Tank revealed during a recent interview with the “People Every Day” podcast another health issue he encountered after losing hearing in one ear.
This announcement comes seven months after the R&B singer told his followers that he was not only going deaf in his right ear but also “losing sound” in his left in a now-deleted Instagram video. During a November appearance on “The Real” talk show, Tank told the co-hosts that hearing in his left ear has gotten “pretty strong” despite symptoms in his right ear not ceasing.
In addition to the hearing loss, Tank disclosed that he experienced dizziness and inability to walk in a straight line, which was later confirmed by the “Please Don’t Go” crooner to be an extreme case of vertigo. Tank, who was promoting his last album called “R&B Money,” opened up about what his life has been like following his health complications.
In the Dec. 17 podcast, he said that it was a tough transition at first to only hear out of his left ear. “It was tough at first, because now it’s like all the information is flooding one ear. That one ear was just like, ‘Hold up, doc, I can’t handle all that,’ and so it took time to get that part of it.” Tank also discussed that another factor that makes the experience challenging is the vertigo.
Vertigo is a sensation that makes an individual feel off-balance or dizzy. Although the causes surrounding this condition vary, the most common one is inner ear issues
The 45-year-old claimed that he deals with vertigo “pretty much every day” and that the intensity of it ranges from “light” to “medium.” Despite the issues, Tank stated he learned to adjust to his body’s changes even while performing on stage.
“I’m back on stage… My body has kind of made the adjustment to being able to hear on this one side. I know how to operate with the vertigo, so I don’t run into those speakers and then fall off the stage. It’s going pretty good.”
In the podcast, Tank recalled how he knew something was wrong with him before his hearing loss and vertigo diagnosis. The “When We” vocalist said that once he lost his balance and almost fell while trying to leave a gym.
“I just got completely dizzy … my ear had been clogged, my right ear, and then it just started ringing, and everything just sounded like a distorted telephone was coming through that ear. And then this ear, my left ear, just felt clogged.”
Tank, who was also filming a movie around the time of that incident, stated that he went to seek information from a professional because those symptoms worsened while he was on set. Doctors ultimately confirmed the reason behind his sudden hearing loss was due to tinnitus, a ringing of the ears.
Common causes of tinnitus could stem from being exposed to loud sounds, whiplash, head injuries, excessive ear wax, and side effects from medications. Tinnitus can either be temporary or long-term.
Tank began to wrap up his statement regarding his hearing loss by saying that although doctors only know what is currently happening to him and the possible treatments, he is uncertain about doing any surgical procedures.
“They don’t know how it happens, they don’t know why it happens, it just happens. They have means to try and treat it that aren’t a hundred percent effective, then they have procedures that you can do to restore your hearing a different way. But once you take those medical procedures, the idea of you hearing naturally is kind of out of the window.”
He added that he would rather wait and weigh his options before making a serious decision like possibly getting cochlear implants. Tank said, “Nerves take time to heal, and it’s ultimately nerve damage. I’m going to give it some time before I start making any harsh decisions, like cochlear implants and stuff like that.”
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