Someone reached out to me – an audiologist, and suggested I try to get a professional audiologist test of my hearing dropping, to show my ENT. I know my hearing has been up and down, but an ENT is not allowed to go off my measurements. I did this and I have a new diagnosis. But it also lead to a surprise.
I had a hearing test on January 25th, when my hearing was reasonable, then I decided to deliberately ‘crash’ my hearing so I could get a mother test showing the fluctuating loss. So January 25 we had visitors and a noisy dinner. My hearing didn’t drop! (Despite dropping a week earlier on Jan 16 after an equally noisy dinner). So January 26 we had a host of people for lunch and dinner – still no drop. Jan 27 I went to a meeting – hearing still good! Jan 28 watched some cricket for an hour – still good hearing! This persisted for 11 days!
Even since then, when it’s dropped it’s recovered much more quickly.
I now have a new normal. I can tolerate, for the most part, a normal level of conversation.
Things I can do:
Quiet meeting with <10 people in a quiet place.
Eat at home with plastic knives and forks and family in quiet mode.
Conversation in a quiet place.
Sit outside in ambient noise at home.
GO for a run without earplugs in.
Too loud:
Coffee shop – fans, talking, clanking etc.
Anywhere with opening and closing of doors.
General moving of cups, plastic tubs, kitchen etc.
Car driving past.
General outdoor background noise in CBD.
Things I can do with strong earmuffs/plugs:
Cleaning, cooking, washing up.
Shopping,
Driving a quiet car with no conversation.
Typing.
Shower and electric shaver.
CIST and SSHL 