Hearing loss support - Very unsure at the moment

Author

Very unsure at the moment

~Kathy~

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

Hello People,

I hope you don't think I am wasting your time.

Over the past few months I have found an increasing need to ask people to
repeat themselves, and I find I often guess part of what I hear - I work on
the general intent rather than hearing the whole lot.

I'll be 50 this year. My father's mother had hearing loss from middle age,
my mother now wears aids but she is 83 and was okay until a few years ago.
My father died in his 40s so I can't comment there - just in case there is
any hereditary factors?

However, the thing is - I have to wear ear plugs to get any sleep - my
husband can really pump out the decibels with snoring, and even on the
nights when he is at work and I am on my own, I can hear the radio, which is
on at low volume, through the earplugs.

So - can anyone advise me on the technical differences between say having an
absolute hearing loss and maybe only experiencing a problem when there is a
lot of other sound around?

Warm regards to all

Kathy

Bruce Coryell

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

~Kathy~ wrote:
> Hello People,
>
> I hope you don't think I am wasting your time.
>
> Over the past few months I have found an increasing need to ask people to
> repeat themselves, and I find I often guess part of what I hear - I work on
> the general intent rather than hearing the whole lot.
>
> I'll be 50 this year. My father's mother had hearing loss from middle age,
> my mother now wears aids but she is 83 and was okay until a few years ago.
> My father died in his 40s so I can't comment there - just in case there is
> any hereditary factors?
>
> However, the thing is - I have to wear ear plugs to get any sleep - my
> husband can really pump out the decibels with snoring, and even on the
> nights when he is at work and I am on my own, I can hear the radio, which is
> on at low volume, through the earplugs.
>
> So - can anyone advise me on the technical differences between say having an
> absolute hearing loss and maybe only experiencing a problem when there is a
> lot of other sound around?
>
> Warm regards to all
>
> Kathy
>
>
Did you listen to a lot of loud music when you were younger? A lot of
boomers are getting this kind of hearing loss now (enough to give a
boost to the hearing aid industry). See an audiologist for a hearing
test. Sounds like you're losing your ability to hear high tones, while
your hearing of low tones is more intact.

MrBill

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:49:04 -0500, Bruce Coryell
<bcoryell@chesco.com> wrote:

>~Kathy~ wrote:
>Did you listen to a lot of loud music when you were younger? A lot of
>boomers are getting this kind of hearing loss now (enough to give a
>boost to the hearing aid industry). See an audiologist for a hearing
>test. Sounds like you're losing your ability to hear high tones, while
>your hearing of low tones is more intact.

I echo the above, but suggest you see Costco for a hearing test since
there's no charge. Costco HA employees are salaried so they won't
twist your arm trying to sell you anything. Additionally, if they
detect any medical problems, they stop and immediately refer you to
your own doctor.

Good luck!
Bill

Gary G

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

Get a hearing test...When you have the results you can then decide what
action needs to be taken...The test is harmless and will answer all
questions...This is not something to diagnose with anecdotal stories...Good
luck...GG

"~Kathy~" <tabbicatnospam@ozhost.org> wrote in message
news:43fad711$1@duster.adelaide.on.net...
> Hello People,
>
> I hope you don't think I am wasting your time.
>
> Over the past few months I have found an increasing need to ask people to
> repeat themselves, and I find I often guess part of what I hear - I work
> on
> the general intent rather than hearing the whole lot.
>
> I'll be 50 this year. My father's mother had hearing loss from middle age,
> my mother now wears aids but she is 83 and was okay until a few years ago.
> My father died in his 40s so I can't comment there - just in case there is
> any hereditary factors?
>
> However, the thing is - I have to wear ear plugs to get any sleep - my
> husband can really pump out the decibels with snoring, and even on the
> nights when he is at work and I am on my own, I can hear the radio, which
> is
> on at low volume, through the earplugs.
>
> So - can anyone advise me on the technical differences between say having
> an
> absolute hearing loss and maybe only experiencing a problem when there is
> a
> lot of other sound around?
>
> Warm regards to all
>
> Kathy
>
>

Mason C

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:32:08 +1030, "~Kathy~" <tabbicatnospam@ozhost.org> wrote:

