How Long Should I Be Expected to Wait for Hearing Aids?

Greetings all, first post, tinnitus is a new affliction for me, probably only five weeks or so at the most.

I'll get around to introducing myself and with added questions later, but have found one conventional opinion really difficult to find: Since I have sudden moderate hearing loss in only one ear, how soon should I wait until I get a hearing aid? My ENT guy says 3-6 months, an audiologist I saw today said that's nuts, you could start that right now. (I know there's a process).

For sure there is a dramatic difference in hearing from one ear to the other, and I've read that getting a hearing aid has the potential to reduce tinnitus--which my ENT agrees with--which so far can be ridiculously loud at times. It's nonstop every waking moment.

I have some other things going on, including a creeping suspicion I have ETD and at least what feels like a very stubborn months-long cold (the T emerged two to three weeks after recovering from walking pneumonia). But I'm anxious to get the hearing aid not only because it could reduce tinnitus, but because I want to get the show on the road, both regarding interacting at the office and personally, and because I'm an amateur musician and want to start adjusting and singing better as soon as possible. Speech and singing sound odd-to-bizarre right now, like there's a fishbow over my head.

After my last appointment, my ENT doctor said see you when you come back for your follow-up hearing test, when we'll start work on your hearing aid. I originally thought that would be in three months, then the medical receptionist said so, let's set up that appointent for six months. I told her I couldn't live with a fishbowl over my head for a half year, and got one for three. Then, partly to address tinnitus in more depth--I don't feel like I'm getting enough info on that from ENT guy--I saw an audiologist today, different practice, who said that is crazy. Get it when you want to.

Sorry, way longer post than I planned. Extremely grateful for the forum and the wealth of support and information here. Chriscom is my sig but you can call me Chris.

 

3 to 6 months seems reasonable. Have you gone through the steroid treatment for SSNHL?

 

Thanks for the response. I'd welcome others as well.

My ENT said the window for that had essentially closed. I can't say I'm impressed by either my main doctor or this ENT office in terms of acting quickly once issues were being identified. They had what in retrospect was a very lackadaisical attitude starting from when I first complained of ringing, then getting a hearing test, then consulting on a somewhat separate lymph node issue, then finally getting around to talking about hearing loss and tinnitus.

 

If you want to know the truth you should get hearing aids as soon as possible.

However doctors should atleast try to inject NT-3 and dexamethasone into your cochlea and try to restore as much hearing as possible, however we are living in the dark ages and modern science doesn't give a damn about repairing a damaged cochlea.


Seriously you should be upset, there is more they could be atleast trying that they won't. No cure exist, but better treatments would emerge if the community was vigilante.

 

Also the ear fullness might be related to middle ear/cochlear damage and not sinus related ETD.

After my hearing got damaged from extremely loud noise I experienced ear fullness, burning ear pain, and facial and jaw aches. The whole right side of my face felt very irritated.

 

My neurotologist told me he has seen success of dexamethasone injection after SSNHL fairly "late in the game", so his window is now "up to 2 months". Perhaps it's worth a shot (pun intended) if you're still within that timeframe and believe you have sudden sensorineural losses?

The hearing test they performed should be able to determine if your losses are sensorineural or conductive (or both).

 

Thank you for the responses. As to the type of hearing loss I have, I believe that was covered after my initial hearing test but I've been swamped with so much information (and yes, shock) that I'm unsure. I actually have another hearing test scheduled for Monday, which was my ENT's office response when I said over the past week I've developed a thumping sensation in my right, good ear (this is experienced almost exclusively while lying in bed after waking up, especially if I'm leaning to one side). Meanwhile in the past four days I've developed that warbling sound in my bad ear, only in response to sound, which may or may not be afflicted by fluid. Got a lot of things going on. I'm going to post something (I hope) in the introduce yourself thread and lay it all out.

 

Can you post your audiogram in here? (blank out any personal info)

 

Thanks for asking. I see now under a line headed Hearing Loss Type, it says Senori-Neural. Therefore...? A further note says "normal sloping to mild SNHL right ear and normal sloping to moderate SNHL left ear," which I think I understand.

 

I went into Miracle-Ear on Wednesday, took my second hearing test in the last month, order a hearing aid, and should be ready the first week of July. Can't wait, hope it helps my tinnitus.

 

I hope so too! Say, how long was that after you learned you had hearing loss?

 

I have had hearing loss for many years in my right ear. Just recently decided to do something about it, because my tinnitus decided to take a turn for the worse.

 

Indeed, the audiogram you posted doesn't seem to show much of an air-bone gap at all, so sensorineural seems to make sense. Ask your doctors about a dexamethasone shot. It's better to do it within the first couple of weeks of course, but perhaps there's still a chance at helping.

 

Thank you Greg, I will.