Going to the Audiologist — Tests I Should/Should Not Do?

Were you close to the tires when they blew up. Did you have ear protection?

 

I was a block away...but have you ever heard a tire explode? It was so loud, like someone shooting a gun next to your ear. It was LOOOUD and instantly my ears were screaming. I never heard T when i was outside until that moment (in the center of LA traffic btw)....but yeah that took me a while to get over. Eventually it simmered down and went away.

I was not using plugs at this time.

 

Oh god. No, i never heard tires exploding

 

Ever since that day i am still traumatized by it, lol. Just at any time when I am outside a car can backfire or the tires explode....it filled me with so much anxiety and fright. I had to talk with myself that it was the first time i ever had a car tire explode in front of me in my life so I shouldn't be too afraid. =]

 

Backfire?

 

why do they always make it look like hearing cuts off at 8k lol
frequencies above 8k are super important, music would sound like crap without them
unless you are a metal head or a dubstep junkie

 

The results are in.

Audiogram: 0 dB across the board. Only got tested to 8000 hz.

OAE: Normal across most frequencies. Damage at highest frequency in left ear, probably from being in band for 4 years with all the sound concentrated there. Audiologist said this is probably the reason why I am hearing super high pitched T.

Self done extended audiogram at 35 dB or so:Frequencies slope down at higher pitches. Drops at 11000,14000,16000, and becomes muffled after that. Left ear cuts off at 18000 hz. Right ear cuts off at 16500-17000 hz. Oddly, right ear picks up higher pitches more loudly than left ear. It’s weird, but the more damaged ear can hear higher.


Overall verdict: What I pretty much expected. A little disappointed they didn’t have an extended audiogram, but at least I got OAE done. I will have to wait and see when my next ENT appointment is.

#Above8Kmatters #HiddenHearingLoss