Subject: Re: hearing sudden distortion effect From: Rebecca Reich <rreich@xxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2016 08:43:16 -0400 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>--001a1147ff5a748689053e1d854a Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello all, I have a similar issue. About 15 years ago I was using a circular saw for the first time (unprotected ears, big mistake). When the saw hit the wood, it was very loud, and I felt a "pop" sensation inside my right ear. Ever since, if I am in a situation with a loud noise (not surprisingly, exacerbated by my kids' screaming....) I have distortion in that ear and it also feels like my ear is trying to protect itself from the loud noise. I have no other symptoms (tinnitus etc). I've learned just to live with it, and of course carry ear plugs in every one of my bags! Rebecca On Mon, Oct 3, 2016 at 4:21 PM, Miriam Kolar <kolar@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi Jim, > > > Another anecdote that may be useful . . . > > My father, a liturgical organist and music director, describes a similar > problem in one ear (like a "distorted signal with reverberation") that was > first triggered in his mid 60's during a loud choir rehearsal and persist= ed > over many months . . . he says it correlated with a period of regular > ibuprofen use, and so he now instead uses naproxen if he needs an NSAID, = to > avoid the aural distortion effect. > > Best, > Miriam > > > *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. > *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. * > Miriam A. Kolar, Ph.D. > Five College Associate > Weatherhead Fellow, School for Advanced Research (2016-2017) > Lead Investigator, Chav=C3=ADn de Hu=C3=A1ntar Archaeological Acoustics P= roject > mkolar@xxxxxxxx / kolar@xxxxxxxx > www.culturalacoustics.org > *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. > *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. * > > > On 2016-10-02 09:17, Tom Brennan wrote: > >> Jim, I have this problem fairly frequently. Have severe tinnitis and al= so >> bilateral Meniere's. Actually had to stop tuning pianos due to this >> dostortion >> problem. I find that it is far worse if my allergies are acting up at >> all. >> I've not seen much written on this exact problem but believe it may have >> to do >> with some endolymphatic hydrops. >> >> Tom >> >> >> Tom Brennan KD5VIJ, CCC-A/SLP >> web page http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_brennantg/sonicpage.html >> >> On Sat, 1 Oct 2016, James W. Beauchamp wrote: >> >> Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2016 17:59:55 -0500 >>> From: James W. Beauchamp <jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx> >>> To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx >>> Subject: hearing sudden distortion effect >>> >>> Dear List, >>> >>> In 2009 I acquired chronic low-level high-frequency tinnitus. >>> Tests rhowed that it was at approximately 11 KHz 10 dB above >>> threshold. Most of the time I'm not concious of it and it doesn't >>> affect my enjoyment of music. >>> >>> Friday night I attended an orchestra concert where they played >>> Beethoven's "Overture to 'Eqmont'", Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy", >>> and Shostakovich's "Symphony No. 12" in that order. I enjoyed it >>> all, but the last piece was especially loud, and near the end of >>> the last movement I suddenly experienced a loud distortion effect >>> on certain very loud notes. It had two attributes: 1) It was very >>> sudden, almost like an amplifier clipping; 2) I perceived the >>> sounds to be localized very close to my head, rather than coming >>> from the stage (I was seated about 20 rows from the stage.). The >>> effect was very disconcerting because it ruined the musical >>> experience. >>> >>> This is the first time I've experienced this effect at an orchestra >>> concert. I remember experiencing something like this in 1978 when a >>> certain electronic piece by Xennakis was performed at the >>> International Computer Music Conference at Northwestern Univ. It was >>> played very loud, and I remember sounds were swirling around my head. >>> Others had the same experience. This was way before my tinnitus onset, >>> and I didn't mind it because it seemed like the strange localization >>> effect was just part of the piece. >>> >>> Has anyone else experienced this effect? What is the effect called? >>> Is it related to tinnitus or is it a cause of tinnitus? >>> >>> Thanks for your help on this question! >>> >>> Best, >>> Jim >>> >>> James W. Beauchamp >>> Research Professor >>> Professor Emeritus of Music and Electrical & Computer Engineering >>> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign >>> email: jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx (also: jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx) >>> WWW: http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/beaucham >>> http://www.ece.illinois.edu/directory/profile/jwbeauch >>> >>> --001a1147ff5a748689053e1d854a Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">Hello all,<div>I have a similar issue.=C2=A0 About 15 year= s ago I was using a circular saw for the first time (unprotected ears, big = mistake).=C2=A0 When the saw hit the wood, it was very loud, and I felt a &= quot;pop" sensation inside my right ear.=C2=A0 Ever since, if I am in = a situation with a loud noise (not surprisingly, exacerbated by my kids'= ; screaming....) I have distortion in that ear and it also feels like my ea= r is trying to protect itself from the loud noise.=C2=A0 I have no other sy= mptoms (tinnitus etc).=C2=A0 I've learned just to live with it, and of = course carry ear plugs in every one of my bags!