Hi there, so I have been in hearing aids since November last year. I feel my hearing has somehow gotten worse! Is this possible?? I did an online hearing test (I know not the same but can’t go out due to COVID-19) and I did the same one before I got my hearing aids. Now it seems I am 10db worse in my dip!
Is it possible for hearing to deteriorate so quickly? Or am I just used to hearing everything amplified now?
Thanks guys and gals!
If it possible that your hearing is getting worse? Yes it is possible, but were you really fitted correctly? Cookie bite hearing loss is not easy to fit, I know that is the way my hearing loss started. But I had a much narrower bite than you. I have over the last 15 years lost some in the lower frequencies as well as the high frequencies. And to be honest as I have lost some in the lows and the highs my fitting as become easier.
Hi CV thanks for the reply.
I was wondering about deteriorating in 6 months. Can things change that fast?? How fast did yours get worse?
My continued loss has happened slowly over the last 15 years. But yes it can happen fast, and some do lose a lot over night even. A 10db difference from test to test even in the same day is not unusual. The hearing test I have found to be very subjective, and will change due to you being tired or stressed. And to be honest we are in a very stressful time. I would not worry to much about it yet. You are getting use to the aids, see you just got them in November, and it is normal to notice the differences. I would say keep notes about your hearing and as soon as you can see your Audi, show him the notes, and more than likely you will just need to get a minor adjustment to your aids.
Also, it is very common without your aids on to feel like you have lost more of your hearing, that is because you are getting use to the louder sounds your aids are giving you.
Also, my biggest challenge was as still is with understand speech, I have the speech understanding issue in all of the environments that I go into. I now wear Oticon OPN1 ITE aids and they have been tuned for me by a wonderful Audi over about a 14 month time frame, and about 10 different adjustments to give me the best hearing that I have ever had with or without hearing aids.
Be patient, keep notes, and keep working with your Audi.
Speaking from experience here, yes, rapid hearing loss is a thing. Over the duration you have though it probably wouldn’t even qualify as rapid though. Just progressive, at least according to what I’ve read. If you aren’t in a high risk group you might consider getting with a local ENT if you haven’t, as well as in with your audiologist.
To be honest I have found that some tests do differ. I had a test done by 2 different audiologists and they were both different so I wouldn’t worry about the 10db. I have a similar hearing loss to you and to start with I found it all very stressful wearing the aids and getting used to all the different sounds (Marvel 90r’s started July 2019) but I persevered and now I am much more relaxed about them - I really don’t notice I have them in.
So my ENT basically did one hearing test, diagnosed me with hereditary hearing loss and said it’s going to get worse. That was that. I guess I’m freaking out a little!
Thanks for everyone’s reply. I guess it’s hard to know where I really am. Cookie-bite HL is weird, we can hear but not really? Does that explain it? lol
Mine is an inherited loss as well. I had my first hearing test when I was in my 30’s - it has got worse but that is over a period of 38 years. Everyone tells me its an age thing LOL! I agree, its a weird hearing loss - I am lucky, I eventually found a really good audiologist (the ENT referred me) who has been amazing. It does take time - I still have problems in noisy situations and this 2 metre distancing makes it difficult. I am still having them tweaked but on the whole I am extremely happy with them - its wonderful being able to hear the birds again 