Anyone else with hearing problems?

[TheHatedOne]

I constantly struggled with hearing throughout my life. I had otitis multiple times between 9-11 years old. I would go to doctor weekly, I did a bunch of tests, took meds, went through procedures and thought it was okay. However, my hearing still went to shit after some time.

Around 14 years old I had to go to hospital one winter night because I had a risky infection in my ears and remember having blood coming out my right ear sometimes. This was combined with fever.

I have a hard time comprehending anything where hearing has to be used. Often times I can't make out what's spoken on TV. I used to eavesdrop family conversations and mostly couldn't make out what they were speaking about even if they were talking at a normal level. Most of the time when I talk to someone I have to ask them to repeat several times. I feel like the dumbest person in the whole universe when it happens. Phone calls are a nightmare. I avoid it at all costs and use mails or any means of communication through writing. However, it doesn't help that most people here prefer phone calls djsjsjfjjsakksjd.

In any language I'm learning I'm the worst at the listening part. I remember one time in high school when we did listening exercises in English class to prepare for exams, my teacher was surprised that I got such a low mark at that part.


During university, in my minor language classes we'd constantly do listening exercises and I wouldn't understand anything. I had some breakdowns over it.

It's terrifying how easy one or multiple senses can deteriorate or how easy it is to lose them.

 

[xrosex]

Hi, I was born deaf - both ears. I hope one day you feel ok with your hearing loss, for me personally the only negative thing I have found which has always had impact ( especially as a kid) is how hearing people treat me. As a adult it's more subtle but the prejudice and discrimination is very much still there, society sucks basically and for those who are a minority due to being what's labelled as disabled I think life is very hard for us. Maybe it's because people are afraid, I have no idea and another I absolutely do not like and I don't understand is when the majority have pity for people like myself. Like eurgh that's fucking annoying to say the least.
I knew a guy years back who had lost his hearing in one ear and he told me it was the most horrific thing for him losing the hearing in his ear and I dunno….. at the time when he said that I did not understand why he would describe it as being well- horrific- that's a pretty intense way to describe something and being born deaf ( runs in my family)I kinda well I basically did not feel comfortable around him and cut the date short lol. But anyway I think I understand abit more now, how most hearing folk are fearful of things like hearing loss/ deafness (maybe?)and I suppose it's hard to lose something that you used to have, be that hearing or anything else.

I remember in high school at mainstream school I had to do bloody language, I hated it and used wag it. One day in German class we we were going through some things on the board and teacher picked me …… long story short the whole class were laughing at me for —- and the teacher carried on —- that shit kinda traumatised me. Deaf kids get bullied big time and parents should do better to raise kids better to be accepting of children with any disability. I say that yet even my brother bullied me cos of it yet was treating my twin sister ok and playing with her but not me, life at home and then at school it was fucked up for me.

Damn sorry for rambling on and on, I've only just joined this site— sorry for going on and on and potentially off topic.

 

[4eyebiped]

Hearing loss does pose challenges socially. People can get highly frustrated when you constantly ask them to repeat themselves. Forget understanding anyone in a noisy environment, which most are. Many frequencies I can no longer hear. Interestingly enough a lot of alarms are higher frequency, the frequencies I can't hear. I do have one friend that I can no longer have a conversation with in person and others that I struggle with. I cannot watch movies or shows unless they have subtitles. Luckily enough, subtitles are more common now than in yesteryear and Google does attempt to translate videos though that is hit or miss, but better than nothing.

For the curious, here is my audiogram from 16 years ago. My hearing has deteriorated far more since then. I recently downloaded some multiband EQ software and boosted the frequencies that were low on this audiogram (I do not think this is recommended but desperation struck). It has helped some with speech recognition though it truly makes some lisps a bit painful.