Partial deafness
Partial deafness
My ears are bunged up with wax and as you might expect my hearing is impaired as a consequence. But not across the board. I can hear the radio, including the DJs' witterings no problem but I can't hear the tv unless it is turned up to 11. I can still hear people on the phone. I can't hear the sound of running water - the bath appears to fill in silence. I can't hear the front door opening - MrsH came home earlier than expected on Monday and damn near gave me a heart attack when she came into the lounge and spoke to me (my back was to the lounge door so I didn't see her).
And remember that if you botch the exit, the carnival of reaction may be coming to a town near you.
Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole
Re: Partial deafness
Sounds like the blockages are filtering out some frequencies more effectively than others.
A source close to your ear might be able to by-pass blockages to some degree by transmitting more of the sound power through the bone of your head.
A source close to your ear might be able to by-pass blockages to some degree by transmitting more of the sound power through the bone of your head.
- discovolante
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Re: Partial deafness
I think specsavers do ear debunging now but it isn't all that cheap.
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Re: Partial deafness
MrsH's surgery refers people to Specsavers for that now as GP nurses don't do it any more. Went to the GP yesterday but they insisted I continue with the ear drops for two weeks even though the wax is not compacted.discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 11:42 amI think specsavers do ear debunging now but it isn't all that cheap.
And remember that if you botch the exit, the carnival of reaction may be coming to a town near you.
Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole
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Re: Partial deafness
That's annoying, are they hoping it'll all drizzle out?JQH wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:09 pmMrsH's surgery refers people to Specsavers for that now as GP nurses don't do it any more. Went to the GP yesterday but they insisted I continue with the ear drops for two weeks even though the wax is not compacted.discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 11:42 amI think specsavers do ear debunging now but it isn't all that cheap.
Nowhere near as bad as what you're experiencing but my left ear frequently feels a bit 'full' and sometimes kind of crackly and stuff. It's not massively impacting my quality of life or anything but it's almost constantly slightly annoying and I'd love to get it looked at but am too tight to shell out on a private consultation at the moment. Maybe soon though.
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.
Re: Partial deafness
I suspect that's exactly what they're hoping.
Maybe I'll get lucky and it will.
Maybe I'll get lucky and it will.
And remember that if you botch the exit, the carnival of reaction may be coming to a town near you.
Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole
Re: Partial deafness
Specsavers will do a basic test for free (as I recall).discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:16 pmThat's annoying, are they hoping it'll all drizzle out?JQH wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:09 pmMrsH's surgery refers people to Specsavers for that now as GP nurses don't do it any more. Went to the GP yesterday but they insisted I continue with the ear drops for two weeks even though the wax is not compacted.discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 11:42 amI think specsavers do ear debunging now but it isn't all that cheap.
Nowhere near as bad as what you're experiencing but my left ear frequently feels a bit 'full' and sometimes kind of crackly and stuff. It's not massively impacting my quality of life or anything but it's almost constantly slightly annoying and I'd love to get it looked at but am too tight to shell out on a private consultation at the moment. Maybe soon though.
I had hearing loss/tinnitus in one ear, so I had their test, and on the basis of that asked my GP for a referral to ENT.
It seems I probably had a viral infection of the nerve, so there's not a lot that can be done. Initial diagnosis was NHS though.
I'm supposed to be on a referral for the hearing aid clinic, but I may have to go private.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
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ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!
Re: Partial deafness
Lucky you getting to see a GP. Our GP wouldn't have let you in through their barbed wire defences for that.JQH wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:09 pmMrsH's surgery refers people to Specsavers for that now as GP nurses don't do it any more. Went to the GP yesterday but they insisted I continue with the ear drops for two weeks even though the wax is not compacted.discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 11:42 amI think specsavers do ear debunging now but it isn't all that cheap.
You can get DIY ear syringing kits from the pharmacy, or online, for a few quid. Requires a willing relative, friend or other assistant. It's not difficult. When I was a child, my mother used to get me to put my head on one side, tip lightly warmed olive oil into my ear, leave it for a bit, and then suck it out with a small syringe. The kit would have a more effective solvent and a purpose-shaped syringe.
Re: Partial deafness
A bit different but I have slight permanent hearing loss affecting some upper-mid frequencies in my left ear. When it started I picked up the phone at the office one day, put it to my left ear and thought the phone was broken.
As such things often do, some improvement occurred over time and its basically fine to live with now. It did change my taste in music though - things like choral singing, musicals, etc are actively annoying now. (As is death metal, but thats nothing to do with hearing changes). Seems like above a certain level of complexity I'm trying to "track" it too much.
As such things often do, some improvement occurred over time and its basically fine to live with now. It did change my taste in music though - things like choral singing, musicals, etc are actively annoying now. (As is death metal, but thats nothing to do with hearing changes). Seems like above a certain level of complexity I'm trying to "track" it too much.
Re: Partial deafness
I had a GP tell me to pour a teaspoon of warm (not hot!) olive oil into my ear, leave my head cocked to the side for ~30 seconds and then cock my head to the other side, and have a tissue to catch the olive oil/ear wax. Then repeat if necessary. She reckoned that this worked better than any of the ear wax dissolving solutions, and was less likely to damage the ear drum than syringing.discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:16 pmThat's annoying, are they hoping it'll all drizzle out?JQH wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:09 pmMrsH's surgery refers people to Specsavers for that now as GP nurses don't do it any more. Went to the GP yesterday but they insisted I continue with the ear drops for two weeks even though the wax is not compacted.discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 11:42 amI think specsavers do ear debunging now but it isn't all that cheap.
Nowhere near as bad as what you're experiencing but my left ear frequently feels a bit 'full' and sometimes kind of crackly and stuff. It's not massively impacting my quality of life or anything but it's almost constantly slightly annoying and I'd love to get it looked at but am too tight to shell out on a private consultation at the moment. Maybe soon though.
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Re: Partial deafness
I've had success with this. Test the temperature of the oil with a finger before pouring it into your ear.Martin_B wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 1:01 amI had a GP tell me to pour a teaspoon of warm (not hot!) olive oil into my ear, leave my head cocked to the side for ~30 seconds and then cock my head to the other side, and have a tissue to catch the olive oil/ear wax. Then repeat if necessary. She reckoned that this worked better than any of the ear wax dissolving solutions, and was less likely to damage the ear drum than syringing.discovolante wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:16 pmThat's annoying, are they hoping it'll all drizzle out?
Nowhere near as bad as what you're experiencing but my left ear frequently feels a bit 'full' and sometimes kind of crackly and stuff. It's not massively impacting my quality of life or anything but it's almost constantly slightly annoying and I'd love to get it looked at but am too tight to shell out on a private consultation at the moment. Maybe soon though.
Re: Partial deafness
Put the oil in a bowl in a basin of blood heat water, perhaps.
where once I used to scintillate
now I sin till ten past three
now I sin till ten past three
- shpalman
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Re: Partial deafness
In the interests of thoroughness I think you should try filling it up with warm mouse blood.
having that swing is a necessary but not sufficient condition for it meaning a thing
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Re: Partial deafness
I remember when olive oil was only available in tiny bottles with a dropper top from the chemist for precisely this purpose.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!
- discovolante
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Re: Partial deafness
I do use the olive oil droppers. They're better than nothing but they don't sort it.
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.