Hear no evil!
By Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23405)
United Kingdom
May 28, 2017 7:59am CST
Since coming back from Italy my hearing has gone to pot. After talking about it at work the other day with my colleagues we have come to the conclusion that I have a perforated ear drum.
Typical in as much as I am completely deaf anyway in my left ear but the only working ear I have is the one that is affected. In some ways it is a miracle because I can not hear my wife talking but the worse thing is I am stuffed because I can not hear anyone on the phone in fact I can't hear the phone ring anyway so not a problem for me.
So what to do. Nothing it has to heal itself and usually will do so within two months but try to get an appointment with the Doctor is like discovering gold. Practically impossible! I will wait up until 1 minute past midnight on Monday evening when they release the first appointment of the day which can be booked on line. You can not do that before that time. No point me waiting until half past eight on Tuesday morning because I won't be able to hear what the receptionist is saying! How very bizarre!
Have you ever lost your hearing? It is so frustrating.
21 people like this
23 responses
@LadyDuck (471456)
• Switzerland
28 May 17
@garymarsh6 So it is more serious. I am sorry, to hear well is almost as important as to see well. I hope the doctor can help. Good luck to you.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
@LadyDuck Cheers Anna. Funny I have mentioned it only on here Not of facebook as it is better some people do not know! 
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
No Anna it is not an infection sadly that would be easier to treat.We now only have out reach ENT at our hospital now otherwise I would have got one of my colleagues to have a quick look at it. The trouble is we were down two staff this week and we were far too busy to get one of the other doctors to look at it. Our work loads have become incredibly bad. Two days last week I had nothing to eat or drink all day!
3 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
28 May 17
I have an ear that bothered me for such a long time. I cleaned it out as best I could and still it would constantly pop. Someone told me to put some warm oil into it and lay with cotton in it for a few minutes. I warmed some avocado oil I had and laid down for a few moments and it is feeling better. This same ear also had a tendency of feeling as if it was infected. It was never a terrible pain, but a discomfort all the same.
I haven't had that feeling since I put the oil in it. I was unable to hear properly from it for the duration, but I believe that's changed as well. I seem to be able to hear a bit better now than I had in the past.
Hopefully you'll be able to book an appointment online with no fuss and see the doctor to get it all sorted.
3 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
28 May 17
@garymarsh6 I have seen people use toothpicks before. I still use qtips on occasion, but even that instrument has been known to cause more harm than good.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
One of the ENT surgeons I worked with always used to say never put anything smaller than an elbow in your ear! I have seen people using pens, paper clips and all kinds of things which is pretty stupid!
2 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
28 May 17
No I haven't. How did you damage the ear drum Gary?
Funny you can't hear your wife how sad lol
But why is it so hard to get a doc appt, is that due to all the surgeries closing up as I have read?
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
Yes it is difficult to arrange an appointment with the Doctor. Plus I am working with makes it difficult to get to as I work in London which is about 25 miles away. I will try to get in on Tuesday morning. I think it was due to the cabin pressure on the plane as we were landing.
3 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
28 May 17
@garymarsh6 Oh yeah the flying..aw well hope it heals quickly Gary poor lad you are.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
28 May 17
Yes but in my case, it is usually wax, I get very waxy ears and sometimes they totally plug up. It is a very quiet world without all that noise. I enjoy it a little lol
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
28 May 17
@garymarsh6 Yes true, at least you have an end in sight, it must be awful when it is permanent.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
@BelleStarr I actually only have 7% hearing in my right ear but it is surprising how 7% is useful. It may not sound the same as you would hear but to me it is at least something!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
It has its advantages sometimes but really it is quite awful as you become so isolated from the rest of the world.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
It is very isolating especially when you love to listen to music.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15505)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
I have and it was a year ago this month.
Happened overnight and when I woke up hearing in both ears was significantly reduced.
