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I'm deaf in my left ear AMA

I'm bored so why not.

I have never been able to hear with my left ear and my family doesn't even know, ask me anything. :h:

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So it's a congenital thing?
When did you find it?
Reply 2
can you hear my question ?
Reply 3
Was it/is it a "weird" sensation hearing with only ear, or has it just become so natural you don't even notice it (if that's even possible)?


And why have you never brought this up with your family? Have you brought this up with anybody else?

Spoiler

Reply 4
Original post by MeeranB
How?
Why haven't you told your fam?

Well as a kid I was open about being partly deaf, but when my parents heard they panicked. Their reactions freaked me out so I lied that I could hear. After that it was too awkward for me to ever admit to it. :s-smilie:
Tell someone!
Did you go to the doctors?
Original post by Nadile
I'm bored so why not.

I have never been able to hear with my left ear and my family doesn't even know, ask me anything. :h:


how did you become deaf in your left ear?
Is it difficult for you to figure out which direction a noise is coming from?
Reply 8
Original post by Nadile
I'm bored so why not.

I have never been able to hear with my left ear and my family doesn't even know, ask me anything. :h:

Does it hinder you on a day to day basis?


Little bit shameless but do you put in both earphones or just one?
Are you used to it by now such that it doesn't impact you ability listen to/converse with others?
Reply 10
Original post by Junioh
So it's a congenital thing?
When did you find it?

I would assume that I was just born like this. Who knows though, my parent's weren't aware so they couldn't take me to a doctor to find out. I realised that I couldn't hear very early on, but I wasn't aware initially that there's something wrong about that.

Original post by Synonym
can you hear my question ?

Only if you're on my right.

Original post by RMNDK
Was it/is it a "weird" sensation hearing with only ear, or has it just become so natural you don't even notice it (if that's even possible)?


And why have you never brought this up with your family? Have you brought this up with anybody else?

Spoiler


Well, it's the only sensation I know since it's been like that for as long as I remember. Feels pretty normal to me and I don't actually notice except for the fact that I can't hear if someone is on my left and not speaking loudly enough.

I didn't tell my parents out of awkwardness. When I was very little I was open about it, but my parents panicked when they heard. Their panic freaked me out so I lied that I can hear fine. Didn't want to correct them after that.

Probably Norway.

Original post by MeeranB
:redface:, how did you lose your hearing? Don't you worry that something could have been done about it when you were younger, but now it's too late because you didn't say anything :s?

I don't think I lost my hearing? Don't know for sure but I think I was just born without it. The thought that it maybe could have been fixed (assuming I lost hearing as a kid) has crossed my mind, but I don't care too much because I can generally hear fine.
Reply 11
Original post by ellie0497
Tell someone!
Did you go to the doctors?

I have seen a doctor recently. I will be having an MRI next month as part of the process of figuring out why my left ear is dead (looks fine on the outside). Nothing will actually be done about it because I can function fine. Knowing what's wrong will only be useful if something ever goes wrong with my right ear, because the left one might be easier to fix in that case.

Original post by thefatone
how did you become deaf in your left ear?

No idea, probably just born deaf. Currently waiting for an MRI to figure out why exactly I can't hear with it.

Original post by babawunga
Is it difficult for you to figure out which direction a noise is coming from?

I have no sense of direction when it comes to sound. I only realised people could actually tell the direction sound comes from when I was about 8.

Original post by Mjcal1
Does it hinder you on a day to day basis?


Little bit shameless but do you put in both earphones or just one?

Doesn't really affect me, just gets annoying if people speak to my left ear and stand on my left in general :/ Usually they talk loudly enough anyway though.

And I put in both xD If I only have 1 in then people assume that I can hear them.

Original post by Student403
Are you used to it by now such that it doesn't impact you ability listen to/converse with others?

In general yes, it's fine. Only gets difficult if someone is speaking quietly on my left, or tries to whisper to my left ear.
Original post by Nadile
I have seen a doctor recently. I will be having an MRI next month as part of the process of figuring out why my left ear is dead (looks fine on the outside). Nothing will actually be done about it because I can function fine. Knowing what's wrong will only be useful if something ever goes wrong with my right ear, because the left one might be easier to fix in that case.


No idea, probably just born deaf. Currently waiting for an MRI to figure out why exactly I can't hear with it.


I have no sense of direction when it comes to sound. I only realised people could actually tell the direction sound comes from when I was about 8.


Doesn't really affect me, just gets annoying if people speak to my left ear and stand on my left in general :/ Usually they talk loudly enough anyway though.

And I put in both xD If I only have 1 in then people assume that I can hear them.


