« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance  (Read 6585 times)

leapyrtwins

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10826
  • I am a success story!
You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« on: April 15, 2011, 10:08:44 pm »
Yesterday, my MRI tech and I were talking acoustic neuromas and BAHAs; mainly because I explained to him why I only needed one ear plug for my MRI.  He told me his neighbor had an AN removed and a BAHA implant and he mentioned that not only was she thrilled with the "hearing" her BAHA provided her; she was also thrilled that her BAHA had improved her balance and she no longer walked "like she was drunk".

Huh  ??? 

I asked me doc about this today and he confirmed that it actually does happen in some, but not all, cases.  I told him this just wasn't logical because a BAHA has nothing to do with the hearing nerve and he agreed.  He went on to tell me that no one is really sure how a BAHA implant can improve balance but said it probably has something to do with the fact that hearing (or lack thereof) has a direct effect on balance. 

I didn't know that.

So now I'm curious.  Anyone have improved balance post BAHA implant?

Jan
Logged
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

4cm in Pacific Northwest

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1324
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2011, 08:19:31 am »
No but I had a headache improvement after the Baha implant

read this
http://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=14985.msg979725603#msg979725603

DHM
Logged
4cm Left, 08/22/07 R/S 11+ hr surgery Stanford U, Dr. Robert Jackler, Dr. Griffith Harsh, Canadian fellow Assist. Dr. Sumit Agrawal. SSD, 3/6 on HB facial scale, stick-on-eyeweight worked, 95% eye function@ 6 months. In neuromuscular facial retraining. Balance regained! Recent MRI -tumor receded!

JerseyGirl2

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 513
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2011, 09:06:56 am »
Quote from: leapyrtwins on April 15, 2011, 10:08:44 pm
So now I'm curious.  Anyone have improved balance post BAHA implant?

No, but I should hasten to add that I didn't have any balance problems before or after my simultaneous AN / BAHA surgery.

Catherine (JerseyGirl2)
Logged
Translab surgery and BAHA implant: House Ear Institute, Los Angeles, 1/2008
Drs. J. House, Schwartz, Wilkinson, and Stefan
BAHA Intenso, 6/2008
no facial, balance, or vision problems either before or after surgery ... just hearing loss
Monmouth County, NJ

james e

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 671
  • 75years, 1.7cm, trans lab Mar 2010, BAHA 5
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2011, 11:29:45 am »
My balance is better than right after the surgery, but I think my PT gets the credit for that.
Logged

Kaybo

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4232
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2011, 11:36:59 am »
This is VERY interesting since I am still sonsidering the BAHA...however, since the most recent surgery didn't go so well, I don't think I will be allowed to get any more surgeries anytime soon!

K   ;D
Logged
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

Sam Rush

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 282
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2011, 11:41:09 am »
No, balance still comes and goes, BAHA has no effect on my balance.
Logged
1 cm AN translab, Dr. Brackmann, Dr. Schwartz, Dr Doherety HEI   11/04   Baha 7/05

nftwoed

  • Guest
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2011, 12:28:11 pm »
Hi;
  Possibly the good ear has become more sensitive and because of that, is more sensitive to loud sound than average.
  The sensitivity may produce a mild, "Tullio's Phenomena". Vertigo/dizziness produced by loud sound.
  In introducing the BAHA, the sound is changed so the hearing ear is less sensitive?
Logged

Sam Rush

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 282
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2011, 12:45:10 pm »
I believe that witha BAHA, the hearing ear becomes more sensitive, as it now has to interperet sounds from the dead side.
Logged
1 cm AN translab, Dr. Brackmann, Dr. Schwartz, Dr Doherety HEI   11/04   Baha 7/05

CHD63

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3235
  • Life is good again!!
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2011, 04:48:26 pm »
WOW ..... interesting topic!  Getting my BAHA abutment in about three weeks, processor in about four months.  This will be most interesting to see what happens to me since I have no vestibular function from either side.  However, I just said the other day that I was hopeful it would help my balance because when the BAHA is working, I will have more evenly distributed sensory sound input.  Hmmmmmm.

Kay, please do not have any more surgeries for awhile!!  My heart wouldn't take it!!!!   ::) ;D

Clarice
Logged
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

moe

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1697
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2011, 06:37:37 pm »
I never had real problems with balance. More like equilibrium is a little off. Same post BAHA :)
Maureen
Logged
06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

leapyrtwins

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10826
  • I am a success story!
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #10 on: April 18, 2011, 06:41:42 pm »
I don't know if it was related to the BAHA, or just to "regular" healing, but thinking back I wasn't able to ride a bike (bad balance) until after my BAHA was implanted.

Might just be a coincidence though.

Jan
Logged
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Lynn Mc

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 185
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #11 on: April 19, 2011, 06:11:58 am »
Just got my abutment.... Can't wait till summer when I get the processor to see if it helps with my balance.  That would be a WELCOMED side effect!!!
Logged
Translab 01/22/10.  12 x 11.7 x 8.2 mm.
Dr's McKenna/McCall at Mass Eye & Ear,
Dr. Barker at MGH. 
SSD - No other significant problems post surgery, just some minor inconveniences!  Yipee!!
BAHA implant 04/08/11 Dr. Merchant
BAHA Gotcha 07/25/11
"Life is Good"

ksiwek

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 125
Re: You learn something new every day - the BAHA and balance
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2011, 09:37:42 pm »
Actually, for me, my balance went haywire for about 3 weeks after my BAHA surgery.  I was especially dizzy for the first week and a half....then it cleared up.  Weird. Jan, I asked our doc about it and he said that for some people it can cause short term balance problems/dizziness.  I am much improved overall now as time pass from my AN surgery (10.5 months ago) and BAHA surgery (7 months ago).

I don't want to put anyone off about getting a BAHA...just sharing my personal experience on the balance discussion...I would get a BAHA again in a heartbeat  ;D !!!!

Logged
Translab 6/4/10 for 4+ cm left AN.  Drs Friedman and Schwartz at HEI saved my life!
BAHA surgery on 10/7/10 with Dr Battista of Chicago Ear Institute (Oticon Ponto Pro)
Pages: [1]
« previous next »