ear injury - ringing in ears

[lucybooz]

hello all, this is my first time on this site and hopefully will never need to use WC again.

i'm a server (waitress), and was in the dishroom when a huge stack of plates fell to the floor right beside me. the noise was unreal!!!!! ever since that happened, my ears have been continuously ringing. i have no pain, but it tends to be quite unnerving.

after a week and no relief, i was concerned that perhaps i injured my ear drum so i submitted a claim to my employer's insurance, hoping for coverage for at the very least, a visit to a COMPETENT doctor to have this checked out. i received a list of the doctors they use and an appointment was made for me by the insurance company. i had that appointment yesterday, and what a joke!!!!! i really thought i needed to see an ear specialist, but they have their routines and i was seen by a general practitioner. i saw the doctor all of about 5 minutes. he asked me what happened, i told him - he looked in my ears - he asked me what meds i currently take - he told me i had wax in my ears for which i guess the prescription for eardrops was meant, and that i needed to take a decongestant. looking in my ears was the ONLY thing he did to me. never asked what kind of "noise" i was experiencing, never asked which ear the ringing was in, never "listened" to my chest, which i thought odd since he told me i needed a decongestant - NOTHING. he left the room and the nurse came in, handed me the 2 prescriptions (never saw prescriptions come out of a machine like a receipt you get a kroger's) and the visit was over.

i was to call the person in charge of my case after my visit and i called her immediately. i told her he prescribed ear drops and zyrtek. she proceeded to tell me they would pay for "the visit", but if my ear ringing was due to being congested or having wax in my ears, they would not cover the prescriptions. oh, the doctor also advised me to stop taking my arthritis mediation (meloxicam), suggesting that that may cause problems as well. seems they tried to use any reason BUT the dishes falling as a reason for my ears ringing.

now my problems is this: i've been taking my arthritis meds for years, i would think everyone has some wax in their ears which i would think would cause hearing loss (which i currently do not have) - not ringing, and i have no sneezing, coughing, or anything that would indicate to me i was congested!!!!! this man never even asked if i had pain (which i don't). i NEVER had a problem with either of my ears EVER. i've read many times where loud noises (the dishes crashing right beside me) is a definite cause of ringing in the ears - dah!!!!! he never once elaborated on that!!!!!

at any rate, the insurance person told me to fill the prescriptions but that i would have to pay myself. she said if upon reading the medical report she can see that these prescriptions would fall hand-in-hand with my claim, they would pay. i told her i would not get the prescriptions until she gets the medical report - i've waited 2 weeks, waiting a couple of days won't hurt. i'm thinking she will be telling me they will NOT pay for the prescriptions, which i don't think i need anyway - especially considering the doctor didn't even mention these medications being helpful to the ringing in my ears being caused by the dishes falling, which is EXACTLY WHY my ears are ringing - not because of wax or congestion. if he thought i had excessive wax in my ears, why didn't he clean my ears - my husband had that done at the doctor's office once.

anyway, enough ranting and raving. if they refuse to allow me to see a ear, nose and throat specialist, which i really think i should have seen in the first place, i will use my own insurance and take care of this myself.

right now i don't feel there has been any hearing loss, but who knows, long term, but i do know right now the ringing is continuous and is quite annoying. i don't know if there is a cure for tinnitis - which the doctor NEVER mentioned - but if there is, a specialist would be sure to be able to help me.

after this really minor experience, i can only hope i never have to deal with a WC claim for anything serious.

good luck to any of you who are in desperate situations. i hope you have a WC physician who cares.

[Bummer Knees]

Welcome to the forum!

I also have ear problems, having been hearing impaired for many years, and I do have some experience working with ENT's (ears nose & throat specialist)

Read the information on the medication you were given, how long will it take before the medication starts working? (Give the medication a chance to work)

If the medication is still not working then call the doctor your employer sent you to and let the doctor know the medication is not working.

I would then ask for a referral to a ENT.

Please do not mess around with your ears, and do not let work comp or the doctor you were sent act like this is no big deal.

You hearing impacts everything you do in life!

Please keep us updated.

[lucybooz]

i guess my question is this: will going to my OWN ent, using my OWN insurance, hurt my case with WC? if they refuse to pay for the meds that doctor prescribed, will they be done with me? i want to see this thru but i don't want to do anything that will ball things up for me. i agree with you- this IS a SERIOUS matter, to me anyway. the ringing is enough to either drive you crazy or put you in a depression.

also, do i have a right to see the medical report the doctor sends the insurance company? i'd really love to see what that man wrote about me. as i said, he seemed determined to think the cause of my problem was ANYTHING BUT the dishes crashing, therefore, they are off the hook for paying for my treatment.

thanks so much for replying bummer and the best to you.



uote=Bummer Knees]
Welcome to the forum!

