Does hearing ever return?

[chance1212]

I am understand that once the hearing is gone--pretty sure mine is at least 95-100% gone--it is gone for good right? Some comments I've read got me thinking that maybe there's a chance of it coming back after surgery?

[TJ]

I am not a doctor but was told my my doctor that once hearing is gone, it does not return.  But there are many devices that help us hear better.  There are many different types of devices if you are SSD also.

TJ

[Jim Scott]

Bob ~

To the best of my knowledge, when the acoustic nerve has been damaged enough to cease functioning, it rarely 'comes back'.  My neurosurgeon held out a small hope that because all of my other AN symptoms disappeared after my debulking surgery, that some hearing might return.  He checked my hearing in the affected ear every day in the hospital (by rubbing his fingers together next to my 'AN ear' and asking:"can you hear that?").  He continued to do the same Ad hoc test at every follow-up visit.  Alas, I never regained any hearing in my AN (left) ear.

Although anything is possible, I would advise against putting a too much hope in your unilateral hearing returning after AN surgery. 

Jim

[chloes mema]

Like TJ, I was told that my hearing will never be any better no matter what is done, it will only get worse.   
My neurosurgeon told me that if I had CK I'd loose all hearing and with surgery (remember he's a surgeon) he could possibly save 40% of what I currently have.  (This got much discussion in another post)

Karen

[chance1212]

One of the reasons I asked this is because I was wondering if they could do the AN removal and the BAHA implant at the same time. Currently I have no hearing that I can tell in the affected ear.

[mindyandy]

To my knowledge you can get a BAHA at the same time as surgery.

[stephSF]

At HEI with translab they give you the choice to have the first part of the BAHA done at surgery time.  I just opted out of that part, but there are a lot of folks who have it and are pleased on the forum.  I am going to try thr cros trans ear.  My family has already done a lot of adjusting to coming t me from the right side already.  I have met two ssd ladies that work outside the home and they use staging and common sense and are good.  They lost their hearing from other problems. 

1.6 cm left, dx thanksgiving 2011
Surgery will be on 1-25-2012 translab
Tinnitus and little distorted hearing noe

[chance1212]

I am only considering options at this time. I would be interested in the SoundBite if insurance pays for it. I am trying to improve my hearing for my students. I feel like I've missed a lot this year even though it's been better than I expected--to hear with one ear that is.

[leapyrtwins]

Hearing nerves are very fragile, and unlike facial nerves, don't have the ability to regenerate.

Once your hearing is "lost", it stays lost.

Jan

[Cheryl R]

Usually but can happen in rare situitations and I am one.      I was almost all deaf on my left side tumor and Gantz brought it back.    I am am only one of 2 an audiologist told me among his many years of doing ANs.       I was trying to remember what my hearing level was.    I think maybe 17% word discrimation.  That was the reason I had to retire from working, since am deaf on the rt side.           He has been so excited when he sees me to know it has kept up in the 98% now and might have even been 100% last April.     I was going to be a cochlear implant a month after the surgery and was not needed.                 This post is not new to most of you and this not the usual happening with most AN surgeries.   (think this AN was 1.4 cm)      Those who do know me,know how grateful I have been every day to have some hearing back and enjoy our 2 little granddaughters.                                  Cheryl R

[New girl]

What hearing I had left was preserved post surgery.  I was told it was very rare but my hearing could improve.

Congrats Cheryl!  That is extraordinary that you got your hearing back.

[leapyrtwins]

To my knowledge you can get a BAHA at the same time as surgery.

Depends on the doc.  I know House will do the combo surgery (AN + BAHA implant), but not all docs do.

It's a personal preferenc kind of thing.

My doc doesn't combine the surgeries.  But thankfully the implant surgery is a piece of cake (outpatient) compared to the AN surgery - so it's really no big deal to have them separately.

Jan

[CHD63]

I had translab surgery and the Oticon Medical abutment implant for the Ponto Pro done at the same time with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

Clarice