ANA Discussion Forum

General Category => Hearing Issues => Topic started by: ANGuy on April 02, 2015, 07:12:25 pm

Title: Ambient Noise
Post by: ANGuy on April 02, 2015, 07:12:25 pm
There is much discussion on here about the difficulty discerning speech in noisy environments like restaurants etc.  It is a frustrating problem, I know from first-hand experience.  What I am wondering is if it is always related to our AN's?  I have never been able to understand speech in such situations without deliberate actions to get closer, to ask people to speak up.  This has been a problem for me since long before I could have had my AN and my hearing is actually good.  I have > 96% speech recognition in both ears which is the highest rating my Dr gives.  My good ear has some slight high frequency (above normal speech) loss and my bad ear has that plus a slight loss in low frequency (below normal speech).  So even now, with the AN, my hearing should be able to understand speech in a crowd and I can't.  Others around me, pretty much everybody, always, can hear speech just fine in the same places I can't.

So, what I am wondering is, maybe it is not the mechanics of the ear itself that always cause this problem.  Maybe it is the way the brain processes the information?  Some on here get sophisticated hearing devices and marvel at how they can now understand speech in crowded places, yet others, using the same equipment, are disappointed with the results.  maybe this supports my theory that there is more to this than just the ability of the ear to mechanically convert the vibrations into data and the nerves ability to transmit the data to the brain.  Most of us, afterall, have one good ear that should still be able to process the speech so we can understand it.

Anyway, reading the divergence in reviews of these devices had me recalling how I never could have a conversation in a crowd.  I have been nodding my head and smiling in crowds pretending to understand conversations my whole life!
Title: Re: Ambient Noise
Post by: Alix May on April 04, 2015, 04:31:27 pm
What originally got me to request the Audiologist appointment that eventually led to my AN diagnosis was this exact issue. I've had conflicts with my family who've accused me of ignoring them at restaurants, but I really just can't hear them, even though my audiogram is normal (even in my AN ear). I can't hear when we break into groups in class, or if people in class are making noise. I brought it up with the neurotologist, but he didn't really respond. I did specifically mention Auditory Processing Disorder, but he didn't think that was the case. I also have trouble hearing on the phone unless the signal is really clear.
Title: Re: Ambient Noise
Post by: ANGuy on April 04, 2015, 08:24:38 pm
What originally got me to request the Audiologist appointment that eventually led to my AN diagnosis was this exact issue. I've had conflicts with my family who've accused me of ignoring them at restaurants, but I really just can't hear them, even though my audiogram is normal (even in my AN ear). I can't hear when we break into groups in class, or if people in class are making noise. I brought it up with the neurotologist, but he didn't really respond. I did specifically mention Auditory Processing Disorder, but he didn't think that was the case. I also have trouble hearing on the phone unless the signal is really clear.

Do you remember this being a problem even when you were younger?  I realize you are young right now, so this is all relative.  When I was your age, I could never understand why people would go to "clubs".  We would go to meet girls (that's what we called them then lol) and I could never understand how you were supposed to meet someone and get anywhere in terms of social interaction when you couldn't understand a darn thing everyone else was saying.  I then noticed that others in my group of friends could actually understand the conversation with all of the music blasting away etc. 

Title: Re: Ambient Noise
Post by: Alix May on April 05, 2015, 09:38:53 am
Yep, I remember an argument with my mom and aunt when I was 17 years old or so about "not paying attention" when they were talking to me at Chili's and I couldn't hear them over the chatter at nearby tables and "ambient" music.

And, YES, clubs are for dancing, not talking! I ended up driving a dude home once because I apparently agreed to do so with my "nod and smile politely" routine. :D

I met my beloved husband online, and all the previous relationships before that were people I'd initially met online or in libraries.
Title: Re: Ambient Noise
Post by: ANGuy on April 05, 2015, 10:34:02 am


And, YES, clubs are for dancing, not talking! I ended up driving a dude home once because I apparently agreed to do so with my "nod and smile politely" routine. :D


That was you?  I was wondering why I got kicked out on the shoulder of the road!
Title: Re: Ambient Noise
Post by: Helecho on September 28, 2019, 12:52:24 pm
I realize this is an older thread, but I was wondering if either of you know anything about auditory processing rehabilitation therapy?  I have single-sided deafness from the translab approach to remove my AN, I use a Widex CROS, and have the common issue of not being able to hear well when there is ambient noise, including not recognizing familiar voices when there is ambient noise.  My audiologist said it is neurological, and recommended auditory processing rehabilitation therapy, but said there are no providers in my area, so she recommended online training programs to improve auditory processing.  Any experience with this or other solutions to auditory processing problems? Thanks!