Six Months Ago My Hearing Was Normal — Now I Have Significant Hearing Loss

[UKBloke]

Not at all. The more the merrier!

I got an audiogram done in July 2021. At this point I had 'normal' hearing (I will see if I can find the audiogram). Basically, there were no large dips, with all frequencies between 0 & 10 dB in my right ear. My left ear was my 'bad ear' it had the same dip of 25 kHz at 8 kHz, but 4 & 6 kHz were at 10-15 dB.

It seems on paper like noise damage, but hammering nails outside is hardly an acoustic trauma that warrants such a noticeable shift in hearing. Maybe cumulative noise exposure? Or maybe being on Doxycycline made me more susceptible to noise damage? An ENT ruled out shingles. He also said it could be autoimmune. Anyone's guess really...

I hope this answers your question? Don't really know what you meant by correlation lol.

Sorry, I was just wondering what the audiologist had considered 'normal' range on the original audiogram and what that looked like in comparison to your latest audiogram.

In regard to noise damage, here's a copy of my last audiogram. Apologies for the crap photo - single handed flash photography under the hall light isn't my forte! Anyhow... something that might be useful for you as a comparison - that 35 dB notch @ 4 kHz in my right ear is what the audiologist stated as "classic" noise-induced hearing loss. She didn't actually discuss the higher frequency roll-off in my left ear, which makes me believe this is likely more age-related (55 years old).

My noise injury was from insanely loud overuse of enclosed headphones, and was more of an acute injury I think. To my eyes (and I'm no expert) your audiogram doesn't suggest this kind of acute noise injury. May be something to consider when ruling stuff out...

 

[Juan]

Hi @Juan,

I got another audiogram done to measure conductive loss. My audiologist said I do not have any conductive loss, just SNHL. I'm a bit confused about why the triangles are higher up. I take it this gap is within normal ranges?

Anyway, you seem to know your way around an audiogram, what do you think?

The triangles are bone conduction. The circles are air conduction. Anyway, there is a very small difference, so I do not appreciate an air-bone gap there. If there is no air-bone gap and you do not have otitis media or anything blocking your ears, it is likely due to sensorineural hearing loss.

Also, loss that is higher than 30 dB is almost for sure sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss works up to 30 dB approximately.

 

[makeyourownluck]

Thanks for the help @UKBloke.

It's infuriating when you can't figure out what's going on.

I did stumble upon this website though, and my audiogram looks similar to fig 15.1B:

https://clinicalgate.com/noise-induced-hearing-loss/

Based on this, I 'could' have noise related hearing loss typically seen in those who shoot rifles! Now obviously, being in on the UK, I have never shot a gun. I just hammered some nails lol... very strange...

I am trying to play doctor here and figure this out myself, I've only been to Boots for a hearing test still waiting on the NHS. The private ENT I saw was absolutely useless, the only thing he ruled out for certain was Shingles. Really don't want it to be autoimmune in nature because there is very little I can do to stop worsening which is scary.

Looking at your audiogram I'm a bit confused. If the roll off was due to age, then surely your right ear would have suffered the same wear and tear? Not disputing what you're saying, just thinking aloud. I would be interested in what your audiologist says about it. Also, did you only have one earbud in when you got that 35 dB loss in the right ear? My sister is forever walking around with one AirPod in, I've warned her, but she won't listen.

 

[makeyourownluck]

Thanks @Juan, just wondering what size of air-bone gap would be considered an issue? I thought 15 dB/20 dB was quite large.

 

[UKBloke]

Looking at your audiogram I'm a bit confused. If the roll off was due to age, then surely your right ear would have suffered the same wear and tear? Not disputing what you're saying, just thinking aloud. I would be interested in what your audiologist says about it. Also, did you only have one earbud in when you got that 35 dB loss in the right ear? My sister is forever walking around with one AirPod in, I've warned her, but she won't listen.

Other than my audiologist's statement about classic NIHL, I don't know why those discrepancies exist in my own audiogram. To be honest though, I'm probably complicating your situation right now by introducing that.

I do have an appointment with my NHS audiologist in the pipeline. I intend to go into much more detail on these kind of discrepancies with her so I'll let you know what she says. Presumably you're in the NHS queue for an ENT appointment? (I reckon you'll do better there than private at this point).

 

[makeyourownluck]

Other than my audiologist's statement about classic NIHL, I don't know why those discrepancies exist in my own audiogram. To be honest though, I'm probably complicating your situation right now by introducing that.

I do have an appointment with my NHS audiologist in the pipeline. I intend to go into much more detail on these kind of discrepancies with her so I'll let you know what she says. Presumably you're in the NHS queue for an ENT appointment? (I reckon you'll do better there than private at this point).

Yes, in the system somewhere, been waiting since the beginning of July for this ENT, but I've learnt I'm not to get my hopes up. Unfortunately, I only insisted that my GP refer me to audiology 2 months ago, so no doubt be waiting the guts of a year for that, unless I am now deemed a more urgent case due to the rapid hearing loss.

If I, by some miracle, get to someone before you, I will let you know their views on the roll off in my right ear. Our right ears are actually very similar in the high frequencies.

Anyway, I really appreciate the input. It's crazy that I have had more helpful information from members of this forum, than by any doctor I've met.

 

[makeyourownluck]

Hi @UKBloke,

Just found my original audiogram. I have had 3 done previously and just had another today which was interesting to say the least. I now have 'normal' both ears!? 25 dB in right ear from 4-8 kHz. However, the left ear which I'm now experiencing the vibration in is down 10 dB from 250 Hz - 1 kHz. The test today was not done in a soundproof booth unlike my other tests, so I think I would have done even better if that was the case. The lady said she would send a copy out to me so I will upload the new and improved version when it arrives.

Fullness is fluctuating ear to ear which has never happened before.

Here's the last 3 audiograms:

 

[UKBloke]

Hi @UKBloke,

Just found my original audiogram. I have had 3 done previously and just had another today which was interesting to say the least. I now have 'normal' both ears!? 25 dB in right ear from 4-8 kHz. However, the left ear which I'm now experiencing the vibration in is down 10 dB from 250 Hz - 1 kHz. The test today was not done in a soundproof booth unlike my other tests, so I think I would have done even better if that was the case. The lady said she would send a copy out to me so I will upload the new and improved version when it arrives.

Fullness is fluctuating ear to ear which has never happened before.

Here's the last 3 audiograms:

View attachment 50463

View attachment 50462

View attachment 50467

Hi,

Luckily just happened to see your post. For some reason I'm not getting alerts when someone tags me so if you happen to tag me in the future and I don't reply give me a nudge on any one of my posts in the Chit Chat thread.

Anyhow... that's such great news about your latest audiogram. Magic hearing! I know you were concerned that a potential auto-immune involvement had occurred and your hearing would worsen but that's clearly not the case. All I can say is, try and dump that thought now. And perhaps stay away from Boots' audiology lol.

Re the ear fullness, it sounds like classic ETD to me. And this can definitely start in one ear but migrate too. I reported similar to my GP back some time around 2017 I think it was. It took forever to settle down, and to be quite honest I don't think I've had what I would consider to be fully functioning Eustachian tubes for years. Having said that, they're much better now than they were. Progress will likely be same for you. Just be prepared for it to take some time.