Hearing Loss: Can more be done...

[ZZTopRN, BSN, RN]

Hi: Read your post and sorry say that I can't anything to your question. However, I am hoping other people see this post and can share any information they may have. I have had gradual hearing loss, probably due to age, but as I understand, it doesn't have to do with age necessarily.

I have 2 in the ear canals, bottom of the line, 1400 apiece but they don't restore normal hearing loss. They amplify background noise which makes it harder to hear. They work well if you are talking to someone if you are not in a noisy enviroment, and they tend to help a lot when you watch TV or movies, but as stated before, they do not return normal hearing.

So maybe someone on this board can answer some of your questions (and mine) and give us a litte heads up.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Five years ago I accepted a job at a noisy factory where the average noise level was 98 decibels. Even though I wore my earplugs and/or ear muffs daily while in this work environment, I quickly developed constant tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which persists to this day. I have not yet suffered from a hearing loss, but I truly wish more could be done about the common problem of hearing loss.