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Deaf Runners
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Checking in from the real world again. Hullo all.
Seem to have slowed down considerably in the heat, but I'm still running. I seem to have hit a plateau, and realizing that I am far better at endurance rather than speed. I think I need to find an event to motivate me, as I seem to be ambling along with no real sense of direction at the moment.
On a different note, I had an audiogram last week as I suspected my hearing had worsened. It had dropped from -40--50 and then progressed into the more severe range as the frequencies became higher. For those with a sensorineural loss, you'll know what the audiogram typically looks like.
Anyway, because of that, my digitals are being upgraded. Apparently, there are several more recent models which will help more than my existing ones, especially in the high frequencies. And I only have to wait six weeks. Just goes to show when you hear horror stories of people lingering on waiting lists for a year or more.
Think I'll keep my old digitals for the gym and running.
Hi Barcode...long time no post.
At least you are still running mate. Join the club...I will never be a quickie...I just amble along enjoying the fresh air
for me the next stage will be from ambler to rambler
From the posts on the various threads it seems that the humidity's caused a lot of runners to lose a bit of pace. The weather is fresher now so perhaps this will give you a bit of impetus to get after improving your PBs.
I think my hearing is worsening but at the moment I'm going to continue with my current aid. There does seem to be rapid developments in the technology now but I don't think there will be any possibility of an aid for my left ear...I could be wrong only time will tell. My brother went for a hearing test recently...only waited 6 months, so Audiology appears to be doing pretty good regarding appointment times.
mellitus...seems like you are improving after all. You are like many beginners trying to walk before you can run(if you will excuse the pun)
6 months for an appointment is considered fast (!?!)
I must be too used to having things dealt with quickly. I'm with York District Hospital. The procedure goes like this: call hospital, choose when you want to go in within the next month, go to appt., have follow-up a few weeks later. It's been like that all the time I've been here.
There are mumblings of a cochlear implant far down the line, but I'll be in my thirties by then, I hope (I'm 27 now). Meanwhile, tuning the world out can be quite convenient
the 6 months was from his first visit to his GP till he saw a consultant. I didn't think that was too bad. I have nothing but praise for my local audio department...the girls there are great and very supportive. My brother is a bit of a grump and expects everything to happen when he clicks his fingers. Annoyingly he went through the process of getting an aid and now he won't wear the thing
The implant will be a big decision for you...or maybe not if your hearing worsens sigificantly.
I agree about the convenience aspect...my OH is always asking me if I heard a noise in the night which had disturbed her...doh
She says that after years of hearing aids it is the best decision she has ever made.
I've even thought of enquiring about one myself. Private if need be.
Morning guys,
I've just been reading an blog by a girl that had a C1 implant and it is by her account a long slow process. She was born deaf and because of this she didn't have any memory or recognation of many sounds and of course now she is having to learn new sounds everyday. Initially after the op. she felt that she had made a mistake and wanted aids back...but as you said Becky...once the op. is done it is final. I don't think that this will ever be a decision that I will have to make.
Well I bit the bullet yesterday evening and went to the audio department for a re-tube. It's been over 2 years since my last change...prevaricated too long I think
10 K for me later today...feeling a bit reluctant at the moment...hopefully this will change during the day. I need a good run to re-charge my batteries
Well, I went to see the consultant this morning. Seemed to think that my hearing wasn't that bad and boinged a tuning fork around a bit. He accepted that I had a wailing banshee in my ears but as there was no evidence that it was disturbing my sleep once I went off, he didn't seem too concerned. He said it sounded like noise damage. Special Brew helps with the sleep bit....
Didn't do a hearing test as one was done a couple of years ago and showed a relatively minor hearing loss apparently. Lost a lot of the consonant noises, hence everyone seems to speak in vowels.
Took on board the point that as soon as there was other noise, thats when the problem starts to be bad and that the standard audio test is in silence so...
Recommending me to another location to start with a detailed hearing test and then other bits such as learning to lip read and presumably wave my hands around, all of which will be welcome additions.
Hopefully I'll be able to "watch" a race briefing then coz I have no idea what they say.
If I only have a relatively small loss of hearing, I really feel for you guys.
And the wailing is probably here to stay...
Dustboy...where could you have been exposed to noise damage? Seems abit vague to me that he didn't advise an aid. Certainly lipping reading helps but it is not always possible particularly when in large groups trying to hear verbal instructions. Well I'm really surprised...obviously there is something there that the consultant referred you for more tests. All you can do is go for these tests and wait for the outcome.
Keep supping the Special brew....
Motorbike without earplugs for many years.
Yeah, I'll go for the tests and see where we go. One point he made was that an aid would only amplify the frequencies that didn't need amplifying and may cause more damage?
I am no bright spark but I thought you could easily tune a digital aid to work like a parametric equaliser and only amplify the required frequencies?
