Trouble Hearing

[Chrissy]

I have hearing goes from one extreme to another. Sometimes I have ultra sensitive hearing, but most days I can't hear too well. I'll have the tv blasting and still have trouble hearing and I hate talking on the phone cause I only catch every other word. I find if I'm not looking at someone and focusing on hearing every word I don't hear them. If I'm doing something and someone tries to talk to me I miss half of what they are saying. I figured it was Pots since it goes from one extreme to another and I don't want to go to the dr just to be told everything is fine. I did that with my vision problems. Does anyone else have this problem?

[Rachel]

Hi Chrissy,

I have some of the same issues with hearing. My hearing is also very sensitive. I can easily hear things that others have to stop, be quiet, and concentrate on to hear. Yet I notice it right away. When my ears have been checked they've always been extremely sensitive to the "finger rub" test.

But I have some difficulty with hearing too, especially with conversation, tv, movies, and music. I can hear it all, but I can't understand it well. I'm often asking people, "I'm sorry, will you repeat that?" Sometimes I have to turn the volume up on a tv to be able to understand what is being said. Music with words is the most difficult. I think I unconciously do some lip-reading, and when listening to a cd or the radio I can't do that. It takes me forever to figure out what is being said in a song. Which is probably why I mostly listen to old songs that I already know!

I wonder if the problem with me understanding what is being said is due to ANS dysfunction. Perhaps my brain has a hard time filtering out all of the background noise that happens when talking in a group or watching a tv show. Or maybe there's just a problem with the processing of the words. I don't know! It's one of the things I've never thought about too much because I've had it all my life, so it seems normal. But I should probably mention it to a doctor.

I'm sorry you're having difficulty with your hearing. That can be such a frustrating problem. I hope you can find some answers about what is going on.

Rachel

[flop]

I'd never thought of my odd hearing problems as being connected to POTS but now I wonder if there might be a link.

I too have sensitive hearing - I can hear a mobile phone ringing upstairs that no-one else can hear or cars out on the road. But I also struggle in group conversations particularly if there is background noise. TV isn't too bad but if I can't see a person's face I find it harder to follow what they are saying.

I've never bothered mentioning it to my doctors as I'm sure that a hearing test would show good hearing. I wonder if it is a concentration problem?

Flop

[Lauren78]

How very interesting! I never would have thought that this may be a POTS or ANS thing. I am the same way! I have very sensitive hearing to things others can not hear without complete silence. I get kidded that I have dog ears because of it. However TV, music, etc is impossible. My fiance' never understands how I have to have the TV up so loud, yet I can hear our neighbors phone ring in their house. I pass hearing tests with flying colors, so have never bothered having it checked out. I thought it was just me!! But it seems to be something that may be a common symptom. Very curious!

Lauren