Problems with hearing....broken speaker sound

I'm currently 27 years old and from what I recall, I started having the "broken speaker" effect in my left ear since I was about 16 or 17.

I've always thought it all started when I was at a school event and there were a LOT of LOUD cheering and screaming etc.

In the beginning, I thought the "broken ear" effect is a syndrome of hearing loss due to the extremely loud sounds from that event.

However, as weeks went by, my hearing is fine and the "broken speaker" effect in my left ear came and went.

It still comes back every now and then, especially when I'm listening to something loud (e.g. blasting ipod or desktop speakers or even in the cinema) or when I'm in an "awkward" position (e.g. whilst doing push-ups or lying on my side in bed).

So I've had this "broken speaker" effect for 10 years now and it's really getting to me. Would really like to find out what's wrong and get it fixed up asap...

I've done research online etc but can't come to a conclusion re the causes of the "broken speaker" effect...:-(

i have had that blown out speaker sound for about 6 years and i also noticed that i can hear like voices r something. occasionally my ears also start to drain fluid and it bugs me so bad. i've asked my doctor n she didnt do nothing. ive had another doctor give me med. to drain the fluid but it didnt help at all. i noticed that i seem to talk loud every once n awhile not meaning to. i have no clue what to do but it bugs me so bad..

I to have the busted speaker sound in my ear but my story is slightly different. My friend and I were out in his backyard shootin high caliber military issued rifles. My friend shot once behind me and it felt like a needle stabbing my ear and now I can't listen to music without being bothered. My best remedy, put a cotton ball in the affected ear, it muffles all sounds.

Hi, just read about your complaint & unfortunately suffer with the same symptoms or should i say problem. I have just been reading from different postings and it appears that people with the same problems also have the same solution ....... what is it ....... never seen this before. I have had this problem for about 20 years. I first noticed it when I was playing in a band and i thought one of the speakers were blown. I work in a large sporting venue and notice that it get set off with large crowds or if i'm working a function and a band is playing. Little bit annoying, but sort of had to accept and get used to it. Mine happens in the left ear, however I have noticed that it appears to happen in the other ear for other people. I read someone's posting and they mentioned dairy was thought to be a contributor. Like yourselves, i would love to first know what it is, and secondly can it be rectified. Anyhow, thanks for sharing, least i'm not alone, if that's any comfort ...... chewyfrewy

I too have this "broken speaker" sound intermittently in my right ear. I am pretty sure that I know the origin of mine, which was being at a very loud concert. I had ringing in my right ear for a couple days, as well as slight pain which felt like a popped eardrum. Immediately following this concert, I also developed a very nasty sinus infection that had me out for 2 months. I am not sure if these are related though. Although this ear pain has mostly gone away, 9 months later I still notice slight discomfort, trouble clearing my right ear, and the blown speaker noise whenever loud noises are present.

The specific events that seem to set off the blown speaker noise are:
-Clicking silverware or plates (when washing or putting them away in the cupboard)
-Listening to a cellphone on my right ear
-When I talk, laugh, or sing very loud
-Loud Music

I have tried to research this everywhere, and as far as I can tell, nobody has a definitive answer as to how to get rid of the blown speaker sound. It appears to be related to my small eustachian tubes. I did have numerous ear infections as a child, attributed to these small eustachian tubes and excessive wax production. I also have had sinus problems my whole life as well as significant allergies to dust, pollen, mold, etc which cause excessive mucus production and buildup in the sinuses.

I'm wondering if my issue is due to a combination of all these problems? Do all you other with this "blown speaker syndrome" have allergies or sinus trouble?

Another theory is that it might be jaw-related. My jaw seems stiffer since this started happening, and sometimes when the blown speaker starts to happen, it almost feels like a tiny spasm where the jaw meets the ear.

Also, after strenuous exercise such as running, the pressure inside the right ear feels significantly higher, and I can "feel" my heartrate in my ear. This is a very uncomfortable feeling, but not necessarily painful.

These are my thoughts, hopefully we can find a solution here!

Hi all!

Well, iv had the broken speaker sound since I was 17, out of the blue my left ear just kept cracking to high pitched sounds like singers in music if I have it loud, really annoying as I love my music and trying to play some music loud and enjoy it is really hard as if a loud female singer hit’s the highs my left ear just cuts out.

Plus if I am in someone’s car and they are playing music and they are talking to me it, my left ear will just crackle and it happens when I wash my hair with only a little sound of water dripping when I have my head over the basin and I start pushing on the back of my neck, my left ear will cut off completely but if I breath in fast though my nose it will return.

