Tuning out voices in a public place.

piggly wiggly

Not sure if this is a deafness issue, but if I'm in a restaurant with a group I find it hard to hear the conversation. Other background noises seem to wipe them out like a waitress counting knives or the fridge clicking on. Meanwhile the conversation is now a murmur. I pass my hearing test at work no problem.

Thanks

the_syco

My current (Widex) hearing aid has three programs. The first will make the background noise into a "murmur" type of sound so that I can hear those next to me, the 3rd so I can hear all sound equally (good for music), and the 2nd is a mix of the 3rd plus the T switch.

Thus something like that may benefit you. If your hearing is okay, you should be able to buy a cheap hearing aid for the purpose of hearing conversation near to you (much like some people need glasses to read books that are near to them). Maybe talk to a recommended audiologist (Bonovox/DeafHear/Hidden Hearing) if such a device would help your situation?

=-=

On another note, do you dislike loud music (past a certain volume), or any specific sorts of instruments? Do you find it hard to concentrate on doing something if there is music in the background?

piggly wiggly

Thanks for your reply. My hearing is in good order. I pass my annual work auditory exam each year (the one in the soundproof booth). I have no problem with loud music or any instruments. It's like my hearing chooses to hear the fridge turning on or the music in the background over voices. I find myself struggling to lip read. Thanks again.

210

How long since your last hearing test and did it test each ear separately ? I have a friend with single sided hearing loss on their left side which means that in a group situation they can hear someone stirring a cup of tea 10 meters away on their right side but this noise seems to override the other ear and they cant pick up someone speaking immediately on their left. This sounds very like what you describe.

Their local gp surgery nurse was able to carry out a basic hearing test with a small handhed buzzer type machine which picked up on the problem by testing each ear seperately at different frquences.

piggly wiggly

I get tested annually. .. Just last month! Fly through it. I'm thinking it maybe a sensory process thing at this stage....

210

If it persists do get your gp to have a look. Think this type of thing can be very common due to ear infections or inflamation in inner ear.

just out of interest does the hearing test you have test each ear seperately and at different frequencies. ?

My friend has lost low frequency reception in his left ear. Low frequency seems to be where we pick up on speech sounds. In small groups or one to one he doesnt realy have a problem - just in groups or slightly noisy environments. His problem was only picked up when he did the hearing test wearing headphones with the signals going to one ear first at varying frequency and then to the other ear.

210

Any improvement since ?

piggly wiggly

Sorry 210! I forgot about this wee thread!
That is interesting about your friend, worth mentioning to a doc next time I'm in.

The test is done one ear at a time.

It's still ongoing. I was putting out down to me having the attention span of a gnat!

210

I had mostly forgot myself, I think the nurse in most GP surgerys will have the little beep tester which basically beeps at different tones into your ear - I live in the sticks and mine do. The nurse gets you to raise your hand on the beep - the test is very basic but I suppose it will spot if you are missing tones in your hearing range. The doc will refer you on if anything shows up to ear nose & throat doctor. Its a very basic little 5 minute test with nurse & no needles involved which is always a plus.

Do you notice if the tune out always happens to one side ? ie in a crowd can you hear the people to your right but not someone speaking to you so well if they are on your left side. This is what my mate noticed first and also when he held his phone to one ear the sound was perfect but on the other ear it was a bit muffled like there was cotton wool in the ear on that one side.

cobham

I have one ear that is poor and a ticking watch is a simple way to detect difference between ears also to rub two fingers and try and pick up that sound. It is the mismatch between the two ears that causes the problem. The good ear is too acute. Both ears are needed to give balance. Apart from nuisance of background noise being dominant, not being able to tune it out, I cannot tell the direction/location of a sound. This is when it gets serious as in traffic situation.... eg where is that roaring ambulance coming from or is it going away??

210

Evening Cobham, I had forgotten about the direction thing with single sided hearing loss which can make finding a ringing mobile phone in a room a little bit of a nightmare . What you say abut the god ear becoming acute is realy interesting and it does seem that way a bit. Its very strange but on your good side you can hear someone stirring their tea at ten feet while at the same not being able to hear someone talking next to you on your poor side. Initally it can seem like you are developing some form of super hero senses but then very quickly you will just think you are going a bit mad. The trouble with single sided hearing loss is that 99.999999999 % of the time single sided hearing loss is just wax or an infection in the ear which is why most people kind of ingore it. Very very very rarely though it can be a bit of a red flag that something else needs checking out.

annieoburns

Thank you 210 for that well worded reply. I should have mentioned that after about 7 years of the deaf ear, I tried to get a hearing aid only to be referred to a specialist.
After being well checked out it seems I just had 'glue ear' and rather an elderly patient to start getting what is usually a childhood complaint. This is the result of an 'incompetant eustacian tube' that does not drain debris/fluid away naturally as it has become blocked.
A bit of surgery to clear out blockage and put in a grommut or tube into outer ear, resulted in perfect hearing. Sadly this lasted about 18 months and slowly deafness came back. Grommut was repeated and again short lived improvement. I would have taken antibiotics twide as well to no avail.

210

Evening Piggly Wiggy, Any improvement since ?