Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 9/7/2008

Question
I recently started experiencing mild hearing loss. I find myself asking people to repeat often. I hear clearly most of the times and sometimes I just don't hear. I am somewhat frustrated at this point. I visited my doctor when this first started about three months ago and he informed me that it is as a result of my sinus. I have every bad sinus. I went to him a couple days ago again and he said the same thing but I am worried because I have been listening to my mp3(loud - to the point where other people complain)on and half for the past two years. I tend to listen to music loud and watch TV loud. My doctor doesn't know this and he is not a ENT doctor so I am concerned. On the other hand I have very bad sinus problems from ever since I can remember, he keeps telling me that I have condition called nasal polyps and that I need to do an operation because they are swollen so I always have difficulty breathing through my nose and I have asthma and eczema as well. I find that my hears are beginning to hurt me because I am straining to hear or I read peoples lips sometimes. Help!!! I am just 26 yrs old what could it be, is it treatable, will it progress???

Answer
Hi Charming,
You need to have your hearing tested by an audiologist.  An audiologist is the only person qualified to evaluate your hearing and tell if you have a hearing loss. There are different types of hearing loss, and depending on the type you have, that will determine treatment and possible progression.  A conductive loss is a mechanical blockage in the outer or middle ear caused by a medical problem, such as a sinus infection.  This is usually treatable medically and usually can resolve after treatment. A sensorineural loss, often referred to as "nerve deafness" is not medically treatable. One of the causes of this is exposure to loud noises, such as an MP3 player. You can also have a combination of these two. The only way to know if you do have a loss is to be evaluated by an audiologist who can then make proper recommendations.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology