Steve EasterbrookAug 2, 2024
Two years ago, I experienced Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL), and am now almost completely deaf in one ear. This year, one of my colleagues had the same thing. Now I see there's a study out showing a strong correlation between COVID and SSNHL.
I guess that explains a lot. But, shit.
BTW If you find you suddenly lose hearing in one ear, get yourself to a specialist *immediately*. You have a 24-36 hour window to save your hearing before it becomes permanent.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00338-9/fulltext
Show threadSteve EasterbrookAug 3, 2024
What’s it like to suddenly lose hearing in one ear, you ask? The other ear works fine, right?
First, it’s a hidden disability. Nobody notices, unless I tell them, which can feel awkward and embarrassing. Took me a long time to get over that.
With only one ear, I’ve lost all ability to detect where sound is coming from.
That means I can’t filter out background noise. I can have a perfectly normal conversation in a quiet environment. But if there’s background noise it gets hard rapidly. 1/n
Show threadSteve EasterbrookAug 3, 2024
So I won’t be able to hear you in busy restaurants, urban streets, anywhere with background music, crowds, parties, or anywhere where several people are talking at once.
Teaching is now really difficult. We’ve installed air purifiers in all our classrooms, but they make enough of a hum that I can’t hear the students very well. I like to use a lot of breakout discussion in my classes, but I can’t hear anything any of them are saying if I do that.
2/n
Show threadSteve EasterbrookAug 3, 2024
It’s hard to find quiet restaurants, although I’ve discovered if you eat earlier in the evening it tends to be quieter. But why do they all need background music? Most wont even turn it down when I ask.
Academic conferences are particularly hard. The talks are fine. The rest is not. For me, the value of a conference is in the informal conversations in coffee breaks, and over lunch or dinner. I can’t do that now.
3/n
Show threadSteve EasterbrookAug 3, 2024
The first conference I went to after my hearing loss, I signed up for the banquet, and sat with a group of people whose work I really wanted to hear about. There was a live band playing throughout the meal. I couldn’t even hear the person next to me who was talking into my good ear. And I couldn’t explain why I was being so antisocial.
I left halfway through and walked back to my hotel in tears.
Ironically I’d been to a panel session earlier that day about making the field more accessible…
4/n
Show threadRalph058 (S/he/it) AF4EZ
@steve I've had a loss of high frequencies. One ear is better than the other. I can't understand people in all the circumstances you mentioned. One of things I put on my "if I win the lottery" list is to sue a big chain for their background music level. Locally, it is the Walgreens. They have the "music" blaring through a speaker right above the registers. I have written them about it and they never even responded. Although, the local CVS has background music...it is in the background and not the foreground.
Even with two hearing aids, if there isn't GOOD sound reinforcement, I might as well not go to a conference.
Aug 3, 2024 at 3:04pmWeb
Show threadSteve EasterbrookAug 3, 2024
@Ralph058
Oh yes, in large stores, if the person at the checkout asks me anything, I can’t hear it. Especially as they’re now usually behind a plexiglass screen.