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Author: Subject: Any audiologists on site
bonzoronnie

posted on 24/1/17 at 06:39 PM Reply With Quote
Any audiologists on site

Very, very long shot I know but are there any audiologists on this site ?
Failing that any healthcare professional that would be willing to offer a little advice.

Some will Know, I am not a well person.
As a result my immune system is none too clever.

For the 3rd year in a row I have had caught a cold late autumn/early winter & it lingers on till spring.

There are issues with my sinuses & any cold greatly affects my hearing.
The longer the cold persists the worse my hearing issues become.

Now at the point that I am unable to hear the television, hear my Jeeps diesel engine ( inside car ) or what people say to me unless they are very close to me.
Took the dog out for a walk down the local riverbank today & it suddenly dawned on me that I could not even hear the river flowing.

If i follow the pattern of the last couple of years, my hearing will not return to almost normal until about June/July.

I have been thinking about if hearing aids are the way forward for me.
To that end, I visited to my GP to ask for a referral to an audiologist.
After an examination it was decided that I have sinusitis ( Spelling ) & was given a course of tablets.

I explained that I was concerned that there would be a long wait to see an audiologist, if my hearing was nearing normality once more.
It may give a false indication of my needs when my hearing is most affected.

The GP said any hearing test done now would be void & i would have to wait until my cold has gone & I am back to normal.
This has left me greatly confused.
Surely my hearing needs to be tested whilst I am in most need.

Perhaps these things don't work the way I think they do ?

Any advice would be most welcome.
Perhaps any healthcare professionals could offer some pearls of wisdom.

On a lighter note, do I get an award for the most out there topic to be posted on this forum

[Edited on 24/1/17 by bonzoronnie]

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scootz

posted on 24/1/17 at 07:23 PM Reply With Quote
If you take the hearing test now, then it will only confirm what you already know - that you're hearing is impaired.

I can therefore see the sense in them treating what they believe to be the cause of the hearing impairment before the hearing exam.

Clear your sinuses properly, then see if there's any lasting damage.





It's Evolution Baby!

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jacko

posted on 24/1/17 at 07:45 PM Reply With Quote
Iv just got a hearing aid but before they gave me it i had to go for a MRI scan to check for any other problems maybe thats what you need
check with your doctor
jacko

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bonzoronnie

posted on 24/1/17 at 08:21 PM Reply With Quote
Cheers folks.

I do see a consultant every 6 months for my leukemia, unfortunately for me, there is no cure.
As it is a chronic condition. I fully expect to be around for a good while yet. ( Fingers crossed & all that )

I have had a multitude of MRI scans including my sinuses.
My consultant explained that there are growths partially blocking my sinuses.
In the event of an infection there is little room for my glands to swell, this causes the glands to push against the inside of my eardrum & it is this causing my hearing problems.
Had some wonderful treatment to deal with my external growths. A course of Radiotherapy shrunk them away to nothing.
As for the internal growths, the only treatment option is a radical course of Chemo, a risky one at that.

In agreement with my consultant, it has been decided to delay Chemo until it is absolutely necessary.
Whilst I am feeling relatively well in myself & can function reasonably well, I am happy with the way things are.

Kinda feeling I just have to put up with being almost deaf for 4-6 months each year.
Gets quite depressing at times.

I see my consultant again in May, perhaps I should bring up the subject of hearing aids then.

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posted on 25/1/17 at 12:02 PM Reply With Quote
Most major high street opticians do hearing tests, some pharmacies too - they'll even (i think) do them for free. The reality is people go for a hearing test when they have a problem, therefore its almost a given you'll then want to buy a hearing aid and .... guess what ...... they sell hearing aids. Guess what else, once you've had a test you tend to buy from the person who just tested you.

So go along, get tested and bear in mind they're anticipating you'll be buying a hearing aid from them.

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BenB

posted on 25/1/17 at 01:57 PM Reply With Quote
It sounds awfully like you've got Eustachian tube dysfunction whereby the tube going the nose to the ear gets blocked and fluid fills up the middle ear. Treatment for this usually would be steroid nasal sprays (also used for sinusitis) and when this doesn't help they can consider other options such as putting a balloon up into the Eustachian tube and effectively doing an angioplasty for the ET. I happen to have ETD currently and it's horrible. Anti-histamines tend not to be so useful. Decongestants work for a few days but your body rapidly gets addicted to them and long-term can actually make things worse. Various causes (as said below), a growth at the back of the nose (near the eustachian tube and sinus tubes) would do this.

http://patient.info/health/eustachian-tube-dysfunction

As said already your GP is correct in that an audiometry test done currently is going to tell you little other than what you already know (you have a conductive hearing loss).

A hearing aid would be a way round the problem to an extent but you'ld need to ensure it was suitable for a conductive hearing loss. Most people with hearing issues have a sensory hearing loss (IE the nerve is just old and knackered)- then you boost all the frequencies to compensate. With a conductive hearing loss the low frequencies will bypass the drum and ossicles and stimulate the nerve directly (so can be relatively well preserved). High frequencies can't and they get more absorbed by the fluid in middle ear. If you just boost all frequencies for someone with a conductive hearing loss the low frequencies will be disproportionately amplified.

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BenB

posted on 25/1/17 at 02:01 PM Reply With Quote
PS. I'm assuming your specialist is a haematologist. They're great with blood issues. Ear problems, not so hot. I'd discuss it with the GP again or ask to see an ENT surgeon. Specialists know everything about one thing, GPs know one thing about everything
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bonzoronnie

posted on 26/1/17 at 09:09 AM Reply With Quote
Thanks again chaps.

Thank you for the link Ben, some very informative information there.
Yes I agree GP knows best, mine has always gone the extra mile.
All the doctors & nurses at our practice are great.
We are very fortunate to have such a great practice.

I was under the care of the hematologist but when my condition declined he transferred my care over to a senior cancer consultant.
He now checks my bloods & monitors my internal issues.

Confession time.
I went to see the practice nurse yesterday.
She was able to explain what my GP had put in his notes.
He wanted me to have my ears syringed ( Now done ), he then wants 10 days to allow the anti biotics time to clear the current infection.
Will see me in 10 days & then make my referral to audiology.
Hearing test should be about 2 weeks after referral.

To be honest, I heard very little of what my GP was saying ( Very softly spoken )
In my defense, I am quite deaf

Thanks all

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