Ear problems

[diebenkorn]

I have been having pain in my left ear, I went to the Dr. and he said my ear was inflammed and gave me antibiotics. I stopped wearing headphones for a few weeks and my ear felt better. Yesterday I put my favorite headphones on (HD 600) and my ear began to hurt again. The pain is located around the tragus (towards nose not canal) it started with sensitivity to volume and higher pitches now it is just a pain relating to pressure from the headphones. The pain eventually goes away my concern is for the long term and am wondering the best way to proceed is (no more hd 600's oddly enough have read of 3 accounts incredibly similar to mine, moving towards speakers anyway . Any help would be appreciated. If this was not clear let me know and I will try to clarify things.

[Torpedo]

Did Dr tell you what kind of ear infection did you have? Was it middle ear or external ear? Have you visited the Dr after stopping the treatment? Had you at any point your hearing checked?

My wild guess is that either you had an external otitis and the tissues around your ear, while not infected, must be still inflamed, so they're sensitive to pressure, or that your Dr missed the diagnosis and your problem wasn't the ear but the temporal-mandibular joint (TMJ) so as soon as you've started to use phones again, it aches. In any case and despite being myself an otolaryngologist, I wouldn't take my comment as something remotely close to the truth, so you'd better visit your ENT, and have your ears and hearing inspected.

Take care.

[strangelove]

Did Dr tell you what kind of ear infection did you have? Was it middle ear or external ear? Have you visited the Dr after stopping the treatment? Had you at any point your hearing checked?

My wild guess is that either you had an external otitis and the tissues around your ear, while not infected, must be still inflamed, so they're sensitive to pressure, or that your Dr missed the diagnosis and your problem wasn't the ear but the temporal-mandibular joint (TMJ) so as soon as you've started to use phones again, it aches. In any case and despite being myself an otolaryngologist, I wouldn't take my comment as something remotely close to the truth, so you'd better visit your ENT, and have your ears and hearing inspected.

Take care.

Hey cool, another otolaryngologist (I'm one as well). I agree with what was said above. Likely had an otitis externa and your ear is still sensitive. You might need more drops. Keep water out of your ear and avoid using Qtips. Could be TMJ, but less likely. Either way I'd recommend Motrin for the pain.

[diebenkorn]

(Puts down crack pipe) alcohol? (hmm).

[909]

i'd recommend that you buy new pads and foam (covering the drivers) for your hd600s. plus do not use headphones unless you are 100% certain the infection has gone away. it might take months or even nearly a year, sad to say. also after you bathe and before bed clean your ears with a quality gentle soap (but NOT anti-bacterial) then pat the external ear with a little bit of hydrogen peroxide and take a cotton swab and gingerly, not going deep at all, do a quick swirl of the canal. if they start drying out then cut back and stagger it every other day or every other two days. you might also want to read up on using white vinegar, if your symptoms persist.

Edited April 7, 2009 by 909

[diebenkorn]

Did the first (new pads) afaik did not work, the pain seems to come from the pressure of hd's. I am a prime candidate for tmj teeth grinder, car accident, pinched nerve in neck, tension in my jaw, tendonitis. But I am going to go back to the ENT to again, thanks for our help everyone.

[Dusty Chalk]

i recommend alcohol.

Back in college, I tried that -- drank something like 32 beers. Still had the headache, should've taken the Tylenol/aspirin/whatever.

[cclragnarok]

Back in college, I tried that -- drank something like 32 beers. Still had the headache, should've taken the Tylenol/aspirin/whatever.

You gave up on the beer too early. The 37th beer is when the big transformation takes place.

[Smeggy]

I recommend an ear transplant immediately before the situation becomes serious and infects your whole head. Radical surgery is the only safe answer.

[Torpedo]

Did the first (new pads) afaik did not work, the pain seems to come from the pressure of hd's. I am a prime candidate for tmj teeth grinder, car accident, pinched nerve in neck, tension in my jaw, tendonitis. But I am going to go back to the ENT to again, thanks for our help everyone.

As said above, good quality alcohol is an enjoyable pain killer, but had you a TMJ syndrome and alcohol helped to wear the phones longer, this would just worsen the problem

I know of another mate at the other site who has a TMJ problem and he can't use some headphones for it. The HD600 are one of his favorites sound wise so far, but he can't use them for the pressure on the TMJ

Good luck, keep us posted on your ENT's opinion.

[jinp6301]

Get speakers

[strangelove]

i'd recommend that you buy new pads and foam (covering the drivers) for your hd600s. plus do not use headphones unless you are 100% certain the infection has gone away. it might take months or even nearly a year, sad to say. also after you bathe and before bed clean your ears with a quality gentle soap (but NOT anti-bacterial) then pat the external ear with a little bit of hydrogen peroxide and take a cotton swab and gingerly, not going deep at all, do a quick swirl of the canal. if they start drying out then cut back and stagger it every other day or every other two days. you might also want to read up on using white vinegar, if your symptoms persist.

I would highly recommend against most of that advice. If you have an external ear infection the best thing to do is keep water out of the ear. Even if it's only irritated, any type of soap or especially hydrogen peroxide could make it a lot worse. Any mechanical irritation (Qtips) could prolong the symptoms.