In general yes, it's fine. Only gets difficult if someone is speaking quietly on my left, or tries to whisper to my left ear.


Ah I know what that's like. Sometimes I can't hear from one from one of my ears for several weeks because I have this condition thing that swells some region in my nose and so blocks hearing.

It's very embarrassing for me :emo: Do you feel the same way?
Reply 13
Original post by Student403
Ah I know what that's like. Sometimes I can't hear from one from one of my ears for several weeks because I have this condition thing that swells some region in my nose and so blocks hearing.

It's very embarrassing for me :emo: Do you feel the same way?

Not anymore, I have started openly telling my friends that I can't hear when they are on my left. Used to get awkward/ embarrassing when people would be trying to get my attention for ages and I wouldn't notice until they poked me. They'd always just be there all like "what the hell, I've been saying your name for ages" and they'd give me confused looks. Pretty sure everyone thought I was always daydreaming. Makes me wonder how many people I accidentally ignored in my life :curious:
Original post by Nadile
Not anymore, I have started openly telling my friends that I can't hear when they are on my left. Used to get awkward/ embarrassing when people would be trying to get my attention for ages and I wouldn't notice until they poked me. They'd always just be there all like "what the hell, I've been saying your name for ages" and they'd give me confused looks. Pretty sure everyone thought I was always daydreaming. Makes me wonder how many people I accidentally ignored in my life :curious:


Ahaha that's great that you've come to terms with it :smile:

But yeah I feel the awkwardness cause for some reason noone believes me - they just say "omg clean your ears" or something kinda ignorant even when I explain :lol:
Reply 15
xd
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 16
Original post by Nadile
I'm bored so why not.

I have never been able to hear with my left ear and my family doesn't even know, ask me anything. :h:


So am I!

Fortunately, I could tell my family, becuase my mum is deaf outright.

Have you tried hearing aids?
Reply 17
Original post by Nadile

Probably Norway.



Good answer.


One more question.

If you had to lose a sense permanently, which sense would it be?
We're just looking at the five basic ones...

Spoiler

Reply 18
Original post by Student403
Ahaha that's great that you've come to terms with it :smile:

But yeah I feel the awkwardness cause for some reason noone believes me - they just say "omg clean your ears" or something kinda ignorant even when I explain :lol:


Well I guess it's easier for me since I just say I'm deaf :lol: as opposed to sometimes being able to hear. Maybe you could get hearing aids? I was suggested one that goes around the head from one ear to the other, so that you'd still hear the sound from your bad side. Though I don't know if the NHS would actually provide that for your condition.

Original post by zanner
OP i fEELU MAN my left ear didn't work properly for like 7 yrs and now it works at like 80% but i remember having it at like 10% it was p bad and yh the direction thing was bad i could never tell

also when it got fixed after 239 ear infections i was sooooo unbalanced lol but i still usE RIGHT earphones

yh its fine tho ini


Glad your left ear is now somewhat ok! Sounds like it must have been annoying af.

Original post by IAmNero
So am I!

Fortunately, I could tell my family, becuase my mum is deaf outright.

Have you tried hearing aids?


Nah, I've only seen a doctor about it recently. I was suggested a hearing aid that would go around my head from my left ear to my right ear. I don't think I'd want it though because my right ear is pretty sensitive anyway, plus there are certain sounds that I can kinda tell where they are coming from, because they sound a little different depending on what side they are coming from (barely though, but it makes guessing a little easier). Could be useful if I ever decided to get a drivers licence though, since the steering wheel is on the right side of the car and I wouldn't be able to turn my head around while driving. So I might get one just in case when I see a doctor on my next appointment.
Original post by Nadile
Well I guess it's easier for me since I just say I'm deaf :lol: as opposed to sometimes being able to hear. Maybe you could get hearing aids? I was suggested one that goes around the head from one ear to the other, so that you'd still hear the sound from your bad side. Though I don't know if the NHS would actually provide that for your condition.



Glad your left ear is now somewhat ok! Sounds like it must have been annoying af.



Nah, I've only seen a doctor about it recently. I was suggested a hearing aid that would go around my head from my left ear to my right ear. I don't think I'd want it though because my right ear is pretty sensitive anyway, plus there are certain sounds that I can kinda tell where they are coming from, because they sound a little different depending on what side they are coming from (barely though, but it makes guessing a little easier). Could be useful if I ever decided to get a drivers licence though, since the steering wheel is on the right side of the car and I wouldn't be able to turn my head around while driving. So I might get one just in case when I see a doctor on my next appointment.


I don't actually live in the UK but it's actually not too bad. It happens every few months and I kinda just go with it. Thanks for the suggestion though :h:

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