Is My Hearing Getting Worse?

[dpdx]

I just listened to some song and noticed that on a certain part of the song like the hearing dips on the left ear and comes back to normal, it is like reduced quite a lot in volume and then it comes back up in a second or so. Leaving only the right ear to hear this part of song and the left ear is like somehow just reduced volume. Is this hearing loss?

I don't think I had this before. I can only attribute to that test I did in January and those loud sounds I exposed myself to.

 

[fishbone]

The way to find this out, is to possibly go to a professional (audiologist) that does hearing tests and see if it has gotten worst. If you are concerned, then that is what a lot of people (including myself) would do. it's up to you

Take care

 

[dpdx]

The way to find this out, is to possibly go to a professional (audiologist) that does hearing tests and see if it has gotten worst. If you are concerned, then that is what a lot of people (including myself) would do. it's up to you

Take care

Fishbone I had an audiogram done in October and it was normal, another one in January and it was fine, however the one i did on February showed possible mild hearing loss at 4hz to 25-30 db (Same audiologist).

 

[dpdx]

Here is my audiogram from October.

 

[fishbone]

Here is my audiogram from October. View attachment 15891

You have pretty good hearing, in general?

 

[dpdx]

You have pretty good hearing, in general?

Well my friend this was back in October before i did that caloric test and exposed myself to the fire alarm twice, plus the motroycles,etc. The audiogram in January (Jan 8) showed dips at 3khz and 4khz but only at 10db, the one form February (Feb 6) right after those tests showed what could be possible mild hearing loss at 4khz. It could be that my T spike was covering the sounds so that could explain the dip. Tinnitus was much milder from October-Jan 15 from Jan 17-now it has been more loud, intrusive, and nasty. I acquired more tones, ear fullness, hyperacusis on both ears, and T on the right ear which was loud today.

 

[fishbone]

Well my friend this was back in October before i did that caloric test and exposed myself to the fire alarm twice, plus the motroycles,etc. The audiogram in January (Jan 8) showed dips at 3khz and 4khz, the one form February (Feb 6) right after those tests showed what could be possible mild hearing loss at 4khz. It could be that my T spike was covering the sounds so that could explain the dip. Tinnitus was much milder from October-Jan 15 from Jan 17-now it has been more loud, intrusive, and nasty. I acquired more tones, ear fullness, hyperacusis on both ears, and T on the right ear which was loud today.

I can tell you this much, your hearing is MUCH better than mine

I'd give anything to have your hearing. As i have always said, I careless about my loud/intrusive tinnitus(90% of the time), I just hate having such poor and garbage hearing

 

[dpdx]

I can tell you this much, your hearing is MUCH better than mine

I'd give anything to have your hearing. As i have always said, I careless about my loud/intrusive tinnitus(90% of the time), I just hate having such poor and garbage hearing

It is getting worse though. I am starting to hear less on the left ear.

 

[Shaneo]

Happy to swap ears if your concerned??

That hearing is unreal, I am sitting around the 20-40db loss area.

 

[dpdx]

Happy to swap ears if your concerned??

That hearing is unreal, I am sitting around the 20-40db loss area.

This is audiogram is from October 2017. It changed in February.

 

[Andrei90]

It is getting worse though. I am starting to hear less on the left ear.

Seems like you're slowly losing hearing like me. I'm assuming you quit using headphones, going to concerts, and stopped doing anything else that might cause harm to your ears? Do you have middle ear problems? I still get violent spams of the eardrum when I yawn or burp (possibly quick pressure change). If I understand correctly, the inner ear is exposed to this and possibly might receive damage. If this is not the answer, then it's very possible that I'm getting hair cell death months after my exposure and there's literature to support this. Of course, the doctors are useless and won't help unless it drops well into the mild range. Just as a reference, my first exam in December was virtually identical to yours.

If you have anything please share.

 

[dpdx]

Seems like you're slowly losing hearing like me. I'm assuming you quit using headphones, going to concerts, and stopped doing anything else that might cause harm to your ears? Do you have middle ear problems? I still get violent spams of the eardrum when I yawn or burp (possibly quick pressure change). If I understand correctly, the inner ear is exposed to this and possibly might receive damage. If this is not the answer, then it's very possible that I'm getting hair cell death months after my exposure and there's literature to support this. Of course, the doctors are useless and won't help unless it drops well into the mild range.

If you have anything please share.

The only sounds i have exposed myself are walking next to a busy street without earplugs in January. Doing caloric test in January. Fire alarm came on in library then another fire alarm in my room. Motorcycles drove past me when i was walking on a residential street without earplugs. Lady who cut my hair used a hair dryer. Ambulance passed me when i was driving.
I didnt attend any loud venues at all nor did i listen to music on earbuds after that accident.
I hear less in my left ear. My hearing was normal back in October and in January, after the caloric test and these noise exposures it has worsened..T also worsened.

