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Double Bass Diplacusis - hearing different pitches across both ears

#21
Update after the first week of antibiotics:

The canal is looking much better, so the doctor has said that I can discontinue the drops. But the infection in the middle ear hasn't responded to her liking, so we're discontinuing that med, and starting a different antibiotic (non-penicillin-based), as well as prednisone for inflammation this week.

The hearing condition itself is unchanged. The doctor also issued a referral to an audiologist for more details on the pitch issue.

More to come!
 
#23
I just have the same situation like you, I think my right ears has higher pitch than my left ear almost 1 semitone. especially when i hit low E on E string if i use my both ear it will be E but if i use my finger to plug my left ear my right ear the note will be almost F.
Can it be healed?
 
#24
Hi all,
don't know if anybody is still reading this thread, but if so:

Some years ago I had an ear infection which caused me to perceive the pitch about a semi-tone higher than real in the effected ear. This problem disappeared when the infection and fluid disappeared.

However, I have had some of this all my life, or at least for as long as I can remember. Normally, it affects only low notes, so that when I play about two octaves down from the middle C on the piano (unsure of correct terminology here), I perceive the pitch as about a semi-tone too high in both ears. I remember experiencing this when I was just a small kid - I always thought our old piano at home was out of tune. But to my amazement and disappointment, I experienced the same thing when I bought an electronic piano as a grown-up.

This means that singing to a bass will always leave me out of tune and singing in a band I always need to listen to the guitar or some other instrument rather than the bass. However, when the music is heavily amplified, the problem travels up the scales so that any instrument will cause me the same problem. Therefore, I now only sing at small gigs (or early in the evening before the volume is turned up too high...)

The problem might be related to ear infections I had as a kid, but I don't think so. I have read some research articles about this and found that one explanation is transformation of the sound in unusually shaped ear canals and I think this is probably the case with me. My ear canals are really narrow. In that case, an operation is probably the only option and I don't want that risk related to an operation which might not even work.

Bård.
 
#26
swingingoodtime said:
Hi all,

I have a hearing problem called diplacusis in that my right ear hears a semitone higher than my left. Sounds freaky, but in general things work out a bit like vision; the brain mixes the two discrepant signals into something workable and fortunately the difference is not so significant to be always noticeable (I did once read about a sax player who woke up one morning to a difference of a full sixth :eek: between both ears!). However, being an upright player and a singer, it plays merry hell trying to intonate accurately when playing with others (although singing not so much; I can rely on muscle memory & throat resonances as reference points); if I'm not concentrating really hard, or have my amp/monitor on my right, I get a false sense of being sharp, even though the tuner says the bass is in tune with the band.

No idea how long I’ve had this, but I noticed it about 2 years ago when I swapped the phone from one ear to the other when it was ringing (Surprise!). Been to specialists, had tests; my hearing sensitivity seems fine, it’s just a pitch problem. Causes have been postulated as allergies, sinus issues, fluid in the ear, but all these things have either passed over time with no impact upon the pitch issue. Funny thing is that the fluid issue is in my left; when I bend over to tie a shoelace or something, I get a crackling sound like a faulty plug connection in that ear. But that’s the ear that I’m pretty sure is the good one! :confused: (Ooo, maybe it’s the result of mobile phone radiation…!)

Anyone else have this problem? Any tips on how best to deal with it?
Click to expand...


I just developed this condition this afternoon. About a half step lower in the ear that started bothering me yesterday due to a seemingly routine head cold and diagnosed as otitus media this morning(infection/blockage behind the ear drum). I just got over elbow tendinitis/tight upper back/shoulder, in fact had my last chiro appt today after about 3 weeks of no symptoms. Going to ENT ASAP tomorrow. Its like living life on the wrong side of a flanger. I hope this passes. Anybody with any updates on their dealing with this condition? Some of the stories here and most I've read online are NOT promising, but maybe that's assuming that one has the actual, bona fide condition, as opposed to maybe having a temporary illness mimicking the more serious, permanent condition. Any experience?

