MRI scanners

[doglover1973]

Hi everyone. I've had a letter from the hospital asking me for an MRI scan in January. In the letter they say the scanner is as loud as a pneumatic drill (120 decibels) . I had no idea scanners were so loud. Is this true of all scanners or is it possible the hospital have an old one? Has anyone had a quieter MRI scan? If so where? Thank you .

[Yogachamp]

Hi DL

Don’t worry I have had a few lately & they give you earplugs & headphones if they don’t make sure you ask for them. It never affected my Tinnitus

My last MRI scan showed inflammation on the brain so I am now waiting for a Neurologist appointment . Good luck with your scan

[Suz_2 in reply to Yogachamp]

can I ask about the headphones - are these like ear defenders to block out more noise?

[robtheprint in reply to Suz_2]

Hi Suzz26 the headphones I had allowed me to choose a radio station or music. Don't worry about the noise it isn,'t all the time in fact I found it helpful as it gave me something to concentrate on during the scan.

[doglover1973 in reply to Yogachamp]

Thanks YC. That's very reassuring . I'm sorry to hear your news. It's been a tough year for you hasn't it .. Hope all goes well with the neurologist . How's your T these days?

[Yogachamp in reply to doglover1973]

Thanks DLYes I had worst year ever what cancer & Tinnitus & now this. My Tinnitus is still bad , I get the odd day where it seems bit quieter then bad days again where it’s loud , I know people do habituate in time so praying for that day to come & until then I just take it day by day. I do know that being on your own makes it so much worse so I keep myself occupied when my partner at work as much as I can , distraction is the only solution at the moment

I hope your OK & your T not to bad at the minute .

[doglover1973 in reply to Yogachamp]

That's all we can do YC. Hope & pray . My T is constant but I'm coping better now.

[Suz_2 in reply to Yogachamp]

hi YC - can i ask you - do u sleep through the tinnitus or do u need meds

[Yogachamp in reply to Suz_2]

Hi Suz2I

I do sleep quite well now thank god , I didn’t sleep at all for first month or so , but now I do deep breathing when I get in bed for 5 mins & somehow manage to switch of from the noise in my head & fall asleep . The doctor gave me all sorts of pills but don’t take them. Shame I can’t switch of as well I’m the day , but I’m trying my best but it’s a real battle some days .

[Hidden]

Hi doglover1973 I had an MRI scan at Forth Valley hospital in Central Scotland seven years ago. It was loud - on and off - but as Yogachamp said you get headphones.

I was nervous with the tight space and told them - so they kept talking and said there's a noise coming up etc which made a big difference.

Good luck. That is really good you are being seen soon.

👍 💐

[Suz_2 in reply to Hidden]

can I ask about the headphones - are these like ear defenders to block out more noise?

[Hidden in reply to Suz_2]

Sorry I can't remember. Just remember something over my head but it was a head scan I was getting mind you- sorry that is a bit vague.

[doglover1973 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Fuzzy. That's very reassuring . It's good to know they provide headphones . I bought some but they have metal pieces so I wouldn't be able to use them anyway .

[surreycccfan in reply to doglover1973]

They gave me foam ear plugs and ear defenders similar to the attached

Ear Defenders

[Suz_2 in reply to surreycccfan]

blimey - i wish they had offered me these

[Suz_2]

what is the scan for ? brain scan? I had ear n brain scan in Septmeber and given ear plugs but i used my own foam ones - wasnt given headphones as others have mentioned as it was brain scan - they did slow down the machine a wee bit to make it less loud (because o my tinnitus) but it was still loud

[doglover1973 in reply to Suz_2]

Hi Suz. I believe it's a scan of the auditory system. They're checking for AN in one ear.

[Hidden in reply to doglover1973]

That was what they were checking for me...acoustic neuroma...when I first got my hearing aid xx

[doglover1973 in reply to Hidden]

Do you have AN Fuzzy? If not do you know why you're deaf(er) in one ear?

[Hidden in reply to doglover1973]

Hi

They said it is nerve damage- sensorineural hearing loss. I'm not sure of the cause but I've had dizzy spells every fortnight for a year (vestibular migraine, they think). My right ear is slightly better but deteriorated since my first hearing aid - so I've got two now but usually just wear the one as the noise is too much and all distorted. The things I mis-hear cause a few laughs but sadly I had to give up teaching recently. Masks were the final straw as I lip read a little.

[doglover1973 in reply to Hidden]

Oh. I'm sorry 😔 That must've been a tough call .. I hope you're adapting to life outside the classroom. What do you do now?

[Hidden in reply to doglover1973]

Thanks try to be useful, walk, swim, read...if it settles down I could maybe do a job in a quieter environment though I'm enjoying a nice pace of life...x

[Suz_2 in reply to doglover1973]

yes this is the scan that i had - although i wasnt offered the headphones as mentioned - i think these must be special medical headphones without metallic parts- i would call or email to ask about these , as i think ear plugs with headphones on top , would be very effective in reducing noise ( even if u dont want music playing through these) - and also ask if they can slow down the MRI for to reduce noise a bit - as they do this for people with tinnitus so it was 20mins instead of 15mins

[Yogachamp]

Hi

Yes they are to protect your ears . I told them I had tinnitus - The scan itself can be a bit claustrophobic so they play low music through the headphones & helps if you close your eyes & do some breathing exercises .

[Suz_2 in reply to Yogachamp]

I wasnt offered the headphones - do they offer these for brain scans as well

[Yogachamp in reply to Suz_2]

YesI was offered them for my brain scan

[surreycccfan]

Hi Doglover,

I have had a few MRI's (2 for my Tinnitus) and yes they are somewhat loud as the switching of currents causes the coils in the MRI to expand making loud clicking sounds. I was talking to a pal who was going for an MRI for her Tinnitus and she suffers with anxiety and we talked about how she could be in the strongest shape to deal with the MRI, the things we discussed were:

- Ring the MRI dept well before your appointment to tell them you have Tinnitus and if there is any extra ear protection they could give you (understand what ear protection they will give you on the day so you can prepare). If not make sure you bring along some good ear plugs (non metallic) and as mentioned in a previous post confirm they will give you headphones to go over your ears, if they are not sure if they have over the ear then insist you need them.

- To prepare for the MRI and understand what you may experience, have a look on youtube for MRI sounds and you will be able to see what sort of sounds you may be exposed to at the appointment. Although this will not change the sound on the day this type of exercise will mean you have an expectation of what you may experience rather than going into it cold and potentially creating anxiety around the fear of the unknown.

- As you will be in an enclosed space with these strange noises for the MRI, practice some calming exercises to take your mind off the noises and/or potential spikes in T. My friend used both breathing and body scan exercises to keep her calm and manage the MRI

- Use reframing/grounding exercise such as 'Yes, the MRI will be loud but I know I have the maximum hearing protection, the radiographer is aware of my condition, I have coping mechanisms and ultimately once I have had this MRI it will enable my clinicians in helping me with my tinnitus'

- On the day make sure you tell the radiographer you have T and make sure they understand any concerns you may have.

Comfort yourself that they give you a red button to hold and you can press this to stop the MRI.

I hope this helps in some small way. Stay safe

[doglover1973 in reply to surreycccfan]

Thanks surreycccfan This is very helpful. I'm going to work thru one point at time . Hopefully when I've done all five I'll be ready 🙂

[Glenkerry40]

MRI scan are loud some hospitals will provide you with headphones to lessen the noise my scan I could take CD of my choice to play music through although the noise of the scanner I could not hear my music at times depending what they are scanning will depend on how long you will be in the scanner CT scanning are quieter and not so in depth as the MRI scan is more in-depth for looking at images .

[doglover1973]

Thanks Glenkerry40 It's good to know there are people who've had scans and come out unscathed. It gives me confidence to have it done too .

[rabbits65]

Hi again, it’s me . When I had my mri scan it was pretty easy and straightforward. They asked me to choose some music , you can hear the music alongside the noise of the scanner. You are not in the tunnel for very long , I worried myself for nothing . It was a piece of cake !!!!!

[CamperT25]

Hi, I had an MRI head scan, it was really loud but you are given ear plugs and then I was given head phones too. I had no problem with T after , it was just the same. Hxx

[TurboTrace]

Hi. Don't worry. An MRI scanner is described as sounding like a broken washing machine; it's the magnets that makes the noise. You won't hear it though - I was given headphones and they piped Elton John music in whilst I had one for a knee issue a few years ago! Make sure you remove all metal items and tell them if you have any metal anywhere in your body 😊

[purenostalgia]

The only experience I have had of scanners is the little 4 year old on my avatar had to have full body scans every three months which she hated but I believe she could have headphones and play her favourite music.

[doglover1973]

Thanks rabbits65 , CamperT25 , TurboTrace & purenostalgia All these positive replies are giving me a boost! 🙂

[Philip6]

I’ve had two MRI scans, they were no problem at all, they give you headphones to wear and play music through them. The machine is not that loud, it’s very light and airy and there’s nothing to be worried about. On the first scan you could take one of your own CD’s to listen too, if you wanted. They didn’t on the second scan. Just ask them to turn down the music volume if it’s too loud, it was for my second scan. You’ll be fine. Take some Kalms beforehand, I did and fell asleep during the first scan.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

My MRI experience wasn't as part of a tinnitus investigation, but it didn't cause me too many problems - the ABBA greatest hits cd that the imaging team were playing during the session, on the other hand, was by far the worst part of the experience...

[doglover1973 in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

😁😁

[SarahLouise84 in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Hi there can I ask I m having an auditory IAM MRI scan for my tinnitus do they also look at your brain do you know my health anxiety keeps telling me I have a brain tumour would it be picked up on an iam mri scan thankyou

[TinnitusUKPat Partner in reply to SarahLouise84]

Hi SarahLouise - I've looked at the type of MRI that you're going to have and this seems more like it's specifically focused on identifying issues with your ear canal. The best people to ask about what this scan can and can't find would be the team carrying out the procedure, I would think.

The benign tumour which tinnitus and hearing loss can result from is called an acoustic neuroma. Our friends at the British Acoustic Neuroma Association can give you much more information about it, including their statistic that the number of people who develop this issue is 0.05% of the UK population. It's pretty rare.

bana-uk.com

[Suz_2 in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

🤣

[Jig-saw]

Hi, yes it’s noisy but it did not affect my T. As mentioned you get earplugs and headphones.

I also got wedged in nice and snug with foam support.

You will also be told how long each one lasts and they will chat with you in between, all the best, sending a big hug xx

[bantams]

Hi doglover, As other`s have said it is very noisy. It lasted about 10 mins.

I had one in July at Calderdale Royal Hospital and they gave me head phones but I also took some ear plugs with me.

Best Wishes for your MRI scan.

[Dorsetwandering]

Hi. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I had an MRI scan to diagnose choclear hydrops and it was horrific. Might not be what you want to hear but I'm being honest. I had headphones and music but it didn't mask the noise or the feeling of sea sickness I felt. I was really anxious so the probably didn't help and had to have my head in a sort of cage to keep it still so horribly claustrophobic too. The results were useful so I guess you need to weigh up the pros and cons. Really hope you get the best outcome possible x

[oldskir in reply to Dorsetwandering]

Don't want to sound negative, but I find the thought of having an MRI scan quite alarming. I suffer from both tinnitus and claustrophobia.

I was going to ask my GP for an ENT appointment next week, but to be frank I do not want to get sent for an MRI. I'm really just looking to try and get some NHS hearing aids, and maybe some kind of tinnitus masking.

Does anyone know what percentage of people get sent for an MRI? How routine is it in terms of ENT wanting you to have one? And since with deep regret tinnitus is currently incureable, what can the scan actually achieve?

I can see why some new tinnitus presenters might want to have a scan.

But I myself have suffered with tinnitus for around 55 years, and pretty sure it was caused by regularly being given oxytetraline tablets for throat infections, and attending loud rock concerts.

The level stayed about the same, and copeable for decades. Unfortunately in July I had wax removal microsuction for the first time. This was very loud in my right ear, but in my worse T ear, the left, the noise was excruciatingly loud, like a high pitched shrieking far down in the ear canal. And ever since that, my tinnitus has been worse in both ears.

So, I'm really not looking for an MRI explanation, just some NHS hearing aids.

[White_Lightning]

Be aware that there are such things as open MRI machines which reduce the claustrophobic issues but you need to search for them & request.

[doglover1973]

Thank you Philip6 , TinnitusUKPat , Jig-saw & bantams for your replies 🙂

[doglover1973]

Dorsetwandering & White_Lightning Thank you . All perspectives are welcome 🙂

[1966366]

Hiya Dog Lover. I would estimate that I have had 8-9-10 in the past 6/7 years on knee, spine and head, and they have all been 'loudish', but none of them have affected my T in the slightest. Furthermore the last one I had, 15 months ago, for possible ear tumour, I was not offered any ear plugs/defenders etc and still survived with no real issues. Chin up, chest out, you will be fine!

