Hearing loss

Hi

Has anyone ever heard that hearing loss can be linked with RA?

🤔

[allanah]

Yes , ra can affect lots of the body. I have double hearing aids and was told it was due to inflammation from RA. Of course your hearing may be something completly different even things like wax. So talk to your gp , they might organise a hearing test for your information.

[Hidden in reply to allanah]

Yes thanks I actually went for a hearing test this week as I’ve never had one Turns out I’ve lost 30-40% of my hearing the lower tones in both ears and they suggested it could be linked to RA.

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

Yes mine was, It took a while though before my hearing needed help though. I'm not sure if that's the same for everyone, but my hearing loss hasnt progressed further for me xx

[Hidden]

Unfortunately another gift from RA .. so many things are effected and it’s left up to us to investigate

[Green230461]

I had it with shingles but it came back after four months thank goodness.

[Summerrain14]

Yes I was diagnosed with a significant hearing loss around 4 years ago and wear two hearing aids. I was advised that it is very likely caused by my RA affecting the auditory nerve and that hearing loss can occur due to an auto immune condition. It’s a case of see no evil hear no evil with me now as I have both sight and hearing loss and RA of course. I haven’t lost my sense of humour though which gets me through my difficult days along with a few rants and tears. x

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Summerrain14]

💗xx

[Hidden]

We all need to keep our sense of humour with this horrid disease. Specialists don’t really tell you all the things that can happen when you have RA. I’ve only had regular eye checks because of the Plaquenil but Hearing loss was never mentioned. Just like I have constant trouble with itchy scalp ... tried numerous products and ideas but to no avail. Mentioned it to Rheumy but she doesn’t believe it’s linked to the medication ... never had the problem before Thank god for groups like these. It’s good to be able to speak to people who are going through the same or similar journeys. 🙂

[Hidden]

In 2009 I suddenly went deaf in one ear. It happened in a matter of seconds. Because I have had a lot of ear infections since I was only six years old I thought it was another one, but did think it was strange that it happened so suddenly and had made me completely deaf. I went to see my GP the following morning and it was a locum who was totally useless and said "Oh well, nothing to worry about, you can always get a hearing aid." He said nothing could be done about it and when I asked to be sent to ENT he said that they wouldn't see me for at least a couple of months. I was so upset and worried that my husband took me to A & E who were also not much help. The triage nurse said that a doctor would only see me if my ear was bleeding.

Anyway to cut a long story short, what happened was I missed out on the chances of getting my hearing back because what should have happened was for me to be given antibiotics and antivirals at a high dose and it might or might not bring back my hearing. You have to be given it withing 24 hours of going deaf so I lost my chance there.

Because I am completely deaf in that ear, a hearing aid is of no use to me. It took me a long time to adjust to the situation and even now, I can't tell from which direction a sound is coming. It means I have no stereo and I struggle with accents and people speaking low and if there is background noise I can't manage at all. I have to use subtitles on TV.

My other ear is prone to infections and is scarred and I have to go to the ENT dept every four to six months to have my ear suctioned. It feels a bit blocked now and I rang them up a few days ago because it has been 9 months since my last appointment. I was told that clinic is closed due to Covid and they have no idea when it will open again. What a situation that is as I am worried about my only hearing ear and there must be others in the same position.

Oh yes, and it was the way I found out I have RA because the ENT specialist referred me to them.

[rabbits65 in reply to Hidden]

Holly-willow

Just read your post . You certainly have a lot to put up with , with your ears. Do you find too that your balance can be wobbly. I started tinnitus and ear pressure nearly a year ago and I’m finding the fullness in my ears almost unbearable . There seems little help out there. My hearing test passed at ENT . But that’s it no help and little help for tinnitus . Just wondered if you had any experience of the fullness pressure sensation in your ears.

Thanks. I hope you improve too

[Hidden]

Hi Sylvia, I know what you mean about the fullness. It is like when you have a cold and want to blow your nose to make the fullness go away. I felt like you in the beginning but gradually over time, I found that I didn't notice it anymore. I have found that when I think about it, (like now) I know if feels full, but otherwise I don't notice it. The ENT specialist said that your brain adjusts to it over time.

I do feel dizzy at times and have been told that I often get a build up of crystals in my ear and I was given some exercises to do to stop this and they work very well and your doctor or a specialist would be able to tell you what to do. I worry about falling over a lot because I had a shoulder replacement two years ago and was told that if I fall on it, it will be pretty much something that they can't sort out. With my knees giving way as well, it is not good to be wobbly.

As to tinnitus, I only get a horrible pulsing noise in my ear at times which is like a heartbeat going on in there. My son has tinnitus quite badly and says it is like a high-pitched whistling. He said at first that he felt he couldn't stand it, but like me he doesn't notice it so much now. He finds being in bed when it is quiet is the worst time for him. He once had a 20 minute hospital appointment where a doctor talked to him about how to manage it.

I agree about there being little help and there is even less now that they have Covid as an excuse. Our local hospital has closed the ENT dept altogether for the time being which I think is awful. I am supposed to see them every four to six months and I haven't been for nine months now. I think I may have an infection in my hearing ear and two lots of antibiotics and two lots of spray haven't helped so I have just rung the surgery and said I want a doctor to look down it and not just texts on my mobile to say that they have written out a prescription. I am worried about it at present

I know that Covid is a dangerous and dreadful illness but there are others that are as well and also things that need to be addressed asap, but it seems that the hospitals are only concerned about Covid. I was recently found to have fluid in my lungs and was told that normally I would be admitted to hospital with it, but they are saving the beds for Covid patients. What a mess this country is in.

I hope you soon feel more comfortable Sylvia and that my message may have helped you out a bit. xxx

[Knip]

That explains a lot! I have had RA on and off for 55 years and no one has ever mentioned that my hearing loss could be linked to RA. I have had hearing aids for many years but my hearing is getting worse, so I find that them less helpful. It isn't just sound that I need it's clarity. I am seriously considering buying my husband a whistle so that he can blow it once for yes and twice for no! Perhaps a long lead around his head would help too, that I could yank on it to bring his head round so that I could see what he is saying! I'm jesting of course, about the latter, because he's a good man...but dear oh dear...it is frustrating for both of us at times.

I only realised I had a problem when we were getting ready for bed one night. He was the other side of the bed and said something... I told him to 'hold on a sec I haven't got my glasses on'! HIs reply was...'what the dickens difference does that make?' I didn't know, and had to stop and think, before I realised that I was unconsciously lip reading. It really doesn't help when people shout ..the louder the speech the harder it is to hear the consonants! I am lucky that I see the funny side of my 'mishearing' most of the time and can have a good giggle about it. Sorry I've rambled on, but it's been so good to vent my frustration on here. 😀