 

[fishbone]

I'll take both of your hearing and ears

At 4000-8000 I am a loss at 65 to 70Dbs, it's that bad but I still smile.

 

[dpdx]

I'll take both of your hearing and ears

At 4000-8000 I am a loss at 65 to 70Dbs, it's that bad but I still smile.

Horrible!
I am shocked how i went from good hearing in October to bad hearing in February/March.

 

[fishbone]

Horrible!
I am shocked how i went from good hearing in October to bad hearing in February/March.

It is what it is. I refuse to wear hearing aids and I simply just tell people to repeat themselves. I have no shame at all in doing this. My ears are beyond horrible, but that's ok. What is hard in life, can just make us stronger

I was picking up my mail today and this gal had the lowest voice and I had to ask her to repeat herself, she started to laugh and I had no care what she thought or did. It's how you carry yourself in life that matters, it's not what affliction you face...

 

[dpdx]

It is what it is. I refuse to wear hearing aids and I simply just tell people to repeat themselves. I have no shame at all in doing this. My ears are beyond horrible, but that's ok. What is hard in life, can just make us stronger

I am scared that I will go prounfly deaf in both ears.

 

[Andrei90]

I'll take both of your hearing and ears

At 4000-8000 I am a loss at 65 to 70Dbs, it's that bad but I still smile.

Your T started 2 years before I was born. Is that when you received your damaged hearing or did it accumulate over the 29 years? I'm also guessing you're about twice my age? Issues started around the same age?

 

[fishbone]

I am scared that I will go prounfly deaf in both ears.

My left ear is pretty darn close to it.

 

[dpdx]

@fishbone this is how the audiogram looked like from February. Initially there was a dip at 4khz to 25db (mild hearing loss). The audiologist told me not to worry that its normal and asked me if i am taking any medicine which could have caused the dip. I just told him that i did those tests and was exposed to some sounds. I told him T is louder now and he then went back in and used a different sound for that freq and viola it came back up again. However, I feel like i do hear less on the left ear in comparison to earlier.

 

[fishbone]

@fishbone this is how the audiogram looked like from February. Initially there was a dip at 4khz to 25db (mild hearing loss). The audiologist told me not to worry that its normal and asked me if i am taking any medicine which could have caused the dip. I just told him that i did those tests and was exposed to some sounds. I told him T is louder now and he then went back in and used a different sound for that freq and viola it came back up again. However, I feel like i do hear less on the left ear in comparison to earlier.
View attachment 15896

Something has caused this. Whether its meds , stress, depression. If your tinnitus is louder during these exams, then it could impact your testing and results. I use to go and do the testing. It was the chamber of horrors for me..lol

He'd give me a thing to hold and then press the button when I heard a beep. I had no clue what I heard the beeps and just pressed buttons at times to just get the hell out that sound booth..lol

It is what it is. I smile, and laugh about it but it does make life kinda harder, when your ears are this poor

 

[dpdx]

Something has caused this. Whether its meds , stress, depression. If your tinnitus is louder during these exams, then it could impact your testing and results. I use to go and do the testing. It was the chamber of horrors for me..lol

He'd give me a thing to hold and then press the button when I heard a beep. I had no clue what I heard the beeps and just pressed buttons at times to just get the hell out that sound booth..lol

It is what it is. I smile, and laugh about it but it does make life kinda harder, when your ears are this poor

I am convinced it is the caloric test and the sounds I have been exposed to.
January
-Caloric Test
-Fire Alarm
-Walking next to a busy road
-Three helicopters over the house

February
-Muffler of a car at parking lot
-Fire Alarm
-Ambulance
-Motorcycles
-Vaccum cleaner

It could be all of those that contributed to the mild hearing loss. I am going in for another hearing test next month but with different audiologist. I will hopefully come back to this one in June/July.

 

[Andrei90]

@fishbone this is how the audiogram looked like from February. Initially there was a dip at 4khz to 25db (mild hearing loss). The audiologist told me not to worry that its normal and asked me if i am taking any medicine which could have caused the dip. I just told him that i did those tests and was exposed to some sounds. I told him T is louder now and he then went back in and used a different sound for that freq and viola it came back up again. However, I feel like i do hear less on the left ear in comparison to earlier.
View attachment 15896

Both ears dip down to 15db at that frequency. Everything else is almost similar and yet I feel like my hearing is horrible. Issues with soft sounds, barely hear my cat purr, barely hear my own footsteps, can't hear people talking at a distance, movies sound bad because all I can hear is the talking while background noise is completely drowned out.

 

[fishbone]

Your T started 2 years before I was born. Is that when you received your damaged hearing or did it accumulate over the 29 years? I'm also guessing you're about twice my age? Issues started around the same age?

My ears were damaged, from the very beginning of life. As a kid, into teens and into college/frat days. I was not educated on what sound can do to the ears, no one mentored me. That's why I come here to help you people, so you don't end up like me

To be honest, I don't get down about my bad ears. If i cannot hear something, I'll simply ask people to repeat themselves.

 

[dpdx]

Both ears dip down to 15db at that frequency. Everything else is almost similar and yet I feel like my hearing is horrible. Issues with soft sounds, barely hear my cat purr, barely hear my own footsteps, can't hear people talking at a distance, movies sound bad because all I can hear is the talking while background noise is completely drowned out.

YUP! I have an issue with this as well. I cant hear soft sounds.

 

[Shaneo]

Something has caused this. Whether its meds , stress, depression. If your tinnitus is louder during these exams, then it could impact your testing and results. I use to go and do the testing. It was the chamber of horrors for me..lol

He'd give me a thing to hold and then press the button when I heard a beep. I had no clue what I heard the beeps and just pressed buttons at times to just get the hell out that sound booth..lol

It is what it is. I smile, and laugh about it but it does make life kinda harder, when your ears are this poor

Sorry to hijack a little, but stress & anxiety, can this cause a loss in hearing in a temporary form or permanent?

 

[dpdx]

Sorry to hijack a little, but stress & anxiety, can this cause a loss in hearing in a temporary form or permanent?

I imagine loud sounds like motorcycles, ambulances, sirens, car muffler, causing further hearing damage.

 

[Tinker Bell]

@fishbone I noticed you said that you refuse to wear hearing aids. Just curious if you have tried any. Hearing aid technology has improved considerably over the last 20 years, even the last few years there have been advances. For individuals with significant loss, there are now aids that are fit in your ear canal by an audiologist and stay in place for months. Kind of like a semi-permanent aid. No one would have any idea that you even have them.

Many people have tinnitus lessen with hearing aids — and with that much loss it's possible you would benefit.

I do not care what other people think, too, which is why I am considering getting a hearing aid. Thanks in advance, always like to hear your perspective!

 

[fishbone]

@fishbone I noticed you said that you refuse to wear hearing aids. Just curious if you have tried any. Hearing aid technology has improved considerably over the last 20 years, even the last few years there have been advances. For individuals with significant loss, there are now aids that are fit in your ear canal by an audiologist and stay in place for months. Kind of like a semi-permanent aid. No one would have any idea that you even have them.

Many people have tinnitus lessen with hearing aids — and with that much loss it's possible you would benefit.

I do not care what other people think, too, which is why I am considering getting a hearing aid. Thanks in advance, always like to hear your perspective!

I have cic(completely In Canal) hearing aids and i use them at times just for their built-in pink noise. These hearing aids don't fully help me, when it comes to hearing. The sounds kinda feel distorted and the clarity is not all that impressive. I cannot use them to talk on the phone and understand what is being said. I have had very poor hearing from age 20. It's nothing that I am proud of, but also I am not ashamed of it either. With these poor ears I went to university, had a great relationship for 6-7 years and made friends.

As I posted in https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/always-stand-your-ground.22972/ , we need to do what makes US feel comfortable. We need to take care of ourselves and not worry about what others think. In my martial arts class, when I see the teacher getting punching/boxing bags, I instantly bring out an ear plug for the left ear (almost deaf ear).

In the past 4-6 years I have eliminated lots of negative, loud people from my life. These people do not appreciate that I have intrusive tinnitus, horrible hearing loss. I am in the process of eliminating this one lady from my life as well. She wants to always sing karaoke and I kinda put up with it, for quite a few years. I always felt uncomfortable, when we sang karaoke. Now, I have come to the point that I do not want to do this anymore. Yes, I lose another social scene. Yes, If i don't make up for that loss, I can face depression.

That's ok, I rather feel comfortable than just do what others want to do, because of needing acceptance. I never seek acceptance from anyone. You either like me or you don't. I never followed anyone, I either lead or walk solo.

My posts are always about being positive and loving ourselves and doing what is best for us. Hearing loss can be horrible, but I can pick many horrible ordeals from my One-of-a-kind life and experience and I faced them all and I overcame them.

PS-I will go back to my audiologist soon and see what he can recommend. I live my life whether I can hear or not. Whether I have intrusive/HELL tinnitus or not. We simply live and move forward and SMILE

 

[MajaC]

Hi. I also have hearing loss. The last audiogram, she said that my tinnitus mask some sound. The more high pitch. Now, since then, it had getting worse. I barely can ear the sounds S, my respiration, the water seem muffled most of the time and if it a littlw busy around me, I missed a lot of sound when people talk to me. If you wanna talk, I'm here ok? We are in the same boat after all.

 

[dpdx]

I am loosing my hearing in the left ear. I made an appointment to do another hearing exam in april.