posted
I had the bull's eye rash around 1996, thought it was ringworm, and of course it went away. I got very sick after that.
Also, looking back, I realize that the following year is when I noticed a hearing loss and got tested. I needed hearing aids.
My hearing has continued to deteriorate over the last 13 years or so and I keep getting the test done. Now I need the "over the ear" hearing aids as my hearing has gotten that bad.
I also have ringing and a "clapping like thunder" noise in my ears at times.
I was wondering if anyone else has hearing loss with the Lyme or co-infections. I wasnt' actually diagnosed until just a couple of days ago, and I am now on treatment. Maybe that is why my hearing has deteriorated so much.
thanks for any input! Leigh
-------------------- God Bless, Leigh Posts: 44 | From phoenix az | Registered: Jun 2008
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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I'm glad to hear that you are getting treatment.
Can you tell me more? Is your doctor planning to treat you for a while and with several different medicines, some at the same time?
Is your doctor a LLMD who is familar with the ILADS' treatment guidelines? ( www.ilads.org )
Depending upon why your hearing is hampered, you may see some improvement. If inflammation is keeping signals from getting through, say, if treatment for infection can decrease inflammation, that can help.
If there has been damage to the nerve, that is more problematic. Still, addressing the underlying cause and toxic load might bring varying degrees of help for various symptoms.
There are some supplements that might give you a better chance. I'm thinking of fish oil / krill oil. There are other good brain things, but my brain is rather weary right now and I hope others will come along with that stuff.
B-vitamins are helpful.
I was told about 12 years ago that nothing could be done about my balance and severe hyperacusis. The ear doc said my ears were "broken." Well, that was before the lyme dx - and just 2 weeks ago, a CT scan shows a possible problem with the ear canal bone.
So, you might find some good stuff ahead.
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You probably already know that many medicines can damage hearing, too. Many OTC - over the counter - products, too.
Experts advise again headphones and even though you wear a style of hearing aid, that you should also protect your ears from noise of vacuums, blenders, lawn equipment, etc. If there is any hearing left, protection is vital.
AND - know that while on antibiotics (abx), ears are much more suseptible (sp?) to ear nerve damage from lower decibel levels than usual.
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I hesitate sharing medical abstracts (below) as they may seem to diminish hope. Still, they point to the the importance of treating infection.
There are some other threads here that discuss tinnitus, but the focus has not been so much on hearing loss. I'll post those, anyway as you mention tinnitus (the ringing and a "clapping like thunder" noise in my ears at times). Ringing is called tinnitus, the clapping, too, but also, perhaps, SCD.
I think you also might want to watch the SCD video as the clapping sounds might be similar. I'll come back with that link.
We have much more to learn, and I think we all can hold reason for hope. No matter what you read, always think "so, what can turn that around?" or "and what can make that better?"
You can cross search your meds and OTC products with links and lists for ototoxic substances. Aspartame/Nutrasweet/Equal should also be avoided. MSG, too, in all its names.
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Topic: TINNITUS: Ringing Between The Ears; Vestibular, Balance, Hearing with compiled links
The influence of Hericium erinaceus extract on myelination process in vitro.
A.A. Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, National Academy of Sciences, Kiev.
Excerpt:
Thus, extract of H. erinaceus promoted normal development of cultivated cerebellar cells and demonstrated a regulatory effect on the process of myelin genesis process in vitro.
==
Myelin sheaths, wrapping axons, perform the following important functions: support, protection, feeding and isolation. Injury of myelin compact structure leads to an impairment and severe illness of the nerve system.
Exact mechanisms underlying the myelination process and myelin sheaths damage have not established yet.
Therefore search for substances, which provide regulatory and protective effects on the normal myelination as well as stimulating action on the remyelination after myelin damage, is of special interest.
Recently it was shown that extract from mushroom Hericium erinaceus had activating action on the nerve tissue. So the aim of the present work was to study an influence of an extract from H. erinaceus on the cerebellar cells and the process of myelination in vitro.
Obtained data revealed the normal growth of the nerve and glial cells with extract at cultivating. No pathologic or toxic action of the extract has been found. The cell ultrastructure was intact and similar to that observed in vivo.
The process of myelination in the presence of the extract began earlier as compared to controls and was characterised by a higher rate.
Thus, extract of H. erinaceus promoted normal development of cultivated cerebellar cells and demonstrated a regulatory effect on the process of myelin genesis process in vitro.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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SCD is not easily diagnosed and very few places have the proper testing CT specifications. Very few doctors have even heard about this.
I can't find the citation right now, but I have seen a mention of lyme being one possible connection. Mostly, it's congenital but not troublesome until adult years.
SCD can be connected with hearing loss . . . surgery can often help. The top expert in featured in the video.
[ 27. June 2008, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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If your LLMD is not familiar with audiological matters, you might ask them to contact another LLMD through ILADS who may be up on that.
There may be more specific treatments that would best address the nerves around the ears.
And . . . not everything is lyme (or co-infections). Audiological and vestibular symptoms are very common with lyme and other TBD. However, the same symptoms can also be caused by other things.
So, even if you know lyme may be the connection, be sure to get it checked out by a specialist in the field. Your LLMD may have names of doctors who also are well versed with lyme/TBD. That, of course, would be best.
The VEDA website (above) should explain the different kinds of doctors who work with ears such as an ENT, otologist, neurotologist, oto-neurologist, audiologist, etc.
posted
I went to a ENT doctor as I have lost alot of hearing in my right ear.
He, the doctor, found nothing wrong.
This was before my dx of Lyme.
-------------------- Hope your having a great day!
Karol Posts: 72 | From The arm pit of the world. | Registered: Jun 2008
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Amanda
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14107
posted
Yes, amoung other things, I have hearing issues. I will get this very high ptiched sound, followed by not being able to hear out of the ear for a few minutes. IT goes back and forth between the ears, and happens several times a day.
There is another man locally, and he almost lost all of his hearing, it was is only symptom. He said it was worse for the first few months on doxycycline, then it got much, much better. He if off abx and trying to get rid of what few problems he has by using herbs.
-------------------- "few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example" - Mark Twain Posts: 1008 | From US | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Thanks everyone for the responses. I appreciate all the input.
I will definitely talk with my LLMD about my hearing diffictulty and watch closely to see what happens during the course of treatment for lyme.
I got the tick bite in 1995 or 96.. I can't quite remember now. I had the rash too. My hearing was fine until mid 1997 when I was working at a bank and the other tellers told me I wasn't hearing them. And talking too loud
That is when I went to get tested. Doc found nothing wrong, structurally or otherwise and said I had nerve deafness. The only explanation they had was either congenital or a hard blow to the head may have caused.
I wear two hearing aids now and audiologist said they aren't working for me as well as over the ear ones would. My hearing has steadily declined over these last 14 years. I'll keep y'all posted on what happens during treatment.
Thanks again for your input!
God Bless, Leigh
-------------------- God Bless, Leigh Posts: 44 | From phoenix az | Registered: Jun 2008
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