Update on my tinnitus. I was at the DAV in Tulsa last May and started a case with the VA for disability for my hearing and tinnitus. Got notified last December that they accepted my disability for tinnitus at 10% (which is all they'll ever give) but that my hearing loss didn't rise to the level of being compensatable. Still, it's a small but guaranteed amount for the rest of my life and it's tax free.
Update 3 years later, my right ear has progressively gotten worse. On stage I use in-ear monitors nowadays and while it has helped to preserve my hearing its like wearing cans over my ears and messes up my playing at some shows when its not mixed right. What made things worse though was when I accidentally shot off a round with my right side earplug hanging out not long ago and now I pretty much ruined what little hearing I had that ear and I get ear infections on that side if I dont wear a swimmers ear plug when showering. The tinnitis is worse too that side now with louder ringing. I havent been to a specialist yet even tho the ol lady keeps nagging me to go to one. I can hear just fine except for certain frequencies and weirdly my wifes voice is at a frequency where I have to ask her to repeat herself alot when she is on my right side, way more than with other people.
Update from 2012^^^^ The comments remain the same. Hearing aids are insanely over priced. I paid for some low dollar models, and they do help with the volume, but that's about it.
I lost my hearing in the Army back in the early 70's. Although at discharge I was offered help, I refused thinking I didn't want a dammed thing to do with the government.
My poor decision to live a life of saying huh? didn't work well at times.
Awhile back I was having dinner with the wife at the American Legion, and met up with an old co-worker that is now a Veterans Advisor for the VA.
He convinced me to come in and fill out some paperwork.
It resulted in the VA getting me some of the latest state of the art aids. My life has certainly changed for the better. The things they can do now are pretty incredible.
I'm hooked by Bluetooth to my IPhone. Everything comes directly to the microphone in the ear. Phone calls, Pandora etc. I can put my phone next to my wife in a noisy restaurant, select the restaurant mode that blanks out back ground noise, and we can talk like we are at home.
Its linked to the gps on the phone, and I can program in locations where I want certain volumes, adjust the bass/treble so that every time I go to that location it remembers and does an auto adjust.
At home we fought about the loudness of the TV. Now I can adjust the volume to the point she is comfortable with it, and I am too.
The OKC VA center in my opinion does a great job in the area I'm associated with. Very professional, good staff, and a positive atmosphere. Totally different from other centers I see are having problems in other parts of the country.
HAHA! that's called selective hearing.
Actually that's very possible. People that work in environments with low frequency high noise areas loose the bottom end of their hearing.
HAHA! that's called selective hearing.
Actually that's very possible. People that work in environments with low frequency high noise areas loose the bottom end of their hearing.
It sounds like BS but its true. Plus she speaks really soft anyways and that doesnt help. My mom said her dad when he didnt want to hear her mom bitching at him would just turn his aides off, lolll. Ive promised to do that if and when I get some.
With mine, its entirely possible to turn them off.
Voice recognition is a big problem too. A competent audiologist will present you a group of words that will test that part of hearing. Its amazing what someone with severe hearing loss can "hear" vs the actual word spoken. Trust me on this. Getting partial hearing back is a life changer. It will never be like when you were a kid, but its better than living in the fog of deafness.
I grew up shooting doves with no ear protection and riding tractors with straight pipes and I've been to dozens of mind-numbingly loud rock shows and I work in shops a lot.
My hearing gets worse every year. Scary.
My hearing gets worse every year. Scary.
Yaa, its on my to-do list. Gettin old. I have what we call 1 1/2 hearing. My left is in pretty good shape but my right is at about 50% and its the one with the worst tinnitis too. The thing is Ive pretty much always took stage left when playing live with my amps beating up my right ear more than my left. The music I play also requires alot of really loud amps too and after 30 years of it plus studio work and band practices in small studios Ive just punished them. I need to start thinking of what life will be like without playing live music some time anyways, its getting close to where Im about to just give it up. I was going to slow down and change styles but I think Ive had my time with it and it might be time to check out and head to the house and get into television while I can still hear. I have great eyesight at least, something the wife doesnt have.
