CAPD and Tinnitus

This board isn't active but I thought I'd post anyway. I have CAPD, Central Auditory Processing Disorder with progressive ringing in both ears Tinnitus. I have abornomal results in both ears they did an MRI but couldn't see any tumors or anything...so I am just an odd ball. Mostly my issue is hearing when there is noise in the environment. My brain cannot process the language correctly with too much background noise. My husband usually goes with me to help me...he kinda translates by talking louder or answering people. Eventually I will need to learn sign language because it will get worse. I am only 24 and it has a serious impact in my life. I cannot have jobs where there is noise...I have to work in quiet officies. I have to have special telephones where I can adjust the volume to louder. It's not so bad...I am glad for the hearing I have but I am sometimes scared of it getting worse sooner. Oh I blow out the speakers on TV's because of all of the noise and music they put on TV...I turn the volume up to loud trying to hear what people say. Thankfully nowadays DVDs are putting subtitiles for the hearing imparied so we always put that on and it helps.

Hello, I know how difficult CAPD with Tinnitus can be. While I have never had an MRI for it. I have used hearing aids to help in noisy situations. Noise canciling technologies, but I also have hearing loss too (all combined) Anyways, Why have you not learned Exact Signed English? You may find a friendship within the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Having Interpreters in my classess have really helped me remove the fustration of noise, communication problems and has lead to a healthier and happier life for me. I do not consider myself hearing nor Hard of Hearing. I relte to the d/Deaf culture, community and world. You may want to pursue some less stressful methods of communications and entirtainment methods. Are you really enjoying TV or Music the way you are doing things now? They hve personal hearing devices for TV so you don't blow speakers and can hear TV and Radios....

Hearing aids wouldn't help me. When I first went to the doctor and then audiologist it was in the hopes of getting a hearing aid. But they just won't help my brain processes language better in noisy situations. Ear plugs (sometimes just in one ear) helps in certain very noisy situations. I have never heard of exact signed english. But if it is different than american sign language I might choose ASL because it is more commonly known and I would think I would be able to communicate with more people with ASL. I have heard that I wouldn't fit into the deaf community because I have always been able to hear and still can hear very well most of the time....just not in certain noisy situations. I am sure that there are plenty of people in the deaf community that are more open minded than that of course. I find it interesting that you do not consider yourself hard of hearing even though you use hearing aids. I actullay do not have any problems with hearing. During a "normal" hearing test I score almost perfect. It's what my brain is doing with the information when there is background noise. I say for the sake of simplicity that I am hard of hearing. I do get fustrated often with not being able to hear or having to ask people over and over to repeat themselves because they are not facing me or speaking loud enough or I can't control the noise level around me. I do enjoy music and TV right now...music is harder than TV because there is no context or mouths to look at. I almost never can tell what the words are to songs... but I have always had problems with that. I can almost always hear what's on TV or I can piece together what's being said by what's going on. I have learned not to turn the TV up any louder than a certain point so I won't hurt it. If my daughter is running around and making too much noise for me to be able to understand what's on TV then I just give up and play with her or do something else. My audiologist said that hearing assistance for TV's and anything else wouldn't really help me...or they wouldn't help me for long. He said the main treatment for it is just learning coping skills. Ask for seats in a quiet corner at restaurants, ask people to write down what they are saying if you can't understand them after a few attempts, try covering your ears and asking people to repeat themselves,etc. It's a daily struggle for me to understand what's going on around me but I am used to it so I just try to carry on. I try to look at it from the standpoint of being lucky to hear what I do. I just have bad days where I am having an especially tough time. Right now my ringing in my ears is only really evident when everything is quiet at night. But I am noticing that it is getting louder than it used to be. I can hear it softly during the normal day now, but not to the point it interferes much. The louder the ringing will get the more it will be like a background noise which will make my brain not be able to processes language that much more. I think if I knew my hearing would be like it is now forever until I am much older I would be ok. I think the part that freaks me out is knowing it will and is getting worse. Thank you for your concern and sorry for babbling away. ~Christal/dionysus_star

