Any audiologists on here?

[babysnowman]

Can anyone help me with interpreting this please? I lost some hearing in my right ear a few years ago. This is the sheet from the day I saw the ENT consultant. Can anyone interpret it in terms of the scale of hearing loss eg mild, moderate etc. I don't remember discussing it at the time, and would just like to know how to describe my level of hearing loss to people. Thanks!

Left ear has mild loss (up to 20dB)
I'd say right ear has high moderate loss, a bit more at higher frequencies

I'm not an audiologist, just hearing impaired myself

Left ear normal hearing - anything up to 20dB.

Right ear you have a moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Moderate is between 40 and 70 dB.

Audiologist here.
Left is normal.
Right is moderate sensorineural loss.

I'm an Audiologist btw.

Thank you! I'd never heard the 'sensorineural' description before. I was in such shock when the ENT consultant told me it was permanent that I was in a bit of a daze. Just had a quick look on google and lots of article on SSHL described exactly as happened to me - woke up, felt a pop and couldn't hear but assumed it was wax/water. I was flying to US that morning and saw a doctor there and my own GP when back and and they couldn't find a cause, just said it would come back. Wish I'd known otherwise as when I saw ENT he said if it had been caught earlier then steroids might have helped :(

Yes generally SSNHL should be treated as a medical emergency and you should go to A&E and be treated with steroids and oxygen, but it's most effective if within 72 hours.

I find lots of people don't realise this and just think it is wax etc. Even GPs don't always realise it's an emergency which is a shame!

@TheBeeb, I thought sensorineural loss affected high frequencies more than low? And what is SSNHL - sudden sensorineural hearing loss?

My god you couldn't write this but my 4 year old started complaining her ear was sore during the night and this morning she says she can't hear out of her left ear. I am beyond worried. I'm taking her to the GP at midday and will be making sure she's given steroids. I know it's most likely a cold (she's had a runny nose) or maybe even an ear infection but I'm not taking any chances.

Sensorineural just means that the bone conduction and air conduction results are the same. It points to it being a permanent loss due to damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, instead of being a problem with the conduction of sound through the middle ear (like glue ear) which could be treated.

Yes, SSNHL is Sudden Senorineural Hearing Loss.

What happened at the GP?

Hope she's ok, it's likely to be a typical ear infection or wax buildup rather than a sudden loss. I'd be very surprised if GP gave steroids.

Reading with interest. About 7 years ago,had tinnitus in left ear. Sent to audiology consultant,CT scan to rule out Acoustic neuroma. He said I had mild hearing loss consistent with my age. September Covid first time ever, very bad tinnitus in right ear,can only hear if people are about a mtr away. Using subtitles on TV. Saw audiologist (hospital,) in November awaiting consultant appointment. Am very surprised my letter says "mild to moderate", because I can hear so little.

@TheBeeb she just has an ear infection thankfully. I knew that if they saw something when they examined her then that'd be the cause, I was worried though if they couldn't see anything I didn't want to be told to just 'wait and see' knowing what had happened to me. I always wonder if mine could have been helped if I'd been given steroids soon enough.

Yes, I'm not surprised you are being extra cautious about it given your history.

Glad it's nothing untoward with your DD and hope she's feeling better soon.

@TheBeeb thank you xx

Can any audiologist explain these results to me please