I seem to be experiencing a strange phenomenon which I can’t find any information about, so I thought I’d ask here. As you can see from my audiogram below, I have a “good” ear and a “bad” ear. One of my more recent audiograms showed the hearing in my left ear to range between 15 and 20 dB in all frequencies, so, while not perfect, my “good” ear is actually testing within normal limits at times, which I’ve long suspected, but until recently, never actually had any proof of.
So here’s the problem. Every month for the last 6, I’ve been experiencing significantly muffled hearing in my left (better) ear for the 2-3 days prior to the start of menstruation. I’m wondering if anyone has ever heard of this? The dates correspond exactly within 2-3 days of the onset of my menstrual cycle every time. (This is probably TMI, but because I have irregular cycles, I keep an accurate record of start and end times.) Then, once my menses start, my hearing clears and I can, once again, understand conversation. But for those 2-3 days, I’m significantly hampered in communicating. Significantly!
I’ve googled this and found one article from 2002. Here’s the link: http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/faqs/Hearing-loss/Causes/30979-Fluctuating-hearing-with-menstruation It’s not a particularly helpful article in that there’s no scientific evidence…
It seems neither my GP or my ENT actually believe my experience is real. I’ve tried to book an appointment with my audi for times when I’m potentially having PMS, but because my cycles are irregular, we’ve missed both times, so there’s no “proof” to substantiate my claim.
So I’m wondering, has anyone ever heard of this? If so, what are some probable causes? I’ve tried significantly reducing salt intake with no improvement. Allergy testing has all come back negative. A head MRI showed nothing except enlarged vestibular aqueduct on the right side, with the left side being “grossly unremarkable”. CT scans of the sinuses and temporal bones were negative. I do not suffer from any chronic illnesses and exercise somewhat regularly. I’m not overweight or hypertensive. I have no idea how to deal with this. For 2-3 days each month, I can’t hear well at all. For the rest of the time, I have no difficulty communicating.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. And again, sorry if some of this is TMI, but I’m not sure where else to turn for advice.
Kerry