Re: auditory-problem ("Linda A. Seltzer" )

Subject: Re: auditory-problem
From:    "Linda A. Seltzer"  <lseltzer(at)PHOENIX.PRINCETON.EDU>
Date:    Mon, 5 Feb 1996 12:19:51 -0500

I am a musician and engineer and not a physician, so please
do not interpret my reply as medical advice, since it not.
However, I can offer you the benefit of my personal experience.

You may have a condition called recuitment, or hearing some
sounds too loudly.

The symptoms I had were the following: I had to sit in the
back of the classroom, because the professor's voice sounded
too loud if I sat in the front.  When I played the piano, the
high frequency notes were painfully loud.  I could not stand the
sound of dishes banging each other if I washed the dishes.

A doctor at the House ear clinic in L.A. gave me many medications,
and my friend, a medical student, was appalled at the pile of
medications - such as a medicine to stop bleeding in the stomach
(since I guess a side effect of an ear medication was to cause
bleeding in the stomach).  I never took any of these medications.
(The person at the House clinic said he was going to write an article
about my situation, since it was so rare to identify a case of
recruitment, especially in a musician who could "quantify" the
problem by frequency by means of a piano keyboard.)

The way I was "cured" was very unexpected.  I was at the home of
some friends who had a fireplace and my ear was facing the fireplace.
The deep heat from the fireplace came into my ear, and that caused
me to have substantial relief permanently.  There are still days
when I have trouble with the sounds of dishes, but I don't have
the constant problems as before.

I would suggest heat and regular sleep and not worrying about
it too much.  My ears are still very sensitive, but I have not
had the severe problems for more than 10 years.

Linda Seltzer