Hearing aids for Tinnitus

[2porscheguy]

I know...kind of a long shot but I thought someone here might have had some experience with these....

I've been suffering from Tinnitus in my right ear for a long time...45+ years but in the last 6 months or so the "volume" has gone from a 0.5 to a 3 at times (roughly@7000 HZ)....driving me crazy!

Some history: I've been pretty much deaf in my right ear since early childhood and it now seems that that ear is "fighting back" at me..like it's wanting to be "heard" after all this time...lol!

I've had two bouts of surgery to repair the ear drum (@4 and 18 years of age) but no success in improving my hearing.

I know that my hearing loss is a conductive type hearing loss (my ear drum is heavily scarred = tympanosclerosis) so I'd probably be helped by an aid but since my left one is fine, I've put up with this for 50+ years...but now, this is really annoying me!!

So has anyone tried a hearing aid to specifically address Tinnitus?

I've searched here on PPOT but nothing specific has been found regarding this topic.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Any Ear-Nose-Throat guys/gals on board??

[Rikao4]

could be me..
except for the Tinnitus..
an aid will perhaps help you hear somewhat better on your bad side....
and perhaps mask the tinnitus noise...
until you remove it..

Rika

[masraum]

I'm far from expert, but I always thought tinnitus was from a loss at a particular frequency, and so the brain is turning up the volume on that frequency straining to try to pick up the noise. I wouldn't think that throwing more noise at it would help, but maybe, making the noise in that particular frequency loud enough, would enable you to hear a little and the brain would turn the volume back down. But then again, cranking the volume up that much sounds like it would be bad for your hearing. Like I said, absolutely not an expert. I have some tinnitus myself.

On a somewhat related note, I've read that some folks that are blind, have something similar (but visual). I guess most folks that can see assume that blind folks live in darkness, but what I read was that some blind folks actually end up living with all sorts of light and bright colors which can actually be very frustrating and bothersome. Like the brain is trying to turn up the volume on any signal that it gets or is creating signals where there are none.

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by Rikao4

could be me..
except for the Tinnitus..
an aid will perhaps help you hear somewhat better on your bad side....
and perhaps mask the tinnitus noise...
until you remove it..

Rika

That's what I was thinking...it would probably just mask the "noise" until it's removed. But maybe after some time the brain re-calibrates the auditory signal....?

Do you wear hearing aids Rika? I take it that they're removed at night?

[cabmandone]

Man if a hearing aid helps with tinnitus I want to know! My ears ring loud enough I swear my kids should be able to hear it.

[Marcup]

I recently bought hearing aids and was promised the model had a specific capability to help tinitus.

When I picked them up, the Doctor said "oh, no, you are mistaken". There is no specific function or capability, its just that when you amplify the ambient noise, the tinitus is masked.

Imagine paying $5K and being told I didn't get what I was told I'd get.
This was not some technician, but a PHD audiologist.

Actually they do help some by amplifying the ambient - enough that I definitely noticed.

I bought Oticon.

Had a co-worker who had another brand which did have a specific function to try and condition you out of being bothered by tinitus. He did not recognize that it actually helped him, by the time I retired. Sorry, I don't know the brand.

Most hearing aid technicians / salesmen are nothing but shysters.

If they tell you you can try another pair if you don't like what you initially got, ask them how many times.

Good luck.

[Mike80911]

I have tinnitus and got hearing aids about two years ago. They have a button on the back that is supposed to help alleviate the ringing. When you push the button they play a faint sort of music but for me it does absolutely nothing. My doctor says there is really nothing that can be done to help with the ringing. On a side note the hearing aids are very price about $4000 and I would say depending on the amount of hearing loss only help slightly.

[john70t]

Random thought:

If the tinnitus is caused by an agitated nerve in the temporal lobe:
Brain (Human Anatomy): Picture, Function, Parts, Conditions, and More
Why not fix the ear itself, provide a type of shield from the offending stimulus, or dull the offending nerve to the brain at the proximal location?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Mike80911

My doctor says there is really nothing that can be done to help with the ringing.

