My hearing has been noticeably deteriorating for about five years. There have been symptoms with it that made me think that there could be physical problems influencing the hearing loss.
I finally got an appointment with a specialist and saw him yesterday.
First, I had a hearing test . This showed that my hearing was normal as far as volume is concerned and that tone is where my hearing problem is located. So hearing women's and children's voices is where my problem lies. I will miss words or syllables and then things don't make sense.
Next I saw the specialist. He told me that the only thing he could do is give me a clean bill of health! Isn't that nice! Then he carefully went over my situation.
It is age related.
My eardrum is not as taught as it is supposed to be. Therefore it doesn't work properly. Nothing can be done about that. No medication! No surgery! It just happens and goes on down hill.
The eardrum problem is influenced by many things: atmospheric changes, fatigue, colds, allergies. This is why my hearing level varies.
Now he covered other things that made sense. Since I'm older , messages go slower to my brain. The example he used was a message from a foot takes longer to get to the brain and be interpreted. I have often said that when I fall, "My butt is on the ground before my brain knows I'm falling." So what he says about messages taking longer to get to the brain makes sense. This situation also muddles our hearing.
So he said, "I give you a clean bill of health but you might not like it." So for my age things are fine.
He also told me that a rearing aid would be of limited benefit. ? I thought he was being very honest to tell me about hearing aids.
Now I started to think of other things in my body that may be stretched like my eye lids, ear lobes, double chin, biceps and who knows what my insides might look like! I'm sure there are holes bumps and lumps in various places.
So things the doctor told me can be related to other body organs.
I thought it was a good visit.
I learned a few things that could be transferred to other areas.
Still sounds like your in pretty good health...Coffee is on
ReplyDeleteI'm very fortunate when it comes to health. Thanks for visiting Hiawatha House.
DeleteThat's an interesting analysis of age related hearing loss. It describes what most experience - not loudness but a loss of consonants and syllables. My hearing aids are set to boost the high frequency sounds I am missing. I think they help, but I do still miss many sounds.
ReplyDeleteThis guy didn't say, "Don't buy them. " But he thinks they would do very little good.
DeleteAging is annoying or even cruel but in the end I guess it's better to be a super health older person than an unhealthy one!
ReplyDeleteage lets us down but we have to be prepared for the end.
DeleteGlad to hear you are holding up so well, Red. Most people would be thrilled to get a clean bill of health from their doctor. I know I would! I still need to get my hearing checked. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis clean bill of health was not an overall declaration ...mostly in the hearing situation.
DeleteTone as a hearing loss is different, but it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteFor most people they lose at a certain tone and then not all of it...just enough to frustrate you.
DeleteAh, the natural things that happen as we age. But it sounds like you're in really good health, which is great.
ReplyDeleteI'm very fortunate when it comes to health.
DeleteNice not to sell you what may not be needed, but scary to think it may come soon for me. LOL
ReplyDeleteHearing aids can be very pricey.
DeleteVery interesting diagnosis, and - yes - honest, too, which is good. My husband can't hear me properly. We joke that after forty years I've worn out that part of his ears. He will NOT see a hearing specialist but maybe now I'll stop nagging him about it :)
ReplyDeleteHearing loss in a partner creates a lot of stress.
DeleteGosh. You are so funny. My JB has a 30% hearing loss for most of his life. Hearing aids will not help him, they tell him. Those aren't comforting words. But maybe he didn't hear them correctly??!!
ReplyDeleteI guess he'll have to take his manager with him for his next appointment!!!
DeleteIt's too bad that a hearing aid wouldn't help, but I guess age catches up with all of us, doesn't it?
ReplyDelete"Age cometh not alone" may be a rather trite saying but it is also a true one for most of us.
ReplyDeleteAnother new chapter to deal with but at least it isn't serious. Getting older we tend to accumulate new issues but am thankful that most of them are more or less just annoyances that we adapt too.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has hearing loss too, I think it is selective:)
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of good info in this post. I did not know about how the ear drum changes. This business of getting older is always throwing something new at me. Thanks for all the info.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're doing well, Red. We are hearing more and more the phrase, "It's age related." Sigh...
ReplyDelete