Or cause≠ correlation≠ coincidence
Remember the low frequency hearing loss I had? The loss that had been going on for sure for nearly three years and most definitely since 2010 and probably earlier than that?
It’s gone. Vanished, kaput, bye-bye.
I saw my audiologist in early March because I thought my right ear was getting bad (original loss was in my left ear). So he ran a hearing test on both ears; much to everyone’s surprise, my left and right ears both register as normal now. I asked if it were possible that this change was because of the sinus surgery. Nope, he said, not possible. And the reason my right ear seemed as though it might be losing hearing was because my left ear was now over amplified.
He was leaning toward a different diagnosis and asked if I had any tinnitus or ringing in my ears. Of course, I said. Listen, you don’t perform the 1812 Overture with live howitzers year after year and not get some tinnitus—never mind that I’ve fronted rock bands too. That kind of music comes at a price.
So he had me go without my hearing aid for a month and then return to be retested. That was a couple of weeks ago and not only do I not have the low frequency hearing loss in the left ear, the tiny incremental loss I’d had in the very upper register is also gone.
Both my ENT and my audiologist still swear that this change has nothing to do with the sinus surgery I had in December, no how no way.
Now my fancy pants $2000 hearing aid sits in this dry caddy tucked away in my nightstand, and that’s where it will stay unless something changes. I am to get tested again in about six months and we’ll see where things stand.
Edited to add that I'd rather have it sitting there in a caddy than need to wear it.
Remember the low frequency hearing loss I had? The loss that had been going on for sure for nearly three years and most definitely since 2010 and probably earlier than that?
It’s gone. Vanished, kaput, bye-bye.
I saw my audiologist in early March because I thought my right ear was getting bad (original loss was in my left ear). So he ran a hearing test on both ears; much to everyone’s surprise, my left and right ears both register as normal now. I asked if it were possible that this change was because of the sinus surgery. Nope, he said, not possible. And the reason my right ear seemed as though it might be losing hearing was because my left ear was now over amplified.
He was leaning toward a different diagnosis and asked if I had any tinnitus or ringing in my ears. Of course, I said. Listen, you don’t perform the 1812 Overture with live howitzers year after year and not get some tinnitus—never mind that I’ve fronted rock bands too. That kind of music comes at a price.
So he had me go without my hearing aid for a month and then return to be retested. That was a couple of weeks ago and not only do I not have the low frequency hearing loss in the left ear, the tiny incremental loss I’d had in the very upper register is also gone.
Both my ENT and my audiologist still swear that this change has nothing to do with the sinus surgery I had in December, no how no way.
Now my fancy pants $2000 hearing aid sits in this dry caddy tucked away in my nightstand, and that’s where it will stay unless something changes. I am to get tested again in about six months and we’ll see where things stand.
Edited to add that I'd rather have it sitting there in a caddy than need to wear it.
4 comments:
Frustrating but...good that the problem went away? I think it has to do with the sinus surgery. How could it not? I wonder what your surgeon would think about this if you asked.
I did ask him :) That's my ENT and he swore a bazillion different ways that nope, not related. Whatever, I'm with you. I think they ARE related.
That's awesome! Whatever the mysterious reason, I'm thankful!
That's fantastic! Sometimes life throws some very nice surprises at us. :)
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