Author Topic: Does having a working hearing nerve help?  (Read 2352 times)

Phillies

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Does having a working hearing nerve help?
« on: September 30, 2011, 09:15:11 pm »
I had my retrosigmoid surgery on 7/15 and while I'm otherwise doing great I still have no hearing in that ear. My hearing nerve was preserved and there is still a chance some hearing could return but getting more unlikely as time goes on. By question is, by having a working hearing nerve does that help in anyway? Are there other kinds of hearing devices that might be an option for me because I have a working nerve?

CHD63

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Re: Does having a working hearing nerve help?
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2011, 07:28:28 am »
This is probably a good question for your doctor.  All of the cranial nerves are very small and delicate.  In some people, it does not take much injury for them to no longer work properly.  Even though your hearing nerve was preserved, there could still be swelling in the internal auditory canal or it just is not going to "wake up."

Question:  do you have no hearing at all (as noted on an audiogram) or is it so soft you have no benefit.  Suggestion if you do not know:  put the phone up to your ear ..... if you can hear a faint dial tone, you still have a tiny bit of hearing.

Best thoughts.

Clarice
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

Phillies

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Re: Does having a working hearing nerve help?
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2011, 11:01:06 am »
No dial tone when I put the phone up to my ear.  I go for an audiogram in Novemeber. The dr says whatever hearing I may or may not have by then is what I'll have. But having gone 2 1/2 months without any hearing now the Dr says the chance of useful hearing returining is low. Although at this point I'd be happy with just any hearing returning even if it's useless hearing.

Syl

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Re: Does having a working hearing nerve help?
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2011, 03:59:31 pm »
My Dr told me a story about one of her patients who was SSD after surgery. About a year after surgery, this patient was getting ready for her BAHA surgery. Shortly before surgery, she had to cancel because she got her hearing back. I don't know how well she could hear, but it is possible to regain some of your hearing.

My hearing nerve was preserved during surgery. I can hear the dial tone pretty well, but I don't do well with conversations. I've been thinking about getting a hearing test just to see if my hearing has changed at all. Sometimes I feel that my hearing is better than at other times.

Syl
1.5cm AN rt side; Retrosig June 16, 2008; preserved facial and hearing nerves;
FINALLY FREE OF CHRONIC HEADACHES 4.5 years post-op!!!!!!!
Drs. Kato, Blumenfeld, and Cheung.