Losing hearing, don't know what to do

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Specializes in MICU.

So, @ 5:55 am on August 1, a loud sound erupted in my head during work. It sounds like a dial tone, and it won't go away. Sometimes it's not as loud, but it's always there. Even worse, my hearing was instantly diminished.

Due to severe childhood ear infx, my left eardrum is perfed and has never healed, so I already had pretty limited hearing there. But, since this happened, the hearing in my right ear is horrible.

I've been to my PCP who told me, sadly, that there doesn't seem to be any obvious cause she can find, such as a build up of earwax or an infx. I'll be seeing an ENT on Monday, but everything I can find on tinnitus seems to indicate that there isn't really any effective tx. I think I can learn to live with the noise, but I'm petrified of my hearing always being this bad or, God forbid, getting worse.

I searched and found some other threads about tinnitus, but not so much about such a profound change in hearing. I'm afraid I won't be able to work anymore.

Does anyone have any ideas? I've been thinking about maybe an electronic stethoscope, but I'm afraid I won't hear pumps or callbells, etc.

Thanks for reading.

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Wow....I don't have anything that I think might help, except enlist the aid of your coworkers to tug your sleeve when an alarm/call bell goes off. I hope the ENT has an answer for you.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

My aunt suffers from frequent tinnitus and it seems to be somehow linked to her headaches. I've been urging her to go see a doctor about the issue.

Perhaps she might know something. I'll ask her...

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http://asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/Tinnitus.htm

I found the above link to a resource about Tinnitus and its causes.

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Specializes in MICU.

Thanks for the information. The fatigue is starting to get to me. The sound is so intrusive that I cannot sleep until I'm fall down exhausted.

And I just can't hear. :-(

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Please forgive me if I end up posting twice to this topic. I just wrote a long post and tried to send it, but had a tech problem. I am re-writing and trying again.

Of course, I can't diagnose you ... but let me tell you my story. Feel free to send me a private message or respond in this public forum.

At 1105 on April 20, 1993, I suddenly developed loud tinnitus and lost 100% of the hearing and balance functions in my right ear. It's called "Sudden Hearing Loss Syndrome" and is a well-documented, but poorly understood condition believed to be caused by a virus that damages the inner ear. Like you, my PCP could see nothing wrong (because it is in the inner ear, not the middle ear) and I ended up at a good otologist who specialized in inner disease.

I was treated with prednisone, acyclovir, and IV histamines -- but as expected, did not recover any of my hearing. Over the course of a couple of years, my tinnitus faded and balance improved somewhat -- but neither has returned to normal.

It took me about 2 years to "fully" adapt to my new body, but I did adapt. I have also know other nurses who have adapted to sudden hearing loss & tinnitus. My case was more severe than most as I lost 100% of everything in that ear -- but I adapted. I can give you tips if you would like them, but will not harass you if you don't choose to ask about what has worked for me.

The exhaustion is something that few people understand or appreciate unless they have hearing loss and tinnitus. It takes "extra effort" to hear and process auditory information and "extra effort" to screen out the tinnitus. For me, it also takes "extra effort" to maintain my balance. Spending all that extra effort drains your energy reserves and will continue to do so even after you have successfully adapted. Most people with hearing loss have to pace themselves to maintain their coping abilities.

You may have a hard road ahead as you go through the adaptation process -- but adaptation is possible. And it is possible to lead a happy life and be successful in a nursing career with such a condition. I have done it and so have a few other people I know. You can too.

You can either respond in this thread or PM me if you would like to hear more from me.

Good luck. Take care,

llg

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Specializes in Adult Hematology/Oncology.

I'm not sure if hearing aids would be helpful with tinnitus or not, but maybe that would be an option. I wear biaural digital completely in the canal hearing aids, and I don't have any problems. I use an electronic amplified stethoscope that Thinklabs makes. www.thinklabsmedical.com I have to take my hearing aids out and stick them in my pocket when I use it though. The earpieces won't work with the hearing aids in place.

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Specializes in MICU.

Thanks for the replys and info... llg, I will be pming you, but I've had so little sleep and I'm so exhausted I just can't fxn right now. Also, my boyfriend is taking his nclex RIGHT NOW and I'm kina stressed right now.

Bleppity, I am looking into the electronic stethoscopes. They are so $$$. But it sure beats not being able to do my job.

I am so tired. Thank you so much to everyone and if anyone gets any other ideas, plz let me know.

Sharon

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Specializes in Adult Hematology/Oncology.

I got my stethoscope through vocational rehab. When you go to ENT doc, check to find out who to contact in your area for vocational rehab services. They paid for my hearing aids and stethoscope. I ordered my Thinklabs stethoscope from allheart.com and with shipping it was like $211. That was the cheapest place I could find one. Vocational Rehab reimbursed me in full for it. I can't say enough good things about vocational rehab services. I am currently getting a new set of digital hearing aids (my current ones are about 6 years old and wearing out) and the Thinklabs stethoscope is the 2nd amplified stethoscope they have gotten for me. It's a great resource for people with hearing problems and other disabilities.

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Specializes in MICU.

bleppity, wow, thanks! I've never heard of vocational rehab... I will def look more into it.

Still no change- still the dial tone, still the diminished hearing.

My bf had 265 ?'s on his nclex today.

sigh.

Ok, my pity party is done, take down the streamers. :biggringi LOL I just have to laugh sometimes.

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Specializes in Adult Hematology/Oncology.

The official name is the Department of Rehabilitation Services... as far as I know, every state has one. ENT will know who to contact.

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