Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. Has your doctor recommended any drug treatment?

There's some info here on Autoimmune Inner-Ear Disease: http://www.american-hearing.org/name/autoimmune.html

and some more on causes of hearing loss and cochlear implants here: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/...th/hearing/index.asp



I think it will be hard to find any links between AIED and triathlon

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Extremely stressful events or periods of high stress are suspected by some folks to trigger some latent auto-immune diseases, like the one I have, Graves' Disease, which causes hyperthyroidism. I don't know of any formal research on it, but I do know the Graves'/Hashimoto's patient community is pretty keen on this, and folks are gathering informal data. Many seem to feel their disease was triggered by the death or severe illness of a close loved-one, terrifying car accident, divorce, etc. I can see why training for or racing major endurance competition might be similar.

-Zo

JHC--Thanks. I have been surfing the net today also, probably too much. The fact that you did that for a stranger meant a lot to me on the worst day I can remember. What it seems to be, is that I had a depressed immune system, got an ear infection, my immune system bounced back and went after it. Unfortunately, the nerves of the ear don't have great immunity to the immune system, and they get attacked at the same time.

Yes, he is following the course laid out on the websites. He is a specialist and cochlear implants, if it gets to that.

Aso sucking, but obviously much less, is that I'm a limited to 20 minutes a day on exercise--he says he wants the nutrients to go to my ear, not my leg muscles Train for Florida Ironman November 6, 2004 on that!

Thanks again.

Greg

This happened to my brother several years ago. He developed an ear infection and lost all hearing within one week. Doctors never could say exactly what happened, other than a viral infection. It really sucks because he is a music teacher and performer. He hasn't let it affect his profession so far, he justs does this weird thing where he tilts his head in the direction of the sound he's trying to hear.

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Frog--What was his lifestyle like at the time? Would he have been run down? Sounds like his other ear is OK. Say Hey! to him for me. Strange stuff. Good on him for not letting it interfere. How cruel for a music teacher and performer. I am not taking the name of the Lord in vain, yet, because I am hoping for something good to happen.

FROG--When was the last time he went back to a specialist? They have like six or seven drugs they are using with success depending on the individual--how he takes to it. I read a few Posts at a forum where hearing was regained almost 100% after being zero for three years.

WHen something new comes along, Doctors don't usually update you. There maybe something for him--in fact, I know there are things to try.



Greg

I was born deaf, and I have a cochlear implant. I doubt you'd need a cochlear implant. However, if you do get a cochlear implant, it will help you a lot, and you should be able to function very well with one, and be able to use a telephone. It works best for people with your case history, as you had hearing all your life until recently. Thus, you have auditory memory, and your brain can adapt to the use of the cochlear implant quickly. Good luck, and feel free to ask me any more questions.

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Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.

gcpicken,
I'm so sorry to here about your sudden hearing loss.
I also suffer from moderate hearing loss,and unfortunately my doctor can not give me a definite answer on how it occured either.
There have been some medical breakthroughs in the restoration of hearing, unfortunately it will be about 7 to 10 years before they can start experimenting on humans.
http://www.hearinglossweb.com/Medical/cures/hair/brkthru.htm