For the past month and a half I have been awaiting my audiology and ENT appointments to see what is going on with my left ear. I finally recognized in October that I have been experiencing some hearing loss. Yesterday, January 16, 2008, I received my diagnosis. There is a 99.9% chance I have Otosclerosis.I will try to explain this clearly. The ear is divided up into 3 parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. Generally, the outer ear consists of the external canal and tympanic membrane, the middle ear contains all the tiny bones, and the inner ear involves all the nerves.
Otosclerosis affects the middle ear where all your little bones are. The stapes bone (or a tiny bone that looks like a stirrup) in my ear is getting built up with calcium deposits. Because of this build-up, my bone has become stationary and can no longer vibrate against the other small bones in my ear to help in the processes of hearing.
There are 3 options for me at this point. I can 1. do nothing, and allow the calcium to continue to build on my bone and cause more hearing loss in my left ear, 2. get a hearing aid, which I was told works well with this condition, or 3. have surgery to remove the stapes bone and replace it with a prosthesis.
Well, don't they all just sound good? I am one lucky girl. Just kidding! No, but I am blessed that this has only effected the hearing in my left ear. It is very common for it to effect both ears. Otosclerosis is most common in white females in their 20s, so I fit the profile perfectly.
I have a feeling I have been dealing with this hearing loss much longer than I thought. I had a hearing test when I first started my job at Phoenix Children's Hospital, and I had mild-moderate hearing loss back then (October 2007). They never told me this information. Then it made me think back, and I remember always being disappointed with my left speaker in my Jeep...which I've had for at least 5 years. My left speaker on my computer never worked either...humm. What triggered it was one day my co-worker used my phone and I saw her put the volume all the way down. I thought she was crazy b/c I haven't been able to hear from that phone very well, even with the volume all the way up. Then I started testing my ears with my alarm clock. It was true, the left ear heard things at a muted level.
Then I started to panic. I began to believe I had a brain tumor because I started getting headaches. Finally the headaches went away after about a month or so. Then, I began to think I had an ear problem similar to my sister and mother. My sister just had surgery for it right before Christmas this past month. She took a scope up through the nose! My mom is planning to have the same surgery. I thought for sure I'd have the same problem, but no...I think mine could be a little worse...scary.
Today is Jan. 25, 2008, and as of now, my consultation for the surgery and hearing aids is April 9, 2008. I'm on the cancellation list, so hopefully I'll get seen sooner. It looks like I won't be making decisions anytime soon, but I'll be sure to post info as soon as I get it.
2 comments:
Cori, you left out an important part. Usually women who've had a baby are more likely to have otosclerosis. AND isn't this the reason you snuck off to AZ in the first place? :)
Actually, I've read that pregnancy increases the rate the calcium builds up on the stapes bone, so typically this is when most women find out they have Otosclerosis. Perhaps if I would have gotten pregnant, I would have found out I had this problem sooner? I suppose it's a blessing I have not been pregnant by now because I've lived a longer life "thinking" I have normal hearing!
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