I also have ear problems, having been hearing impaired for many years, and I do have some experience working with ENT's (ears nose & throat specialist)

Read the information on the medication you were given, how long will it take before the medication starts working? (Give the medication a chance to work)

If the medication is still not working then call the doctor your employer sent you to and let the doctor know the medication is not working.

I would then ask for a referral to a ENT.

Please do not mess around with your ears, and do not let work comp or the doctor you were sent act like this is no big deal.

You hearing impacts everything you do in life!

Please keep us updated.
[/quote]

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

What State is this in?
http://www.workerscompensation.com/forum...?tid=10146

Steps in general with work related injuries.

You see company doctor;

Company doctor treats first;

If problem persist, company doctor then refers patient to a Specialist then;

Medication advise should be done;

Stopping medication currently on, talk to your doctor to learn how to get off the medication for 2 weeks;

Take prescribe medication to see if it does help or not;

OKAY, you are 2 weeks behind treatment schedule, for you didn't follow medical advise. Even though you think different, you needed to at least give it a chance. Harming your

[Bummer Knees]

I agree with Bad Boy.

You need to take the medication.

Did I shock you Bad Boy?

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

One of the side effects for Meloxicam is ((((Ringing of the Ears))))... Did you know that? Read below....

Meloxicam
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Meloxicam:

Constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; gas; headache; heartburn; nausea; stomach upset; trouble sleeping.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Meloxicam:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; trouble breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or black, tarry stools; change in the amount of urine produced; chest pain; confusion; dark urine; depression; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; mental or mood changes; numbness of an arm or leg; one-sided weakness; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe headache or dizziness; severe or persistent stomach pain or nausea; severe vomiting; shortness of breath; sudden or unexplained weight gain; swelling of hands, legs, or feet; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual joint or muscle pain; unusual tiredness or weakness; vision or speech changes; vomit that looks like coffee grounds; yellowing of the skin or eyes.


Meloxicam Suspension
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Meloxicam Suspension:



Read more: http://www.drugs.com/sfx/meloxicam-side-...z0wKVoi6QF

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

((((I don't know if there is a cure for tinnitis - which the doctor NEVER mentioned - but if there is, a specialist would be sure to be able to help me.)))) Quote;



Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom resulting from a range of underlying causes that can include: ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear, nose allergies that prevent (or induce) fluid drain and cause wax build-up. Tinnitus can also be caused by natural hearing impairment (as in aging), as a side effect of some medications, and as a side effect of genetic (congenital) hearing loss.

[lucybooz]

Bad Boy Bad Boy Wrote:((((I don't know if there is a cure for tinnitis - which the doctor NEVER mentioned - but if there is, a specialist would be sure to be able to help me.)))) Quote;



Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom resulting from a range of underlying causes that can include: ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear, nose allergies that prevent (or induce) fluid drain and cause wax build-up. Tinnitus can also be caused by natural hearing impairment (as in aging), as a side effect of some medications, and as a side effect of genetic (congenital) hearing loss.

the state is georgia.

i understand all you are saying about wax in the ears and the meloxicam, but another MAJOR cause of tinnitis is loud noices, which the dishes crashing to the floor definitely caused - we are talking about 20+ plates hitting a commercially tiled floor, in a small room and me standing right beside the falling plates. i can still feel the vibration of those dishes breaking. it's ironic how all these things are able to cause the ringing in the ears, but noone mentions the dishes falling as being a possible cause. i really can't understand how, even if there is wax in my ears, even if the meloxicam is having this adverse side-effect on me after all this time, and even if i am congested - how did all this act to start the ringing in my ears at the very second the dishes crashed to the floor beside me? i would think that at some point BEFORE the dishes crashed, i would have had some inkling of a problem with my ears which i did not.

my hearing is of great concern to me, and i'm hopeful that removing whatever wax there is from my ears and taking the decongestant will do the job. i do, however, truly feel this was caused from the dishes crashing to the floor since i had absolutely no prolems with my ears before this. i will also stop the meloxicam for now. hopefully there will be no hearing loss - it's hard to tell tho with all the ringing and not having had a hearing test. it's not money or any free services i'm after, just my hearing and my sanity.

[Cycler]

While a brief one time exposure to a very loud noise often produces a ringing in the ears it is a short lived experience in almost all cases. Consider loud firecrackers or explosion, rock concerts etc., a few days is about the max. That's not to say it cannot last longer or be permanent just that it's not as likely so hopefully you'll see ( hear) some relief soon.

Since comp claims are based on causal relationship it is not unusual to use your medical insurance to find a diagnoses at which time a causal relationship to a work exposure may be suspected or confirmed and you begin the process of claim allowance under comp/ So, no reason in the world to delay your care by seeing a Dr. of your choice. After all, you want it ti stop regardless of who is paying right ?
Some may say that it can hurt your claim, maybe, I don't know, but again - so what ?

[Bummer Knees]

Lucy

If the symptoms continue please see an ENT about this.

I would not anyone live the life I do as a hearing impaired adult.