Hearing Loss: Come introduce yourself and connect with others

Welcome to the Hearing Loss group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet people living with hearing loss, and friends and family supporters. Whether you were born deaf or hard of hearing, experienced hearing loss after birth or with aging, it helps to connect with others. Together we can learn from each other, support one another and share stories about living with hearing loss, coping with challenges and celebrating milestones.

Let’s chat. Why not start by introducing yourself? What is your hearing loss experience? Got a question, tip or story to share?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.

@maaniverma

New to the community. I am Manish age 23 from India going through Single Side Deafness in my right ear from birth with profound sensorineural hearing loss and I have one normal left ear. I want to know what are the possible solutions for me at present for my right ear and also if my left ear gets hearing loss in the future?

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@maaniverma Just and FYI. I deleted your last name for your safety.

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@earscan

Would love to at a later date. Home now after cancer surgery and dealing with some complications; not quite up to par. But in the future, we would love to and we provide everyone with free resource guides and once covid is over, free otoscopic checks. We can also check their instruments for distortion, so keep our contact info on file. My husband is severely hearing impaired, but after leaving Boeing as an engineer, he was trained and certified in hearing instrument repairs and can also fix anything. We are a great team!! Gina

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Thanks, our meetings start up again usually after a summer break, in September, so perhaps you can speak to us by then? Sure hope your recovery process is smooth, must be more restrictive with COVID-19 going on, though.

Your background and knowledge sounds so invigorating. So glad you are participating in Mayo Connect.

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@earscan

Would love to at a later date. Home now after cancer surgery and dealing with some complications; not quite up to par. But in the future, we would love to and we provide everyone with free resource guides and once covid is over, free otoscopic checks. We can also check their instruments for distortion, so keep our contact info on file. My husband is severely hearing impaired, but after leaving Boeing as an engineer, he was trained and certified in hearing instrument repairs and can also fix anything. We are a great team!! Gina

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Yes, send to (email has been deleted: please utilize private message)

Just replied to earlier email about September, but May would be even better, if you can. So much great info to learn!

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@maaniverma

Thankyou julie, for requesting others. At present I am not using any hearing technology. I can hear normally from my left ear. I am just 23 and afraid to use devices which can be seen from naked eye.

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Are you afraid to wear glasses also? The unnecessary stigma about wearing hearing aids is going, going, hopef6soon gone! The younger generation are not afraid - they wear red, turquoise or purple ones to show they are not afraid to get help for themselves- true advocacy spirit! Us baby boomers are catching up. In Europe, few have qualms about showing they CARE about being able to hear. God created man (and woman) who created hearing aids and glasses to help. Not admitting needed help actually removes joy and the chance for better opportunities from our lives

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@erikas

@maaniverma Just and FYI. I deleted your last name for your safety.

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@maaniverma . You live in another culture; so without knowing much about India, it is hard to know how to respond. I lost the hearing in my left ear 37 years ago as the result of a tumor being removed from the nerve that controls hearing on that side of my brain. My right ear works well, and I have been managing pretty well since. I use the word "managing" on purpose. I didn't know technologies had been developed in those 37 years that would help me hear better; but now I do thanks to the wonderful people on this site. I don't think we should tolerate "managing" when we could be "thriving". I think of all the missed opportunities, conversations, plays, concerts, conferences, events, etc. that I missed out on because I couldn't hear properly. It was easier to skip them than become frustrated and exhausted struggling to hear with background noise. It makes me sad to think you are 23 and might miss out on so much of life because you don't want to wear a hearing aid. From what I'm learning about them, some are very small and can be concealed. Is there a cultural bias in India against people, young people or women who wear hearing aids? Is there a bias against people who wear glasses to see better? Do you see it's the same thing? I know you are brave to reach out to a group of strangers half way around the world for advice. I hope you are brave enough to get a hearing aid so you can thrive and hear all the wonderful things life has to offer for the rest of your life. If you haven't, I hope you will visit a doctor to evaluate your good ear, so you will have a better understanding of what is going on with it and hope you will visit an audiologist to see what hearing aids and accessories are available there that would help you. I'm 74 and in three high risk groups for Covid. When it is safe to do so, I'm going to visit an audiologist and get a hearing aid and accessories to help me thrive for the rest of my life. Maybe this is something we could both do together thousands of miles apart. Please keep in touch... the people on this site have really helped me and my future quality of life and will help you. Best wishes, Nancy

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@earscan

I am glad to help anyone in this group. As VP of a subsidiary for Siemens Manufacturing, I worked with the FDA on the specs on hearing instruments that were required; I trained many professionals on how to build hearing instruments; I taught classes to physicians and audiologists on hearing instruments and programing and went on to get Board Certified and my Masters in Auditory Prothesis. I had 4 clinics (last one I sold to Siemens) and was a guest speaker at hospitals, conventions and organizations. The help that I can give is more about how to use the system to find what you need, ie. where foundations give out free hearing instruments, where to get assistive listening devices, even how to get fit by the manufacturer in special cases. This world is changing so fast and pricing is so inflated - what to choose, where to go is important. I have a world of knowledge, but I'm retired now and enjoying it. My husband is severely hearing impaired so he was my guinea pig on trying out all new products and what is advertised is regulated by the FDA on what benefits you can say these new devices will provide. Happy to help. Gina

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@earscan. What a wonderful resource you are! Thank you for stepping forth and volunteering to share your vast body of knowledge and wisdom to help us understand all the new technologies and options available to help us hear better. I hope you have a speedy recovery from your recent surgery and will look forward to learning from your future posts. Take care and best wishes, Nancy

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@th1

Yes, send to (email has been deleted: please utilize private message)

Just replied to earlier email about September, but May would be even better, if you can. So much great info to learn!