We've all done things that in later life we look back on and realise that we should have taken more care. Thats life
All you can do now is go with the flow and see what happens.
I'm not too sure about the technicalities of digi aids but it is possible for the aid to be programmed to target certain frequencies...to what extent and how effectively I wouldn't like to say. It might be worth your time to pop in at your local audio clinic and have a chat with the audiologist. They may explain things better for you.
That's right Dustboy. Unless you're standing next to an aeroplane landing, I really don't know how it's possible to damage your ears by using a hearing aid. An aid does not restore your hearing, and make sounds louder than that of a normal person's hearing.
A digital aid is programmed to your hearing loss, e.g., mine levels out the higher-frequencies. I think you need a better doctor as you seem to be receiving outdated information.
I would concur with Barcode, except the landing aeroplane.
Surely you would have to be running to keep up.
It seems strange to me that they will not give you a hearing test as one was done a couple of years ago. A lot can happen to your hearing in 2 years.
If they had said that it was due to the Tinnitus (that you couldn't have a test) then I would, to an extent, understand that.
Audio say my hearing tests are not entirely accurate due to being unable to distinguish between my Tinnitus and the beeps.
Having said that, there is a test using electrodes to see how your brain reacts to sounds (ie: to see if you are actually hearing them).
Any hearing test I've ever had was in 2 bits - the first in silence, the second with an extra ear phone thingy to provide background noise -that gets louder and quiter so they find at which point I stop hearing the bleep . . . maybe the doc couldn't get the tests done before/at the clinic and thats why he has now referred you on for tests.
Did he give you any numbers/show you a chart/tell you what kinda deafness you have?
I don't wear my aid - partly as it rubs and gives me ear infections, partly cause I got one almost normal ear, but mainly cause I've been deaf since I was very young, and find the aid very distracting, makes me dizzy and is time consumming with my brain working harder than usual - I do better without.
It's been quite a while ago now but I've had hearing tests in 2 parts...one in silence and one with masking background noise. Perhaps it is like mellitus remarked...the consultant didn't have an up to date test.
Good luck to any of you guys that maybe racing over the weekend.
Have a good weekend.
I also think the advice Dustboy received is weird and I thyink he should see someone else for confirmation. Just before we got digi on the NHS I went along to Specsavers to see what aids were out there that would be good for me. It was ireasuring seeing my audiogram the same as the NHS. Funnily enough the aids recommended were those I got on the NHS a few months later.
There still isn't my perfect aid available yet. My present one has the main channel finely tuned to human speech. A "T" channel. The thirsd is what I call my "pub" swich whereby it seems to be able to reduce background noise which is excellent for pubs and restaurants.
The only problem with having the main channel tuned to human speech is that it makes music sound flat and not as rich as it did with the analogues so I could do with another channel tuned for music.
I would also love another channel devoted to bluetooth and therefore the advantages that would bring. My audiologist said there is now a new blutooth hearing aid in the States.
I know I should be grateful with what I got but there are so many improvements that could be made if only they spent a fraction of the R&D that is spent in designing mobile phones.
Hi Becky...I think he would benefit from having a chat to the Audiologist about what is available now and what could be available in the future. If there is bluetooth now in the states it is only a matter of time before they are here. I suppose that to get this you would have to go private but the NHS will catch up eventually. Agree about the R&D but it is all about money not using technology to the benefit of the minority with disabilities.
Have a good weekend...say cluck to the chucks.
Yeah, I get the tinnitus confusing test results too. To double check, they did the bone conduction test, which is marked by a triangle on the audiogram - seems to check if the sounds are getting through.
There was a program on last night called Dr Alice: Don't Die Young - and this week was a bit about the ears, explaining how the hair cells become damaged by noise. My O.H joked that my ears must be completely bald then !! I reckon that's a result of being nagged all the time
I have trouble remembering what analogues sound like, having had them when I was 12 years old, and digitals when they first came out.
I seem to be having huge motivation problems running-wise this week: I've been on the bike more than running, it seems easier. I think I need to find a reasonable plan and stick to it, as I don't do very well meandering along. That and thesis-stuff leaves me feeling drained by the end of the day. Not a moan! Hoping to use the weekend to chill, and come back refreshed next week.
Hi guys
I know I should crow (lol! joke!) but I am so chuffed that at the weekend I run the furthest I have ever run. 14 miles. This was entirely on my own. It felt good, no bad after effects, no hobbling the next day and I felt I had more in the tank. I kept my heart rate around 70%. I wish all running was this good.
It just goes to show that slowly and surely waht can be achieved. It's taken me 2/3 years to get to this point and patience is now being rewarded. I started out as a run/walk person and know look at what I can do.
Becs
well done!