Been for tests like all of you and nothing, my doctor at the time when I was telling him the symptoms… he just looked at me like I was mad because he never heard of it before.

I am now 34 and it’s never gone away, so if someone knows of a cure to this that would be excellent.

I had this broken speaker problem in my right ear a few years ago,and it lasted a few months. Came on when I was in noisy enviroments and also when I was talking loudly.

 I don't know why I never went to see a doctor,.... but I think I know how it was "cured".

 By chance I went to the Dentist and needed to have a middle/back molar tooth removed. The xray showed alot of infection around the jaw/neck/ ear area......and after it was removed, and the infection gone, the broken speaker went too!

Now, several years later.......surprise, surprise I have another rightsided tooth problem and the broken speaker is back!

I don't know if anyone found a fix for your problems, but I just had a surgery for my problem.  I had Superior Canal Dehiscense.  Its where the superior canal in your ear has a hole in it.  THe symptoms range significantly but the major symptom is you hear odd things in your ears, like your heart beat or your eyes move. 

I never heard any of these, but I did get super dizzy all the time, and I have the crackling in my ears when things get loud.  THis was discoverd in 98 or 99 so it fairly new.  Only certain doctors actually do the surgery too.

hi Palynth. can you please tell me your symptoms before the surgery. I think i might be suffering from the same problem. I also suspect that this is due to sscd. It would be really helpful. Thank You.

mate, your describing exactly what i hear...........mine is chronic with running water especially! Doesnt it suck. If you find out what it is please let me know......the hearing specialist just said it was tinnitus, but i know its different i just couldnt describe it to them well enough.

My primary symptoms before the surgery happened after I was around loud sounds like my motorcycle.  My inner ear would feel super swolen like a balloon was in my head.  It's called Hydrops when that happens.  My ear would feel swolen for about a day or 2 then I would have a severe attack where I would get super dizzy and seasick feeling to the point of vomiting.  I would also hear crackling or "broken speaker" sound which is the thinning superior canal bone vibrating when sounds get to loud.

The attacks could last for 24 hrs straight or more unless I was able to take a prescription med like a valium to relax or a diuretic to lessen the pressure in the ear.

Dr Wackym of Portland OR did my surgery.  He is a otolaryngologists or more simply he specialises just in the ear.

During the Surgery, He had to remove a piece of skull, then use a bone putty like substance to close the hole in my superior canal. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Alot of doctors, even ENT Specialists will confuse this with Menieres and regular old tinnitus.

Here is agood site to go to for more info

http://otosurgery.org/sscd.htm

hey I have the broken speaker thing too... I tried explaining it to people and they look at me like I'm a Loonie Tune. It happens when I talk or some one else talks loud or when I listen to music. It's driving me crazy and I feel "dopey" also kinda like I'm sick but I have no other symptoms. Oh yeah I also have a bad taste in my nasal canal/throat.......the kind of taste that is present when I have a throat or sinus infection. what the hell is wrong with me????? I have also developed a slight acne like breakout on my beard area. At first the doctor treated me for folliculitis, with antibiotics but it didn't do much. This was a few weeks ago. Now I'm starting to think this is all connected. I'm going to the hospital tomorrow and I'm not leaving until someone figures out why my body is falling apart like this. I'm only 29years old for Christ sake. There has to be a doctor out actually cares about figuring out what's going on and not just selling pills.   

Ur best bet is to go to an ent. That's a start. For the ear at least. Explain everything especially if u get super dizzy spells. Most docs haven't even heard of super canal dehiscense (not sure if I spelled that last word right) :-)

I am also experiencing this in my left ear.  The one post here explains it best, clinking of dishes, certain pitches of noise.  Have seen an ENT who gave me 30 seconds of his time before dismissing it with shrugged shoulders.  Looking for another ENT now.  Out of curiousity, do you hear the crackling or a similar type sound when you shift your jaw?  Try biting down on one side, then the other.  When I bite on my left side, I hear a solid lower pitched sound in my right ear.  I believe this is what I'm supposed to hear.  When I bite on my right side, I hear the crackling in my left ear.  It's not as pronounced as when it's invoked with sound, but it's definitely there.  What about you guys?  Really frustrated there's no answer to this.  Good to see some others in the same boat as me.  I know how you feel.

Wow I have had the same thing and so glad there is now a way to describe it 'blown speaker' as people don't get me either. I am definitely sensitive to dairy and I have got some allergies. I am a singer and really get freaked out in case my ears go! I will get myself to the doctor and see if I can get any further info! %-) x