Strange hearing "problems" Options

[Gainless]

Hi everyone,

A few days ago I got myself an inflammation of the middle ear on both sides, which was the reason I rested my ears a bit for some time and of course went to the doctor. Yesterday, when I listened to some music again, I had a weird experience: Everything I turned on on my PC actually sounded too "high" for me like someone pitched it up. I thought that it were some issues with my soundcard at first, but it's the same when I listen through my Mp3-player. Maybe it's imagination, but everything sounds so off now, it's funny and scary at the same time. Did someone have a similar experience with infections of the ear and the impact on the hearing?

This post has been edited by Gainless: Dec 26 2011, 23:02

[AudioKitten]

There could be any number of things happening within your ear. Maybe you have some minor cochlear damage from antibacterial agents ect... or maybe you just have some residual swelling in the middle ear. Either way, probably the best thing to do right now would be to listen to music and let yourself hear things but watch to make sure it's not too loud. Also, don't apply any kind of sound processing to your music, especially if you're listening to it for extended periods of time.

What you have to be aware of is that, especially following injury, the human nervous system is extremely plastic (read: malleable). If this is, in fact, a permanent change with regards to your ear then chances are very good that your auditory cortex and/or the rest of your brain will just restructure slightly to accommodate the change. It's nothing to worry about. However, like any piece of machinery, your brain needs the correct signal to calibrate against which means you need to give it some stimulation.

So, in summary, it's good to watch the volume for the time being because your ear is probably more sensitive due to the injury but you should never coddle an injured part of your body too much because it can cause improper neural restructuring.

Good luck!