Cycling and deafness

[Mick F]

Suffice it to say .............. I can hear!

Both ears, clear as a bell.

[Psamathe]

...I'm suffering with completely blocked ears. Left one far worse then right. Taking drops for it, and if it doesn't clear in the next day or two, I'll be reporting sick to the nurse for a good syringe. Been like this on and off over the years, so it's nothing new to me.
...

None of the NHS around me (or other counties family live in) will syringe any more (they consider it dangerous). They always direct me to somebody who does some vacuum technique with a microscope thing (you lie on one of those examination bed things head on side and practitioner positions microscope above and has some tiny vacuum device thingy. Costs me £35 for one ear, £50 for both.

Ian

[Mick F]

The lady nurse was brilliant.

She looked in my "good" ear and declared that she could see the ear-drum, so drops every day is the way forward as it's on it's way for ok.

She looked into my blocked left ear, and used the water pump thingy and warned me that it could be uncomfortable.
I was well-prepared as it has been done many times in the past. Yes, very uncomfortable!
Within a minute or two, I could hear clearly.
Held a cup under my ear as she did it, and the gunk inside after doing the job, looked awful

I can hear the clocks ticking, the radio clearly, and the parrot pecking at her food.

[Mick F]

PS:
I may have a bike ride tomorrow ..................... weather permitting.
Very confident that I'll be fine.

[[XAP]Bob]

Deaf (as opposed to deaf) people tend to have much better peripheral vision than their hearing alter egos.

I suggest caution with that statistic.

Of course it varies with the cause of deafness, but if you take the whole population of people with hearing impairment they're much more likely to have other neurological deficits, including visual.

But i would be interested if there's any evidence that in the absence of other deficit peripheral vision actually improves, as opposed to the individual relying on it more.

Jonathan

I was quite specific that I was referring to Deaf, rather than deaf. If you're not culturally aware of the difference then it is very subtle. Deaf (as a proper noun) is a cultural identity and is, in my somewhat limited experience, almost exclusively used by people who have been profoundly deaf since birth (although often not those who had childhood cochlear implants).
That sensory deprivation does increase the reliance on, and therefore development of, peripheral vision. I do not think that there is any retinal difference, but there is probably a processing difference and certainly an awareness difference.

Obviously comorbidity will significantly affect those specific individuals.

Maybe "make better use of their peripheral vision" is a better descriptor, but it feels like it lacks something important in the phrase.

[Mick F]

Just to update this.
Left ear is fine now, though was a bit sore for a week or two.
Right ear wasn't bad enough for "basting out" by the nurse, and has been still partially blocked and sort of deaf. Spent some time with drops in it, and basically it is now ok. The ear, as well as the right one, have been going downhill for months, but now both on the road to recovery.

22nd June since I turned a pedal, but tomorrow I'm off and riding. Planning on climbing Pork Hill onto Dartmoor.
Wish me luck!

[Mick F]

Successful ride!
Also, both ears fine now.

[TimeTraveller]

Im deaf (zero hearing right side) and partially deaf left, been that way for the last 42 years. use hearing aid on left side (last 10 years) to increase higher frequency. (very bass hearing) I often leave it off in bad weather and just manage.
right side no use at all.

Never had any issues riding I just seem to notice more and stay very aware (dont even think I try)

[Mick F]

The thing is ...........
If you always have good hearing, and suddenly lose it on one side, it's very disorientating indeed.
No doubt if the situation remains for years/decades, you get used to it.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I think long-term deafness can bring on paranoia?

[TimeTraveller]

Not sure about paranoia ? got tinitus so silence is never silence

[Jdsk]

I think long-term deafness can bring on paranoia?

I don't know about paranoia but it's often asserted that deafness is more isolating than blindness.

Jonathan

[[XAP]Bob]

The lady nurse was brilliant.

She looked in my "good" ear and declared that she could see the ear-drum, so drops every day is the way forward as it's on it's way for ok.

She looked into my blocked left ear, and used the water pump thingy and warned me that it could be uncomfortable.
I was well-prepared as it has been done many times in the past. Yes, very uncomfortable!
Within a minute or two, I could hear clearly.
Held a cup under my ear as she did it, and the gunk inside after doing the job, looked awful

I can hear the clocks ticking, the radio clearly, and the parrot pecking at her food.

You think that's uncomfortable... try having steroids injected through the ear drum, and having to keep your head on it's side without swallowing for thirty minutes.

The needle through the ear drum sounded a lot like a needle through paper, though much louder.

[[XAP]Bob]

I think long-term deafness can bring on paranoia?

I don't know about paranoia but it's often asserted that deafness is more isolating than blindness.

Jonathan

I can see an argument for that, particularly for those with acquired deafness, but I'm not entirely convinced (having never been either totally blind or totally deaf).

[millimole]

Not sure about paranoia ? got tinitus so silence is never silence

Tinnitus is a condition that's hard to understand until you experience it. Not for a day, or a week, but having a constant noise in your head that no one else can hear. Every waking moment.
Tinnitus teaches you a certain type of resilience (or it destroys you).