I've been watching this forum for quite some time hoping that my problem would pop up from someone else but it hasn't so I will spill my guts and see if anyone has ideas.

First let me say that I have always passed hearing tests with flying colors. I haven't been tested since junior high school and maybe I should be getting tested more often (I'm graduating college in a month) but I'm not just now.

Anyways, I have had tinnitus as long as I can remember and sometimes it bothers me and sometimes it doesn't; depends upon the sound level where I happen to be at the time. For the last few years, maybe longer - I'm not really sure, I have had this problem where my right ear (I think it's ONLY been in my right ear) will seem to "turn off". I don't get a full sensation or the sensation that my ear is otherwise plugged - there's just no sound save my tinnitus. Has anyone else experienced this, know what it might be, have any suggestions? Should I run screaming to a doctor about this asap? Any help would be greatly greatly appreciated.

matthew

p.s. the reason I've finally decided to ask about this is because my roommate's girlfriend brought it up the other day and I realized...I'm not alone in experiencing this...

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matthew artelt
martelt@nmt.edu

p.p.s. I forgot to mention...The loss goes away after an amount of time, gradually...Sometimes it takes a few minutes, sometimes it can take an hour. And it happens usually once a week. I haven't noticed any increase in frequency ever.

I don't think this is unusual as I get this once in a while where the tinnitus seems to take over and that is basically all you hear kind of like your ear is in a fog except for the tinnitus. I don't think it is anything to worry about as I do have documented hearing loss and have this. If the episodes become longer or more frequent then I would mention it to the doc but for now chalk it up as normal.