I just joined Tinnitus Talk and look forward to reading more about how tinnitus affects everyone's lives.
A bit about my background: I am an Emergency Physician and have been practicing for the last 31 years. Currently, I'm a staff physician at a community hospital, where I spent 25 years as the department chairman. I stepped down from management in 2023 after it was determined that I was having difficulty communicating with staff, so now I focus solely on patient care.
I've had tinnitus for many years, ever since I lost hearing in my left ear at age 17 (42 years ago). I never received a clear diagnosis, either then or now.
For most of my life, I didn't pay much attention to my tinnitus. However, it coincidentally worsened significantly after three bouts of COVID-19. While I've had hearing loss in my left ear for years, I'm now losing hearing in my "good" ear. This became evident when both staff and patients mentioned that I seemed dismissive or unresponsive to questions, which indicated communication difficulties. I went to an ENT specialist and had an audiogram, which showed 22% word recognition in my bad ear and 72% in my good ear. I now wear hearing aids with a tinnitus suppression noise generator, but, to be honest, it doesn't help much. I have cognitive behavioral therapy scheduled to begin on October 29, 2024, to see if it can provide any relief.
Over the past six months to a year, I've noticed that the constant ringing and hissing intensifies with the stress of my job. Work has become extremely challenging, as my awareness of the tinnitus and hearing loss increases with stress. I also feel like I'm not as cognitively sharp as I once was. To address this, I have a neurocognitive evaluation scheduled for November 4th to assess whether there is any basis for my concerns.
At this point, the tinnitus and hearing loss are impacting my job to the extent that I'm considering applying for disability. I look forward to exploring this forum to learn about home remedies, treatments, and any discussions related to tinnitus and disability.
Thanks,
JoLa
A bit about my background: I am an Emergency Physician and have been practicing for the last 31 years. Currently, I'm a staff physician at a community hospital, where I spent 25 years as the department chairman. I stepped down from management in 2023 after it was determined that I was having difficulty communicating with staff, so now I focus solely on patient care.
I've had tinnitus for many years, ever since I lost hearing in my left ear at age 17 (42 years ago). I never received a clear diagnosis, either then or now.
For most of my life, I didn't pay much attention to my tinnitus. However, it coincidentally worsened significantly after three bouts of COVID-19. While I've had hearing loss in my left ear for years, I'm now losing hearing in my "good" ear. This became evident when both staff and patients mentioned that I seemed dismissive or unresponsive to questions, which indicated communication difficulties. I went to an ENT specialist and had an audiogram, which showed 22% word recognition in my bad ear and 72% in my good ear. I now wear hearing aids with a tinnitus suppression noise generator, but, to be honest, it doesn't help much. I have cognitive behavioral therapy scheduled to begin on October 29, 2024, to see if it can provide any relief.
Over the past six months to a year, I've noticed that the constant ringing and hissing intensifies with the stress of my job. Work has become extremely challenging, as my awareness of the tinnitus and hearing loss increases with stress. I also feel like I'm not as cognitively sharp as I once was. To address this, I have a neurocognitive evaluation scheduled for November 4th to assess whether there is any basis for my concerns.
At this point, the tinnitus and hearing loss are impacting my job to the extent that I'm considering applying for disability. I look forward to exploring this forum to learn about home remedies, treatments, and any discussions related to tinnitus and disability.
Thanks,
JoLa
