Plugged ears, anyone??

I’ve had that happen too, and it’s the worst. Though for me, it’s only annoying during class. And that is the one time I give in and break form to tilt my head to the side – when I feel that drip of sweat going into my ear canal and am trying to avoid it! Once I get out of the shower, I run a q-tip in my ear and that dries it out. (I know, I know, not supposed to do that, but I’ve been doing it for decades and am not about to stop – I’m not jamming it into my eardrum, just gently using it to absorb moisture.)

I guess you could try using earplugs in class? I mean, it’s not like you don’t know the script by now – I think you’d still hear enough that it would be just fine. But I haven’t tried that or heard of anyone doing so to know if there would be any negatives to that…

Connie, I think that earplugs would not be a really useful solution. Having a hearing problem myself, I can tell you that it’s the sensation of plugging the ears with anything physical that I find particularly uncomfortable and annoying. Hearing feels like SPACE. I am not sure if that makes sense. Plugging …. yikes!

It would be temporarily creating the problem to deal with the problem. It would certainly be a band aid solution if nothing else worked.

I kinda want to stay away from that ‘script’ comment except to say that the reason many go to yoga is to be present. To block out the script even if it is a recited script is already closing oneself off to the possibility of presence and newness… so if you can find something to avoid that scenario would be the best thing.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

I haven’t had any luck with the variety of headbands I have tried so far, as they either give me a headache within 20 minutes or so, or fall off quickly.

I think this must be a personal reaction to earplugs. Having a husband who is quite a snorer, I went through a phase of wearing earplugs to bed (it was less useful than I hoped because it turns out the more irritating part of the snoring is the vibration, not the noise…), but when I think of putting in earplugs, the first feeling that is evoked is one of presence in my body. It makes me so much more aware of how my body feels, my heartbeat, the sound of my breathing, and oddly, awareness of what is going on around me, like my body is making up for the reduced hearing. It definitely puts me in the right place. But it sounds like for you, earplugs cause a totally different (uncomfortable) reaction, which wouldn’t work at all.

That – and (depending on the earplug) I can still hear enough that I don’t think I would have any issue still hearing the instruction. (I’ve had work situations in the past where hearing protection is required, so you have earplugs in but still have to listen to instruction.) I don’t know if hot yoga instructors everywhere else use a microphone, but I can’t imagine it would be hard to still hear in my studio (with good hearing, obviously!). All I meant by knowing the script was that if it were actually muffled a bit, you could probably still recognize what was being said. We’ve actually had a (mostly) silent class before for a special occasion, and that seemed to work just fine.

I’m not saying this is anywhere near being the best solution – like I said, a q-tip after class is really all the remedy I need. And I haven’t tried earplugs. It’s just a thought.

Hi Lorna

That is great information – thanks! So what else makes your ears plugged like that? Is it just hot yoga and nothing else? Is it the sweat or not? Because if it’s not the sweat and it’s atmospheric moisture then it could happen on a rainy day.

Actually, I hardly ever get sweat dripping down my ears. So it makes sense that it is an entirely internal issue. But what is the plugging the result of and why does actively sweating cause it?

I want to troubleshoot this and work out what the solution is. I hope we get some contributions that help.

So can you perhaps share anything else that may help?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

That’s great Lorna

It will be very interesting to hear what the specialists have to say and it will be of great benefit here on the forum. I appreciate your offer to share your information.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Kimberley

It’s probably time to see if Lorna has anything to add about her issue. It would probably be most valuable to get it directly from someone with a similar issue.

Fluid filling your ears is one thing and could be preventable depending on the cause. Ie is it from sweat or is it something internal? The dizziness is something that’s ringing a little bell for me. This could indicate an effect in your vestibular system that is affecting balance.

Obviously it did for you too. Keep looking on the net, try a different ENT. No one person has all the answers, even if they are specialists.

I will continue to work on it… If Lorna doesn’t come back to answer, then it’s possible she is not subscribed to the thread anymore. Send her a PM… You really want to get this sorted for peace of mind.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Sue

That is odd! I am curious as to whether it could be a type of inflammation or occlusion. I am also concerned that you mention that the conditions are of ‘extreme heat’. Are you able to ascertain the actual temperature in the room? And even the humidity?

You seem to be sure that it is related to higher than normal heat as you equate the action of others interrupting their practice with your issue. Has there ever been a time where you’ve perceived high heat but haven’t had the issue?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Sue

When a studio has their thermometer outside of the room, that rings alarm bells for me.

It may be that there is nothing to be worried about. BUT you are the customer and you deserve to know what is going on so that you can keep yourself safe. Without the information then you could possibly be putting yourself at risk.

Here’s a scenario that is quite common: The heaters are in the room, the thermostat and thermometer are outside of the room to ‘trick’ the heaters to keep heating above their set point. The room CAN get to very high levels but the thermometer and thermostat will read ambient temperature of the room that they are located in.

Here’s another scenario: It IS possible that the system is designed such that there is a fully integrated system in operation whereby it is highly controlled. It is possible that they have set the temperature at a particular level and the thermostat is in the room and the readout is in the reception area.

Perhaps you could approach them without any pre-conceived notions of what is happening and ask them to walk you through how their system controls the temperature.
[strong]
Ask:
>> Can you show me where you keep the thermostats?[/strong]

They should be able to point them out in the yoga studio. Eg, our system uses 2 mid height thermostats at different areas of the room and they take an average reading. They are small square plastic boxes on the wall.
[strong]
>> Can you show me the temperature gauge?[/strong]

The temperature readout is on a different wall (eg in our studio) in the middle of the room nearby where the instructor stands or has full view of and has big digits for ability to read from a few metres/yards away and visible for students but not easily during their practice.

If you had your own studio at home it would not be unreasonable to ask for such advice in order to design your own system or buy the right products. So don’t be bashful. Just ask. You don’t have to make up any stories but you can certainly ask for the guided tour and explanation and that information should be freely available and demonstrable.

Come back and tell me what happens! (Basically you’ll discover if the system is an accurate one or one that is trying to fool the heaters. Either way, you have a right to know. Bringing your own thermometer is tricky. You can’t place it on the floor because that is an artificially low figure. And you may not be able to get an accurate reading depending on how it works (because of the surface it ends up on).

[strong]My first port of call would be to ask them to show you how their system works because – the long and the short of it – you’re interested in how it’s working (and because you asked!). That’s all![/strong]

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

I, too, have experienced this from time to time during and/or after class (though mostly during the first month of doing Bikram, and I am now going into month #3). I feel it to be the result of one of the following:(1) internal fluid either moving from my sinuses/eustachian tubes–kind of like you might feel when you change altitude and your ears won;t quite ‘pop’, (2) an adjusting of the top cervical vertebrae that has an effect on sensations in my inner ear, (3) the result of trying to drink water too frequently during class and it moving in the wrong direction in my head…or some combination of all 3. I can say that when I stopped drinking water during class (except once or twice, at the opportunities indicated by the teacher) the inner ear issue stopped occurring.