Stereo causing pressure on ears

B

brvid

Audiophyte
I have an older Yamaha Receiver, (4) Gallo Adiva speakers and an inexpensive subwoofer. I have it hooked up to my Panasonic Plasma HDTV, digital audio out of the TV---digital into the Yamaha Receiver. I have the system wired in stereo...two of the speakers are hooked up left / right in front of the TV, and two of the speakers are back by me behind the couch left / right. I've been using this equipment in this configuration for a year and it's been perfect. All of a sudden a day or two ago, I turned on the Yamaha Receiver and when playing the TV, I feel an uncomfortable pressure on my ear drums that was never there before. When I pause the TV, it slowly goes away. The pressure is similar to, but not exactly, like that you might feel when using noise-cancelling headsets...but alot worse and causes headaches. The actual sound of the stereo is pretty much what it's always been,...perhaps the lows are little emphasized, but not very different at all. I have no idea where this problem came from or even where to look to solve it. I've been using the TV with it's own built in speakers for the last day or two to avoid the pressure on my ears. Any suggestions on where to look for the problem would be appreciated.
 
zildjian

zildjian

Audioholic Chief
Can you pop your ears? Either by holding your nose and gently blowing or working your jaw back and forth? Fluid on your ears is where my mind went with this, but I'm a doctor, so I'm biased. This would be caused most likely by eustachian tube dysfunction. If this is the case, go see your doc and they'll likely started you on a nasal spray such as fluticasone. That would open up the eustachian tube and allow your ears to drain into your sinuses as they naturally should.

If this isn't the case, then maybe you're healthy buy your system isn't...
-Brad
 
B

brvid

Audiophyte
Pressure

I actually have been trying to pop my ears but have been unsuccessfull. You're the third person who has suggested I may have some sort of liquid in my ears and should check with a doctor. I was feeling some weirdness and high-pitched squeals earlier in the week (not related to the TV), so perhaps this is the cause. I was thinking it had something to do with it getting cold and shoveling snow. Thanks for the feedback.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
I actually have been trying to pop my ears but have been unsuccessfull. You're the third person who has suggested I may have some sort of liquid in my ears and should check with a doctor. I was feeling some weirdness and high-pitched squeals earlier in the week (not related to the TV), so perhaps this is the cause. I was thinking it had something to do with it getting cold and shoveling snow. Thanks for the feedback.
If you moved the speakers and/or couch, you may be sitting in an area where phase cancellations are causing this sensation. If you immediately want to pop your ears, move to one side, or the other. If you feel it less, check the speaker wires for polarity. If one of the wires was reversed, it can sound this way, too. If you were exposed to extremely loud sounds or music recently, you may have damaged your ear(s). It could also be a high frequency oscillation from the cable provider, TV or the receiver. If it's there but too high to discern, that's how it feels (been there, felt that).

If you have occasional loud ringing that may either start by itself or coincide with other noises, it's called Tinnitus and is a medical condition. Do you have high blood pressure, or are you now on medication that you didn't take before?
 
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