There are several signed systems. ASL- American Sign Language is the language developed and used by the DEAF. DEAfFwith a capital D are those that are born Deaf. ASL DEAF is hard to learn when you know english as a first langauge. BUT there is deaf which are people who can hear (limited) but know exact signed english or SIMCOM and may know some ASL. People who are oralist choice to use english spoken, read lips and such are often not using any sign at all or limited use or may use other such things. And out right refuse to learn or use sign. There are various degrees of hearing loss, and cultural associations that play a role in this classification system. My point though. Is no matter what has caused the loss to understand spoken language you may consider learning exact signed english (hearing peoples ASL) It has the same sentence structure as english and is abrevated sign. like using the hand shape of a T for the sign truck. This often helps people who are english based but in need of a communication style that is simular to english. Deaf ASL is very different. The sentence structure is not like engli**** is not based on anything even close to english or any other language. It is its own. And takes alot to even understand the hearing verson of it. Deaf ASL is so much more. But can only be even remotly understood by understanding Deaf culture, history, language and so much more. I know the fear of looking hearing, It getting worse. Miners is difficult to deal with. but add hearing loss also, not just proccess, ringing, and loss. I have had such since I was young. (under age 10) I got into so much trouble as a child because they all thought i was just not listening or was a trouble maker. I just did not understand what they wanted. It got me into a lot of trouble. until one day I was introduced to the Deaf world. I then have florished and grown into a healthy and happier person.  Stop having your husband help you. Find other ways to deal with these situations. This can cause resentments over time and a lose of self for you. Find a different way to deal with this. Find a local group of hear of hearing people or DEaf/deaf and learn to communicate with them. They will teach you if you try. and maybe that will help you. They are so supportive and loving reach out to them they will reach out to you.

I had sensed a bit of resentment or some other hostility in your previous post and it is more evident in this post. This is why I have not tried in the past to become part of the deaf community. Some shun others that do not do things their way and push their values and ways onto others. Some think they are better in a way to others. My husband helping me is in no way harming our relationship...that is what a husband should do...help his wife. I do not see the point in learning a way of communicating that will only be understood by a support group...I need to learn something that can transfer into an average workplace situation and ASL would be best....just because exact sign language is easier does not mean it is best. Just because ASL is harder to learn only means I should start learning it now instead of when my hearing is worse. ASL is a more frequently used way of communicating in the public at large. I am following my doctors advice on how to deal with my hearing difficulties. I think you should try and learn to be more careful with your choice of words. I no longer wish to communicate with you as it is only resulting in you repeating yourself and not hearing what I am trying to say.

Silenthand2 Wow I did not know there was a different sign languages! I have a program on the computer but because of my medicines I suffer alot from memory loss so its hard for me to remember all the language. It sounds like what you are talking about is much simpler. I myself never involved myself with the deaf society either because I felt that I would not understand the language. Also I did not feel that your message was negative but it was a help to me. I think sometimes we do come off "sounding" a certain way on message boards though that maybe we don't mean too. I'm sorry the other person felt offended:( Thanks for the info!

I have hear what you had to say hun. I was sharing what I have learned in educational expereinces as well as in person. I have an Associates degree in in American Sign Language, a BA degree and am working on a master degree. What I have learned is that there is a huge difference between what hearing people call ASL and what DEAf people call ASL. Often the sign version hearing people use and is the most used in public is exact signed english ESL. I think thats great that your husband helps you. As a person who had to learn how to deal with work and school enviorments I found it easier in these settings to use interpreters. I would guide you towards the SHH association as they are hard of hearing people with diverse backgrouds. Not all just DEaf or deaf or hard of hearing. I was attempting to show you the differences in cultural values and swaying you towards those like yourself. ASL Deaf is very different in technical grammar and sentence structure and even those deafened early may never get the full extent. While I was saying that I was offened by your beleif that ASL is one in the same. Stocky the guy who wrote the first ASL dictionary claimed that he observed much more than the sign or handshape of the producer he observed another hidden meanings.  I think you are hostile. I will respect your wishes with no further communications. However it saddens me to think that you are that defensive over such a thing. I wa supporting your ideas of alternative means to access music,TV and things that other people take for granted in daily life. And how I too know how difficult that is.

HI...    I know how some people feel and some I don't.  I have been deaf my whole life and finally the doctor agreed to give me hearing-aids when I was 4 years old. If it hadn't been for my Mother....Bless her heart...I wouldn't be the person I am today. She's shown me that no matter what...I'm the same as anyone else...Deaf or not Deaf. With my hearing aids I hear some sounds, but not everything. The one thing that gets me by is been able to read lips. My eyes are my ears is what I always told my Mom. Because if it wasn't for my eyes....theres no way I would understand what the person talking to me would be saying. American Sign Language is something that you should really learn. It will make it easier to talk to some people. Another thing that I truly love is...Close Caption. That is a life saver! Also a TTY is something that comes in handy. They have programs that can help you get hearing-aids and devices to help a person with hard of hearing or the complete Deaf. Just because some of us can't hear....or have a hard time hearing...In my heart doesn't make any difference in the world of the Deaf. To me its all the same.... I think that it should be that way if a person over here is 100% Deaf and if a person over here on the other side is wearing a hearing device to help them hear is all the same. What difference should it make?? Does anyone else feel this way? I know some Deaf people that are rude and doesn't even wanna talk to a person if they are wearing hearing-aids. Why is that....I think if I was completely Deaf and this person talking to me could hear a little with hearing- aids...or could hear great with hearing-aids ,then I would say ....you're lucky and I'm glad that they work for you.


If you have any questions about trying to get some devices for the deaf please let me know and I'll see if I can get you one. Hope all is well. Have a great day!