1. Home
  2. misc-audio
  3. 197866-6055

Sudden Hearing Loss and Impact on Music Enjoyment

This post is partly a cautionary tale and partly me looking for advice from fellow audiophiles who might have been through something similar.

At the end of January this year, I had a sinus infection that seemed to affect my left ear. One morning I woke up and noticed that my ear felt muffled and my hearing wasn’t quite right. At first, I assumed it was just my sinuses acting up. I tried wax-removal drops and even did some irrigation, but nothing improved. My doctor then prescribed a course of steroids, thinking it might be related to fluid buildup.

Unfortunately, things got worse. I gradually lost almost all hearing in that ear, and there was a lot of distortion as well.

I eventually saw an ENT specialist and an audiologist, and that’s when I learned that this was most likely Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL). Apparently, if the correct treatment is started within about 72 hours, there’s a chance the hearing can be saved. After that short window closes, the loss is often permanent. I really wish I had known that earlier when I first contacted my doctor.

So if anyone reading this ever experiences sudden changes in hearing, please don’t wait—get to an ENT immediately. The treatment window is extremely short.

Now that I’m starting to come to terms with this, I’ve begun researching options like hearing aids and cochlear implants. That leads me to my question for anyone here who has experience with either.

As audiophiles, we tend to listen to music a bit differently—we focus on details, tone, timbre, soundstage, and all those subtle nuances. For those of you using hearing aids or who have undergone cochlear implant surgery, how has it affected your ability to enjoy music? Does music sound very different? Were you able to reconnect with it in a meaningful way? As you can imagine, this is both stressful and sad that I won't be able to enjoy the one hobby that has become such an important part of my life.

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Feel free to share here, or send me a DM if you’d rather keep it private.

arafiq
bobbergman
18 posts
 

So sorry to hear about your hearing loss.  About 2-1/2 years ago I got up from my chair, took a few steps and my right ear “popped” and started ringing. The ear still feels clogged with some pretty loud tinnitus.  I also understand the distortion you mentioned. In my case, anything around the frequencies where I had the most lost (mid to high) come through as distortion. As I started to get treatment, it became apparent that conventional hearing aids only amplified the distortion. Then I tried a hearing aid that would send all sounds to my good ear. I found that to be a distraction and opted to go without any hearing aids. If you decide to go with a cochlea implant, please do your research. I was told that I would need to be trained and that cochlea implants were somewhat different to normal hearing so decided against that option. The only option I found that could possibly restore hearing are stem cell implants (not yet approved by FDA). I’ve been tempted to go to Mexico for that treatment. My condition was diagnosed as SSHL. 

Best of luck with treatment!

Bob

larsman's avatar
larsman
3,123 posts
 

@samssa - do you have behind-the-ear hearing aids? I have Jabra hearing aids from Costco with custom ear molds, too, and they're great for 2-channel. But I don't use those for headphone listening - I got a pair of in-the-ear custom molded hearing aids, so the mic is in the right place for the headphones, and it sounds way better. I've tried a number of different brands; in my experience, it's mostly down to the audiologist getting the EQ right and they've all been quite satisfactory. It's iterative and sometimes I have to go back multiple times to hone in on the right sound, but I get there. 

rickguild's avatar
rickguild
17 posts
 

I have Lyric hearing aids. Would love to compare to the Widex Moment hearing aids that Michael Fremer recommended.

samssa's avatar
samssa
23 posts
 

larsman's avatar

larsman - yes I have behind the ear hearing aids. I guess I could try over the counter hearing aids. The ones I have were around $6,000 but Texas Workforce Solutions paid for the ones I have now. 
larsman's avatar
larsman
3,123 posts
 

@samssa  - you mean you could try In The Canal hearing aids? That's what I have for headphone listening; these are not OTC. I used to buy $6K - $8K hearing aids from various manufacturers, including Widex, and I'm just as happy with the $1500 Jabras from Costco. My local Costco also has a very experienced audiologist; some others, not so much. 

More to discover