The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

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Lon
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Lon »

I have had a hearing problem for about 20 years and about 15 years ago it was bad enough to require hearing aids. After professional testing I opted for in the canal (barely visible) aids that cost more than a computer at that time. I was told that I would never ever hear better than 86% in the right ear and 88% in the right ear. It's not just a problem of volume, but with different pitches of sound. Some words sound very similar to me and some female voices and certain accents are really difficult to understand even with hearing aids. I am on my thrid set of hearing aids and now wear the Behind the Ear which is best for my particular hearing loss. It's not as cosmetically as good as the in the canal type, but it's certainly better. One most give up a bit of ego to really hear better.

The frustration of hearing loss comes in when you ask someone to repeat what they just said and they notice you are wearing a hearing aid and then say "you better get some new hearing aids, those aren't working".

My dear wife still talks to me from three rooms away and thinks I will hear her. Phoning can be a real bitch sometimes even with the hearing aid because of the electronic circuitry causing feedback. Some of the aids have a small button to press when using a cell or other electronic device,

and it will eliminate feedback. I do pretty well at movies and watching TV and in one on one talk, but groups of people all talking at the same time make it difficult to hear clearly the person closest to me. I know it can be frustrating for those that have to communicate with the hearing disadvantaged, but at least they can hear properly.
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Oscar Namechange
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Oscar Namechange »

Lon;1122915 wrote: I have had a hearing problem for about 20 years and about 15 years ago it was bad enough to require hearing aids. After professional testing I opted for in the canal (barely visible) aids that cost more than a computer at that time. I was told that I would never ever hear better than 86% in the right ear and 88% in the right ear. It's not just a problem of volume, but with different pitches of sound. Some words sound very similar to me and some female voices and certain accents are really difficult to understand even with hearing aids. I am on my thrid set of hearing aids and now wear the Behind the Ear which is best for my particular hearing loss. It's not as cosmetically as good as the in the canal type, but it's certainly better. One most give up a bit of ego to really hear better.

The frustration of hearing loss comes in when you ask someone to repeat what they just said and they notice you are wearing a hearing aid and then say "you better get some new hearing aids, those aren't working".

My dear wife still talks to me from three rooms away and thinks I will hear her. Phoning can be a real bitch sometimes even with the hearing aid because of the electronic circuitry causing feedback. Some of the aids have a small button to press when using a cell or other electronic device,

and it will eliminate feedback. I do pretty well at movies and watching TV and in one on one talk, but groups of people all talking at the same time make it difficult to hear clearly the person closest to me. I know it can be frustrating for those that have to communicate with the hearing disadvantaged, but at least they can hear properly.


Pardon?
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Oscar Namechange
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Oscar Namechange »

Lon;1122915 wrote: I have had a hearing problem for about 20 years and about 15 years ago it was bad enough to require hearing aids. After professional testing I opted for in the canal (barely visible) aids that cost more than a computer at that time. I was told that I would never ever hear better than 86% in the right ear and 88% in the right ear. It's not just a problem of volume, but with different pitches of sound. Some words sound very similar to me and some female voices and certain accents are really difficult to understand even with hearing aids. I am on my thrid set of hearing aids and now wear the Behind the Ear which is best for my particular hearing loss. It's not as cosmetically as good as the in the canal type, but it's certainly better. One most give up a bit of ego to really hear better.

The frustration of hearing loss comes in when you ask someone to repeat what they just said and they notice you are wearing a hearing aid and then say "you better get some new hearing aids, those aren't working".

My dear wife still talks to me from three rooms away and thinks I will hear her. Phoning can be a real bitch sometimes even with the hearing aid because of the electronic circuitry causing feedback. Some of the aids have a small button to press when using a cell or other electronic device,

and it will eliminate feedback. I do pretty well at movies and watching TV and in one on one talk, but groups of people all talking at the same time make it difficult to hear clearly the person closest to me. I know it can be frustrating for those that have to communicate with the hearing disadvantaged, but at least they can hear properly.


My apologies Lon... that was my un-funny humour again and couldn't resist.

We all take hearing for granted and about 6 months ago, i had a severe infection in one ear which even put me in hospital one night. It lasted for months and the build up of pressure and whistling in my ear was so bad. I have never had anything like it before and suddenly i found i couldn't hear a thing. What i could hear from my other ear was completely drowned out by the tinitus. Everyone who spoke to me, i had to explain why i couldn't hear and i was pretty scared it might be permanent.

I can't offer any advice because it worried me silly in the end. Mr O would do the same as your dear wife and forget i had the problem and talk to me from another room.

The other thing i became so consious of was that as i couldn't hear a thing, i didn't know how loud i was talking to people myself. I'd think all the time 'How loud am i talking'.

The phone was indeed a nightmare. Some days, if i pressed the phone right close into my good ear, i could just about hear but other times... nothing.

I go to an elderly lady once a week who is very deaf and very poor eye-sight now. She has an enormous speaker on her phone that disabled shops sell here. Do you have anything like that where you are?
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Lon
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Lon »

oscar;1122919 wrote: My apologies Lon... that was my un-funny humour again and couldn't resist.



We all take hearing for granted and about 6 months ago, i had a severe infection in one ear which even put me in hospital one night. It lasted for months and the build up of pressure and whistling in my ear was so bad. I have never had anything like it before and suddenly i found i couldn't hear a thing. What i could hear from my other ear was completely drowned out by the tinitus. Everyone who spoke to me, i had to explain why i couldn't hear and i was pretty scared it might be permanent.

