These treatments can help reduce inflammation and help heal an ear/nasal infection but there is no guarantee such treatment will correct ear sensitivity to some speakers/headphones. If something is giving you ear pain don't expect antibiotic/steroids to correct the issue over the long term.
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Left ear going numb / blocked after couple of minutes of listening (not listening on high volume)
- Thread starter NovakJi
- Start date
These treatments can help reduce inflammation and help heal an ear/nasal infection but there is no guarantee such treatment will correct ear sensitivity to some speakers/headphones. If something is giving you ear pain don't expect antibiotic/steroids to correct the issue over the long term.
MaxwellsEq
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It helped a bit.
Everybody needs to realise that every day their hearing is worse than it was the day before. Exposure to illnesses, noise etc. can accelerate that worsening.
Asymmetric changes in hearing should always be checked by the medical profession.
- Thread Starter
- #23
So basically if this doesnt go away after some discussion and possible treatment with doctor, then I will have to change the speakers as the only solution? Do I get that right? But then what makes some speakers more sensitive to ears than others? What would one look for then?
It's not unusual for downward sloping EQ like the pattern found in REVEL speakers to satisfy sensitive ears. Lower volumes also help. If you like the speakers, I would examine the Frequency response with REW. If highs are attenuated consider trying EQ to determine if that helps alleviate the issue. However, if your ear is going numb and not just in mild paid the day after using the speaker/headphone, I would seriously consider finding an alternative. And adding more silence to my day until the pain disappears.
Roland68
Major Contributor
It's much more important to address the underlying cause, and only an ENT specialist can do that.
The other users have already mentioned several possibilities.
It could also be related to a narrow ear canal, which can be particularly noticeable at lower frequencies. Narrow ear canals are also much more susceptible to infections, leading to slight swelling.
I would guess it's several small causes that are unfortunately cascading together.
You could try using a strong decongestant nasal spray, leaving it in for half an hour, to see if that helps.
But that's not a solution and doesn't replace seeing a specialist. I would also advise you to see an ENT specialist as soon as possible, because if it's an inflammation, it's important to get it treated quickly before it causes damage.
You definitely don't need to replace your devices, but if the problem can't be completely resolved medically, which I wouldn't expect, then a well-tuned PEQ should help.
- Thread Starter
- #26
Thanks! I will definitely visit ENT soon, thats already a done deal. In terms of well tuned PEQ. Can you elaborate what it actually means? I am new to this. Where do I start reading about this so I understand what I am looking for in the end?
Roland68
Major Contributor
Simply put, you can use this to selectively influence the frequency response, for example, by flattening or reducing certain frequency ranges.
But please don't get worked up about it; there's no point in putting the cart before the horse. The ENT specialist will conduct various hearing tests with you, which will also determine which frequency ranges might be causing problems and why.
solderdude
Grand Contributor
I would advise against EQ'in for age related hearing loss.
It is not needed at all because the brain 'calibrates' itself constantly to every day sounds around it.
Only when the difference is severe in a short time (and permanent) or when 1 ear is substantially different from the other ear (also permanent) you can look into EQ for the hearing.
Chances are treatment will help, when it is a condition you may have to repeat treatment.
I would not worry about this being permanent just now.
- Thread Starter
- #29
Gotcha. Will first visit the ENT specialist. In the meantime I can atleast have a read about other stuff. So thanks for providing me with more info.
- Thread Starter
- #30
Thats my thinking as well. Hopefully this can be helped my doctor and its not anything permanent. Good to know about this stuff tho so I can prepare in other areas as well.
- Thread Starter
- #31
So, update. ENT specialist said I am perfectly fine.
Based on the tests they conducted, both my ears and my nose are as they should be. My hearing is very good and the left ear (which is troubling me) is actually hearing a little bit better then the right one (which is completely fine). From an anatomical point of view, they found nothing wrong. They prescribed me a nasal spray only, but it seemed like they didn't even find that necessary, but just to be sure and try something.
Now, what do I do next then?
Based on the tests they conducted, both my ears and my nose are as they should be. My hearing is very good and the left ear (which is troubling me) is actually hearing a little bit better then the right one (which is completely fine). From an anatomical point of view, they found nothing wrong. They prescribed me a nasal spray only, but it seemed like they didn't even find that necessary, but just to be sure and try something.
Now, what do I do next then?
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Roland68
Major Contributor
What tests did the ENT doctor perform?
- Thread Starter
- #33
To be honest, I have no idea how the tests are named. They first checked the ears and nose from outside generally, then they checked the ears from the outside in a bit more detail, then did some eardrum tests with something which was put in my ears and vibrating I think, then they checked my nose and eustachian tube inside with some kind of long and thin metal rod going through my nose, then they did audiometry and that was it, if I remember correctly.
The visit to ENT should give you answers.Get a hearing check whilst there. I have dodgy ears I have to have cleaned every 4 months at our local ENT dept.( Surfers ear operations). Some overly bright speakers may exagerate the problem. Have a read on the Harbeth User Group,some good info on there re hearing/ tinnitus etc.
So anatomically everything is fine, and the audiogram is normal. So maybe the regulation of the middle ear muscles is too excessiv by hypersensitivity. This is what Wikipedia says:
"The movement of the ossicles may be stiffened by two muscles. The stapedius muscle, the smallest skeletal muscle in the body, connects to the stapes and is controlled by the facial nerve; the tensor tympani muscle is attached to the upper end of the medial surface of the handle of malleus<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_ear#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a> and is under the control of the medial pterygoid nerve which is a branch of the mandibular nerve of the trigeminal nerve. These muscles contract in response to loud sounds, thereby reducing the transmission of sound to the inner ear. This is called the acoustic reflex."
"The movement of the ossicles may be stiffened by two muscles. The stapedius muscle, the smallest skeletal muscle in the body, connects to the stapes and is controlled by the facial nerve; the tensor tympani muscle is attached to the upper end of the medial surface of the handle of malleus<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_ear#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a> and is under the control of the medial pterygoid nerve which is a branch of the mandibular nerve of the trigeminal nerve. These muscles contract in response to loud sounds, thereby reducing the transmission of sound to the inner ear. This is called the acoustic reflex."
DVDdoug
Master Contributor
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It's not "easy" to measure headphone/in-ear loudness without a proper fixture. Plus, the microphones in phones are not calibrated.
It looks like you can calibrate the app to your phone if you have a calibrated SPL meter but that will only work in acoustic space. It won't mechanically/acoustically interface with the headphones/in-ears.
Understanding Headphone Measurements (video)
If you say you aren't listening loud, I might believe that, but I don't trust the SPL measurements at all.
Sometimes it's better to go-by the headphone/in-ear sensitivity specs, measure the voltage and calculate the SPL, but measuring the voltage with music isn't very "practical" either. An old-fashion analog-mechanical multimeter is usually better at averaging than a digital meter which tend be unpredictable with varying voltages.
If your left ear is more sensitive (it can hear better than the right) that MIGHT explain why it's more affected by loud sounds.
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- Thread Starter
- #37
Yeah I do not listen loud. Its just not pleasant. However, I bought umik-1, so I can do some tests in the room.It's not "easy" to measure headphone/in-ear loudness without a proper fixture. Plus, the microphones in phones are not calibrated.
It looks like you can calibrate the app to your phone if you have a calibrated SPL meter but that will only work in acoustic space. It won't mechanically/acoustically interface with the headphones/in-ears.
Understanding Headphone Measurements (video)
If you say you aren't listening loud, I might believe that, but I don't trust the SPL measurements at all.
Edit: and yeah you might be right about that sensitivity. The question is however, what specifically causes it and what can I do to mitigate it.
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