All of the speech frequencies are tested--250 Hz to 8000 Hz. Sometimes 125 Hz as well. Noise-induced hearing loss occurs most significantly at 4000 Hz. Google Carhart's notch to see what this looks like on a hearing test.
Hi
The symptoms you are suffering from actually sound like high frequency hearing loss. This would also show why your doctor wouldn't have noticed it as this is not tested for. High frequency hearing loss is noise induced. Do you listen to very loud music or work in a noisey environment?
The problem with middle ear infections is they are quite hard to erradicate and whilst you have it, it can be a bit like listening under water.
Look on the internet for phonetically Balanced word list
Have a friend read the words to you slowly from across the room in a normal voice but not looking at you.
After each word you hear, repeat the word back to the speaker. They should score how many you get correct. ou should get 10 out of 10.
If you constantlyget less than 8 /10.
Insist on being seen by ENT.
Good luck and regards
Welcome to the Hearing Loss Community! I am sorry you are in such a tough situation but glad you came here.
Other than listening to the beeps, what testing did the audiologist do? Since you are having difficulty understanding things even when you can hear, a test of speech discrimination should have been done. You would hear words and say what you hear. You get an accuracy percentage.
When you say that your hearing is fine, do you know what exactly your levels are? And had you ever had them tested in the past, before you had the infection?
Sorry, lots of questions. I hope to hear from you soon. Hang in there!