It usually starts with a mildly irritated but quickly escalating sore throat – that’s typically the first symptom that tips me off that a virus has taken hold and is about to wreak havoc on my entire system. (Although, admittedly, this last round I was convinced that the sore throat Brad and I both had was due to the consumption of entirely too many ghost pepper potato chips…that hypothesis was woefully incorrect when within 24 hours we were both slobbering, sniffly messes.)
My hearing immediately becomes muffled which is incredibly unfair considering that I am already compromised with exceptionally poor hearing abilities. The layer of further sound suppression is not a welcome development. I am already struggling to “keep up” with the auditory world – this new development has made that even more challenging.
The sheer feeling of putting my hearing molds inside my ears is one of near pain. I can barely tolerate the snug fit and the material pressing up against inflamed, sensitive skin – the sensory input is borderline unbearable.
Any illness typically causes an increase in fatigue, with sleep serving as a restorative act to promote healing from the inside out. I’m already exhausted from trying to hear during a typical day when I’m in good health – adding illness on top of an already tired state of being is completely miserable. My body craves sleep, but due to the stuffy nose that is running faster than I will ever be able to – sleep is elusive, even if I’m sitting propped up in bed or in a recliner.
The buildup of mucus in my sinuses creeps into my ears. I constantly worry about developing ear infections as it is near impossible for me to detect the presence of an infection as I typically do not feel any type of internal ear pain. I vigorously attack my ear canals at least twice a day in an effort to check for any nasty discharge that may tip me off to an ear infection. Technically, you’re not supposed to insert anything into the ear canal – much less Qtips – but desperate times call for desperate measures, and the urgency of detecting an ear infection throws all caution to the side.
If I allow myself too much idle time, where my brain is not occupied even though I am sick and miserable, I begin to slowly spiral into panic mode at the thought that this cold is causing hearing loss. Intellectually, I know that the muffled sounds and the increased straining to hear is caused by buildup of fluid in the middle ear, making it difficult for sound waves to vibrate to the eardrum. In a panic state, I become convinced that permanent damage has occurred and this level of hearing will be my new and unpleasant reality. I then manage to convince myself that I have a debilitating ear infection that has caused permanent loss because I am having symptoms that include the following: mild ear discomfort; muffled hearing; loss of hearing; tinnitus; and ear sensitivity.
I am sick of being worried sick about my hearing loss every time I get sick. Pass the tissues.
Leave a Reply