Dementia and Hearing Problems

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
I thought things were bad when I was Diagnosed as having Lewy Body Dementia, but now my hearing has started to play up as well.

For some time I have noticed that I could hear people but did not always understand what they were saying, however I had understood that the brain was taking longer to process the information.

But now it seems, that as well as the slow processing, my hearing was going, so that while I can hear someone talking to me, I do not always pick up what they are saying, which is distressing at times.

I confess there are times when I get to the stage, where it is pointless trying to listen to someone in a meeting when, especially if I can not understand things, so I switch off completely, which has the effect of me getting totally bored.

We do not appreciate things until we don't have them and hearing is one of these essential things.

The worst problem is that I do not hear people walking up behind me, so I get startled and jump, which is embarrassing for my poor wife, but of cause it is a lot worse outside where others can see, and many think it is extremely funny.

I have also had problems because my hearing has been classed as acute in some situations, and this causes problems because I can hear things, being said across a train or a room, where I can not hear my wife who is sat next to me. At first my wife thought that I was ignoring her, then she realised that there was a real problem.

My consultant as said that this is the brain trying to focus on a conversation or a noise, but sadly it is picking the wrong noise up.

A bag of crisps being opened and eaten often sounded like a hangover gone wrong, "absolute hell", and what is more I knew it was not a hang over as I was not allowed to drink at the time.

This was because this noise was being exaggerated by my brain, and partly due to the unbalance in my hearing.

We all take our hearing for granted as well as our brain and never consider what can or will happen when things fall apart.
I feel very sorry for those with dementia, but I do feel that they are also at a big disadvantage when their hearing starts to disappear as well.

Still after seeing the Audiologist it seems that I needed two digital hearing aids, to correct my hearing and also balance things out.

Since getting these hearing aids my life has changed, as I can hear what is being said, and the background noise has been cut down considerably, so I can get through the day without the distress caused by noise blocking out peoples speech.

I am also hearing noises which sound strange, but this is because they are noises that I have not heard for some time.
Looking back It does make me wonder how many others with this illness, struggle with hearing problems and never get anywhere in the way of hearing tests.

I do feel that dementia is bad enough without having a hearing impairment of any kind, as you can never really know what is happening around you and many people think they are just being ignored by us, as they think we do not understand, not the fact that we can not hear voices or basic noises clearly.

We really do not appreciate these things till they are gone, and then we miss them terribly. If you think your hearing is starting to go, don't wait but get it seen to before it gets too bad.

Ken
 

miss cool

Registered User
Jul 20, 2010
619
0
taunton
HI KEN, funny you should talk about hearing i have AD and VD, latly i thought i was going deff and yes people thought i was being rud but i realy dident hear them . i have allways had good hearing but i dont now if its the illness or am i loosing it a little, maybe i should just get it checked out....


love miss cool.xxxxxxxxx
 

silverlady

Registered User
Jul 21, 2010
81
0
macclesfield
Hi Ken
My mum was diagnosed VD approx 6 weeks ago.
I have noticed when I talk to her, she says'what' a lot more, or she will nod and answer a muffle noise, but you can tell by the look on her face that she was confused or not hearing.
Think I will take her for a hearing test or at least raise this with doctors.
Thanks
Pat
 

Linda Mc

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
1,879
0
Nr Mold
Firstly good to see you posting Ken :) A most interesting post good to get your views.

Say hello to Janice for me.
 

sunny

Registered User
Sep 1, 2006
598
0
really good thread, Mum did have hearing problems and I was never sure whether it was her ears that were causing the problem or her brain not working properly. I did manage to get her ears syringed because of wax and obviously that did improve the situation, but it was difficult to get done as her az moved on, she just did not want it done. When she did visit hospital I did mention it to the medics, but I got the impression they were not that interested and were not going to send her for any hearing tests, they just about looked in her ears so I guess if there had have been more wax then they would have said, but this is the frustrating thing. People with az can have other health problems and needs which deserve as much attention as anybody else's. At least Ken you have seen an audiologist and he has sorted you with hearing aids.
 

maryw

Registered User
Nov 16, 2008
3,809
0
Surrey
Hi Ken, interesting what you say about deafness and the brain having to filter out unwanted noise. Whilst not dementia- related, I had a similar experience 25 yrs ago when it was established I was going deaf as a result of otosclerosis- too much bone growing in the middle ear which stopped the stirrup bone from vibrating (pretty devastating for a musician!). Fortunately I was able to have surgery to remove the stirrup bone and replace it with Teflon! I had to stay in hospital 5 days as balance affected but, more amazingly, the sheer volume of the outside world was deafening! I could hear through doors ( thought of becoming a spy!) hear conversations way down the corridor, footsteps sounded like an army. The brain had to learn what noise to filter out!! As you say, we take our faculties for granted. I hope your hearing problem is sorted now.
 

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
I do wonder just how much extra distress is caused by hearing problems when a person is being diagnosed with this illness.

Because if we can not hear the question properly, how can we ever hope to give the correct answer.
 

Jo1958

Registered User
Mar 31, 2010
3,724
0
Yorkshire
Ken, hi
Hubby has exactly the same hearing problem 'cocktail party syndrome' - you can hear the person who is in front of you, or the loudest noise but nothing else. He lips reads a lot and feels excluded in many situations, it is getting worse as his dementia progresses.
Hubby, I hope this is of use to you, if not give me a shout!
Best wishes, Jo
 

Feezee

Registered User
Oct 20, 2009
101
0
South West
Hi Ken
I fretted about your exact point a lot when my father was first diagnosed. He was taken in to an assessment centre and no-one seemed to be able to understand how to communicate with someone hard of hearing, so they didn't understand why he wasn't responding appropriately. When I was there he would often say "What are they saying?" and get frustrated with them.

I really felt for him and told everyone regularly so that they would understand he was deaf and that this would make it more difficult for the dementia.

Feezee
 

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
Many struggle like this, but I have met many in social work, who assume that people with this illness are very old and deaf anyway, which is something we know is wrong.

I suppose there are many myths about this illness which need to be re examined through proper education about the illness.
 

Jancis

Registered User
Jun 30, 2010
2,567
0
70
Hampshire
I confess there are times when I get to the stage, where it is pointless trying to listen to someone in a meeting when, especially if I can not understand things, so I switch off completely, which has the effect of me getting totally bored.
Ken

Hi Ken,
My uncle's hearing has suffered and he will not wear his hearing aid because he says there is far too much interference (he says from mobile phones and the like). The device he had annoyed him so much he has now discarded it. He understands things people say to him one-to-one but in meetings he just switches off and closes his eyes. The professionals do not seem to care, they just accept that he attended the meeting, had nothing to say and therefore have to assume he was not "with it". I have attended some meetings when he has withdrawn and closed his eyes and was told that he is lacking the capacity to deal with the situation - I now wonder if he was bored like you describe and this was simply down to his inability to hear and therefore understand?