Anyone know much about hearing loss when you have Lyme what actually causes it and if during and or after treatment there is any chance of recovering some/most of it?.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Are you being treated for lyme? By an ILADS-educated LLMD?
Have you been evaluated for other tick-borne infections (especially babesia and bartonella?
Are you taking a good liver support supplement like Milk Thistle?
What abx (antibiotics) are you or have you been on and - was it while on a particular abx that you noticed hearing loss?
Has the hearing loss been attributed to lyme?
Did your ears EVER receive noise damage at any time of your life?
These are just the basic questions a otoneurologist would ask. There would be no way we could know but, yes, there have been cases of hearing damage that got better.
If you are taking azithromycin (zithromax or "zith") I would definitely as the LLMD for a change of medicines immediately.
Do you have a LL (lyme Literate) otoneurologist (ear doctor with special training in neurology?
HBO (hyperbaric oxygen) has recovered hearing - but I can't find the link to the article I read about that. The flip side to HBO is that it can also be hard on the ears with pressure.
I have to wrap it up but I hope this helps. And there is always hope. Take care, now.
------------------
All about EARS: ------------------
For those who are sensitive or pained by even normal or soft sounds (sounds not even at noise level). Not to be insensitive to your issue of hearing loss, but a person can have both, some loss with some sounds and also severe sensitivity to other frequencies:
You can look inside this book and read customer reviews here:
Ototoxic Drugs Exposed: Prescription Drugs and Other Chemicals That Can (and Do) Damage Our Ears
- by Neil G. Bauman -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Backing up, yes, lyme itself can cause hearing loss. So, it's important to know when the hearing loss began. Before abx began or when on abx?
Are there changes (at all) to hearing or balance since starting any particular Rx?
Are any protective measures being take for liver protection (as that may also help protect the ears.) I mentioned Milk Thistle above. B-6 and NAC are two other supplements that seem to offer some ear protection with minocycline (which can also be hard on the vestibular system. Some do fine with it; others don't but liver protection can change that.)
Be sure to avoid tylenol as that can be very hard on the liver and that increases chances for damage to ears from the level of circulating toxins in the body - and the liver being too overwhelmed to metabolize fast enough.
Lyme is a very toxic infection and that is hard on the liver. That's why I'm pushing liver support for ear protection. The higher level of circulating toxins in the body and the higher risk for ear damage as the ears are the first things to be affected by toxins.
And, since lyme toxins are very damaging, this is also why it is vital to treat the infection(s). It's just very challenging to find the best way.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Zithromax:
. . . changes in hearing or hearing loss; . . . ringing in the ears; . . . .
-
Posted by Amy C (Member # 19297) on :
I have hearing problems too. It came on slowly during the years that I was getting lyme symptoms but didn't know what was wrong with me. Before I started treatment.
It hasn't improved and maybe even gotten worse. I am always saying "I can't hear you". Especially when someone is talking to me and there is background noise or they aren't directly in front of me.
It's very frusterating!! Sometimes people will talk to me and I will just pretend I hear them and hope by saying yeah that they think I can hear them.
Posted by shazdancer (Member # 1436) on :
Keebler,
Your best summation EVER! And thanks.
Amy, you sound like you could use an evaluation from an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, throat doctor) and an audiologist (hearing tester). They can rule out simpler causes for your hearing loss, such as trapped wax, and more threatening causes, such as a tumor. And they can fit you for hearing aids to improve (not correct) the hearing you still have.
But yes, your hearing loss could be from Lyme, which can effect the central nervous system.
Posted by LymeXtu (Member # 24590) on :
The reason I asked is because during the time my son was being diagnosed I was under EXTREME stress as you all can relate to and I began having strange symtoms too, very stiff neck, headaches, and BAD tailbone pain, I started wondering if I also could have it, I have never had ANY health problems except for a drastic loss in hearing 60% over the last 8yrs, many sinus infections, lots of knee pain. My doctor could never find a reason for any of these and now with the other stuff I am wondering if it could have been Lyme all along?
Posted by LymeXtu (Member # 24590) on :
I had to laugh reading my own post about never having ANY health problems and then listing three right off!! I should also add that I am requesting a western blot next week. Have had two alisa that were negative. I was going to try to space out my sentences better but ran out of room, how do you post longer replies??
Posted by LymeXtu (Member # 24590) on :
Also Amy C - I put off getting hearing aids for 2-3 years and looking back wish I would have gotten them sooner. It really starts to effect your quality of life when you cannot hear. I did not realize how bad my hearing had become till I got my hearing aids and could not be without them now. P.S. Thanks to everyone for all the great replies!!
Posted by Amy C (Member # 19297) on :
So do some people get improvement in hearing after treating or do we think this is permanent? It is a big problem for me in my daily life.
I almost went for the hearing test right before I found out I had lyme. It was one of my many specialist visits that my family doctor was sending me to trying to figure things out.
Once I figured out it was lyme I canceled my appointment. Maybe I should make an appointment then if they can help.
Thanks and I hope our hearing does improve and isn't permanent!
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Q was: " . . . So do some people get improvement in hearing after treating . . ."?
Yes. That has happened. But there are many variables. That is why it's so important to have good LL doctors, all the way around. -
Posted by shazdancer (Member # 1436) on :
Agreed. Some people have had their hearing restored with treatment. Get a doctor on board who is either Lyme-literate or who will speak with your Lyme-literate physician while you are being treated.