Mysterious hearing loss, what could have caused it?

I used to wear one side earlier and was same.. Then I just tried both ears but got worsen..

Thanks Helen for your concern. Actually in Malawi do not have advance hospitals where I actually can get better treatment. I would like to go other country to have proper treatment. But in India aswell I did not get my answers.

@jakedduck1

Hey Leonard

Age related hearing loss (Presbycusis) is so common and leads to loss of certain tones. Everyone does not hear the same as they did when younger….higher frequencies diminish even in those who do not need hearing aids and have no trouble understanding anyone. That plus any underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and any ototoxic medications taken over the years or subjection to loud noises also diminishes hearing.

You may not need aids. But , if you are concerned, why not schedule a hearing test. Have an audiologist test your word recognition scores and do some tone testing and bone conduction testing. You may have a mild loss in one or both ears. Go to an ENT practice and have your ears checked first by a Doctor to rule out any impacted wax or other condition. Then see an audiologist in that practice. If they say it is correctable by aids you can always trial one or a pair for 30 days (law) They are not cheap but you may do well at Costco. They may help but they are not miracle workers….that’s why they are called “aids”.

The thing about not getting aids is that you can help keep what you have and not have it deteriorate any further by keeping those little hair cells in the inner ear stimulated. Your problem with accents and understanding in crowds or when more than one person is talking is an indication, to me, that you have some loss. I suggest getting it checked out and, if you do go that route of trialing aids, get on the hearing thread here at Mayo…there is a wealth of information from experienced users…like myself. Diet is such an important factor too.

FL Mary

Properly fit hearing aids will probably help you. What you describe here is typical of sensorineural hearing loss. Accents are hard and understanding speech in noisy settings is too.

Hello again, ashifp @ashifp. It seems that Malawi does not have the resources you need to solve this problem with your hearing and hearing aids. Can you see a doctor in Malawi who can recommend another place for you to go?

Helen

I ended up with TOTAL HEARING LOSS for 4 long months ... after I went to an URGENT CARE FACILITY connected with a hospital in Mesa Arizona. The hearing loss slowly came back after I left the third hospital .... after I acquired three types of PNEUMONIA at the first hospital's ICU unit. I could not get an ENT doctor to see me ... when I was in the three hospitals 2-4 to 6-12 of 2020. When I tried unsuccessfully to get a resolution to my sudden TOTAL HEARING LOSS, a couple of the hospital nurses said I was deaf probably because I was being given three types of ANTIBIOTICS to cure the three Pneumonias I got at the first ICU. Another nurse said that was true .. but there are actually over 200 medications, in addition to some antibiotics, that can cause a patient to get temporary or permanent hearing loss. I slowly got my hearing back ... but it is still not 100%, after I left the third hospital and they stopped giving me antibiotics. By the time I was finally able to get two ENT doctor appointments and was tested, my hearing was back to about 60% and neither doctor could explain what happened to me.

On 3-24-2020, after 4 weeks at a second hospital in Phoenix, I was finally correctly diagnosed ... after an 8 month search ... of my real disease "M.G." and I now have a long list from my new Neurologist doctor of certain medications that are unsafe for me, as an M.G. patient, to use at times ... such as STATINS, STEROIDS, BETA BLOCKERS, ANESTHESIAS, and ANTIBIOTICS .... such as the TOBRAMYCIN that I was given at the first hospital. So recheck your medications with a qualified Pharmacist. HOPE YOU RECOVER like I have.

Hi, my son-in-law lost total hearing in one ear. He woke in the middle of the night sweating rapid heart beating. They lived next door. I took his BP and it was like he was in a-fib. He went to the hospital and next day lost hearing. This was prior covid so ENT took him right away. He received weekly inner ear injections for months but it never came back and no diagnosis. He also had nothing wrong with his heart. Everything medical was normal. They said anxiety attack. This was at least 6 years ago and he just learned to live using one ear and no aids. I think he can get a hearing device but finds he has adjusted so he doesn’t. He was about 33 at the time. Wish you the best..Joanne