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UNDERSTANDING HEARING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MENIERE\'S DISEASE
It can be very difficult to understand and come to terms with the hearing problems associated with Meniere\'s disease. Although hearing loss is often not noticed in the early stages, throughout the course of the disease it can fluctuate. Adjusting to these constant changes in your ability to hear can be frustrating.
The hearing loss associated with Meniere\'s disease is specific in that it is usually a low frequency hearing loss in the early stages, which flattens out to affect all frequencies - a sensori-neural loss - in the later stages.
Diplacusis may occur when a pure tone heard clearly in the good ear, is fuzzy and muffled in the ear affected by Meniere\'s.
A phenomenon called \'recruitment\' almost always occurs, typically early in the disease. Loud sounds, (even moderately loud sounds), seem extremely loud in the affected ear, and may reach the threshold of discomfort or pain.
Poor speech discrimination, especially in situations with background noise or when using the telephone, makes communication difficult.
An acquired hearing loss is a disability which changes the way you interact with the people around you, and the way that they interact with you. A major source of information about what is happening in the world around you is denied or distorted.
Discreet personal conversations or casual chit-chat can become a major source of difficulty. Your physical awareness of the world is reduced by your decreased perception of sound. You have to be more dependent on what you can see, and your interpretation of the sounds that occur close by.
The breakdown in the ability to communicate freely with those around you can be psychologically devastating. Poor hearing is a hidden handicap in that it is not easily detected by others, and is often attributed to other factors, such as rudeness, lack of interest or senility.
The situation is compounded when the person with the hearing loss will not admit to having a hearing loss. Some of the reasons for not admitting to having a hearing loss are
- negative perceptions of deafness - wanting to cover-up the problem
- difficulty in facing or accepting anything less than perfection in ourselves. Whereas once you were the one who \'helped\', now you are the one who \'needs help -independence versus dependence
- fear of what other people think and fear of being treated differently as a result of hearing loss
- a belief that people generally are not very understanding about hearing problems, so it would not do much good to admit to the problem anyway.
There are many other potential reasons for denying the existence of a communication disability. Any combination of these reasons creates stress and anxiety in a hearing impaired person and affects communication relationships. Add the difficulty of a vestibular or balance problem associated with Meniere\'s and these difficulties are magnified.
Hearing aids
With the advances in hearing aid technology and the increased knowledge and skills of audiologists who fit them, there are very few people who cannot benefit from using a hearing aid(s). Due to the fluctuating nature of hearing loss associated with Meniere\'s disease it is often difficult to adjust hearing aids, however, it is well worth persevering. Technology is improving rapidly and the newer, programmable aids can adjust to different listening environments. In rare cases where hearing loss is profound, a cochlear implant may be an option.
Many people with Meniere\'s disease use hearing aids successfully. You won\'t know if a hearing aid can help you if you don\'t try one! Living with Meniere\'s disease is stressful enough without needlessly adding to the difficulty of communication.
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GENERAL HEALTH
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