Seeking Alternative Help – Trying to Solve the Mystery: Part 1

When I first lost my hearing, I thought it was a result of a problem with my neck or my jaw. When I first lost my hearing, I never thought my hearing would be lost forever. I have had problems with my neck for many years, and the day I lost my hearing, it was feeling painful. As mentioned before, I had previously been told that the pulsatile tinnitus I experienced six years ago (for three years) was due to problems with my neck; this strengthened my impression that the loss of my hearing could be due to a cervical spine issue. Also, my jaw looked swollen on the left too; my parents even commented on this when I Skyped them after getting out of hospital. In fact, there are some other ongoing health issues that I have, that may or may not be connected to the sudden loss of my hearing in my left ear. I have had a deviated septum for as long as I can remember, which means that I cannot breathe through my left nostril. When I was 4 years old, I had my left kidney removed. I have also had problems with my jaw; due to grinding my teeth when I’m asleep, and for which I wear a dental night guard– and yes, this is also worse on the left side; evident as my teeth on this side are completely worn down.

Since losing my hearing I have sought alternative help in addition to the consultations I have had with hospital specialists and doctors. There is so little known about Sudden Sensorineural hearing Loss (SSHL), and what causes it. I read that only 10 to 15 per cent of the people diagnosed with SSHL have an identifiable cause. I may be naïve in thinking it, but I couldn’t help but feel that maybe the 85-90 per cent of people who lost their hearing to an unknown cause may not have explored all possible explanations.

I have met many people along the way so far, in trying to solve the mystery of my hearing loss; all who seem perplexed at this condition. Whilst feeling stranded and often helpless in a world of medical testing, these alternative sources of help have provided me with relief and also hope that there could be an answer to my problem. I wanted to make sure I was investigating all possible reasons for my hearing loss and didn’t want to stop until I had more information on what had happened to me to cause the loss of hearing in my left ear.

After the day in the auditorium when I experienced SSHL, I had carried on with life as usual; going to work, and was waiting for a recovery. I was finding everything very difficult, and four days after losing my hearing, my boyfriend got me an appointment to have a Shiatsu massage. I had never had this type of massage before, but knew that Shiatsu is a physical therapy that supports and strengthens the body’s natural ability to heal. I arrived at the massage centre on a Friday afternoon, after work. I had vertigo at the time. My experience of the massage was a relaxing one, until I sat up from the bed and everything began to spin around me. I had guilelessly hoped that maybe a massage could help somehow unblock my ear; by fixing a possible related problem in my neck. The masseuse seemed shocked when I told her my story. She also told me a story, about her sister who had once had a cold, and had temporarily lost some of her hearing. Everyone seems to have a hearing loss or ear infection story to tell.

A week or so later, after seeing my GP and being given anti-inflammatories and nasal sprays, things still hadn’t improved. I went to see a physiotherapist. I told him my story. He seemed intrigued. He carried out an assessment of my body by means of manipulations and movements; testing my range of motion. He also observed my posture and I was examined for signs of abnormalities. He told me that I have a problem with the whole of the left side of my body. The physiotherapist was Spanish, but he spoke to me in English saying, “Your right side of your body can do everything. Your left side cannot.” I have seen physiotherapists before due to problems with my neck, and one of them said something similar; referring to the fact that when my left kidney was removed, it kind of unbalanced me; causing problems with my neck. My hearing loss had been on my left side. Could this all be connected? The Spanish physiotherapist also commented on my jaw and said it was not centralized. He did lots of manipulations, and although he wasn’t a miracle worker, it was good to speak with someone who actually acknowledged that the problems with the left side of my body could have contributed to my hearing loss. He also said that Spanish doctors do not know much about this area of medicine – I think he meant that specialists are often conservative in their practice and may not look at other factors surrounding a problem; rather they generally concentrate only on the issue of complaint…