Question: I acquired Tinnitus within minutes of an acoustic trauma through an earpiece into ONLY my right ear, but I have tinnitus in both ears. Later I also acquired TMJ and Hyperacusis.

A case-worker at the Office of Worker's Compensation has denied my claim in part because my tinnitus is in both ears and the injury was to only one ear so the injury could not have caused tinnitus in both ears.

I am not an Audiologist or ENT, but if one of you are qualified and you find this case-worker's convenient conclusion as flawed as I do - or if you agree with him. Please respond.

Answer: Any standard audiology textbook will cover the findings that any sound in one ear affects the perception of sound in the other and that tinnitus "localization" is quite inexact, involving central (brain) mechanisms.

In unilateral Meniere's disease, tinnitus in the "good" ear is not considered evidence of Meniere's in that ear, only that central connections are involved.

Your case worker is ill-informed.