</div><div>Rebecca</div></di= v><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, Oct 3, = 2016 at 4:21 PM, Miriam Kolar <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:kolar= @xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blank">kolar@xxxxxxxx</a>></sp= an> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;= border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi Jim,<br> <br> <br> Another anecdote that may be useful . . .<br> <br> My father, a liturgical organist and music director, describes a similar pr= oblem in one ear (like a "distorted signal with reverberation") t= hat was first triggered in his mid 60's during a loud choir rehearsal a= nd persisted over many months . . . he says it correlated with a period of = regular ibuprofen use, and so he now instead uses naproxen if he needs an N= SAID, to avoid the aural distortion effect.<br> <br> Best,<br> Miriam<br> <br> <br> *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. = *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *<br> Miriam A. Kolar, Ph.D.<br> Five College Associate<br> Weatherhead Fellow, School for Advanced Research (2016-2017)<br> Lead Investigator, Chav=C3=ADn de Hu=C3=A1ntar Archaeological Acoustics Pro= ject<br> <a href=3D"mailto:mkolar@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blank">mkolar@xxxxxxxx= leges.edu</a> / <a href=3D"mailto:kolar@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blan= k">kolar@xxxxxxxx</a><br> <!-- <a href=3D"http://www.culturalacoustics.org" rel=3D"noreferrer" target= =3D"_blank"> -->www.culturalacoustics.org<!-- </a> --><br> *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. = *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *<span class=3D""><br> <br> <br> On 2016-10-02 09:17, Tom Brennan wrote:<br> </span><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-= left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><span class=3D""> Jim, I have this problem fairly frequently.=C2=A0 Have severe tinnitis and = also<br> bilateral Meniere's.=C2=A0 Actually had to stop tuning pianos due to th= is dostortion<br> problem.=C2=A0 I find that it is far worse if my allergies are acting up at= all.<br> I've not seen much written on this exact problem but believe it may hav= e to do<br> with some endolymphatic hydrops.<br> <br> Tom<br> <br> <br> Tom Brennan=C2=A0 KD5VIJ, CCC-A/SLP<br> web page <a href=3D"http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_brennantg/sonicpage.html" rel= =3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_bren<wbr>nantg/= sonicpage.html</a><br> <br> On Sat, 1 Oct 2016, James W. Beauchamp wrote:<br> <br> </span><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-= left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><span class=3D""> Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2016 17:59:55 -0500<br> From: James W. Beauchamp <<a href=3D"mailto:jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx= EDU" target=3D"_blank">jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx<wbr>DU</a>><br> To: <a href=3D"mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blank">AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx= LISTS.MCGILL.CA</a><br> Subject: hearing sudden distortion effect<br> <br></span><div><div class=3D"h5"> Dear List,<br> <br> In 2009 I acquired chronic low-level high-frequency tinnitus.<br> Tests rhowed that it was at approximately 11 KHz 10 dB above<br> threshold. Most of the time I'm not concious of it and it doesn't<b= r> affect my enjoyment of music.<br> <br> Friday night I attended an orchestra concert where they played<br> Beethoven's "Overture to 'Eqmont'", Bruch's "= ;Scottish Fantasy",<br> and Shostakovich's "Symphony No. 12" in that order. I enjoyed= it<br> all, but the last piece was especially loud, and near the end of<br> the last movement I suddenly experienced a loud distortion effect<br> on certain very loud notes. It had two attributes: 1) It was very<br> sudden, almost like an amplifier clipping; 2) I perceived the<br> sounds to be localized very close to my head, rather than coming<br> from the stage (I was seated about 20 rows from the stage.). The<br> effect was very disconcerting because it ruined the musical<br> experience.<br> <br> This is the first time I've experienced this effect at an orchestra<br> concert. I remember experiencing something like this in 1978 when a<br> certain electronic piece by Xennakis was performed at the<br> International Computer Music Conference at Northwestern Univ. It was<br> played very loud, and I remember sounds were swirling around my head.<br> Others had the same experience. This was way before my tinnitus onset,<br> and I didn't mind it because it seemed like the strange localization<br> effect was just part of the piece.<br> <br> Has anyone else experienced this effect? What is the effect called?<br> Is it related to tinnitus or is it a cause of tinnitus?<br> <br> Thanks for your help on this question!<br> <br> Best,<br> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0Jim<br> <br> James W. Beauchamp<br> Research Professor<br> Professor Emeritus of Music and Electrical & Computer Engineering<br> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign<br> email: <a href=3D"mailto:jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blank">jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx= illinois.edu</a> (also: <a href=3D"mailto:jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx" = target=3D"_blank">jwbeauch@xxxxxxxx<wbr>u</a>)<br> WWW:=C2=A0 <a href=3D"http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/beaucham" rel=3D"noreferrer= " target=3D"_blank">http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/beau<wbr>cham</a><br> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 <a href=3D"http://www.ece.illinois.edu/directory/profi= le/jwbeauch" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">http://www.ece.illinois.e= du/di<wbr>rectory/profile/jwbeauch</a><br> <br> </div></div></blockquote></blockquote> </blockquote></div><br></div> --001a1147ff5a748689053e1d854a--