Two normal audiograms but struggling to hear — anyone else experience this? Possibly hidden hearing loss?
Hey r/HearingLoss,
I’m nervous to post this, but looking for others who might relate to this experience or have gone down a similar road.
I’m 49M and for years I've been working really hard to hear in certain environments — meetings, open offices, phone calls. I'm constantly leaning in, lip reading, cupping my ear, maxing out my headphones. I recently realized I wasn't hearing my toddler call out for me through a closed door while sitting right outside her room. That was a wake-up call.
I also have:
- Three distinct types of tinnitus: a constant low-level whooshing (like an empty room), a persistent faint high-pitched tone (like a TV powering on), and occasional loud episodic spikes that resolve in a few minutes
- Hyperacusis — loud sounds are physically painful
- Morning ear fullness that resolves through the day
- General listening fatigue that's genuinely exhausting
I've now had two full audiograms — one 8 years ago and one yesterday — both completely within normal limits. 100% word recognition both times, even though my day-to-day experience of sound is significantly impacted.
My audiologist referred me to ENT and I'm going to ask for OAEs, ECochG, and a proper speech-in-noise test (QuickSIN) since neither audiogram included those. Hidden hearing loss, endolymphatic hydrops and Audio Processing Disorder are on my radar as possibilities.
For context I have a 20-year background in the performing arts so significant cumulative noise exposure, and I have a confirmed hypermobile connective tissue disorder which apparently can affect the auditory system too.
Has anyone here had a similar experience — normal audiograms but real, significant symptoms? Did you eventually get a diagnosis? What testing actually found something? Would love to hear from people who've been through this.
Thanks 🙏