>Hello People,
>
>I hope you don't think I am wasting your time.
>
>Over the past few months I have found an increasing need to ask people to
>repeat themselves, and I find I often guess part of what I hear - I work on
>the general intent rather than hearing the whole lot.
>
> I'll be 50 this year. My father's mother had hearing loss from middle age,
>my mother now wears aids but she is 83 and was okay until a few years ago.
>My father died in his 40s so I can't comment there - just in case there is
>any hereditary factors?
>
>However, the thing is - I have to wear ear plugs to get any sleep - my
>husband can really pump out the decibels with snoring, and even on the
>nights when he is at work and I am on my own, I can hear the radio, which is
>on at low volume, through the earplugs.
>
>So - can anyone advise me on the technical differences between say having an
>absolute hearing loss and maybe only experiencing a problem when there is a
>lot of other sound around?
>
>Warm regards to all
>
>Kathy
>
Your first option (strongly recoimmended): have an ear examination and
hearing test but don't get "taken in" by a salesman/woman !

Second option: do a "can you hear that?" test with a young friend, using
the TV or radio volume control. This may give you a rough idea of your
degree of loss. Is it enough to worry about?

Third option: use an internet hearing test such as:

http://www.digital-recordings.com/

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/hearing.html

There may be others on the internet. There is also one free for downloading:

http://www.audiometer.co.uk/

Note: to use these tests you need to have a young friend do a calibration with
their good ears. Having done that, the tests are quite good.

By the way, your husband should have a check-up. Snoring can be
a symptom of a dangerous condition.

Mason C

~Kathy~

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

Thank you all very much for your advice.

I did listen to loud music in my youth so this is one of the things I
expected.

I will organise a test and find out what is happening. I was just curious
about whether I could have a loss in one aspect and not in another so I know
now, and thank you again.

Warm regards

Kathy

ardway

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

Wearing earplugs at night? Possibly just a build up of earwax from the
insertion. The plug acts like a snowplow, forcing the earwax further
into the canal until it builds up and causes hearing loss.
See a doctor, preferably an ear doc. Take his/her advice about hearing aids.

Avoid the temptation and the advice to go to a cut rate outfit like
Costco, should you find you need hearing aids. Only the less than
competent would work at such a place. Salaried employees are just that,
employees, who have no stake in your continued success. Would you go to
a government office or university teaching hospital for brain surgery?
Would those employees care? Not a chance. Neither would an hourly worker
at Costco or it's ilk.

Ardway

~Kathy~ wrote:
> Hello People,
>
> I hope you don't think I am wasting your time.
>
> Over the past few months I have found an increasing need to ask people to
> repeat themselves, and I find I often guess part of what I hear - I work on
> the general intent rather than hearing the whole lot.
>
> I'll be 50 this year. My father's mother had hearing loss from middle age,
> my mother now wears aids but she is 83 and was okay until a few years ago.
> My father died in his 40s so I can't comment there - just in case there is
> any hereditary factors?
>
> However, the thing is - I have to wear ear plugs to get any sleep - my
> husband can really pump out the decibels with snoring, and even on the
> nights when he is at work and I am on my own, I can hear the radio, which is
> on at low volume, through the earplugs.
>
> So - can anyone advise me on the technical differences between say having an
> absolute hearing loss and maybe only experiencing a problem when there is a
> lot of other sound around?
>
> Warm regards to all
>
> Kathy
>
>

Mason C

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 17:26:55 -0500, ardway <elbow@medblock.edu> wrote:

>Wearing earplugs at night? Possibly just a build up of earwax from the
>insertion. The plug acts like a snowplow, forcing the earwax further
>into the canal until it builds up and causes hearing loss.
>See a doctor, preferably an ear doc. Take his/her advice about hearing aids.
>
>Avoid the temptation and the advice to go to a cut rate outfit like
>Costco, should you find you need hearing aids. Only the less than
>competent would work at such a place. Salaried employees are just that,
>employees, who have no stake in your continued success. Would you go to
>a government office or university teaching hospital for brain surgery?
>Would those employees care? Not a chance. Neither would an hourly worker
>at Costco or it's ilk.
>
>Ardway

I suspect someone here has a very large ilk.[vbcol=seagreen]
>
>
>~Kathy~ wrote:

MrBill

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 17:26:55 -0500, ardway <elbow@medblock.edu> wrote:
>Avoid the temptation and the advice to go to a cut rate outfit like
>Costco, should you find you need hearing aids. Only the less than
>competent would work at such a place. Salaried employees are just that,
>employees, who have no stake in your continued success.

