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JennGM
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Dh today suddenly experienced partial to almost complete hearing loss in his left ear. He hasn't been sick, never had any symptoms before it, nor was it gradual loss. He picked up the phone and couldn't hear the dial tone. No pain, just fullness and pressure.
We tried cleaning out his ear, thinking it might be wax, but it didn't help. We'll retry a few times before we ditch this angle.
But perhaps someone has experienced this and can share advice? Should we be concerned?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Marybeth
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Jenn,
I had the same thing happen in April of '03. I gradually developed pain during the night and my eardrum ruptured by morning. Worse pain of my life! I am consulting with my ENT next week for my second operation to place a tube in my eardrum which is permanently damaged.
I would really consider a trip to an urgent care center or the ER.
Just my 2 cents since I am still battling problems almost 4 years later.
I will pray.
Mb
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JennGM
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Marybeth wrote:
Jenn,
I had the same thing happen in April of '03. I gradually developed pain during the night and my eardrum ruptured by morning. Worse pain of my life! I am consulting with my ENT next week for my second operation to place a tube in my eardrum which is permanently damaged.
I would really consider a trip to an urgent care center or the ER. |
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So what happened first, the hearing loss? And then the pain and rupture?
Did you have any cold or fluid buildup before this?
Thanks for the advice. I keep telling he needs to stay home tomorrow and get this checked out, but he wants to wait until SAturday.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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MarilynW
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Jenn
My advice is that he should see someone asap. I have had ear problems and have a great otalarngyolgist - http://www.otolaryngology-assoc.com/mckenzie.html. Dr. McKenzie has been wonderful. I think he only operates out of Reston and Fairfax offices.
At least have your husband see his regular physician - and he can figure out if he needs urgent care.
I am praying.
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Marybeth
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Of course he wants to wait until Sat...do men ever want to see a doctor? My dh's pink eye in the spring was so bad...it looked like a horror movie..the whole time he is telling me...I am fine! Yeah,right!!!
Tell your dh to go...don't fool with this..I may NEVER be able to fly on a plane again!!!
First I had pressure, felt like fluid and then as the night went on pain and then it ruptured at 6:30 in the morning. It was terrible!! I can't stand the ENT to even look in my ear..I am so sensitive to pain.
I didn't have a cold..the night before the rupture I was dancing the night away at my cousin's wedding.
Get him to the doctor!!!!
Mb
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MaryM
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Praying here, Jenn. I hope he decides to have it checked sooner than later.
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stefoodie
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Oh Jenn. Praying for your dh and you. What is it about men and doctors??? 
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guitarnan
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It could just be tons of ear wax, but only a doc can tell for sure. (My dh get huge wax buildups and they really change his hearing ability. Does he go to the doctor early on? What do you think?)
Praying!
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shartlesville
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Prayers from NM!
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Krisann
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Donna Marie
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Praying here!!
God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc 
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Prayers form CA, jenn! Keep us updated!
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JennGM
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Thanks for the advice and prayers. After the second cleaning didn't have results, I convinced him to go to stay home and see the doctor this morning if he still couldn't hear. He woke up and things hadn't changed for the better, so he's there now. I'm impatiently waiting.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Jen L.
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Praying here. I am really glad that he went today. 
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Jen,
I'll be praying for your husband. A few years ago my husband woke up in the middle of the night to a sharp sound in his ear, and in the morning his hearing was completely gone. He went to the doctor right away, and they gave him a steroid for a week. The doctor said a virus attacked his eardrum. He was able to get back 70% of his hearing.
Good luck.
God bless,
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Carole N.
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Praying here as well. 
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Jenn
praying for your dh.. I'm so glad you convinced him to see the doctor! Who is the patron of ears?
... hmmm St. Blaise?
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JennGM
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Dh's visit to the doctor was inconclusive. Nothing seems to be visibly wrong inside the ear, no wax, nothing blocking. The hearing test was a debacle...they said it was normal, but they only tested the one ear, not the other, so no comparison? And the ladies didn't really know how to run the test.
I know it say's normal, but if he can compare the sound level on one ear to the other, he knows he has hearing loss, right?
It's his left ear, his right nasal passage was swollen...which doesn't make sense or explain the problem, either. But the doctor suggested Flonase for 5 days and if the hearing doesn't come back, ENT.
So, basically inconclusive....wait and see...go to an ENT. It's not complete hearing loss, so that's good.
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amyable
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JennGM wrote:
| The hearing test was a debacle...they said it was normal, but they only tested the one ear, not the other, so no comparison? And the ladies didn't really know how to run the test. |
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The ladies not knowing how to run the test could be the issue (my 7yo's hearing loss went undiagnosed until she was 4.5-5 for just this reason) -- but for future reference, it *is* possible to test just one ear and say if it has "normal" hearing or not. If it was a typical hearing test or screening, the machine says how loud the sound is that is being presented, and normal hearing in an adult is about 0-10 decibels. But seriously, if they didn't know what they were doing, they could be saying it's normal when indeed he could not hear the right sounds to make that diagnosis.
Hope I'm being clear, it's been a long week, lol- if not just ask!
ETA - if you have the money/insurance and don't need a referral I bet he can get in pretty quickly at a real audiologists who are trained to look in ears and test for ear drum motility and hearing. I've gotten such differing views from those not as trained that I only trust the audiologist now. If your dh notices a marked difference from how things were a few days ago then *something* is going on.
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JennGM
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amyable wrote:
JennGM wrote:
| The hearing test was a debacle...they said it was normal, but they only tested the one ear, not the other, so no comparison? And the ladies didn't really know how to run the test. |
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The ladies not knowing how to run the test could be the issue (my 7yo's hearing loss went undiagnosed until she was 4.5-5 for just this reason) -- but for future reference, it *is* possible to test just one ear and say if it has "normal" hearing or not. If it was a typical hearing test or screening, the machine says how loud the sound is that is being presented, and normal hearing in an adult is about 0-10 decibels. But seriously, if they didn't know what they were doing, they could be saying it's normal when indeed he could not hear the right sounds to make that diagnosis.
Hope I'm being clear, it's been a long week, lol- if not just ask! |
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Well, not exactly clear to me. Yes, the operator weakness seems to make us wary.
But also, if he can tell a marked difference in one ear, even if it was in the range of normal, wouldn't you listen to the patient and say something isn't right?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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amyable
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JennGM wrote:
Well, not exactly clear to me. Yes, the operator weakness seems to make us wary.
But also, if he can tell a marked difference in one ear, even if it was in the range of normal, wouldn't you listen to the patient and say something isn't right? |
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Definitely. And I came back to say I looked it up again and normal hearing for an adult can range from 0-20 decibles. Knowing how he can hear in his other ear, though, doesn't tell you how well he could hear *before* in his bad ear. It's possible that he could always hear differently in both ears. He seems to be saying things have *changed* and that is the red flag for me at least. So yes, just because he can hear at say 20 decibels in that ear, doesn't mean everything is fine.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: Sudden Hearing Loss, Updated
