Help may Help

[GRboyRiches]

Hi everyone, if anyone want to ask a question about hearing, hearing loss, causes or hearing aids, I will answer as best as possible and answer as quickly as possible. Thanks

[Elenio]

Hello. I had this horrible "virus" that effected my chest,throat and eventually my ears....this has been going on for about 3 weeks and the ear problems for about 2 weeks. Been put on drops and eventually antibiotics but showing no sign of improving. Its really getting to me how little I can hear in both ears and having a little toddler around. Im hoping there isnt any permanent damage or hearing loss but has anyone else been in this situation before? Also I have had problems in the past with e tubes and ear drum exploding and gormits. Is that linked? I do have wax uses but drops have cleaned out what remains.

[tjaybanx]

Hi, are you able to advise on otosclerosis, surgery and its success rate, is it likely to come in my right ear at some point and is I

this condition related in any way to spine problems specifically lumbar, Pagets disease ?

[GRboyRiches in reply to tjaybanx]

Hi TJ....yes, Otosclerosis.. A thickening or hardening of the middle ear bones, not common but there is a lot about, normally in one ear, but can happen in both, usually it's a genetic thing, with one of your parents passing on the gene, it can happen with a hormone change in the body, such as pregnancy or getting older, because the little bones in the middle ear become fused together, the vibration can't be passed from the eardrum to the nerve, so hence we have what is called a conductive hearing loss, hopefully the nerve part of the hearing system has not been effected, if it has then it's called a mixed loss, conductive and nerve deafness, this obviously has been done in the hearing test you have had. What can be done.. NO tablet or medicine will correct the problem 2016, so first a operation to loosen the bones or scraping away the hard growth, this may be a success but the chances of this growth coming back is 99%, they can replace the tiny bones with a bridge, there is good success in these operations but like anything you can come out of it worse, the best thing is ask your surgeon on his success rates, secondly you may be eligible for a bone conduction hearing aid, where they attach a vibrating device to the back of the affected ear, very good results, but you may find that that not up to your liking, but at least you will hear, bone conduction hearing aids is an alternative, the most common is spectacle aids, but there are others, or a quite powerful hearing aid, loud enough to bridge the gap between the eardrum and nerve, good luck Geoff

[tjaybanx in reply to GRboyRiches]

Hi, thank you for your reply and lots of info, the Dr asked if anyone in my family had hearing problems but I don't have any info on my fathers side as I don't know who he is and none on my mothers side, I hope if it is genetic I have not pass this gene onto my children.

The Drs asked if I had been tested for Pagets as I have had lots of spine surgery done and I have been diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease which could be the connection with all my problems, so I will suggest this to my GP as its a simple blood test that would rule it out.

I think I am going to try the aid out first and I will ask about the bone conduction aid and see what will work best, I don't really want to ware an aid as I'm only 51 and it would be for life but if it does the job surgery could be avoided and these days there are small devises that don't really show, also I wear glasses so not sure how they get around that, thanks for your help il keep you posted once I know which route works best for me, I would not hesitate about having op done but my last op I had mini stroke (Tia) post op in recovery, luckily I regained all within a week but I worry if it should happen again I may not be so lucky !

Thanks Geoff

Tj

[GRboyRiches]

Hi TJ, just a quick one about Pagets, which as you know is a bone condition, and yes there is evidence to say it can effect the ear/s, and of course the drugs you have to take are quite strong which can effect your hearing as well... Geoff

[GRboyRiches]

Hi, yes try the NHS out first before you take any other steps, there aids are maybe older technology, and sometimes there is a fit one fit all system, the private market is really the best option, but it's a mine field on AID vs COST, and of course if there is hearing in the other ear you may get some cross sound, I don't know where you live, but if you get in a muddle contact me... Geoff

[Stokesie]

It’s not a one fits all policy on the NHS!

For example, The Outside Clinic have been supplying Nathos S+ aids for several years! Swiss aids which are as good as any private aids out there.

If the audiologist does a Real Ear Measurement, which they are supposed to do, then you WILL get the best sound quality possible for your ears - for free!!

Yes all NHS aids are behind the ear - you have to accept that. Some of them are so small you can barely see them! However, the key factor is the audiologist tuning them properly.

TOC now fit Resound aids which are just as good as the Phonak aids, and are programmed wirelessly so they are barely “dated” systems either.

If you can’t afford to go private, which start realistically from about £700 per pair, then go to the NHS and try them for free first!! You could save yourself loads of money - IF you had that money in the first place.

[Bobbie915 in reply to Stokesie]

I have only just come across your post. Could you tell me what the connection is between TOC and NHS? I am quite confused. Is the TOC a private company doing work got NHS like SpecSavers?

[GRboyRiches]

TOC......the outside clinic....based in Swindon, they do eye and hearing tests, in your own home, they have a contract with the NHS, which they pay for, to fit NHS agreed Hearing Aids, which they get paid a fee, the contact is Swindon, they have Hearing Aid Audiologists that fit HearingAids across the country, but have no local branches that you can contact, so service visits may be sporadic depending on how far they have to travel, and there maybe a limit on the number of times you get service, before your passed on to the Local Hospital, questions you have to ask, but it is generally agreed that if you have no access to a centre within a reasonable distance give it a miss as service is more important than the aid...hope it helps