Rae1889
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I can hear!
- Thread starter Crystal11
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skillefer
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Ok...saw the specialist yesterday. It's Dr. Stewart at Loma Linda. He did a test with a tuning fork, looked up my nose, looked in my throat, reviewed the medical records I took with me as well as the hearing tests, and asked me a bunch of questions. Finally, I have an answer to the question of what is wrong with me. I have Menier's Disease. As he explained it..most people think of menier's as dealing with vertigo. Well, inside your ear, near your cochlea, you actually have two bands...one controls balance and the other controls hearing. Most people with Menier's have issues with the balance band. For me, it's the hearing band. Doc wants to take as natural approach as possible...so I have an appt. with an allergist and in the meantime, the doc says I need to stay on a NO salt, caffeine, lactose diet. He said, "Basically, you can't have any processed foods. " But I'm lucky....over 50% of people with Menier's are helped by diet...and recover some of their hearing. The downside? If I don't pay better attention to my diet, my hearing could go completely. And because it's where it is now..the damage would be worse. And to correct it, I'd have to consider surgery. And even that's not guaranteed.
but at least I have an answer and a plan! That is way better then the last doctor. compliance won't really be an issue...if I ever want to be able to hear my daughter better, I have to comply.
And trust me..my 3 month old is more then enough motivation for me...
As for how well I hear....Right now, it's at 75dB in the Right ear and 85dB in the Left. Most "average " hearing occurs in the 0-20 dB range. In the case of decibal numbers, "bigger" is NOT better. And to give you some idea of exactly how loud things have to be for me to hear them without a hearing aid...lawn mowers rate at 70 dB. The doc says I have to have hearing aids. So now, it's a matter of going to the hearing aid place and checking out the prices....
but at least I have an answer and a plan! That is way better then the last doctor. compliance won't really be an issue...if I ever want to be able to hear my daughter better, I have to comply.
And trust me..my 3 month old is more then enough motivation for me... As for how well I hear....Right now, it's at 75dB in the Right ear and 85dB in the Left. Most "average " hearing occurs in the 0-20 dB range. In the case of decibal numbers, "bigger" is NOT better. And to give you some idea of exactly how loud things have to be for me to hear them without a hearing aid...lawn mowers rate at 70 dB. The doc says I have to have hearing aids. So now, it's a matter of going to the hearing aid place and checking out the prices....
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Take your time
Getting accustomed to change in your environment, like the addition of hearing a new and unfamiliar sound can be startling and stressful.
Can you turn the volume of your hearing aids down a notch or two, and get used to that? Can you also practice hearing speech? It is going to take a while to get used to actual speech, when you are accustomed to approximated speech.
You read lips as well as sign, don't you? Ask people to speak more slowly, so you can associate the sound of the words (if they are enunciated properly), with the sign and lip motion. Soon you will get the hang of regular speech.
Enjoy, but go slow and easy.
Getting accustomed to change in your environment, like the addition of hearing a new and unfamiliar sound can be startling and stressful.
Can you turn the volume of your hearing aids down a notch or two, and get used to that? Can you also practice hearing speech? It is going to take a while to get used to actual speech, when you are accustomed to approximated speech.
You read lips as well as sign, don't you? Ask people to speak more slowly, so you can associate the sound of the words (if they are enunciated properly), with the sign and lip motion. Soon you will get the hang of regular speech.
Enjoy, but go slow and easy.