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Hearing Loss: Come introduce yourself and connect with others
Hearing Loss | Last Active: 6 days ago | Replies (1521)Comment receiving replies
I am a Army National Guard Veteran and 14 year American Tinnitus Association volunteer who has moderate to severe high frequency hearing loss and 4 noises with Tinnitus. I have helped hundreds regain quality of life conducting tinnitus support group classes, peer one on one training and support as well as public speaking for the Hearing Loss Association (Chapters in HLA) and many other organizations as well as promoting tinnitus and hearing loss on ABC, Fox, The Hearing Journal, Growing Boulder and many other media sources. There are many helpful tips and lessons learned that can help others when buying or understanding hearing aids. Please remember if you lost 20% of your hearinng the aids are basically made up of computer chips and tweaked to support your hearing loss through software programs and an "Expert hearing professional". They can only make sounds louder to compensate that 20% loss and the brain is the engine that drives the hearing. In most cases we hear with the brain not the ears. So many other support options out there to help you. God Bless all of you.
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Thank you for the work you're doing for the American Tinnitus Assn. and for HLAA.
One of the hardest things for people with adult onset hearing loss and related issues like tinnitus and Meniere's, is feeling so alone with their frustration. These support organizations help alleviate that, but people have to be willing to get involved.
I was fortunate to find HLAA, which was SHHH back then (Self Help for Hard of Hearing People), when I was fearful, frustrated and fatigued trying to live with progressive sensorineural hearing loss that was diagnosed when I was in my early 20s. I honestly believe getting involved saved my life. I felt so alone. No one understood what I was going through. If I tried to talk about it my feelings were minimized. Isolation leads to depression. Glad I had the courage to say 'yes' to becoming involved with SHHH at the national, state and local levels. It sure brought me out of the shell I had created for myself!! So very thankful.
Thank you for what you are doing!
Most of us who live with hearing loss want a cure. I believe it will come, but the reality is that research in this field is relatively current. Prior to the first successful cochlear implant, it was believed that the acoustic nerve was 'dead' if sensorineural hearing loss was diagnosed. CIs proved that it was dormant, not dead. And in many cases that nerve could be activated by bypassing the damaged cochlea. Surprise! Again, what a blessing!!