Well overall as a population improvements aren't needed.....but you're right...there are specific subpopulations which could strongly benefit from research/improvements.
From a VSB to BAHA..maybe.
- Thread starter Miaou
- Start date
That's true to a point. For my ears, technology & research improvements are needed though. Most of the information and treatment options are very limited and geared towards children with temporary forms of chronic eustacian tube dysfunction, nothing has really been done to help adults with a permanent more severe version. All the surgeons can do is keep rebuilding my ear drums after the negative pressure from ETD destroys them and the bones more. I have very strong cartilage & muscle grafts holding the newest ear drum(right ear) in place now but me & my doctors fear it's only a matter of time before my body destroys that too. My ossicles were eroded too much to save them as a result of the ETD as well. My surgeon had to put a ossicles prosthesis but later required it be removed due to infections caused by my ETD problem.
The mixed hearing loss I have (in the right ear) doesn't benefit much from the devices available today. Hearing aids have to be set too loud that it hurts, the MEI implants mostly require functional middle ear anatomy but I had to have my middle ear bones & then the ossicles prosthesis removed too, so that leaves the cochlea and skull to do the work of hearing. With my nerve loss part of the mix, I'm not a candidate for cochlear device either.
My left ear has ear drum retraction and a tiny perforation now too, it's how it all started in my other ear so I'm hoping some new research and technology is being worked on but who knows. I don't mind being deaf it's just I don't like the limitations I currently face. I have to make a career change at some point with no idea of what or where that will leave me as I haven't been able to decide on a study direction nor have the funds for college. I'd prefer to continue going up the ladder in my current job but it's not possible for me in the future with the technology available at this time once my left ear reaches the point my right one has.
Edit: at least there's hope for "some" benefit to me with a BAHA but even then not much from what I've been learning recently but I'll see what my surgeon thinks in a month or so. My Audiologist says it will only help some with low frequencies nothing more for me. I'll see what my surgeon thinks in a month or so though.