A Little Known Side Effect Of Covid-19

Far Rider

Far Rider

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First off, I have to tell you I am almost completely deaf. 90% right ear and 80+% left ear. As much as I'd like to say it was due to standing 20 years in front of a wall of Marshall's playing to hundreds of thousands of adoring fans, sadly it's not so glamorous. My hearing loss is genetic. It skips generations in my family and I drew the short straw. Anyway, what I realized when Covid hit and people started wearing masks, it became that much harder to communicate. I wear hearing aids that help, but always have had problems, especially understanding people with accents. I kind of half-ass lip read enough that before I could just figure out what people were saying. With masks, it's just about impossible now. I didn't realize how much I was dependent on it. Fortunately I don't have to deal with a lot of people now that I'm retired. Just some food for thought.
 
I'm sort of in the same retirement boat with you. I have lots of hearing loss too, but its mostly attenuation of the high frequencies. Especially the left ear. Only some of the loss can be attributed to my young days of brutally loud concerts and even more brutally loud garage band days. The majority of the high frequency hearing loss comes from 30+ years of truck driving. Trucks are very loud inside while driving. Plus, most of the times I would keep the windows rolled down which meant more noise coming in. This would also explain why my left ear is more damaged.

My hearing aides are designed to boost the higher frequencies. Even with aides, I also struggle in listening to anybody speaking with a mask on. Some people understand the situation and adjust their speech, but most are clueless. I make sure to slow down a bit and articulate as much as possible.
 
syscokid said:
I'm sort of in the same retirement boat with you. I have lots of hearing loss too, but its mostly attenuation of the high frequencies. Especially the left ear. Only some of the loss can be attributed to my young days of brutally loud concerts and even more brutally loud garage band days. The majority of the high frequency hearing loss comes from 30+ years of truck driving. Trucks are very loud inside while driving. Plus, most of the times I would keep the windows rolled down which meant more noise coming in. This would also explain why my left ear is more damaged.

My hearing aides are designed to boost the higher frequencies. Even with aides, I also struggle in listening to anybody speaking with a mask on. Some people understand the situation and adjust their speech, but most are clueless. I make sure to slow down a bit and articulate as much as possible.
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My left ear is in the same boat, the big trucks I drove before becoming a carpenter, had no air conditioning, and I smoke so the driver’s window has always been cranked down a bit.
Cheers
 
Man, that sucks. Masks do seem to be a necessary evil during this pandemic. But I can sure see when one kinda needs to be able to see lips move to help “hear”......

Guess I’ve been lucky. Been around noisy machinery. Worked in the parts department most of my adult life. But still had the service department noise that filtered up front. Then there’s just the ambient noise around you on a daily basis. AC running. Computer noise. Phones ringing..... etc..... etc. I’ve pretty much had a constant ringing in both ears for a long time, but not a lot of hearing loss. For an old stinker that likes his music loud, I can still hear pretty good.
 
67plexi said:
Good point on hearing we all need to use protection. I thank my drum teacher for demanding hearing protection.
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My hearing was damaged during a shipboard training evolution, on board a U.S. Navy ship, when a flash-bang grenade was pulled loose from a load bearing vest and detonated in a watertight compartment.

I still hear music just fine, but speech is difficult for me. Every conversation has me guessing what is being said from the "vibe" of the subject being discussed. Sometimes, I get it wrong...with hilarious results!!!!
 
Very sorry about your hearing loss. Its a thing we take for granted unfortunately and dont realize how fragile it can be. In your case? Its very unfortunate from being a genetic issue, where you didnt have a choice in the matter.

My dad has lost most of his hearing from his days in the Marines in artillery, as well as construction. Thankfully, the VA hooked him up with some nice, discrete hearing aids and he does well with them.

Im 37 and im already showing some signs of hearing loss myself and unfortunately, it was all pretty much self induced between concerts and standing in front of overcranked amps without any protection, to being stupid and not wearing proper hearing protection at work ( using hammer drills, saws and being around large power distribution generators as well). When my wife says im not paying attention to her, its often i didnt hear her but that does afford a good excuse sometimes when she's yelling at me lol
 
Growing up in the woods, I've learned quickly how to love the sounds of the outdoors. Birds chirping, wind whistling through the trees, the creek water running over the rocks, "Ernest Hemingway" I am NOT, but my point is, I've always protected my ears and always will. I am almost 60 and my hearing is a sharp as it was when I was a young kid. Somethings don't work like they used to but this is a family channel... :D
 
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