Hearing Loss and Tinnitus " Fred is a 55-year-old gentleman with bilateral hearing loss "

Case study ( 8382 views as of March 29, 2024 )

Fred is a 55-year-old gentleman who presents to his family doctor with bilateral hearing loss. Fred notices his hearing loss symptoms are worse on the left side than on his right side. Fred's medical history reveals a whiplash injury 12 years ago which resulted in tinnitus (ringing or buzzing) symptoms on one side ever since.

Fred's doctor refers him to an audiologist for a thorough review of his hearing. The audiologist administers an assessment consisting of pure tone audiometry, auto acoustic emissions, and acoustic reflexes, including tympanometry.

Fred's test results show a sensorineural hearing loss to both ears, with his left side being worse than his right. The recommended treatment for Fred's hearing is a hearing instrument to his left side to begin, given his hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms.

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Conversation based on: Hearing Loss and Tinnitus " Fred is a 55-year-old gentleman with bilateral hearing loss "

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus " Fred is a 55-year-old gentleman with bilateral hearing loss "

  • Vertigo can be caused by various conditions, including: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This occurs when tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear become dislodged and affect the fluid balance, leading to vertigo episodes triggered by certain head movements. Ménière's disease: It is a disorder of the inner ear that involves a combination of vertigo, hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and a feeling of fullness or pressure in the affected ear. Vestibular neuritis: This is an inflammation of the vestibular nerve, usually caused by a viral infection. It can result in sudden and severe vertigo, along with imbalance and difficulty in coordinating eye movements. Labyrinthitis: It is an infection or inflammation of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, along with hearing loss and ringing in the ears. Migraine-associated vertigo: Some individuals with migraines experience episodes of vertigo, often accompanied by severe headaches and other migraine symptoms. There are also other less common causes of vertigo, such as acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor on the vestibular nerve) or certain medications that affect the inner ear or the brain. If you experience recurring or severe vertigo, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. They can evaluate your symptoms, perform a physical examination, and may recommend additional tests to determine the underlying cause and provide the most suitable treatment options.
  • I also wonder if Fred had ever seen a chiropractor for his whiplash ? Perhaps dealing with the lingering issues from that would help with his hearing loss and tinnitus
  • Hearing aids can greatly improve quality of life for someone suffering from hearing loss. They do bring their own challenges however - like difficulty using cell phones
    • This is one area in which I think technology has yet to catch up to need. My aunt has worn hearing aids for more than 10 years and has been through a number of hearing aid compatible phones. She finds that within months the quality begins to decrease until she is left having to have the phone on loud on speakerphone.
    • A family member wears hearing aids and it is very hard for him to hear on a regular phone. He has been given special phones to use that are compatible with the hearing aids. The hardest part for him is being in a crowd. It is very hard to focus when there are many people talking at once and it sounds more like a buzz. This can also bring on the feeling of nausea, as his core is put off balance.
  • I have experienced tinnitus in the past which I believe was due to congestion in the sinuses. I found that using a Netti Pot really helped clear things up. It's not my favourite thing to do, but it does seem to work! One thing I would advise is to purchase salt packets from the pharmacy rather than mixing your own salt and warm water. I found the salt mixtures from the store much more gentle with the right levels of ingredients. If you mix it yourself it's easy to put too much salt and that can really burn the sinuses.
    • If you have a parent with dementia you are almost certainly going to get dementia yourself.
    • How long did it take you to get over the ick factor of using the neti pot for your congestion ?
  • I recently realized my blood pressure is creeping up again and I am likely going to need to increase my hypertension meds. I also noticed a lot of tinnitus lately. Is tinnitus linked with hypertension?
    • I am on my fourth week of tinnitus post-ear infection. I have been told that it may take up to 3 months to recover from tinnitus.
    • Oh dear, I am concerned about taking decongestants to relieve the congestion that is causing my tinnitus, since it may not be advisable with my hypertension medication. I have a follow up with my physician, I will ask her about what I can do to relieve my tinnitus.
    • Yuan Lew when my daughter was younger we noticed that she was having a hard time hearing us following a cold. She had a lot of fluid build up behind her ears due to congestion and it caused hearing loss and tinnitus. It took a few months of decongestant spray to clear up the condition.
    • I found out my tinnitus is related to an ear infection. I am now on antibiotics but I still fell pressure and tinnitus. Anecdotal experiences from others indicated that the tinnitus can last for a few weeks even after the infection has cleared up. I am not concerned about long term hearing loss. This is going to be a question for my physician. So, aside from injury due to accidents, tinnitus and hearing loss can be a concern with ear infections.
  • People generally get annual physicals and eye exams, are regular hearing tests recommended to detect early stage hearing loss, tinnitus and other hearing issues?
    • @yuan lew - that's a good question. I don't believe they are unless you experience hearing issues.
  • My father had to use a hearing aid for the last 10 years of his life and I can honestly say it improved his quality of life significantly.
    • My aunt has worn hearing aids for 15 years. It allows her to do so many things she would otherwise not be able to do - like participate in church and lead Sunday school lessons
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