The Closet Professor

I don’t have a lot to say today, but I know some of you might want to know how my appointment with the Audiologist went. He said I am having some hearing loss, especially hearing consonants. He told me hearing aids would help with both the hearing loss and the tinnitus. He wants me to see and ENT (otolaryngologist) to get a medical diagnosis because otherwise my health insurance won’t cover the hearing aids. I doubt my insurance will cover much of the cost anyway, and it will probably be an aggravating process.

At some point in my life, I don’t remember when it actually started, I began hearing a ringing in my ears. It’s sort of like a high pitched whine all the time. I’m not sure I’ve ever had any point when there was absolutely silence. I just thought it was normal since I seem to have always heard it. Some days it’s like hearing cicadas in my head. If you live in an area with those creepy little hidden bugs, you know how annoying that sound can be. I talked to my doctor about it, and he confirmed what I already knew. I have tinnitus.

Often tinnitus is a sign of hearing loss though, from what I’ve read, it’s not associated with the cause of hearing loss nor is it caused by hearing loss. This is what my doctor is most worried about, so I have an appointment with an audiologist this morning.

Many people with tinnitus also experience headache disorders, suggesting that one condition may trigger the start of the other. Some scientists believe that tinnitus and headaches could have a feedback loop of one causing the other — or that they could have a common cause. Tinnitus may also trigger migraine episodes. With my migraines I typically have additional symptoms besides pain. I usually become acutely sensitivity to light, sound, or smell*. An estimated 20 percent of people with migraine attacks say they also have tinnitus.

While I do not yet know what the audiologist might say or if he’ll have an idea of what is causing the tinnitus, I know that when I have a severe migraine the ringing in my ears seems especially loud. I’ve also known for a while that I often have a difficult time hearing people and have to have them repeat themselves several times before I can figure out what they are saying, and even then, I can’t always tell. I often just smile and nod my head.

I’m anxious to hear what the audiologist says today.

* When I have a migraine, my sense of smell becomes particularly sensitive. If someone comes into the museum and is wearing perfume or cologne, I can often smell them from the other side of the museum. I always say that I have the nose of a bloodhound. One of my friends says that I have the nose of a pregnant woman.