Hearing test or Allergy test. Which should I get?
 

I talked to my doctor a while ago (several months) about getting allergy testing to alleviate some anxiety issues dealing with food allergies. My entire family is one giant procrastination ring, I don't have my own car, etc, etc. If need be, I could actually probably walk there- it's not super far.

Here's my other issue. I think my hearing might be going bad. I've had some trouble with it for a while now, but my family tends not to go to the doctor unless we absolutely need to, and my hearing issue isn't that bad. I've been trying to wait it out until I can find a job (it's so incredibly hard! I haven't even gotten one call back!), and get my own car, etc. I know my hearing is important. The allergy testing is more or less a comfort thing. But if I get the hearing test done instead/before, and don't end up having any problems at all, that's a whole day wasted.

(I have a hard time understanding what's being said to me in a car, especially in the back seat; shopping, even in low-populated areas, the buggy wheel can be enough to drown out what whoever I'm with it saying; same with the sizzle of cooking food or the sink; regular conversations are about 10% guesswork, unless I'm in a quiet area with only one or two people and no background noise.)

I know this shouldn't be that big of a deal, but no one really thinks I have a problem with my hearing, even though they've all noticed I'm saying "what" or not understanding. Earlier today I asked my mom who was on the phone, and she replied--I heard words, but I couldn't decipher them, even after a few minutes of thinking. I have no idea what she said, and this happens more and more frequently. I either have to stop and think, and my brain logically puts sounds together and presents what it think the person might have said, or I'm at an absolute loss. Or, I ask "what" sixty thousand times, and they just get irritated and say never mind.

Does this sound like an actual problem, or just random coincidences I'm blowing out of proportion? My grandfather on my dads side, and my great grandfather on my moms side both had hearing aids (my ggrandma, too, I think) and we suspect my dad might have some problem with his.

I just don't know what I should do first. I'm about to make an appointment to have my Adderall refilled, so I figure I'll ask about a hearing test while I'm there. Do they really do free hearing tests at some places? If so, maybe I could swing both.

Thanks, and sorry for the length (and any general stupidity, I'm 21 and haven't lived on my own yet--I'm still learning things)

Are you just confirming allergies or are not sure if you have them?

The hearing thing is definitely important because if you are just confirming allergies I'd just avoid the food- but the hearing thing you don't want something to be going on and lose your hearing cuz you waited!

Hopefully you just have a lot of wax buildup in your ear!

Yeah, I would definitely make the hearing issue a priority. You aren't blowing anything out of proportion. If you aren't hearing well that's a problem. A hearing test would be good, especially if it's free, but you would still need to know the cause of any hearing loss, assuming there is a hearing loss.

I really don't know what would cause hearing loss in a younger person, but just to be on the safe side you should probably go sooner rather than later just in case it's a progressive situation. Hopefully you'll find out it's nothing to worry about. :hug:

Not sure if I have them, and confirming. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac and for some moronic reason I think I may be allergic to nuts. It's completely idiotic and I know I'm not, but I'm very paranoid and it's really messing with my head. I could put the allergy testing off because I'm 99% sure I don't have any food allergies (I genuinely think I may be allergic to kiwi--my lips got swollen last time I had one and I got kind of wheezey--I want to be tested for the top ones, especially shellfish), but I'd still like it done, eventually, while I have insurance.

And exactly, I'd hate to actually lose my hearing if I'm not now, because I waited around. But I'm kind of embarassed about it, I've told my mom I want it checked, but also 3 (possibly 4) of us need our eyes checked again, and I hate to throw this on top of that, AND new glasses, and without a job I literally have no money right now.

I don't know either! I've never been to a concert or party with loud music, I do wear headphones a lot but they're never that loud, and I've never been around a firing range or anything. I can only think of 2 instances where I was around something that could damage them; once the lawnmower, while I was riding it,--I Don't know what happened but it stalled and made this really loud cracking, gunfire sound. Then another time, a week or two ago, the tire on a bike next to me exploded from too much air and being too old. But i've had problems before that, so what gives?

A year ago, maybe even before that, I started to think I had tinnitus. Sometimes I get a ringing in my ear(s) that lasts for a few seconds, and it feels like I suddenly have little or no hearing, like someone put a glass over my ear sort of, you know that feeling? It's a high pitched, squealing sound.

Since you're pretty sure you don't have food allergies anyway, it'd probably be a better use of your time/money to get your ears checked. Unless your eyesight even with correction is so poor that you can't function safely, or you have a degenerative eye problem. In that case, do the eyes.

I have a deviated septum, when my allergies are bad, my ear gets bad, feels like there is water in it...gives me vertigo which runs in my family...I did get the hearing test done and it very slight at the lowest tones

I too have a deviated septum, and I have allergies, but the only time I have problems with my ears is when I have a head cold or a sinus infection, and I don't have either right now.

I went to the store yesterday with my mother. Had to walk right next to her, and I still couldn't figure out half of what she was saying. I asked her if she was having a problem hearing, and she said, "no, but I can tell you're having a problem."

So, yeah. When i see my doc for a refill I'm going to ask her to take a look in my ears. If it doesn't look like wax, then I'll ask about a hearing test.