I can't offer any advice because it worried me silly in the end. Mr O would do the same as your dear wife and forget i had the problem and talk to me from another room.

The other thing i became so consious of was that as i couldn't hear a thing, i didn't know how loud i was talking to people myself. I'd think all the time 'How loud am i talking'.

The phone was indeed a nightmare. Some days, if i pressed the phone right close into my good ear, i could just about hear but other times... nothing.

I go to an elderly lady once a week who is very deaf and very poor eye-sight now. She has an enormous speaker on her phone that disabled shops sell here. Do you have anything like that where you are?


No apology needed-----I thought it was funny :wah:



No special speaker is needed for the phone. The modern hearing aids have a adjustment for hearing on both land lines or cells.
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Oscar Namechange
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Oscar Namechange »

Lon;1122929 wrote: No apology needed-----I thought it was funny :wah:



No special speaker is needed for the phone. The modern hearing aids have a adjustment for hearing on both land lines or cells.


Your such a gent :-4

I remember when i lost my hearing, I'd have to have the TV so loud. Poor Mr O used to have to be deafened. We knew my problem was eventually going to clear it'self but i really can't imagine what it's like permanently.

Do you think you will lose all hearing eventually?
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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Kindle
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Kindle »

What eventualy convinced you that you needed assistance with hearing?




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Oscar Namechange
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Oscar Namechange »

jimbo;1122991 wrote: i am nearly deaf in my left ear so when people talk to me i have to swing them round to my right ear if there is backround noise like in a bar etc

but its great if there is noise outside i just lay with my right ear on the pillow

but sometimes i then hear the pulse of my heart going swoosh swoosh etc then that drives me mad :-5:-5:wah:


As Mr O is not averse to snoring like a pig in labour, may i reccomend 'Boots wax mulible ear plugs' Approx £1.50. Don't leave them lying about as puppies like to eat them :(:(:(
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
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along-for-the-ride
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by along-for-the-ride »

Hubby has a pair of ear plugs hanging on the bedpost for the nights when I "sing";) in my sleep. :wah:I do snore sometimes and am never aware of it.

I also had a severe ear infection years ago, that started with an ear ache, then temporary deafness. I also had to take medicine for the infection and explain to people that I could not hear them. I will never forget that experience. It made me appreciate my sense of hearing.
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chonsigirl
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by chonsigirl »

At what point did you finally get hearing aids? Did you wait until retirement?

I ask, because I already know I will have to have them, and probably before I retire. As a teacher, I think wearing hearing aids puts me at a disadvantage, for mischievous ones. I am pretty good at hearing or when sometimes unsure, ask them to rephrase their request. (as a teaching exercise, pretty good excuse)

My biggest worry is my music, I know playing alone is no problem. It is group ensembles, and as long as I am the orchestra leader they must follow me. But when in other musical groupings, it is finally difficult for me. Or rather, the specific instrument is the difficulty. Something I must hear the pitch, like violin, is difficult if others are around me and much more skilled at playing that instrument. I did one flute ensemble, and it was also a little hard, because I could not hear my melodic line. I do not have trouble with the piano, I think because I played it all my life, I can always know exactly through touch and sound that it is correct.
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Lon
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Lon »

chonsigirl;1123151 wrote: At what point did you finally get hearing aids? Did you wait until retirement?



I ask, because I already know I will have to have them, and probably before I retire. As a teacher, I think wearing hearing aids puts me at a disadvantage, for mischievous ones. I am pretty good at hearing or when sometimes unsure, ask them to rephrase their request. (as a teaching exercise, pretty good excuse)



My biggest worry is my music, I know playing alone is no problem. It is group ensembles, and as long as I am the orchestra leader they must follow me. But when in other musical groupings, it is finally difficult for me. Or rather, the specific instrument is the difficulty. Something I must hear the pitch, like violin, is difficult if others are around me and much more skilled at playing that instrument. I did one flute ensemble, and it was also a little hard, because I could not hear my melodic line. I do not have trouble with the piano, I think because I played it all my life, I can always know exactly through touch and sound that it is correct.


My hearing loss and retirement occurred about the same time and that is when I got my first hearing aids. Sounds like your hearing loss is not to severe and you could get fitted for In the digital Canal type aids. They are barely visible.
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minks
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by minks »

My hearing loss started around age 6, much like Oscar due to nasty ear infections, but I had many over a long period of time. So bad they removed my tonsils and adnoids. Not sure this was necessary but that many decades ago they seemed to think it were necessary.

I haven't given in to hearing aids yet. (damn vanity) I do a lot of lip reading, tilting my good ear towards anothers as well as carry the attitude if someone meant for me to hear them they would darn well stand closer and repeat what they said to me. :yh_rotfl Yes I agree with you there Lon, the telephone is the toughest thing to deal with. Yes accents are tough too, I find I do way more listening now than talking when with others. Maybe it's not so much listening but smiling and nodding cause I really can't hear them :yh_rotfl

And praise for the text messaging I might add hehehehe
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Lon
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by Lon »

It's funny that people treat vision problems differently than they do hearing.

Most people that need glasses get them and vanity is not an issue. What is different about hearing aids, other than the cost?

My hearing loss is attributable to two things. jet engine noise before ear protectors were required and listening to blaring jazz that actuially was painful to listen to.
jenniferwit80
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The Frustrations of Hearing Loss

Post by jenniferwit80 »

hi, there!! thanks for sharing
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