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@th1 & @earscan I deleted the email address for safety. Please use the private message function to exchange personal information. Let me know if I can help.

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@nla4625

@maaniverma . You live in another culture; so without knowing much about India, it is hard to know how to respond. I lost the hearing in my left ear 37 years ago as the result of a tumor being removed from the nerve that controls hearing on that side of my brain. My right ear works well, and I have been managing pretty well since. I use the word "managing" on purpose. I didn't know technologies had been developed in those 37 years that would help me hear better; but now I do thanks to the wonderful people on this site. I don't think we should tolerate "managing" when we could be "thriving". I think of all the missed opportunities, conversations, plays, concerts, conferences, events, etc. that I missed out on because I couldn't hear properly. It was easier to skip them than become frustrated and exhausted struggling to hear with background noise. It makes me sad to think you are 23 and might miss out on so much of life because you don't want to wear a hearing aid. From what I'm learning about them, some are very small and can be concealed. Is there a cultural bias in India against people, young people or women who wear hearing aids? Is there a bias against people who wear glasses to see better? Do you see it's the same thing? I know you are brave to reach out to a group of strangers half way around the world for advice. I hope you are brave enough to get a hearing aid so you can thrive and hear all the wonderful things life has to offer for the rest of your life. If you haven't, I hope you will visit a doctor to evaluate your good ear, so you will have a better understanding of what is going on with it and hope you will visit an audiologist to see what hearing aids and accessories are available there that would help you. I'm 74 and in three high risk groups for Covid. When it is safe to do so, I'm going to visit an audiologist and get a hearing aid and accessories to help me thrive for the rest of my life. Maybe this is something we could both do together thousands of miles apart. Please keep in touch... the people on this site have really helped me and my future quality of life and will help you. Best wishes, Nancy

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@maaniverma Hi again. I like what erika has said here. Are you getting more of an earful than you bargained for? 🙂 Would you be comfortable saying in some detail what specifically you are afraid would happen if others saw you wearing a hearing aid? For example, do you think people would think you less attractive because of wearing a hearing aid? Of course you don't have to answer these questions! Wishing you all the best.

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@nla4625

@maaniverma . You live in another culture; so without knowing much about India, it is hard to know how to respond. I lost the hearing in my left ear 37 years ago as the result of a tumor being removed from the nerve that controls hearing on that side of my brain. My right ear works well, and I have been managing pretty well since. I use the word "managing" on purpose. I didn't know technologies had been developed in those 37 years that would help me hear better; but now I do thanks to the wonderful people on this site. I don't think we should tolerate "managing" when we could be "thriving". I think of all the missed opportunities, conversations, plays, concerts, conferences, events, etc. that I missed out on because I couldn't hear properly. It was easier to skip them than become frustrated and exhausted struggling to hear with background noise. It makes me sad to think you are 23 and might miss out on so much of life because you don't want to wear a hearing aid. From what I'm learning about them, some are very small and can be concealed. Is there a cultural bias in India against people, young people or women who wear hearing aids? Is there a bias against people who wear glasses to see better? Do you see it's the same thing? I know you are brave to reach out to a group of strangers half way around the world for advice. I hope you are brave enough to get a hearing aid so you can thrive and hear all the wonderful things life has to offer for the rest of your life. If you haven't, I hope you will visit a doctor to evaluate your good ear, so you will have a better understanding of what is going on with it and hope you will visit an audiologist to see what hearing aids and accessories are available there that would help you. I'm 74 and in three high risk groups for Covid. When it is safe to do so, I'm going to visit an audiologist and get a hearing aid and accessories to help me thrive for the rest of my life. Maybe this is something we could both do together thousands of miles apart. Please keep in touch... the people on this site have really helped me and my future quality of life and will help you. Best wishes, Nancy

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@maaniverma Below is a link to a hearing aid that I will be trying this summer to help me with my single sided deafness. I did a google search on hearing aid brands sold in India, and this brand is available. https://www.hear.com/hearing-aids/cros-bicros/ I learned from reading posts on this site that accessories geared for various situations where it is hard to hear can and should be paired with hearing aids to give us the best hearing experience. Where in India do you live? Are hearing aids available or partially paid for through your national health system? I hope you are finding the information you need. Take care. Nancy

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Hi I am so happy I found this site. I am 80 years young and after I had an extremely bad cold with cough that sent me to an after hours med clinic I found that I couldn't hear well in my left ear. Went to an ENT specialist who took a hearing test and immediately told me I needed a hearing aid. I have lived with my bum ear for a couple of years and no find my hearing is getting worse. I know that if I go to an audiologist they will immediately show me a $5000 hearing aid. I saw some on line that were cheaper. Can you tell me where do I start in finding help. Is it possible to get a hearing aid for only one ear or do you need two? Any help you may give a newbie will be appreciated. AmberWaves

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