Turns out it was probably self inflicted by previous substance abuse a few years ago...lasted around 3 months and will probably happen again sometime.
Caused me all sorts of problems
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
It is ridiculous Mike. I am deaf in my left ear anyway so rely on my right! Hope it does not happen again. How are you. Work going ok?
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15505)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
@garymarsh6 I'm ok thanks hope you are too
In general work is going well but the dishwasher broke down at 9am in the middle of breakfast for 100+ which was very annoying.
Even worse nobody is coming to look at it until tuesday
We just spent £16,500 on this machine and i'd have expected a bit faster service even though it is bank holiday.
I haven't got any jobs done today as between 9am and 10pm (with a break in the middle) it has been none stop washing up
In general work is going well but the dishwasher broke down at 9am in the middle of breakfast for 100+ which was very annoying.
Even worse nobody is coming to look at it until tuesday
We just spent £16,500 on this machine and i'd have expected a bit faster service even though it is bank holiday.
I haven't got any jobs done today as between 9am and 10pm (with a break in the middle) it has been none stop washing up1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
@Mike197602 Good god for that kind of money there should have been a service contract. That's pretty poor show. Gawd I bet you are well done in.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180870)
• United States
29 May 17
Wow, well I guess you can use it as an excuse not to hear your wife asking you to do something lol. I lost my hearing temporarily one time when I was on a flight with a cold. It really affected my ears and I could not hear for hours.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
29 May 17
So far it has been a week. Really quite horrible. Only having one ear that works partially and for that to stop is horrible.
@celticeagle (167071)
• Boise, Idaho
29 May 17
I haven't but my uncle lost the hearing in one ear. Not fun.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
28 May 17
i was once diagnosed with otitis media years ago, i wouldn't want to go through it again.
if the perforation was caused by the cabin pressure, can it be prevented next time?
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
28 May 17
@garymarsh6 i can't imagine you having to stop riding planes
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
It is possible it could happen again! Hopefully it wont!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
29 May 17
@hereandthere OH no it is so thrilling!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
@amadeo It usually is left alone to repair itself otherwise they would have to sew it back together it is all micro surgery though takes ages to do.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
28 May 17
No, but my mom did last year. It was a problem and she had her ears cleaned by the doctor and it helped considerably. Make that appointment. It might be ear wax has blocked your hearing, more than likely.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
Glad she got it sorted. I wish it were just wax but unfortunately it isn't.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
@Jeanniemaries I am used to it Jeannie thankfully I lip read quite well.
2 people like this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
28 May 17
@garymarsh6 I hope it gets righted soon. It's very uncomfortable not to hear well.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
30 May 17
@garymarsh6 I know how uncomfortable it is to be unable to hear well.
@Kandae11 (55040)
•
28 May 17
Some years ago I couldn't hear well for twelve hours because of a foolish thing I did. I stood near the stage at a live concert which featured some very noisy musicians. If I hadn't made a hasty exit when I realized it would be a night of mostly noise, I would have done more damage to myself.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
Yes the ear is such a delicate organ people especially youngsters do not realise how delicate the tiny little bones are inside. Glad you got out when you did!
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
28 May 17
One of my grandpa lost it , it was horrible.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
You just have to get on with life as best you can. You are right it is not nice.
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
It is no fun. I am ok as long as people look at me and do not cover their mouths.
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
28 May 17
Now I understand why you couldn't hear the music on my link.
Maybe you ear has wax in it. It happened to me a few months back for the first time in my life.
The doc removed it and I was fine.
Must say that I totally did not like not hearing from my left ear.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
I am used to it Marlina but not both ears. Deaf in the left 7% in the right it is the right that is playing up!
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
31 May 17
i don't have the best hearing in general, so i can sympathize with you! i used to have a lot of fluid in my ears when i was a kid. i remember always feeling stuffed up in my ears. hope yours heals soon.
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 May 17
ME too Hopefully there won't be many people up at that time of night!
