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WHAT?! :> I'm at ACL and can't hear a fucking thing. ;) I wonder about the limits of the muscles of the eardrum (TT and stapedius) to prevent hearing damage. F

WHAT?! :> I'm at ACL and can't hear a fucking thing. ;) I wonder about the limits of the muscles of the eardrum (TT and stapedius) to prevent hearing damage. For example, I recall awaking one morning being unable to hear because those muscles were isometrically flexing to a degree that prevented the eardrum from move normally. I thought I lost my hearing but then they started to relax over a few minutes. I don't know if anyone else can, but I can consciously make both eardrums vibrate creating a sound like a rumble. Last thing: I can hear my left eye move. I have a SCDS that I was able to identify myself as it's the only condition with this rare symptom. There is a tiny hole in the thin, porous bone between my inner ear and brain. It can be fixed surgically but requires brain surgery that effectively jacks the brain up and out of the way to be repaired by a surgical otolaryngologist. Eating chips is horrendously loud. Exercising leads to hearing my pulse. The risks of surgery though make me think it's worth enduring annoyances, although I don't know if it's causing extra cognitive load (distraction filtering) or balance problems. Oh and tinnitus from hell.. REEEEEE.

9wzYQbTYsAIc 4y ago
> I can consciously make both eardrums vibrate creating a sound like a rumble I can as well when I consciously try to pop my ear drums.
- mym1990 4y ago
  I can as well, it feels like flexing a muscle! “ Inside the ear is a small muscle called the tensor tympani. When this muscle is tensed, it causes a roaring or whooshing sound in the ear.” Although a rumble seems a better way to describe the sound.
  - 9wzYQbTYsAIc 4y ago
    I concur - rumble is a more apt description for me too, but there’s a little whooshing. This reminds me of an article that I once read (couldn’t find it, but I believe it was about [1] - Quest for Zero-Decibels). In absolute silence, all sorts of bodily noises crop up - your heartbeat, creaking bones and muscles, popping noises, etc. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7932161-zero-decibels# https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7932161-zero-decibels#
- mjan22640 4y ago
  To me it sounds like cracking joints. I think everybody can do it but maybe not everybody found out that they can.
alexpotato 4y ago
> For example, I recall awaking one morning being unable to hear because those muscles were isometrically flexing to a degree that prevented the eardrum from move normally. I thought I lost my hearing but then they started to relax over a few minutes. I remember listening to a podcast where one of the guests experienced a highly stressful event. They mentioned that they felt like they couldn't hear anything for a few weeks but the problem eventually went away. When I heard this, I assumed it was some kind of psychosomatic effect but reading this made me realize that it could also be related to actual physiological responses to stress. (You could argue that psychosomatic responses are also physiological so I'm drawing a distinction between "your brain stopped you from hearing" vs "your body was so stressed out, your ears stopped you from hearing".) The human body is amazing.
- bigbluedots 4y ago
  That reminds me of the Peril-Sensitive sunglasses from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, that go completely dark when the wearer's in danger.
soulofmischief 4y ago
What you hear vibrating is not your ear drums themselves, but is a muscle called the tensor tympani. It aids in dampening loud sounds like chewing or screaming. I can also do this.
- 1letterunixname 4y ago
  Yep, the TT. Thanks for precise elucidation. It's layman's terminology because I'm uncertain of the audience composition as HN has become less Ivy League than it once was.

9wzYQbTYsAIc 4y ago

> I can consciously make both eardrums vibrate creating a sound like a rumble I can as well when I consciously try to pop my ear drums.

mym1990 4y ago
I can as well, it feels like flexing a muscle! “ Inside the ear is a small muscle called the tensor tympani. When this muscle is tensed, it causes a roaring or whooshing sound in the ear.” Although a rumble seems a better way to describe the sound.
- 9wzYQbTYsAIc 4y ago
  I concur - rumble is a more apt description for me too, but there’s a little whooshing. This reminds me of an article that I once read (couldn’t find it, but I believe it was about [1] - Quest for Zero-Decibels). In absolute silence, all sorts of bodily noises crop up - your heartbeat, creaking bones and muscles, popping noises, etc. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7932161-zero-decibels# https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7932161-zero-decibels#
mjan22640 4y ago
To me it sounds like cracking joints. I think everybody can do it but maybe not everybody found out that they can.

alexpotato 4y ago

> For example, I recall awaking one morning being unable to hear because those muscles were isometrically flexing to a degree that prevented the eardrum from move normally. I thought I lost my hearing but then they started to relax over a few minutes. I remember listening to a podcast where one of the guests experienced a highly stressful event. They mentioned that they felt like they couldn't hear anything for a few weeks but the problem eventually went away. When I heard this, I assumed it was some kind of psychosomatic effect but reading this made me realize that it could also be related to actual physiological responses to stress. (You could argue that psychosomatic responses are also physiological so I'm drawing a distinction between "your brain stopped you from hearing" vs "your body was so stressed out, your ears stopped you from hearing".) The human body is amazing.

bigbluedots 4y ago
That reminds me of the Peril-Sensitive sunglasses from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, that go completely dark when the wearer's in danger.

soulofmischief 4y ago

What you hear vibrating is not your ear drums themselves, but is a muscle called the tensor tympani. It aids in dampening loud sounds like chewing or screaming. I can also do this.

1letterunixname 4y ago
Yep, the TT. Thanks for precise elucidation. It's layman's terminology because I'm uncertain of the audience composition as HN has become less Ivy League than it once was.