It's 5:30 am and I'm up having a cup of tea with the cats. I usually go right back to bed, but today felt the need to stay up and read blogs for a little while. My cough is much better and I plan to go to my pottery class later this morning. However, I am a bit worried about my hearing.
I mentioned to our family physician when I was in last week for this coughing crud that my hearing has been strange ever since the auto accident. It might have had problems before that but if so, I didn't notice. Immediately after the accident I had this loud ringing in my ears as well as a strange echoing or maybe more like being in a well (hard to explain)... and I was dizzy. They did a CAT SCAN of my head and found nothing wrong (thank goodness). Told me that the explosion of the air bags probably caused the ringing.
But my hearing still is "off"... not to a large degree, but I hear someone talking (like on TV), but don't always catch what they're saying. And it's strange because some people have loud clear voices that I hear fine and some I can't quite make out what they say. Now... we also watch a lot of English television... and on some of those shows it's difficult to understand because of the accent... but this is different.
Anyway, my family physician recommended that I get my hearing checked. And I will - probably after the holidays. But I do wonder if the impact or the loud explosion of the air bags could have actually done something to my ear drums???
Maybe what it boils down to is 'getting old is not for the faint of heart'....
Wondering if it did something to those tiny hairs. They are so fragile and even the roar of hair dryers can affect your hearing over the years. Here is hoping it fixes itself!
ReplyDeletePersonally I do think something happened when that air bag explosion went off. Maybe it's temporary. I sure hope so.
DeleteCould congestion from your cold be making things worse? -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI don't think so, but I guess that could be a possibility. Most of the congestion is gone.
DeleteI feel for you not hearing properly. Tom is so deaf and we are waiting to see the consultant. He has a difficult one called hyperacusis and I don't think they can do much for it. I have to repeat everything about 3 times and have learnt that its no good talking to him unless he is in front of me.
ReplyDeleteHe also has tinnitus and I'm wondering if that is what you have.
I hope you get it sorted out, its not fun not hearing is it?
Briony
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No, it's no fun, Briony. When you can hear one person talking and then you hear the other person responding, but can't understand what they said.... it makes you feel like something is wrong somewhere. You wonder if it's the TV, your hearing, or your brain is muddled??
DeleteI hope whatever it is that they can treat it. You may be a candidate for hearing aids. My sister wears them now and they make a huge difference in her tinnitus. Glad you're feeling better overall, though. :-)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely feeling better, DJan. Cough still there... but not nearly as bad. As for hearing aids, I don't really care if I have to wear them, just think it's strange to have come on so suddenly.
DeleteLove that photo; hope your hearing straights itself out and you cough. I have a constant ringing in my ears and I didn't go to that many concerts in my youth and my hearing isn't half as good as it used to be. Gary has the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't have ringing in my ears now. It was only right after the accident. However, I do get a strange 'chirping' sound on occasion - kind of like crickets. It doesn't stay... but that's new too.
DeleteI have no idea if the air bag explosion might have caused hearing damage but it seems logical. Hope it is something that can be overcome though.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're feeling better and able to make it to pottery class. Enjoy!
Eileen
I spoke to someone at class today about my hearing. She is a nurse and says it's possible that the explosion from the airbag caused some (maybe temporary) hearing loss. She recommended I give it some time and if it doesn't seem to get better, then have my checked.
DeleteGood idea to get it checked since it was sudden onset. I have had ringing ears for years but don't remember it happening suddenly. I too have trouble with different levels of speaking on TV. Some actors are quite clear, others seem to mumble and whisper. Probably should get mine checked also. Let us know.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the ringing in my ears anymore... that was only the first 2 days after the accident. But I'm beginning to think that the air bag explosion did have some effect on my ears... maybe (hopefully) it is temporary and not permanent damage.
DeleteGood luck, I hope it's just the residual effects of the accident. And if you've lost a bit of hearing and opt for a hearing aid, they are so tiny you can't even notice them. My mom opted to get them, even though her hearing loss is minor, and my new-ish director, who is only 50, is hearing impaired and has hearing aids in both ears. I had no idea whatsoever until she had to replace a battery in a one-on-one meeting a few months ago. Anyway, hopefully all will be well! (BTW, you have to wonder about today's kids who listen to music at full blast via their phone and ear buds...will they need hearing aids at 35???)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that age may be a factor... but personally I think it is the residual effects of the air bag explosion. It was terrifically loud! The car was 23 years old, we were surprised the airbags still worked. And I never noticed any problem with my hearing before that incident.
DeleteI know that long term exposure to noise can definitely damage hearing. It makes sense that an explosion would have an effect but I hope it is temporary.
ReplyDeleteI watched the TV series Shetland. There really were whole dialogues that I missed. But I love the Scottish accent for its soothing musicality so I didn't really care that much. (Another one of those shows I watched mostly for the scenery, which was spectacular.)
We watch Shetland also... as well as many other series where the accents make it difficult to quite catch what they're saying. And these are part of the reason I wonder if it's my ears or the people talking. But it seems more difficult since the accident. Anyway, we love the scenery too! (Shetland, Loch Ness, Poldark, Doc Martin, etc.)
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