Re: Hearing loss: short bell vs. long bell


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Posted by John S. on November 06, 2002 at 10:27:05:

In Reply to: Hearing loss: short bell vs. long bell posted by Marty Neilan on November 05, 2002 at 21:42:45:

Marty, I have a very similar ringing, stuffyness problem with my left ear. My problem isn’t apparent when I play my Alex CC or my euphonium, but sometimes when I play my Miraphone 181 F I experience ringing to the point where I am considering selling an otherwise excellent instrument.

I’m not sure exactly what is different about the Miraphone or any other tuba acoustically that would account for this ringing. It may be related to either the bell or the lead pipe position. I wonder if anyone has tried the Dillon adjustable gap receiver with one of these horns.

In my case, I have come to the conclusion that my ringing problem is likely related to an ear injury I experienced while diving many years ago. My eustachian tube becomes blocked with mucus easily now, especially if I have a cold or if there is a change in air temperature. When the tube is blocked, the ear becomes extremely sensitve to sound, especially at low frequencies. Earplugs don’t help much. I have found that how I sleep affects the problem. I got into the habit of sleeping with my arms under the pillow. I now have a thicker pillow, and try to avoid sleeping on my left side. For me, this has greatly reduced the problem. With my old pillow, my wrists were placing stress on the ear and my temporomandibular joint when I slept.

If your ear condition seems like mine, I would recommend consulting with your dentist and doctor before deciding to change horns. Other health problems or habits affecting the TMJ may be contributing to your ear problem.



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