seemed to help my hearing by clearing my head.

In 1997, my loss had become fairly bad. I was traveling over the Blue
Ridge Mountains from Tennesseee over into North Carolina and did not
have my HA on. To hear the radio I had to keep the volume knob at
about "11 o'clock". As I approached the mid point of the mountain
altitude, my ears popped and the radio was rather loud. I had to turn
the volume knob down to about "8 or 9" o'clock for it to be
comfortable. About a half hour later I was descending the other side
and I could feel my head and ears begin to "stop up" as per normal.
After a few minutes I could no longer hear the radio and had to turn
it up to it's usual setting. I can't believe that this was my
imagination. I told a doctor about it hand he shrugged it off.
Maybe it is some sort of sinus pressure that is not picked up in that
"pressure" test.

I don't have any answers but would like to hear someone's opinion.

Gary James

[KJPJR]

I have the same thing -- as a mattr of fact my Dr tells me to close my mouth
and squeeze my nose shut and blow back through my ears they will pop and my
hearing will improve. I do this several times a day.

I do wear HA in both ears and have major wax build up in both ears I think this
helps the wax openup?

At any rate I am under Dr orders to do that!
Ken Plants (forgiveness is easier to get than permission)

[Unknown]

I have no wax build up. This would be in the ear canal anyway. I was
wondering if it would have something to do with the eustachian tubes.

I would be careful about blowing my nose as it could injure the
eardrum.

Gary

[User132384]

><HTML><PRE>Subject: Re: Hearing Improved During Airplane Flight . Why?
>From: kj...@aol.com (KJPJR)
>Date: Sun, Dec 3, 2000 20:50 EST
>Message-id: <20001203205001...@ng-fq1.aol.com>

></PRE></HTML>

Ken,

I just tried your ear-popping method, and it did improve my hearing slightly !!

Thanks

[kske...@gmail.com]

Hi John,

I have had hearing issues for past 7-8 years. Lat year finally had to get hearing aids. I dont wear them consistently, mostly for work. I first had the same experience on a flight. At about 35,000 feet my hearing literally improved so much I was grinning from ear to ear. it was a definite moment of my ears clearing when this occurred. As we descended my hearing returned to my previous hearing aids needed level. This has occurred every time I have flown, every time. I am a nurse practitioner and have talked to a few providers who dont seem to have an answer. One of them was an ENT. Surely if I can hear that well at altitude then it should be "fixable". One can hope. Thank you for posting at least i can say I am not the only one.

Regards
Kathy Skees

[Ken Blake]

On 7/12/2020 10:00 PM, kske...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi John,
>
> I have had hearing issues for past 7-8 years. Lat year finally had to get hearing aids. I dont wear them consistently, mostly for work. I first had the same experience on a flight. At about 35,000 feet my hearing literally improved so much I was grinning from ear to ear. it was a definite moment of my ears clearing when this occurred. As we descended my hearing returned to my previous hearing aids needed level. This has occurred every time I have flown, every time. I am a nurse practitioner and have talked to a few providers who dont seem to have an answer. One of them was an ENT. Surely if I can hear that well at altitude then it should be "fixable". One can hope. Thank you for posting at least i can say I am not the only one.

You are replying to a message almost *20* years old, in a newgroup that
has had virtually *no* activity for a *long* time.

It is *highly* unlikely that John is still here to see your reply. In
fact, considering that hearing aids are mostly worn only by the elderly,
there's a good chance that John is no longer alive.

--
Ken

[kske...@gmail.com]

We all make mistakes thanks for letting me know. Wasnt paying attention to the date, clearly.

On Wednesday, November 29, 2000 at 10:01:39 PM UTC-5, User132384 wrote: