I’m shortly to have an MRI scan and I’m told that it is extremely noisy to the point that you have to wear ear defenders supplied by the radiologist. My worry is is this likely to make my tinnitus worse and is there anything I can do to prevent it such as wearing particular earplugs?
I wear silicon earplugs when I’m in a car and that does help deaden the noise to an extent and if I can wear those as well as the earplugs the hospital provides and would this help
Hi Healthseeker345
I have had a few MRIs, including two for Tinnitus. Yes it is noisy - a hammering sound (not sure if all machines make the same kind of noise), and I was offered and used music in a little set of headphones. The radiographer needs to be able to communicate with you, so I don't think that any protection offering more or less complete silence would be acceptable.
My personal opinion is this - the loudness is scary for anyone with T. I was very scared first time (more than 20 years ago). It will be worse, of course, for anyone hyperacusic, which I am not, and the anxiety / sound level may induce a spike in your T, but I don't think that the level of sound (if you use the supplied protection), is sufficient to damage your hearing - which would be the reason that the scan might make your T worse. Overall then, I think that one should use that protection, try to relax, and not worry about long term damage.
Opinions differ - someone else will be along soon to add theirs.
Best wishes.
rather like a ride on an aeroplane, or a coach, really. Once the noise has gone, the primitive part of your brain compensates by increasing the phantom noise in your brain. It soon passes.