I recommend Motrin because if it is an otitis externa it will help with the pain. If it's TMJ syndrome, it also helps with the pain and the inflammation that is the main problem.

See an ENT in person though.

[909]

It worked for me when I had a longstanding ear infection and pain when listening to headphones -- after nine months I gave up on two doctors and their medications, one of them a specialist mind you, and took an alternative route.

Obviously, if you try something and you don't notice improvement or things get worse you should seriously consider stopping and doing something else. It never ceases to amaze me the different opinions one can get if they see three doctors.

I had a more serious problem a few years ago and consulted three ENTs, the second one was a world-renowned specialist and the third was the head of the ENT department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and each had drastically different opinions. The first two said surgery was necessary, but each had notably different ideas as to the best procedure and the last said do nothing unless it becomes unbearable. I still haven't gone under the knife and it has gotten better.

Consulting with a doctor is always good advice, but not always the be all and end all.

Hydrogen Peroxide Effective in Fighting Infections

Vinegar and Water for an Ear Infection

Edited April 7, 2009 by 909

[909]

i agree with the speakers suggestion. i'd suggest Thiel, myself.

wrong thread, buster!

[909]

that would be an improvement

[strangelove]

It worked for me when I had a longstanding ear infection and pain when listening to headphones -- after nine months I gave up on two doctors and their medications, one of them a specialist mind you, and took an alternative route.

Obviously, if you try something and you don't notice improvement or things get worse you should seriously consider stopping and doing something else. It never ceases to amaze me the different opinions one can get if they see three doctors.

I had a more serious problem a few years ago and consulted three ENTs, the second one was a world-renowned specialist and the third was the head of the ENT department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and each had drastically different opinions. The first two said surgery was necessary, but each had notably different ideas as to the best procedure and the last said do nothing unless it becomes unbearable. I still haven't gone under the knife and it has gotten better.

Consulting with a doctor is always good advice, but not always the be all and end all.

Hydrogen Peroxide Effective in Fighting Infections

Vinegar and Water for an Ear Infection

Like you said, different MDs will recommend different things. I've personally seen more people harmed than helped by hydrogen peroxide (it can be very irritating and some people get a severe inflammatory reaction from it). Vinegar can be good, and I often recommend it, but for some people it can burn like heck and often takes longer to treat an infection than medicated drops would. Medicated drops would certainly be first-line treatment. The most imporant thing is really to avoid water and mechanical irritation of the ear canal. Anyone who tells you any different doesn't understand the mechanism of how otitis externa works.

A simple infection should clear in 1-2 wk. If it persists after that then you have to think of more unusual causes. It sounds like 909s case was not one of a simple otitis infection and thus treatment changes drastically. When you get into non-standard causes different people might tell you different treatments based on what they think the cause is. But like I said before, go see an ENT. All this is speculation without a physical exam to base it on.

[Dusty Chalk]

wrong thread, buster!

There's a right one?

[909]

no, but there is a wrong one!

[DigiPete]

Paradigm Ref v.4 floorstanders should solve your problem

[diebenkorn]

Going to visit the Shahinian factory for a listen and going to check out some Harbeth's as well.

[Dusty Chalk]

Mmm...Shahinian. I have a pair of Obelisks. Love them. One of these days, I'm going to upgrade to the Diapason Ensemble.

[diebenkorn]

What amp/s are you driving them with?

[Dusty Chalk]

Actually, the Stingray is supposed to be a good amp for them (haven't tried this combination, will), and I've used Musical Fidelity.

[TheSloth]

I have been having pain in my left ear, I went to the Dr. and he said my ear was inflammed and gave me antibiotics. I stopped wearing headphones for a few weeks and my ear felt better. Yesterday I put my favorite headphones on (HD 600) and my ear began to hurt again. The pain is located around the tragus (towards nose not canal) it started with sensitivity to volume and higher pitches now it is just a pain relating to pressure from the headphones. The pain eventually goes away my concern is for the long term and am wondering the best way to proceed is (no more hd 600's oddly enough have read of 3 accounts incredibly similar to mine, moving towards speakers anyway . Any help would be appreciated. If this was not clear let me know and I will try to clarify things.

I have an odd sensitivity in my left ear that causes a temporary decrease in hearing across the spectrum, and a permanent dip at 4k (still better than 0dB on an Audiology chart so no-one is willing to call it hearing loss) which I can 'hear'. I use 650's, and they really seem to set it off. This would appear to be noise exposure related hearing damage, except that I listen at relatively low levels, am never exposed to loud clubs or anything etc. etc.

In any case, I just wanted to chime in and say that I am having issues with almost the same headphone. I say this because using Ety's, I don't have a problem. I wonder what's up with the 600/650 design?

[jimmyjames8]

Going to visit the Shahinian factory for a listen and going to check out some Harbeth's as well.

Check out the little Harbeth's, HLP3's or something like that. I have a pair made in the early 90's. Great desk top speakers. Uncanny at reproducing human voice and piano. Good at all other sounds too.