Now Hear This
Reader's Digest US|September 2024
Losing your hearing suddenly, even if there is no pain, is always urgent
Charlotte Hilton Andersen
Now Hear This

"YOU'VE LOST ABOUT 60% of your hearing in your right and it's permanent." "What?!" I stared at the audiologist.

So he repeated himself, louder this time. He thought I couldn't hear him, which I suppose makes sense given that his entire job is assessing hearing problems. But I had heard him. I was just in shock. I was relatively young45 years old and healthy. I am a fitness instructor. A wife, and mom of five kids. How had this happened? How am I supposed to live my life with one ear? I burst into tears.

Losing my hearing overnight

Right before Thanksgiving 2023, I got what I thought was a minor head cold. No fever, no pain, no cough-just some congestion and stuffiness that made my right ear feel as if it was underwater. I told people it was probably just a sinus thing as I instructed them to "talk to my good ear." I figured it would resolve on its own eventually.

It didn't. One month went by, then two, and I still couldn't hear well, but because of holiday busyness I didn't get it checked out. It wasn't until the end of January, when I went to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor for an unrelated issue, that I thought to mention it. As soon as I did, the doc looked at me in alarm and told me to make an appointment for a hearing test the next day.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2024 من Reader's Digest US.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2024 من Reader's Digest US.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

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