Possible Hearing Loss/ Hard of Hearing?? (long)

[mbrek]

That's very understandable. The easy answer is would be you're not hearing properly. But since that isn't the case - it's harder to "prove" you're not hearing. I hope your doctor doesn't think it's "all in your head". (Sorry, bad way to put it - but I think you know what I mean).

I hope you get some answers at your next appointment.

 

[RacherBunny]

Alright, well. I went to the audiologist and she says that my physical hearing is 100% normal. She referred me to a different doctor that specializes in auditory processing disorders. Basically, it means that although my ears get the signals into my brain just fine, my brain doesn't know what to do with the signals in some cases.

On Tuesday, I'm meeting up with this new doctor, and we're going to map out the specific cases where my brain has problems, but from my personal observations, it all seems centered around speech, as I mentioned above. I have a hell of a time understanding speech, to the point that I get lost in group conversations, have to ask people to repeat themselves all the time, struggle with the phone, etc.

I'm honestly a little disappointed that I'm not physically hard of hearing, but only because that would have been an easy answer. APD stuff is a little harder, and less concrete, as it all happens in the brain. But we shall see what the doctor finds out on Tuesday.

that seems very frustrating... can you still benefit from knowing asl? or is that also hard to understand?

i hope your appointment is better tuesday!

 

[joycem137]

that seems very frustrating... can you still benefit from knowing asl? or is that also hard to understand?

i hope your appointment is better tuesday!

I can absolutely say that ASL really helps in many situations. In a situation where my ability to comprehend speech is degraded, ASL cuts through the noise and crosstalk and comes through very clearly. I've been teaching it to my friends for just this reason.

I hope your appointment on December 14th goes well, and you learn what's up with you. I've been finding it really helpful to be learning about my issues.

 

[Cheetah]

I can absolutely say that ASL really helps in many situations. In a situation where my ability to comprehend speech is degraded, ASL cuts through the noise and crosstalk and comes through very clearly. I've been teaching it to my friends for just this reason.

I hope your appointment on December 14th goes well, and you learn what's up with you. I've been finding it really helpful to be learning about my issues.

I wonder if maybe you are more of a visual learner. My gf's sister is hearing and is a visual learner. She sometimes understands me better if I sign and I have very good speech. Just kind of interesting.

 

[joycem137]

that seems very frustrating... can you still benefit from knowing asl? or is that also hard to understand?

i hope your appointment is better tuesday!

It went better!

I ran through a battery of tests for various central auditory processing disorders. I showed as normal/perfect for most of the tests, and in a few showed below average, but normal, scores. However, in three areas, I received scores outside of the normal range. The most significant of these was the "speech-in-noise" test.

According to my audiologist, the lower bound for normal hearing is 64% on this test, meaning that people understand 64% of the words spoken in speech. 64% would still mean the person has considerable difficulty understanding speech in noise, but not enough to be considered "abnormally difficult." In my left ear, I got a score of 44%. In my right, 56%.

Along with the other things we identified, this clearly shows that I have a CAPD, primarily centered in audio processing that takes place in my brain stem. According to the ADA, this is a "physical hearing disorder."

Apparently, there are training exercises that can help with this disorder, and its recognition under the ADA gives me access to some things that might help me, such as captioned telephone services. But all that aside, I'm just relieved to finally know what's going on with me.

 

[RacherBunny]

It went better!

I ran through a battery of tests for various central auditory processing disorders. I showed as normal/perfect for most of the tests, and in a few showed below average, but normal, scores. However, in three areas, I received scores outside of the normal range. The most significant of these was the "speech-in-noise" test.

According to my audiologist, the lower bound for normal hearing is 64% on this test, meaning that people understand 64% of the words spoken in speech. 64% would still mean the person has considerable difficulty understanding speech in noise, but not enough to be considered "abnormally difficult." In my left ear, I got a score of 44%. In my right, 56%.

Along with the other things we identified, this clearly shows that I have a CAPD, primarily centered in audio processing that takes place in my brain stem. According to the ADA, this is a "physical hearing disorder."

Apparently, there are training exercises that can help with this disorder, and its recognition under the ADA gives me access to some things that might help me, such as captioned telephone services. But all that aside, I'm just relieved to finally know what's going on with me.

yay! i'm glad it's all figured out!
what kind of exercises do you do for that?

 

[Cheetah]

It went better!

I ran through a battery of tests for various central auditory processing disorders. I showed as normal/perfect for most of the tests, and in a few showed below average, but normal, scores. However, in three areas, I received scores outside of the normal range. The most significant of these was the "speech-in-noise" test.

According to my audiologist, the lower bound for normal hearing is 64% on this test, meaning that people understand 64% of the words spoken in speech. 64% would still mean the person has considerable difficulty understanding speech in noise, but not enough to be considered "abnormally difficult." In my left ear, I got a score of 44%. In my right, 56%.

Along with the other things we identified, this clearly shows that I have a CAPD, primarily centered in audio processing that takes place in my brain stem. According to the ADA, this is a "physical hearing disorder."

Apparently, there are training exercises that can help with this disorder, and its recognition under the ADA gives me access to some things that might help me, such as captioned telephone services. But all that aside, I'm just relieved to finally know what's going on with me.

I know what you mean. Once I learned my dizzyness was caused by migraines, I finally had something I could work on. It made it easier to deal with knowing what the cause was. I didn't feel so lost when it happened. Now, I know why.

 

[RacherBunny]

has anyone gone deaf in one ear randomly?

i've been trying to list all my concerns with my hearing for my doctor appointment and i've noticed that randomly my hearing completely goes away in one ear (usually my left, which is weird because i feel like i can hear better out of my left).

the hearing comes back after a few minutes, but it still freaks me out a bit.

i don't think loud noise is the problem because it still happens even when there is only minimal background sounds (fish tank or tv on in different room).

EDIT: making this a separate thread