Update: My off-pitch hearing in one ear lasted entirely from Monday afternoon until sometime Wednesday evening when things started sounding normal so I tested each ear individually and all was good. Thursday pitch was off but by much less than the previous half step; the left ear off-pitch was virtually indiscernible when used with the right ear (brain must have defaulted to trusting the right ear- the unmuffled one). Today, Friday AM, pitch is fine for now. My left ear is still quite plugged up but I'm now optimistic that mine issue won't be permanent. By the way, my buddy tells me he had this pitchiness in one ear for about a month and his went away. The ENT did, indeed, say that this kind of stuff can be permanent. She took me off of Amoxicillin and put me on the Zpac (the ENT said that there is a small chance that the Amoxicillin could have led to the pitchiness). Alright, that's it for now. In my mind, the moral of the story after having my hearing totally messed up and going "oh, shizzle, there goes life as I know it," and since it can become permanent: if your ears are plugged up for a day or more, get on it.
 
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#27
I just devoloped this condition this afternoon. I was listening to a song which I only heard without a headphone and when I used a headphone something was very off. I thought the song may be remixed or something. But then I played a very familiar song on my playlist and it felt like sounds coming out of some horror films. I then tried with different songs and everything had a different pitch and delay on my left ear. I never knew such a condition existed. And after reading many forums I found out that some people are suffering from this for years. I am a person whose life is incomplete without music and that was it for me to loose all my hope. I was having a cold this past week and I don't know if it's the cold or the medication I took for the cold did it.
Anyway I went to bed and slept for straight 2 hours in the afternoon. When I woke up I just prayed that all this be a nightmare or something. And then I played a song and the pitches were not splitting and there was no delay. I think it's gone for now. I never really cared for my ears all along my life. Now I understand the value of it. Wish everyone a speedy recovery.
 
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#28
Well looks like I have this condition as well, like a semi tone or two sharp. Day two it happened after having lunch with a friend I was driving home and listening to the jazz station and wondered who is playing off key with a “telephone” pad. Then I whistled and there it was. I have an appointment tomorrow with my MD. We will see what happens. I also have a low white noise sound in the same ear. Well no backup vocals for me for a while!
 
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#29
Viggo51 said:
Well looks like I have this condition as well, like a semi tone or two sharp. Day two it happened after having lunch with a friend I was driving home and listening to the jazz station and wondered who is playing off key with a “telephone” pad. Then I whistled and there it was. I have an appointment tomorrow with my MD. We will see what happens. I also have a low white noise sound in the same ear. Well no backup vocals for me for a while!
Click to expand...
Best of luck with this. Please keep us apprised as to how it turns out.
 
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#32
Update: had a audiogram (hearing test) and physical examination by an ENT physician. The affected ear has significant hearing loss on all frequencies, my good ear has high frequency hearing loss R/T loud noise exposure (music, guns, and motorcycles) went in for a procedure yesterday we here they cut my eardrum and put a tube in, then did cortisone injections in the middle ear. It was painful. They plan to do this once a week for 2 more weeks. I also have a RX for a steroid ear drop to be administered 3 times a days. The tinnitus is better today but it feels like I’ve got additional hearing loss since the injections.
 
#33
Viggo51 said:
Update: had a audiogram (hearing test) and physical examination by an ENT physician. The affected ear has significant hearing loss on all frequencies, my good ear has high frequency hearing loss R/T loud noise exposure (music, guns, and motorcycles) went in for a procedure yesterday we here they cut my eardrum and put a tube in, then did cortisone injections in the middle ear. It was painful. They plan to do this once a week for 2 more weeks. I also have a RX for a steroid ear drop to be administered 3 times a days. The tinnitus is better today but it feels like I’ve got additional hearing loss since the injections.
Click to expand...

Ouch! Hope you feel better soon.
 
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#36
Yikes guys this happened to me yesterday and I’m so scared. I was on a flight yesterday so I’m thinking maybe that had a part to play. It took me a while to figure out what was happening. First thing I noticed was phone sounds were weird and then I and other people sounded like robots. Then every song I listened to wasn’t in the right key. I have perfect pitch so it’s really, really bothering me. I have a rehearsal today that I’m dreading as I play bass and sing lead. We have 2 weddings this week. I’m dreading them. Calling my doctor first thing today. Gives me hope that some of you guys are back to normal. I’m completely freaking out.
 
#37
Oh my, I'm sorry to hear that.

Try to really rest your ears. If you can, skip rehearsal. If not, use as much ear protection as possible. Drink lots of water, try to be rested well. Don't drink any alcohol. I am currently having an on / off relationship with it and haven't had it for months now. Unfortunately, it is coming back infrequently and I can't put a finger on it why that is.

I'm fairly certain your symptoms have to do with the flight. First time I had it, I had a headphone only rehearsal and really blew my hearing with pushing the bass... typical rookie mistake. After a few hours it went away for several years but it came back to haunt me during touring.
 

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