Hearing Loss - La Jolla,CA

I have minor hearing loss. I started noticing it several years ago in my early 30s. I finally got it checked when I was about 42. I think it is from untreated ear infections when I was a competitive swimmer in high school. I didn't want to miss any of our short season, so I hid my infections. Stupid.

My hearing loss isn't enough to justify hearing aids yet. The audiologist simulated how aids would affect my hearing and it really didn't help. My hearing is worse if there is any background noise--kitchen exhaust fan, TV in the background, crowds, a really windy day. If someone is facing away from me or talking in a soft voice it can be hard to understand them. Some tones of voice are also hard for me to hear. Mine is also worse when I have a cold or stuffy head from allergies. Decongestants help a lot!

I still use earbuds at times, but have the volume set pretty low--really just so I can barely hear it. You can still listen to music, just skip the earbuds or keep the volume low. If you are in noisy environments consider using earplugs or noise canceling ear protection. My husband has some that he uses when he mows or snowblows. My son has used them at the fireworks because he hates loud noises. You can use less conspicuous ear plugs if you go to a concert.

It took some time for me to get to this point, but I'm very straight forward with people. If I'm having a hard time hearing them, I will tell them that I have minor hearing loss. (Unless it is someone that I really don't care to hear.) I'm surprised at how many people say that they do too. I'm a reading teacher and I do lots of 1-1 assessment with kids. They know that my ears sometimes don't work well and they need to speak clearly. I'm always reminding my kids that they need to be looking at me when they talk. I'm always reminding my husband to not mumble. It's frustrating, but it's what I need to do.

I don't think there is much of a stigma about hearing loss as there maybe was at one time. Hearing aids are much smaller and less cumbersome than they used to be. I have a friend from college who got hearing aids in his 30s. I wouldn't know that he even had them except that he told a story about losing one when he was out hiking one day. I have another friend who only wears hers in some situations. I wouldn't know that she has them if I hadn't seen her put them in one time.

More than likely if your hearing loss is due to long term exposure to loud sounds you won't go completely deaf and your hearing will be helped by hearing aids. Most people as they age will have some hearing loss (and changes to vision--my husband was told that at age 40, most people need glasses of some kind). Continue to take precautions to protect your hearing and it might not progress much. Since I had my hearing tested a few years back, I don't think it has gotten any worse. You learn to adapt.

This is a scary thing of course but many people have hearing problems. Wearing a hearing aid isn't the end of the world. Keep aware of the problem and take care of your ears by wearing ear plugs when you're doing anything that can harm them such as mowing or running the dishwasher or vacuuming.

I can remember how devastated I felt when I was diagnosed hypothyroid at 32.
It's like "I'm in my 30's and my body is already falling apart!".
I was actually mad for a while - like I was betrayed by my body.
You get over it sooner or later - but you realize - you're not in your 20's anymore!
You can't afford to burn your candle at both ends anymore.

If it's any consolation, you're not alone.
There are quite a few young people with hearing issues and I really think the headphones are a big factor in this.

Some of it can be due to aging - I'm in my 50's and have a hard time picking out words when there's a lot of ambient noise in the background.
You learn to have people face you when they speak.

As alarming as this is to have in your 30's there are people who have much worse hearing issues and there are many more options to cope with it than there use to be.
My son's taekwondo instructor has a cochlear implant which helps him enormously.
There's some exciting work being done to develop a treatment for helping to regenerate sensory hairs in the ears - it's in the experimental stages right now.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130109124201...

In the mean time go out of your way to protect your hearing now.
That means wearing ear plugs when mowing the lawn, using a chain saw, etc.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/hearing-problems/Pages/tips-to...

My hubby has bad hearing. He listened to rock & roll through ear phones and many concerts. We are guessing that is the cause.

With that, he has low attention span and selective hearing. His hearing has been checked by a doctor and he does have low hearing. He refuses to get a hearing aid, so he just says, "Huh" all the time. It drives me nuts. I will usually say things to him one time and then I walk away. I don't see the point in repeating myself 3 times for someone who won't do anything about it.

Please, please, please, get yourslef some type of hearing device.

I have minor hearing loss. It is annoying in a big noisy room...it sometimes is difficult for me to hear the person in front me when it's very loud around us. I think I got it from working on many boats in my 20s and not wearing hearing protection, listening to loud music, and the many ear infections I had as a kid. I also came down with tinnitis when I was about 29...I am now used to the constant ringing in my ears, but it can be tiring and bug me. No one knows what causes tinnitis. I think you can listen to music...just don't put it on so loud. And if you one day need a hearing aid it will be ok. It's not the end of the world. I have a good friend who almost died in a horrible car crash when she was 20 and she has many physical problems because of it. One problem is she needs to wear a hearing aid...it's very tiny and not noticeable at all. It's a cute little red gadget that looks high tech...not a big clunky thing like I saw my grandfather wearing.

Has your doctor told you that you should expect it to be progressive? Some hearing loss is very stable.

I have hearing loss, but it's not total and for now it's stable. According to the ENT, my hearing loss was mild enough that he said I didn't need hearing aids. But I got really tired of asking people to repeat themselves so I got them and they really do make life easier. Also, I often turn on the closed caption on the TV because while I can MOSTLY hear it, I got frustrated missing details during quiet dramatic moments. Also, at work I always sit in central places during meetings so I can see everyone. I don't know how to read lips like a person with complete hearing loss, but you will be amazed at how much easier it is to understand people if you can see them talking.

I suppose everything is relative, but my hearing loss came with months of severe vertigo. I was happy that only the hearing loss was permanent, and the vertigo went away that it didn't occur to me to be sad about the hearing loss.

I've really found it to be an inconvenience, not a major issue.

If your hearing loss is not stable and since you fear becoming deaf, I suggest you start learning sign language.

ETA: I agree with another poster who said that once you get used to the idea, it's best to be straightforward. I too frequently remind me kids to look at me when they speak.