Speaking of viruses...
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Remember I posted about Mrs. George's encounter with the para-influenza virus? Two trips to the ER for uncontrollable coughing and one hospitalization.
A couple of weeks ago, she noted that her hearing is not as good as it was before the illness. She saw the ENT yesterday.
Back in March, she had an audiogram which shows some hearing loss and normal movement of the tympanic membrane (eardrum).
Some fairly normal (but not mild) hearing loss at the higher frequencies.
Tympanic membrane movement is pretty normal - just outside the box.
Yesterday - a dramatic decrease in hearing and almost no tympanic membrane movement. She can tell the difference, that left ear is worse than right.
The ENT says that this is because of her eustachian tube being inflamed post-virus. Treatment is to "pop" the ears as much as possible. Afrin spray to decongest, and a Medrol dose-pack to reduce the inflammation.
I was impressed.
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A similar thing happened to me a few weeks back due to allergies. I was seriously compromised in both ears for 3 days, then one hear was out of action for another couple of weeks. It was such a relief when it came back - I hope the same happens for Mrs. G.
I got a brief taste of how isolating it can be if you lose your hearing - it wasn't pleasant at all.
I was only joking
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A similar thing happened to me a few weeks back due to allergies. I was seriously compromised in both ears for 3 days, then one hear was out of action for another couple of weeks. It was such a relief when it came back - I hope the same happens for Mrs. G.
I got a brief taste of how isolating it can be if you lose your hearing - it wasn't pleasant at all.
@Doctor-Phibes said in Speaking of viruses...:
I got a brief taste of how isolating it can be if you lose your hearing - it wasn't pleasant at all.
I wear hearing aids.
If I'm going to interact with anyone, watch TV or YouTube, they're in. They're also great for audiobooks (bluetooth, you know). I describe putting them on is like you need glasses - you can sorta see, but when the glasses go on, it's a whole new world.
There's also work indicating that hearing loss is associated with early-onset dementia.
Here's my audiogram.
Notice the drums move fine.
The "double notch" dip is characteristic of exposure to loud sounds. I can attribute it tow two possible causes.
- I did a lot of woodworking in the 1980s, early 1990s. Never wore hearing protection because I'm an idiot.
- Working at the kidney stone center. 3,000 shocks administered to each patient, up to 10 cases per day. I never measured how loud it was, but it was annoying AF. I did wear earplugs there - most of the time.
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@Mik said in Speaking of viruses...:
That is pretty impressive diagnostics.
Just wait in about a year or two.
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A similar thing happened to me a few weeks back due to allergies. I was seriously compromised in both ears for 3 days, then one hear was out of action for another couple of weeks. It was such a relief when it came back - I hope the same happens for Mrs. G.
I got a brief taste of how isolating it can be if you lose your hearing - it wasn't pleasant at all.
@Doctor-Phibes said in Speaking of viruses...:
I got a brief taste of how isolating it can be if you lose your hearing - it wasn't pleasant at all.
I don't know any deaf people to confirm, but I heard somewhere that if you go completely deaf, you will lose a lot of your ability to speak after about 1 year.
A person relies a lot on hearing their own voice to speak properly.
