Post your ailments!

[jackofall]

Why am I posting this? Probably because this site is full of really great, supportive people. I've never felt so encouraged and motivated to make music since joining this site and never enjoyed listening to other people's music so much.....so here's my post. I'm feeling sorry for myself and wondered if anyone else out there is also fighting against some handicap or other. I'm pretty deaf in one ear. It happened out of the blue 8 years ago. Tried everything, but nothing helps. Came so close to throwing my £1500 guitar across the room after I was told it will never come back.....Still survive with one ear, but I remember two being so much more fun. Stereo is a distant memory; so is a nice sound coming from my guitar. Get long periods of time when it feels tolerable and other times, like now, when if feels like someone's injected concrete into my cochlea!....Anyone else got trouble with their ears but keeps going? Not sure if I want a kick up the arse or a shoulder to cry on....   

[Greeny]

That's a sad story. I can't even imagine what that's like. But from an outsider's perspective, your music is REMARKABLE despite this set-back. Perhaps it's made you even more determined musically??? I've had different kinds of setbacks in my life, and they've actually driven me harder (sometimes with anger) to succeed in ways I never would have if I'd just given up or allowed myself to drift along. And hardship often inspires the best type of songs.

Hang on in there - because you're one fantastic and talented musician... ! 

[Farmjazz]

Uh, is advice ok?

Try going to a chiropractor and having your neck looked at. The nerve roots at C2 control the inner ear and may have gotten a little pinched. I've seen hearing come back, or improve, after chiropractic adjustments.

There's something called Miracle II Neutralizer. Find someone where you are who sells it, buy some, and put a couple of drops in your ear once a day. That stuff is amazing.

[The Reverend 48]

I hear you.....I'm housebound and live on my own  I am waiting to get 2 replacement hips .........but when things get bad I kick myself cos there is far worse suffering out there..and I've got my music .......Just try and remember even with one ear working you are far more talented than most of us with two  

I bet this brings a smile it always works for me...

[Migs]

soldier on damnit ... I will tell a detailed story or two later (need to get some sleep now) but a very good friend just got his second cochlear implant and has just heard in stereo for the very first time.  This dude is funny and happy and makes me feel bad when I bitch and moan about having really minor left deficit.

Don't throw guitar across the room. Someone broke into my room and smashed a 100 year old violin years ago.  That made me cry.  Music is as much as, or more, feel than anything.  

Thanks for trusting us to share.

[Tony W]

I've got 2 ailments, I'm forgetful and have 60% hearing loss in my left ear. One of the most annoying problems I encounter is trying to find my phone before it stops ringing. I spin like a radar tower, listening for "louder or quieter". When it gets louder, I walk partially sideways with my head turned trying to hone in on the sound.
^ that is funny, and I'm hoping those who read this get a laugh out of it.

Jack, I'm left handed, I started to learn to play left handed, but I couldn't hear what I was doing on the guitar. I decided to switch up and start playing right handed. Did this effect you at all?

On a more serious note, While it is bothersome to deal with, I really don't mind the loss of hearing, the baldness, or the bum knees. For every door that closes, another one opens up. I blew a knee out in 1999, and while waiting to recover I bought a computer and decided to learn how to use it. Now I'm a Systems Information Manager-- whatever that is. There is almost always a way to turn a negative into a positive.

[Satchwood]

I can reLate.  I probably haVe, about 60-70% hearing loss in mY right eAr.  I have a feeling it's from shooting a gun without protection when I was younger....ouch. 

I tend to faVor my good left ear for sure, especially when fading tunes....I'll put the better stuff to the Left, sO when I'm wearing headphones, it sounds better to mE.

Sometimes handicaps inspire genius or at least angles or orientations that are very original.

Also, sometimes I think I'm hearing music better out of my bad ear, and then I realize that the headphone is shut off for that ear....well where the hEck is the mUsic cOming from then?  I definitely think my mInd compensates alot of the tiMe......makes for some uNusually creatiVe reNditions I'm sUre...

[Wiley]

The songs we have heard from you?? It is hard to believe you have a hearing problem.  As we age almost all of us will experience some type of hearing loss.  I have already.  Not much we can do about it!!  But you should take heart.  You have more talent in one ear than I have in my whole head. LOL Just think about getting old. Now that is depressing.  You reach 40 and 1/2 of your life is pretty much gone already.  Much less when you get older.  Scary thought.  Bring us a new song. That will make you feel better.
P.J.

[StevieM]

That must be horrid, being deaf in one ear like that, but take heart, Beethoven ( or was it Mozart?) was deaf in BOTH My wife and daughter say I'm going deaf, but really I just forget to listen .
My prob is arthritis in my hands, especially fingers, not helped much by what I do ( I make stuff from wood, and things like that), and I've quite often got cuts and bits of skin missing, so I'm trying to get to grips with open tuning and using a slide instead. I'll probably make a Lap steel, it's sits on your lap better. As the name implies, I suppose

[BossMicroBRew]

My prob is arthritis in my hands, especially fingers...

Supposedly Keith Richards has said the only time his horrible arthritis does not bother him is when he is playing guitar. Interesting, huh?