Mild hearing loss

I had an appointment this afternoon with an audiologist to check my hearing. I told him I have hard time hearing from my right ear and it seems to be just getting worse as the days go by. He discussed with me various options, which means a hearing aid tool. He asked me first, (he knows I work in the same building), and said, “Are you full time University employee? Do you have insurance? the government will only cover 500$ for it.”

I hesitated and said, “I am only contracted but I have my own insurance that I pay monthly.” He said, “The University insurance would have covered it all, so check with your current insurance and see if they will cover it.”

So I was sitting in this sound booth and taking this hearing test. He put the tube with a sponge tip inside my ears and continued on with me having to click a button when I hear the beeps. My left ear was fine. I was able to hear as much as possible. My right ear however, wasn’t the case. The more noise, the more pressure I felt on my ear. I donno how to really describe it. I just couldn’t hear that much. Not much at all.

After the test was done, he explained to me the results. He said, “your low frequency and high frequency threshold went down a lot from last time you have been here. You are too young. Maybe a lady who is over 60 might have this problem. But not like you within a 3 year time frame. So the low frequency is the one causing you the problems and it went down the borderline normal. It is considered now a mild hearing loss. It is just I don’t understand how can it be in one ear. Your ears are fine physically. All the sound waves are bouncing off properly. It just not making sense.”

I said, “what can I do now?” He said, “I really don’t know, if you call your insurance and see if they can cover a hearing aid, we can try it out for a month and see if it will make any significant changes. Other than that, just when you speak to people, face them and read their mouth properly. If you have problems just tell them to repeat what they are saying.”

I said, “fine..”

He then said, “we can do more tests of the ear muscles but you already did that, the only thing that was reported that you have a scar in your ear, but it is outer and I saw it too.”

I said, “what??? what scar?”

He said, “it is outer, it would not cause any problems whatsoever. It could have been caused by your severe ear infection when you were 15 and just tore some skin.”

I said, “ok ok..”

I was hoping deep down inside that he would give me a solution or medicine on the spot. Just to see if it will make a difference. I then said, “but I feel congestion and pressure sometimes.” He said, “could be allergies that is causing it too.” I said, “well, I do have allergies, but it was bad in May and June. I am fine now.” He said, “since the cochlea has a liquid which is composed of minerals that take in the sound to the brain using the nerves.. blah blah..” I forgot what he said, then he continued on saying, “you could be difficient in some mineral that your body needs, but then it would effect both ears.”

I said, “so no real reason.. fine fine.” He then said, “just talk to your insurance and see what they cover. Other than that, it is really fine for now and just come in one year so we can keep monitoring the problem. Ok?”

I said ,”fine fine fine…!! ”

So I just got home and checked my insurance website and saw the listing of all the things they cover. Hearing aid is not on the list. You wonder why? Cause hearing aids cost over $2500 as the Doc said.

So now I am furious because I have crappy insurance and I am wasting 114 dollars a month to pay for it. I am just mad that it is making me sick to my stomach of what I found out about my hearing.

It has just been a bad week.

I was just thinking of going to a real doctor tomorrow and see if they can help me in a health related way about my ears. Maybe I am just always congested and sick.. I am always sniffling.

Angry, Blah Blah