MRI scan very very noisy and had issues about ... - Tinnitus UK

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MRI scan very very noisy and had issues about ear plugs.

blaze53 profile image
6 Replies

I went for MRI scan to look into my inner ear yesterday and after wards my hyperacusis was louder. I went home and could hear all the different banging, clanging and thudding sounds of the machine all night long in my bed. I knew beforehand there was a risk so I took my own ear plugs which were superior in noise ratings than the one I got offered from the NHS before I got into the machine. The nurse insisted I couldn't wear my own plugs as it was against the rules so I had no choice in the matter. Of course you get to wear head pads around your ears but they were useless too. The noise was deafening but I was only in the scanner for 15 minutes just enough time for the racket to be imprinted on my brain. To make matters worse my Tinnitus played up in line with my hyperacusis. What happens now is I'll hear the scanner sound for a few days before it reverts back to the usual humming and buzzing noise.

I had this happen after my hearing test and afterwards I could hear the sound of birds twittering outside my bedroom window at 1'o clock in the morning for around a week or so. I'm down for a CT scan next week, no problem with noise there.

I'd be interested to hear if some of you with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis had the same problems ?

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blaze53
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6 Replies

When you have a MRI you are well with in your rights to ask them set the scanner to the paediatric setting that they use on children along with foam plugs and headphones ....

Its ashame they don't do it automatically when scanning patients with ear problems.

Hope your ears soon settle down for you....lots of love glynis

blaze53 profile image
blaze53 in reply to

Why, thanks for the kind thought Glynis. I was unaware of the paediatric setting for the MRI scan, I'll know the next time, if there is a next time. I've got a CT scan and X-ray on the 4th of April, so I guess I wont get to know if there is something wrong that might be fixable for some time yet. I live in hope Glynis.

Best wishes, Gordon ( Blaze 53)

Andy0708 profile image
Andy0708 in reply to blaze53

Hi Gordon

How are you doing now ? Have you recovered from the MRI ?

blaze53 profile image
blaze53

Hi Andy, Yes I've recovered from the MRI. It's difficult enough having hyperacusis and Tinnitus I'm not sure which one is the worst of the two: there's not much in it really. For example, if I stick ear plugs in my ears to ease hyperacusis I get a "second world war air raid siren" in its place. Either way my ears get a hammering, no matter what. And it gets worse, I'm waiting to see a neurologist because my whole system's up a very high creek. I've got IBS and a dodgy gut which as you can appreciate means I've lost touch with my previous quality of life totally. The one silver lining I've got left, is that Tinnitus is number 3 on my list of neurological horrors.

I get days when my Tinnitus is raging and my hyperacusis feels like a drill in my head yet I'm so used to it and ,believe it or not, my other health issues help take my focus off it. I'm amazed sometimes. I've even had near mystical experiences. Such as the morning I wakened to find the phantom siren sound was out of my head and was dangling off my earlobe. I couldn't believe it, I actually tried to flick it away with my fingers: but it just hung there before taking up residence in its usual place in my skull.

I don't feel as though I'm recovering, my biggest fear I have with all my health issues is "what next ? " But yes Andy, I do get the odd good days.

Thanks for the thought Andy. Best wishes.

vampyre1 profile image
vampyre1

Oh no that's amazing I had an MRI for another condition I told them all the things I have low back pain, hearing problems and noise, claustrophobia and vertigo, and breathing difficulties, I use ear defenders when hoovering and in the kitchen (mixer very loud.) they said I could not use them because of metal....anyway I lasted 4 min in the MRI and suffered for days GRRRRRR

Wringing1212 profile image
Wringing1212

Hello Blaze,

I don't know if You are still active on this forum but Your post showed up on the related posts sidebar only just now.

I had a similar experience with an MRI brain scan. It's been two months now and the symptoms keep getting worse.

Have you recovered from the effects of your MRI?

Regards,

Wringing1212

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