Balance

[Steverino]

Is anybody on here impacted by unsteadiness when walking? One or two people have commented that I tend to sway a little and I'm thinking it is almost certainly linked to my hearing loss

[Missy1951]

Hi Steverino. I'm not exactly unsteady but feel very 'woolly headed ' like I've just come off a fairground ride. My hearing loss is not profound though. How is yours.

Missy

[Steverino in reply to Missy1951]

Hello Missy I am completely deaf in one ear and moderate to severe in the other. Do you get tinnitus? Mine is quite profound, starting to keep me awake at night

[Missy1951 in reply to Steverino]

Hi Steverino. I am still waiting for a referral to the hospital but according to a hearing test I had two weeks ago at Scrivens opticians I have a moderate loss in one ear and moderate to severe in the other. So far thank goodness no tinnitus but a kind of wooshy noise in my head. Sorry that you're suffering with tinnitus so badly.

Regards Missy

[Melita17]

I have moderate deafness and wear BTE hearing aids which I hate and I also have tinnitus which varies from day to day. Concerning your unsteadiness this can be due to an ear infection, vertigo or just a temporary phase. I have vertigo now and then and sway a little but this soon gets better. You really need to see your GP to ascertain which of these problems you have.

You might be lucky and just have an infection whereas vertigo can come at any time and there isn't much that can be done for that apart from doing the Apley manoeuvre. You can always try a sea sickness tablet which may help but see your GP for advice first.

Good luck!

[Missy1951 in reply to Melita17]

Hi. Why do you hate your BTE hearing aids? I have just been today to be 'measured' for two. Like you I have moderate hearing loss in both ears. I was allowed to go walkabout for half an hour to see how they felt. To be honest I couldn't tell any difference but I guess I would notice after a longer period.. I asked about in the ear models but the audiologist said the BTEs would suit my requirements better. Any opinions from more experienced users (I'm a total rookie!)

Missy

[Melita17]

Hi Missy

The reason I hate them is because for all the tests I've had done prior to fitting I am still missing bits (in fact lots) of conversation. My husband could be standing in front of me (at times) and saying something but to me he could be talking another language. Some days are different where it's not too bad but mostly I miss out depending on the voice of the individual standing in front of me. You can forget hearing a conversation in a restaurant or coffee house because the background noise seems to take precedent. I abhor answering the phone as well. And, it's not a matter of turning the sound up, that doesn't make hearing any better. When I put on my headphones for the TV it's so much more precise and I can hear every word. I've had the BTE adjusted to keep out as much of the background noise as possible but it hasn't made any difference whatsoever.

[Missy1951 in reply to Melita17]

Oh dear. I'm not feeling very optimistic after reading your post. Ah well fingers crossed. Thanks.

Missy

[Melita17]

Dear Missy

Please, please don't go by my experience. My brother-in-law had his BTE adjusted and he now feels more confident wearing his and he hears much better. Of course his hearing isn't as bad as mine because I don't hear certain vowels but everyone is different. I have several issues with my hearing that others may not ie tinnitus, feeling of pressure in the ear, voice depth. So you might have a lot more going for you. I do wish you luck. Let us know how you get on with yours.

[Missy1951]

Thank you. Will do. I have a problem with certain consonents and beginning and end of some words. I would still like to trial in-ear ones though.

Regards Missy

[Ninatz in reply to Missy1951]

Missy, how did you go with your hearing aids?

I have BTE hearing aids - and have been happy for them. Be aware they come in many different qualities (no matter if they are in-the-ear or BTE aids) and you obviously get what you pay for.

I have not tried in-the-ear hearing aids so I cannot compare.

My mother, who also have otosclerosis, has BTE hearing aids given to her by the medical scheme and they are not helping her a lot. She is getting rather old now and even though I have offered to pay for better aids for her she is not willing to try (sigh).

I currently wear Phonak Audeo B90-R which I have been happy for.

Anyway, I hope you found a solution. Hearing aids has been amazing for me - especially while I only had moderate (and better) hearing loss. Once my hearing loss dropped to severe it has been hard even with a hearing aid.

[bryfos]

My hearing loss is not too bad.. but yes I can experience (not every day) a sudden imbalance and have narrowly avoided a fall , I do some of my own car repairs and cannot lay under a vehicle looking up and working on it, it makes me feel very sick, and the sick feeling can trash a day it is so bad.

[Nackuk in reply to bryfos]

Your not alone with this. When I lie on back, especially trying to fix I car that is how I feel, and then the feeling lasts sometime. My immediate balance is like I've had ten pints or more

[bryfos in reply to Nackuk]

Sounds like we have the exact same condition then ..can feel nauseous for hours after if I over do it ...horrible.

[Nackuk in reply to bryfos]

It can be very frustrating when you know you can do such tasks, but have become so very awkward now. Loved fixing my own cars over the years.

[Melita17 in reply to bryfos]

Hi Bryfos, have you tried the Apley manoeuvre? Go to your doctor and ask him to do it for you. You will initially feel very dizzy but after that you should be fine. When I first had my dizziness I had to stay in bed for a week and was so sick that the doctor was going to have me hospitalised, I couldn't even look at the TV or turn my eyes sideways. It was called positional vertigo where the crystals in your inner ear have transported themselves to a couple of other tubes and causes you to be dizzy. The manoeuvre corrects this. It came back 10 years later but not as bad. Ask your doc about this. Please let us know how you get on.

[Daffi]

Hello Steve thank,

I wouldn't say I away, but I know sometimes I tend to veer left or right as though I cannot walk in a straight line.

Has concertmaster a while.

[Htims46]

Hi Steverino

Yes I have the same problem, and it's gradually got worse over the years.

I am almost totally deaf in one ear and with old age the hearing in the other

Ear is not as good as it used to be and my balance can be quite bad some

days but not so bad other days. The NHS told me a hearing aid would not

help, so no help there.

Htims46

[Nackuk]

I have one defunked ear and I often feel like I'm swaying when standing still, and can go slightly in the wrong direction, when walking in a straight line, or change direction. For me it used to be really really bad, and my head didn't feel connected to my bod until a week of taking the betashimine chloride tables, which seamed to help significantly.