Sudden Distortion?

Tis been a long time since I posted on here, years in fact! I sort of lost heart, my protestations over some folks making inordinate amounts of money via someone’s disability at the time seemed rather repugnant, but I have mellowed and the game has changed, there is so much more competition via internet dispensers, high street Audi’s and the NHS seems to be able to get there hands on newer and better HA’s? Last year the NHS gave me a set of Oticon Safari 900 SP’s when I was badgering them for Cochlear Implants… they are excellent HA’s, although I’m totally aware it was a sweetener to get me off their case :-)) they keep moving the goalposts of their thresholds for implants, most annoying!!!

Anyway here’s my question; I had an appointment to see an NHS Audiologist last Friday, she did a quick test and my hearing was slightly down on my previous audiogram, examined my ears and said both were infected and there was lots of scaring from previous infections and as I have had dozens of infections over the last 25 years of wearing HA’s that came as little surprise, un-occluded molds are a breeding ground for bacteria and the said bacteria seems to love the inside of my ears lol :-)) she turned the aids up slightly, but said she was worried about distortion? The slight increase seemed fine to me at the time, but low and behold 6 hours later I am down with sudden distortion with everything garbled and no contextual information getting to my “2” little brain cells :joy: I thought it was perhaps the Oticons, so I swopped to my Phonak Ambra Spice, no joy still garbled! I then swopped to a pair of Nadia V UP’s still garbled… I got some steroid ear spray from from my doctor to try to clear the infection, this usually does the trick in a couple of days or so, I seem to be improving then its back to all garbled again, I am hoping, nay praying that this is but a temporary situation, due to the infection or the the overall volume increase or the combination of both? I don’t think or I am unable to recall anything like this happening to me before, Tis new territory to me… Is there anyone out there with similar experiences either with themselves or perhaps a client, your input would be gratefully appreciated:-)) Cheers Kev​:+1:

You might want to get into see an ENT or a regular doctor because you might need to be on something stronger than you are currently taking to clear up the infections. Good luck!

Thank you Seb… I appreciate your concern, I am am slightly worried at the moment, but it is not a major one! Here in the UK, depending on where you live? Then you cannot just get an actual appointment with your own Doctor, that takes approximately 3 weeks to gain an appointment, as for ENT you could probably double that time scale? It was not always so, perhaps 4 years ago when I lived on the Black Isle, I could phone my Doctor and see him within the hour, the local hospital ENT/Audiology Department had a drop in centre every afternoon for 3 hours Monday to Friday no appointment or phone call was necessary and again you were usually seen within the hour… nowadays tis the exact opposite and they actively try to discourage you from trying to see them, tis a nightmare in comparison as they make you phone in for an appointment knowing full well you might struggle to communicate effectively over the phone, so this might discourage you from actually making one… there is methode in there madness, but it is all down to funding or the lack of it! Cheers Kev.

I just wonder if the sudden garbling may be a malfunction of the AIDS? How old is this current pair? Given that you’ve had several infections, there may be corrosion or compromised performance of the actual aids. Just boosting the volume may only make matters worse.

Also: you are removing aids in BOTH ears for the duration of your treatment? Having been through that myself a couple times, I would suggest that NOTHING go in your ears till they are absolutely healed. You will just irritate the ears, slow down your recovery, and expose your delicate aids to chemicals, excretions and what-not that will diminish their performance.

You need to sanitize your aids EACH and EVERY day! Wash your hands before inserting them (or handling them at all). Wipe them down with an alcohol wipe at the end of each day and put them in a drying unit that has a UV lamp for extra sterilization. What you don’t want is a situation where the infections are so frequent that you simply can not wear ANY aids at all. That is a sobering reality I contemplated after my 2nd bout of otitis due to allergic reaction a few years back.

As one who absolutely is deaf as a brick without my aids, I can relate to the agony of recovery: days (maybe more than a week even!) of NO hearing, lots of notes scribbled on paper, worry that I’ll have an accident not hearing something critical, just awful. If I’d still been working during either of my infection bouts, I would’ve had to stay home from work - and forget about the PHONE! GOOD LUCK to you in the healing.

Kev,
I’ve been reading up on distortion and you might be suffering from recruitment, basically the turning up of the volume of your HA’s was too much and now the sounds are getting too loud, too fast. The results are loud is too loud and you also get distorted hearing. The definition of recruitment sounds like what you are experiencing: [Recruitment refers to a condition related to some hearing loss. Recruitment causes your perception of sound to be exaggerated. Even though there is only a small increase in the noise levels, sound may seem much louder and it can distort and cause discomfort.]. I’ve attached an article that does a much better job than I did of explaining it. http://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/recruitment-from-hearing-loss-explained/

Yes Seb, I am acutely aware of recruitment, I have had it for a long time, 25 + years, although I have learned to adjust over that time span… first few years were difficult as my life revolved mostly around the music scene, did a lot of roadie work prior to that, then wham… severe hearing loss (viral flu) closely followed by Meniers Disease and Recruitment, those were tough times and I almost became totally reclusive because of the afore mentioned… Thank u Seb, I have adapted so well over the years, I had forgotten about recruitment, I will ask my Audi to turn them back down ASAP. Cheers Kev :-))

Thank you Bluejay

No the Audi tested my HA’s and they were fine… I used to have all that kit, UV lamp and dryer etc. My job doesn’t allow me time to flaff around cleaning aids, no time as I work with criminal justice and I have up to 5 offenders each day (I call them clients) there are days when need eyes in the back of my head lol :joy: most of the time we are out in the field doing work for the community, if I’m working hard especially in the warmer months, I will sweat bad so my tubing will fill up with fluid, I am left with no option but to blow out my tubing, not very hygienic but needs must! I am almost guaranteed an ear infection once a month or so, I have learned to live with it… I think Seb is correct, tis probably my recruitment. Cheers Kev​:+1:

Kev,

Several years ago a Canadian woman named Marion was on HAF and had a very similar experience to yours and she ended up with a CI because even when her audi turned down the volume, she still had the distortion, so don’t walk but run back to your audi. Good luck!

Thank you for that Seb, I will try and see my Audi ASAP. In the end, it may force the NHS hand if I remain with distortion then I can push them for implants? Every cloud can have a silver lining :-))Cheers Kev.