For almost a week now, I have been noticing a strange phenomenon in my hearing. According to an audiogram from last August, my left ear has borderline normal/mild hearing loss while my right ear remains largely in tact.
Two weeks ago I feared I was experiencing SSHL, but a visit to an ENT and use of a tuning fork test appeared to show this was not the case. Still, I have recently been feeling more stuffed up in most of my sinuses. What's disturbing about it is that my ability to hear music has been dampened. Softer vocals that I normally hearing are very difficult to hear, and for some reason high intensity sounds like drums are louder and more apparent than everything else in the song.
My perception of everyday noise appears to be fine, but the muffled nature of my bad ear is freaking me out. Maybe its a sinus infection? The last time I had a sensation like this was last June when I has sinusitis. I have been noticing minor symptoms of a sinus infection, but otherwise seem healthy. This muffled hearing is causing me a fair deal of anxiety because I am afraid of losing more hearing at my young age, who is already 10-15 years ahead of where I should be in terms of my hearing (I top out at 14-15k hz).
I don't want to give up my headphones, I am uncomfortable in public without them, and I do not want to use a hearing aid. Maybe when I turn 60 (if I live to that age) but not before. No one at my age should wear hearing aids and I don't want the stigma associated with using one, especially since my bad still functions to the level I need it to. I have wondered if my amphetamine use (Adderall XR) has been part of the loss of sharpness in my hearing, but those who experience that are heavy users and addicts rather than ADHD patients who are medicating themselves.
Sorry for the long winded rant but things appear to be muffled and it is very concerning. I am worried I waited too long to see an ENT and SSHL did occur, but rebounded with hearing loss before it could be noticed. The difference between my ears is more noticeable now and bothers me as much as the tinnitus.
Tl;dr: I have muffled hearing and reduction in sharpness of my hearing. A sinus infection in a minor possibility but am unsure what to do.
Two weeks ago I feared I was experiencing SSHL, but a visit to an ENT and use of a tuning fork test appeared to show this was not the case. Still, I have recently been feeling more stuffed up in most of my sinuses. What's disturbing about it is that my ability to hear music has been dampened. Softer vocals that I normally hearing are very difficult to hear, and for some reason high intensity sounds like drums are louder and more apparent than everything else in the song.
My perception of everyday noise appears to be fine, but the muffled nature of my bad ear is freaking me out. Maybe its a sinus infection? The last time I had a sensation like this was last June when I has sinusitis. I have been noticing minor symptoms of a sinus infection, but otherwise seem healthy. This muffled hearing is causing me a fair deal of anxiety because I am afraid of losing more hearing at my young age, who is already 10-15 years ahead of where I should be in terms of my hearing (I top out at 14-15k hz).
I don't want to give up my headphones, I am uncomfortable in public without them, and I do not want to use a hearing aid. Maybe when I turn 60 (if I live to that age) but not before. No one at my age should wear hearing aids and I don't want the stigma associated with using one, especially since my bad still functions to the level I need it to. I have wondered if my amphetamine use (Adderall XR) has been part of the loss of sharpness in my hearing, but those who experience that are heavy users and addicts rather than ADHD patients who are medicating themselves.
Sorry for the long winded rant but things appear to be muffled and it is very concerning. I am worried I waited too long to see an ENT and SSHL did occur, but rebounded with hearing loss before it could be noticed. The difference between my ears is more noticeable now and bothers me as much as the tinnitus.
Tl;dr: I have muffled hearing and reduction in sharpness of my hearing. A sinus infection in a minor possibility but am unsure what to do.
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