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Hearing/ listening fatigue

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Anyone else struggle with hearing fatigue? I literally can manage a couple of hours listening at school before becoming extremely fatigued. I sleep for a couple hours after school every day. I have a progressive hearing loss and have another test next week and I’m certain my hearing gotten a lot worse so take my recent with a pinch of salt lol. Does anyone else have ways of managing it?

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I would certainly bring it up at the next test. I have a progressive loss which has now reached profound and I don’t remember every becoming hearing fatigued, at least not physically. Maybe you need new aids, or for that matter do you own aids and do you wear them. If you are struggling to hear or understand, that can cause fatigue, certainly mentally. Bring all this up at your next test.

I have Oticon engage 85 for NHS which I wear all waking hours. I will definitely bring it up next week but was wondering if anyone had any ways of managing it. I need to know I’m not alone😂

Yep I do. Mainly because I have not worn hearing aids for 20 years, despite desperately needing to wear them, so that is my fault (I wear them all the time now). If I am tired/had a bad nights sleep or it ie coming towards the end of the day, I struggle to understand people even more than if I was not tired. By the end of the day, I am exhausted and that is why I have to sit down in peace and just not hear or talk to anyone. Also another reason why I am an introvert. Group gatherings are knackering.

It is tiring, even with hearing aids. I had a 7am start today at work and so many things was happening at once I just could not understand or hear what anybody was saying. It still frustrating when people think hearing aids automatically give us back our hearing, when the reality of it is far different.

My hearing is nowhere near as bad as your so I can’t imagine what it must be like for you. I work after school as a carer for elderly people and it’s so noisy call bells ringing constantly, clattering from kitchen. Elderly people crying out it’s exhausting and it’s only a 4 hour shift🤦‍♀️

I work in an old folks home as well. I am a domestic asisstant though, not a carer. The buzzing drives me crazy, there are days where I would take my hearing aids out just so I do not have to listen to it lol.

I agree with bringing this up to your fitter. Your hearing loss on paper is not that bad and hearing aids should really help you without a big effort on your part. In fact hearing aids should relax you concerning hearing.
Are you using domes or ear molds? Your loss is very close to needing molds.

Noise reduction setting in the aids might also help with your stress. Try to get a list of complaints and good things about your aids. Write down the environment you are in at the time too. Your aids adjust based on their environment.These things will help your fitter help you.

Good luck with this.

I wear with thick tubing and mould with a small vent I recon it’s cause my hearing gotten worse. But wanted to know if other people experience hearing fatigue?

In reply to @Phoebe

@Phoebe said:

I recon it’s cause my hearing gotten worse. But wanted to know if other people experience hearing fatigue?

You may have answered your own question. If your hearing aids are not set right for your hearing loss you would very well get tired working hard to hear and understand.

Most of us that have hearing loss, especially severe/profound deal with lots of stress from trying to listen to speech. It’s hard work when you just don’t hear all the sounds needed to make out words.

Hopefully your next appointment will get your present or maybe updated hearing aids set up right for you.

Have you tried turning up the volume on your aids to see if you hear better?

I have turned them up to hear speech better it also makes other sounds uncomfortably loud. I just wanted to know if others experience hearing fatigue

@Phoebe said:

I just wanted to know if others experience hearing fatigue

@Phoebe: I don’t experience fatigue, but I do experience the stress others have mentioned. Being is very stressful, for sure.

Listening fatigue is very real.
And yes, I experience it, especially in difficult situations. You are struggling to hear and learn in school, afraid you will miss or interpret a word wrong.
I agree you need to get an updated assessment of your hearing, and discuss what is available to you for classroom - mic or streaming to help with some of the mental burden of hearing in a classroom.

Hearing loss and listening fatigue6

For people with hearing loss, listening fatigue hits you harder and faster than people with normal hearing. In fact, ear fatigue is considered an early warning sign of hearing loss. Fortunately, hearing aids can help.

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