Assuming that salaried employees are less competent than those working
for a commission is WRONG!

ardway

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

MrBill wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 17:26:55 -0500, ardway <elbow@medblock.edu> wrote:
>
>
>
> Assuming that salaried employees are less competent than those working
> for a commission is WRONG!

Who said anything about a commission? My audiologist is a married woman
who works for herself. She sets her own prices, based, I assume, on
standard business practices, as any self-employed professional does. She
worked for doctors at a local EENT children's hospital, but found that
they were simply exploiting her. Her story shows me fortitude, sensible
risk-taking ability, daring and intelligence.
Salaried employees may have these attributes, but, probably not, since
they elect to play it safe.

It is politically correct these days to attack me for expressing my
opinion, as if those attacking are not just expressing their own
opinions, so pile on.
I can take it.

I love it when I show the hypocrisy of posting an entry on Wikipedia as
a source, by doing the same thing with my own posting. I got excoriated,
but the original Wikipedia poster gets credibility from the non-thinkers
in this group. Wihipedia is an opinion encyclopedia accessible to all,
not a scientific source.

Very amusing.

That vile woman who only attacks people personally is another story,
however. She is, quite simply, a wicked person without any scruples.

Ardway

jetson@nospam.no.net

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 16:33:45 -0500, ardway <elbow@medblock.edu> wrote:

>MrBill wrote:
>
>Who said anything about a commission? My audiologist is a married woman
>who works for herself. She sets her own prices, based, I assume, on
>standard business practices, as any self-employed professional does. She
>worked for doctors at a local EENT children's hospital, but found that
>they were simply exploiting her. Her story shows me fortitude, sensible
>risk-taking ability, daring and intelligence.
>Salaried employees may have these attributes, but, probably not, since
>they elect to play it safe.
>
>It is politically correct these days to attack me for expressing my
>opinion, as if those attacking are not just expressing their own
>opinions, so pile on.
>I can take it.
>
>I love it when I show the hypocrisy of posting an entry on Wikipedia as
>a source, by doing the same thing with my own posting. I got excoriated,
>but the original Wikipedia poster gets credibility from the non-thinkers
>in this group. Wihipedia is an opinion encyclopedia accessible to all,
>not a scientific source.
>
>Very amusing.
>
>That vile woman who only attacks people personally is another story,
>however. She is, quite simply, a wicked person without any scruples.
>
>Ardway

And you, Amway, are a obnoxious pompous prig, so full of yourself
you appear buffoonish.

ardway

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

jetson@nospam.no.net wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 16:33:45 -0500, ardway <elbow@medblock.edu> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> And you, Amway, are a obnoxious pompous prig, so full of yourself
> you appear buffoonish.

Another narrow, nasty post from the lunatic fringe.
Do you ever read what you write and see how truly ugly it is?
Thank you for proving my point.

Though you make fun of it, at least I give my name.
You appear cowardly by not signing your posts.

C. Ardway

ardway

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

jetson@nospam.no.net wrote:

> On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 16:33:45 -0500, ardway <elbow@medblock.edu> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> And you, Amway, are a obnoxious pompous prig, so full of yourself
> you appear buffoonish.

Another narrow, nasty post from the lunatic fringe.
Do you ever read what you write and see how truly ugly it is?
Thank you for proving my point.

Though you make fun of it, at least I give my name.
You appear cowardly by not signing your posts.

C. Ardway

jetson@nospam.no.net

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:14:43 -0500, ardway <elbow@medblock.edu> wrote:

>jetson@nospam.no.net wrote:
>
>
>
>Another narrow, nasty post from the lunatic fringe.
>Do you ever read what you write and see how truly ugly it is?
>Thank you for proving my point.
>
>Though you make fun of it, at least I give my name.
>You appear cowardly by not signing your posts.
>
>C. Ardway

You're stuttering Amway, did I strike a nerve?

kerry

2006-02-25, 7:34 pm

Please see an audiologist and ask for both a hearing test and an
auditory processing test. What you are describing sounds more like
auditory processing than hearing. Also, ask your husband to get a sleep
apnea test. His snoring may be related to apnea.