[doglover1973 in reply to 1966366]

Hi 1966366 Do you have a tumour in the ear? I know they're very rare - as TinnitusUKPat syas above - and even rarer to need intervention.

[1966366 in reply to doglover1973]

Fortunately I did not. However, the news reader and celebrity Kirsty Gallagher just quit work because she has one, which incidentally resulted in her having "awful" tinnitus. Moreover, my friend from Nottingham, Stephen Richardson as had one which resulted in deafness and subsequent tinnitus.

[Pink6-]

Hi doglover1973, similar to above posts, here's another!I had MRI in the late summer and I was concerned at the time. I was given some foam ear plugs and ear protection too. It was all fine. It didn't upset the T at all. Just breath deeply and relax and before you know it, it will all be over and you will fine 🙂

[doglover1973]

Thanks 1966366 & Pink6- Good to know that it didn't affect your T in the least 🙂

[RobWG]

Hi. As others they provide headphones (with radio in my case) and for me it was fine.

I've had a few last couple of years for head and prostate issues and none affected my T or were particularly unpleasant. I noticed the thumping and banging more than the noise.

All the best

Rob

[PABLR]

If you're having a head scan you couldn't wear defenders anyway, but I used my own ear plugs when I had a scan. I've had a few since I've had tinnitus and they have never affected the tinnitus at all. I only wore them last time because I was going through a hard time hearing and tinnitus wise but it was fine. Good luck to you with yours.

[Suz_2 in reply to PABLR]

but some replies on this thread show that they did have head phones for ear/ brain scan

[1966366 in reply to Suz_2]

My head was fixed in between two blocks of foam and I just stared directly to the inside of the machine a few inches from my head. Definitely not offered any ear protection whatsoever.

[Suz_2 in reply to 1966366]

I used my foam ear plugs ( which were better than those offered) and the foam blocks were not exactly fixed to my head - even though I told them my tinnitus goes up to new level with loud noise - they did slow the machine down though , to make it 'slightly' less noisy - i was ok in the enclosed space , it was just the noise that bothered me - anyway it was only about 15 mins of scanning. I would not do again without the extra level of protection

[1966366 in reply to Suz_2]

I agree with you totally on your last point. On reflection, I think that MRI was nearer to 18mths ago and my T situation was very much different: Yes, I would have to give it a lot of thought before undertaking at present..... How's things going on your side?

[Suz_2 in reply to 1966366]

not going well - louder over past 2 weeks coz of noise incident - difficult to sleep - i hv req the Clonazepam and GP put request to ENT - I hv also dev IBS this week

[1966366 in reply to Suz_2]

Suz, your GP did not have to pay any accord to ENT whatsoever. For example: the new useless ENT doc that I saw once and told me that she was going to stop me from obtaining the meds, so I got in touch with my doc and he laughed and said that he would await the letter! I have a repeat prescription for the next 6 months.... Anyway, I hope that you get help in some way because it doesn't seem good to me. My thoughts are with you.

[PABLR]

It would I think depend on the metal component as basically it's a huge magnet. They wouldn't let me wear anything over the ear when I had mine, but were fine with ear plugs. If you have some, take them with you and ask if you can use them. The noise is intermittent and as someone else said it does give you a focus. Staying still that long can be difficult with nothing at all to concentrate on.

[Suz_2]

it seems that some people on this thread were offered / given headphones at the MRI scan centre . Yes these would have to be metal free- i wish I had been offered these

[doglover1973]

RobWG & PABLR Thank you for your replies 🙂

[Yogijo]

I had headphones, the type that go over your ears not in them, but chose not to have any music. The MRI was loud but it didn’t aggravate my tinnitus. I was worried about feeling claustrophobic and was given some helpful advice - close your eyes before you go in and keep them closed until you are out so you can’t see how confined the space is. I briefly opened my eyes when I was in it and instantly regretted it. I used belly breathing to slow my breathing down and calm myself.

[PanPilot]

Don't worry, you'll be fine!

I have had two scans recently, one was almost 25 minutes long (unusual, I understand) and was given headphones to listen to music radio during both of them. Yes, it's loud during certain parts of the scan, but I didn't notice any difference in my T afterwards. Weirdly, I even found some of the noises almost pleasant. Not so pleasant that I want to rush and do it again, though! The biggest challenge is not the noise, but to lie absolutely still, I found. Good luck!

[doglover1973]

Hi Yogijo & PanPilot Thanks for your advice . It's so good to know it didn't affect either of your T levels. That's very good news!