I ran 11 mile last week - over the whole week - and I'm feeling proud of myself, so you deserve to be really chuffed
Morning guys,
NIce one Becky...that is a good solid milestone in your running.
Mellitus...you are making good progress too...it takes time to build mileage...like Becky says...a steady pace and you can go a long way.
Thanks all, have been reading all this intermittently at work as home machine is dead.
I will see what happens at this revised hearing thing he is booking me on to at Guildford.
Must admit, from the things you are saying, it almost feels like he thinks I am making it up! The 2 year old test went aong in a line and dropped off to about 50% at he right hand end but he said that it showed 90% at conversational level. But as you say, that was 2 years ago and before this damned squealing, and it was done in silence.
Maybe I am overexagerrating things compared with the ones who have REAL loss. Will see and report after the next stage! Again, thanks all for your replies!
Now, off to ring the wife and kids, "Eh, Wot & Speakup"
Morning guys,
Becky...my OH saw a sparrowhawk take a fledgling blackbird in our back garden yesterday morning and the hawk was prowling the roof tops later in the evening too...could explain the loss of your chick. Say cluck to the little chicks for me. Of course there could be a fox about too...these are very common in urban areas now.
Mellitus...how many miles have you done this week? Are you on target with your progress. An update please!!!
Hi guys
apprantly if it was a sparrowhawk the other birds would have been scread and we would know. I reckon it was a local cat. Funnily enough living in the country I don't see foxes. I am sure they are about though.
Went for a 4 mile run last night in the woods on a trail run. couple hundreds yards from the finish I went flying and fell over. Grazed my knoews, a bit on my face, hurt my arm and generally ache this morning. Luckily in my running club there are a few nurses who took care of me. Apparently I slid along the ground as I fell and my ear filled up witrh dirt! Luckily I don't wear hearing aids running as I am sure I would have done damage.
Hi Becky...thankfully you are okay after your fall...you weren't diving for the finish line to knock a couple of seconds off your PBs
Yes I think you are probably right about the hawk...last night when the hawk was prowling I looked out for other birds...not a glimpse of one in the street. We have foxes that roam in our area. Our westie quite often wakes us in the early hours and if we are quick enough out of bed we catch a glimpse of a fox trotting down the avenue.
I'm having a lot of uncomfortable pain in my outer ear after the fitting of the new tube last week. No matter how I adjust my aid it seems to be rubbing on my ear. I will just have to carry on till it settles down.
It's not as bad as your aches and pains...get well soon
Autumn
After having my tubes replaces I also had rubbing on the outside of the ear where the bottom of the aid rests on the back of the ear. I thought it was down to tube length etc and then I realised they must have changed the elbow as well. The new elbow was a lot longer and curvier and therefore was "pushing" the aid into the back of the ear. I phone audiology yesterday and they are sending me a replacement in the post. Hopefully it's the "old" type.
Becky
I only had the tube changed...the audiologist did use the stay-dry tubing which is a little less flexible than ordinary tubing. I will just have to keep trying to find the right angle for the elbow to alleviate the rubbing.
It is surprising how such a little change can cause so much discomfort...oh to be without the blasted thing...moan over.
It is a problem when things keep getting up-dated...often the "old" type does the job great only to be replaced by bits that take quite a time to adjust to.
I seem to be going through one of those spells of having louder head noise than usual...I'm hydrated okay...must be just a touch of a head cold or something.
No run for me today...cross training this evening on healthrider...10 K tomorrow afternoon hopefully.
Umm, no update on distance - although I've added an extra bit at the start of each time - a kinda warmup really, of 1/2 mile - 2 circuits of going down the hill from the back of my house, along a straight bit then up two flights of steps. Each circuit 1/4 mile, and takes 2 1/2 minutes or so.
The plan last week was more distance, with this extra bit, and a longer log run ( 4miles instead of just over 3). This week, its increased running time - i was running for 4min/1min walk on tuesday
.
But then banged my knee against edge of open drawer in my desk
and I'm off to my book club tonight, so probably no running tomorrow. Maybe a brisk walk instead . . . .
How's every one else's running?
Hi mellitus...good progress on your times. The time you spend running now is important because you are building your stamina. The longer mileage will come...you're doing great.
Seems to be that you ladies are determined to have a rest from running...Becky falling over...you banging your knee...ouch...you two haven't been on the bottle have you?
Enjoy your walk...it will count towards your cross training.
At the moment I'm free from any niggles so things are going well...biked into work today...bit of cross training. I will be out tomorrow for my usual 10K then a long run on Saturday.
Becky...a big thank you for your comments yesterday about the new elbow being too long. I checked my new tubing last night...snipped 3 mil off the tube and it seems to have solved the problem. Outer ear is much more comfortable today...thanks
I hope you guys are all well today...a bit overcast here but it is my 10k later so I will have to grin and bear it and get out no matter what the weather does