Hearing concern - Hearing Disorders Message Board

My last nerve · 11-12-2006, 05:58 PM

I've been having great difficulty
in some of my classes in terms of hearing. When we have group work and
there are multiple conversations going on, I can't hear any one
particular person. It is really embarrassing for me and I just sit
there, frustrated and confused. It's not something I can hide much
longer as it is having a great impact on my daily interactions.
In my placement today (with the Ontario March of Dimes) I attended a
press release with candidates, my supervisor and colleagues. As the
media began to speak with people, all I could do was stand there. I
could not hear anything.
I went canvassing with a local candidate this past weekend and I could
not hear what was being said to me (there was a few of us and as
discussions went on with other tenants down the hall) and I could tell
that the person speaking to me was reacting to my 'uh huhs'.
How can I figure out what is going on with my hearing? I've been tested
before but everything was fine. I spoke to a friend about it at they
said that it sounds more cognitive and that I should look at other tests
that might be available somehow.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

snowmelts · 11-14-2006, 05:54 PM

I fail to understand what your friend means by "more cognitive"

???
I suggest you see An ENT (Ear Nose and Throat specialist) and explain exactly as you did in your post. It looks like a good discription so maybe you should print it so it's easier to find the words when explaining to the ENT.

The ENT will physically look at your ears, search for any physical problems and most likely send you to an audiologist.
The audiologists does the test.. charting which frequencies and tones you hear (or don't hear)
Hearing loss occurs at diff levels and you can lose some tones and frequencies and yet not loose others.

In offices, schools, and meetings people tend to speak with rather low voices.
Perhaps these are the only frequencies or tones you are missing.
In which case a hearing aid may help bring them in.

Meanwhile.. watch lips.
Seriously a person can pick up some words simply by looking.
That self tought lip reading gets easier as you do it more.

BUT the problems you are experiencing are among the veried reasons employers don't like to hire the hard of hearing.

Good luck.

Lenin · 11-15-2006, 06:01 AM

My last nerve,

It could be as simple as wax accumualtion in both ears that can easily be cleaned out but let an ENT make the call.

Lenin · 11-15-2006, 06:04 AM

My last nerve,

It could be as simple as wax accumualtion in both ears that can easily be cleaned out but let an ENT make the call.

Reading Lips:
An emergency GP I saw at a resort I was staying at saw me for an accident while I was going deaf. He ASKED me "Are you reading my lips?" Flummoxed, I said..."My God, I think I AM." I had no idea I was learning lip reading.

I was blown away and soon afterwards arranged my first hearing test and stapedectomy.

My last nerve · 11-15-2006, 09:08 PM

I have gone to an ENT and he said that everything was fine. I am sensitive to noises (i.e. children banging anything on anything). I will see what other issues could be going on to explain this.