Mine too. He's a good guy, and if there was something out there that even might work for me I'm confident he would recommend that I try it. I'm hearing the ocean here in Ohio as I type this.

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Mine too. He's a good guy, and if there was something out there that even might work for me I'm confident he would recommend that I try it. I'm hearing the ocean here in Ohio as I type this.

WD, LOL! I'm hearing cicadas in the middle of an Alberta winter where it's -7C outside!

Oh well.....time for another joint!!

[2porscheguy]

Originally Posted by john70t

Random thought:

If the tinnitus is caused by an agitated nerve in the temporal lobe:
Brain (Human Anatomy): Picture, Function, Parts, Conditions, and More
Why not fix the ear itself, provide a type of shield from the offending stimulus, or dull the offending nerve to the brain at the proximal location?

I have thought about getting a third Tympanoplasty as the last one was done when I was 18.....thinking that there have been some improvements in 35 or so years. The hearing aid is a first step for me...so we'll see how that goes....they're currently offering a 30 day "free trial" on hearing aids.....ya, I know

[Scott Douglas]

It's so comforting to know I'm not alone with this ringing.
Really guys.
The only time I don't hear it now is when I'm dead asleep.

[2porscheguy]

^^^Scott, yes it is comforting somewhat....

I've tried to explain to my wife wtf is wrong with me, so I showed her the following link:

Tinnitus hearing-test - Sound therapy helps against tinitus, ringing in the ears

Click on 7000 and 8000 Hz.....

THAT'S WHAT I HEAR 60/60/24/7/4.2/12/365!!

She understood!!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

It's so comforting to know I'm not alone with this ringing.

Don't start getting all mushy on us, Sammy will start a thread mocking you.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by 2porscheguy

I have thought about getting a third Tympanoplasty as the last one was done when I was 18.....thinking that there have been some improvements in 35 or so years.

The hearing aid is a first step for me...

Ok I don't know squat, but...
Tinnitus sounds like inflammation and/or over-stimulation to the point of pain.

So shut off the source of the problem.
When does it happen?
It could be a circulatory/allergic/or bad pole transformer or another EMF source if it's constant.
Televisions in the 1980's gave me a headache from downstairs.

I've also experienced Tinnitus briefly, but only at a temporary/minor level.
I do remember having a couple Eustachian tubes implanted and Eczema oil baths as a child.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by john70t

Ok I don't know squat, but...
Tinnitus sounds like inflammation and/or over-stimulation to the point of pain.
.

For most of us it isn't painful, it's "just" annoying to the point of affecting our daily lives and our ability to interact with the outer world. For the various causes try checking with the mayo clinic.

Symptoms and causes - Tinnitus - Mayo Clinic

[Marcup]

It could also be Martians singing.

Come on, if you don't know why are you speculating? Not helping.

[steve185]

I have constant ringing, in one ear it actually sounds like a chainsaw in the distance. I guess I am lucky that I can just live with it. My regular hearing is shot too.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 2porscheguy

^^^Scott, yes it is comforting somewhat....

I've tried to explain to my wife wtf is wrong with me, so I showed her the following link:

Tinnitus hearing-test - Sound therapy helps against tinitus, ringing in the ears

Click on 7000 and 8000 Hz.....

THAT'S WHAT I HEAR 60/60/24/7/4.2/12/365!!

She understood!!

Based on that website, my tinnitis is at 11kHz.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by 2porscheguy

^^^Scott, yes it is comforting somewhat....

I've tried to explain to my wife wtf is wrong with me, so I showed her the following link:

Tinnitus hearing-test - Sound therapy helps against tinitus, ringing in the ears

Click on 7000 and 8000 Hz.....

THAT'S WHAT I HEAR 60/60/24/7/4.2/12/365!!

She understood!!

I tried it. The sound I hear is at about 4000 hz. I cannot imagine living with 8k 24/7. Holy crap, why have you not shot up a post office or something??

Masraum - I can't hear anything at all above 8k. Nothing.