This list is such an incredible resource for things totally unrelated to
Olympus cameras so please bear with me with this request for help. One of
our close friends had surgery a year or so ago to remove tumors in the head
down in the area of the jaw hinge. She has lost all hearing in the ear on
that side and has had an implant installed, but the problem has to do with
the hearing on the other side. It is extremely painful for her to attend
church services because of the loud noise (Pentecostal church, rock and roll
style music and volume levels). She has been trying earplugs and external
hearing protectors (muffs) to no avail. I've been suspecting that the
problem is not noise entering the ear-canal, but noise external to the skull
affecting the bones in the skull. After all, much of our hearing is through
this means.
The following is a Q/A I asked her for additional information. If anybody
has any input, I would really appreciate it. And please don't suggest that
she go to a nice quiet Roman Catholic Church--that won't fly. :) I have
several ideas of what is causing it and what possible solutions may be, but
I'm hoping there is some expertise here on the list that I can bounce this
off of.
Q1. Does it bother you riding in an automobile with the low-frequency
rumble?
A1. "I have a had time hearing anyone talking. If radio is on the stereo
drives me nuts. I have the sound balance clear to the other side of the
truck. It has to be turned down low. off is best for any conversation, if
you want me to hear you."
Q2. The surgery you had, what bone cutting was involved?
A2. "Right temporal bone"
Q3. What problems with the jaw past and present?
A3. "None of the past. currently though the loudness of the sound of the
music in church sends sharp pain down the left side of my jaw to the center
of my chin."
Q4. Does high-frequency (high notes) sound bother you more or less than
low-frequency (low notes, bass guitar and kick-drum) do?
A4. "Mostly the low sound and the loudness of the whole band. (Yet anyone
who lets out a scream also seems to resignates in my head, and causes pain.)
Three very loud vocalist belt it out to a crowd of thousands in a little
church that holds 200 bodies. (slight exaggeration-it's still fire-marshal
approved - AG) If your standing in front and the music starts and they let
loose and I'm not aware of the song coming up so I can double up with ear
plug and hand it is just to much. The pain is excruciating. I have left the
service almost at a fast trot to free myself from the pain which then
lingers or resignates in my head. I am brought to tears. Back to the
question, yes low bass and twangy guitars. The over done amplifiers in the
small building. Three mains and one for each of the three sometimes four,
keyboard and the drums do not have a surround glass cage."
Additional notes: "Any time I have noise between someone and myself I hear
the noise and not the other person. I mean I see their lips moving but hear
nothing." "I have the BAJA that is screwed into the bone just above, to the
back of my right ear. I know it picks up sound with out the actual
transistor device is on the titanium screw. So I wear it turned off to try
to stop some of the pulling in of sound."
OK, me again. So in summary, a BAJA is installed above the right ear, but
her left ear is not able to "auto attenuate".
AG (sounds good to me) Schnozz
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