Hearing loss / EASA Limitations
 

Hi everyone , and first of all thank you for your time.

I would like to know if there is anyone on this forum who has experienced something similar to what is happening to me.

I’m a professional pilot, 32 years old, and recently, I have experienced a hearing loss in my right ear of 70db in 3 frequencies, 500hz, 1000hz and 2000hz, the conversation frequencies 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️. The other ear is perfect, with a normal audiogram.

My Class 1 has been suspended until they see how the disease evolves, and unfortunately I don't notice improvement. The doctor says that maybe is possible to recover my class 1 by wearing a hearing aid, and doing a functional test to see if I understand the words wearing a hearing aid. Then, they would endorse the (HAL) limitation contemplated by the EASA regulations. In addition to this, they told me that they would put another limitation to pass an ENT examination and hearing check each year (SIC) and perhaps another to only use my atributions in multi-pilot aircraft (OML).

Is there anyone here who has experienced the same as me? I would like to know if someone was in my case, how many and what kind of limitations the medical put on them, to be prepared when I pass my recognition, or if they can give me some tips.

I understand that the important thing is to recover the medical certificate and fly again😩

Thank you very much and I look forward to your responses.

Regardless of your medical I would recomend an ENT surgeon to find out WHY this has occured. He (or she :ok:) can then discuss prognosis and management. Until you have this information I am afraid your AME's comments are meaningless. Good luck

Not a medico so the story is that of the end user only.

I had a sudden onset loss of similar magnitude in one ear several years ago. Guessed it was time to check the need for aids. When the audiogram was run and the magnitude detected, it was off to the ENT folk (interesting to watch the boro peer into the eustachian on the video), then to imaging to check for an acoustic neuroma. With that sorted, it was put down to a viral middle ear infection and a prognosis of "tough luck". You may like to have a read through the following article Viral Causes of Hearing Loss: A Review for Hearing Health Professionals - PMC (nih.gov)

Message is - sudden hearing loss is an emergency as some situations can be salvaged.

Thanks for your reply. I already went to several ENT doctors and none of them knew how to tell me an exact diagnosis. The two possible options according to them are a vascular problem in the inner ear, or a viral problem. I have done treatments in a hyperbaric chamber and corticosteroids have been injected into my eardrum, and still I have not recovered my hearing, that is why I finally have to put on a hearing aid and that is why I ask if anyone suffered the same as me and knows about the limitations .

There are known antiviral drugs which can be given following specific blood tests that will identify the likely virus as well as allowing a diagnosis. Injecting steroids into the eardrum is not a treatment I am conversant with. All of which worries me about your consultations. Might be worth asking for a second opinion from an otologist ie someone who specialises in hearing and the ear. If you are in Spain this should not be difficult. I hope you have also had an MRI to exclude an acoustic neuroma. However I do accept the vast majority of cases have no demonstrable diagnosis and in that case it is a question of hearing aids, although I struggle to understand why your AME might require an annual review as further consultations at that time would have no benefit beyond an audiogram.

Have read of an airline chap who lost his left ear hearing, license was endorsed to only fly left seat in a multi crew aircraft, right seater could still yell in his right ear if necessary (lost intercom). Was a captain so no problem.

Have read of an airline chap who lost his left ear hearing

Indeed. Now a tale which doesn't involve the denigration of CASA Avmed ...

AN had a 767 captain of older years who, as best I can recall with the passage of years, had a cancerous growth removed from his right ear with total hearing loss on that side. Eventually, he was fitted up with a device in his left ear and an ear trumpet, of sorts, which went over his head and faced centre cockpit. I never flew with him as I wasn't on the 767 but, as best as I can recall, he returned to flying and flew for a considerable period with his accoutrement.