Tinnitus sound - please go away

[mcrue]

Alabamajane, thank you for your kind words.

I read on several websites, including the one you mentioned (ATA) , that hearing aids do help some people who suffer from tinnitus. My ENT also recommended a hearing aid as a "first try" to help alleviate some of my symptoms.

https://www.ata.org/managing-your-tinnitus/treatment-options/hearing-aids

https://medicine.yale.edu/surgery/otolaryngology/hearing/care/adult/diseases/tinnitus_hyperacusis.aspx

http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/tinnitus-treatment-options-in-hearing-11385

My hearing is 100% speech recognition in both ears, with a big "70 decline" (originally 55 decline) in the AN ear, but only in the "high-tones".  At this point, I wouildnt be surprised if the decline is all the way down to 90.

My ENT said most hearing aids have a 30-day money-back return policy. You certainly brought up a very good point. You're right that no one should jump in and immediately buy the most expensive hearing aid or tinnitus device without a return policy or proof that it works. Especially people like me who are most desperate for anything!!

As I understand it, Tinnitus can be caused by either a hearing or a brain issue. Tinnitus is not 100% exclusive to the brain or 100% exclusive to the hearing. As my ENT said, my tinnitus is caused by my tumor on my hearing nerve. So we know what is causing my tinnitus.

Some people suffering from tinnitus have no tumor and no hearing loss, and no known cause of their tinnitus. That must be even more maddening for them

Either way, my tinnitus is so "catastrophic" that I'm willing to try almost anything at this point to make the noise subside a little bit. People say that the brain will eventually "habituate" to the noise level, but at 6 weeks out I find that hard to believe. The noise is only getting louder each day as my hearing continues to decline.

Surprisingly, my ENT claims this increasing tinnitus does NOT indicate that my AN is growing. Go figure??

Anyways, I have Elavil medication, but I'm afraid to take it because of the side effects. I have taken Xanax which helps me sleep through the night with no problem, but it only works for sleeping. I dont want to feel zonked out and droggy all day. Plus, I dont think you can take Elavil on an as-needed basis. Like any anti-depressant, I think you need to take it for like 3 weeks straight before its true effects start to work; however,  I could be wrong. I dont need a sleeping med, I need something to keep the noise down during my waking hours.

I understand the actor William Shatner from Star trek was successfully treated for his severe tinnitus with Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT). But he did NOT have an AN tumor like we do on our hearing nerve.

There must be something that can be done to help tone it down. Personally, I'm not one for meditation or yoga or dietary supplements. I am one for  hard medication, or surgery, or something concrete.

I will let you know how it goes with the audiologist. I cant believe they are making me wait 2 weeks to see the audiologist when the noise is so loud. It's cruel.

Warm regards.

[ANGuy]

I have had tinnitus my entire life, literally.  I had it as a small child even before I knew what it was.  I thought everyone had it.  What I have learned is that the solution is distraction.  If I just sit around thinking about it, it seems really loud.  When I am doing something, like walking, working, yelling at my kids, etc I don't even remember that I have it.  I use the sleep timer on my TV and fall asleep with TV on. 

Nothing silences it, if I bother to check, it's still there.  But, if I have something, anything, else going on, I don't notice it much.

I asked my ENT and a couple of different audiologists or whatever they are called why some people have difficulty with tinnitus and others manage it pretty well.  The audiologists are actually pretty knowledgeable about these things.  They all told me the same thing.  The part of our brain that processes all this is the same part that is responsible for emotions.  So, for some people, the tinnitus triggers an emotional response.  I think the retraining process might approach it from this aspect and therefore could very well be useful for you.  It's not that you are "emotional", it's that it has a different effect on some people and that training is the way to overcome this effect.

I also wouldn't rule out the Elavil recommendation.  You are looking for a solution, it has been offered as a possible treatment.  Start out at a low dose and see how it goes.  It could allow you to get a handle on things while better, long term solutions like retraining take effect.  Also, there may be other, less likely to cause side effects, meds that could help.  I agree on Xanax, or other benzodiazepines  being only for limited, as needed, use at night. 

[mcrue]

ANGuy, thank you for your contribution.

I think each person's Tinnitus is different. As you know, there likely is no "blanket" treatment for everyone.
Everyone can not be treated the same. Some people have successfully managed/treated their Tinnitus (depending on the cause) like William Shatner. I hope I can get used to it too.

My Tinnitus is caused by my acoustic neuroma, and the major hearing loss from it in the high tones. While I dont expect my tinnitus to completely disappear, I certainly hope my tinnitus will be "toned down" in volume so it will become more tolerable. Hopefully to a level where I wont even notice it that much.

I agree that TRT and Neuromonics are good options. Right now, my ENT thinks it makes good sense to try a hearing aid because of the new hearing loss (what is causing my tinnitus).

Many thanks.

[mcrue]

For those with Single Sided Deafness (SSD):

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

sthomas: Do any of these devices eliminate the constant ringing in the poorer hearing ear?

Sarah_Sydlowski,_AuD,_PhD: Unfortunately, most single-sided deafness (SSD) devices are not able to help tinnitus. There is no cure for tinnitus although some patients do benefit from using hearing aids or maskers in the ear that has ringing. In SSD, the hearing loss is usually so severe that these devices are not strong enough to stimulate the ear. Similarly, SSD devices are not designed to actually stimulate the affected ear and would not be strong enough to impact the tinnitus. Currently, the only option for very severe tinnitus and single-sided deafness is cochlear implantation. This is only in the clinical trial stage at select clinics. Early research suggests that this technology may hold promise for individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss and severe tinnitus because the cochlear implant provides stimulation directly to the hearing nerve.

mn890: I had a hearing aid years ago when I still had some hearing. When I took it out, I had terrible tinnitus. Will these new devices cause the same problem?

Erika_Woodson,_MD: Tinnitus is the brain's reaction to the information it's not getting from the ear (in the setting of hearing loss). Most individuals find a hearing aid to be beneficial in reducing tinnitus because it is providing some 'good sound' to the ear (and, therefore, the brain). What is likely occurring is that the brain benefited from the hearing aid, and the tinnitus was more noticeable with the aid out. The devices available for single-sided deafness should not influence tinnitus one way or the other, as they're not stimulating the ear directly.

[mcrue]

Found these interesting articles regarding tinnitus, hearing loss, and hearing aids:


http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/tinnitus-treatment-options-in-hearing-11385

http://www.tinnitus.org.uk/can-hearing-aids-help-people-with-tinnitus


My appointment with my audiologist is Monday, and I'm really looking forward to it!

[mcrue]

Good news! I went to my audiologist for the very first time this morning. We decided that the "one size fits all" hearing aid (and tinnitus retraining sound therapy) from "Resound Linx2 762" was the best option for me.

It cost $2650 and is well worth every penny as I am no longer "S".

It has a 30-day return where I would only lose $100.

I also tried the new Oasis device from Neurmonics, but it is not a hearing aid.  In my situation it was best to have both the sound therapy and the hearing aid all-in-one (and for half price of Neurmonics).

"Resound Linx2 762" works for me because I still have relatively decent hearing (100% speech recognition but way down to 75 in the high-pitch).


I've only been wearing this device for a couple hours. It's also the very first time I've ever worn any thing like this (I can't even wear contact lenses because I'm so fidgety.)

Anyways, I wish I would have found this device 2 months earlier when my T began.

It's not a cure, but it takes the stress level of T down a few notches to where my T is tolerable.

My audiologist was able to match my new hearing aid/sound therapy device to the exact specifications of my hearing loss.

I have a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks to discuss my progress, and at that time I will also try a similar device called the "WIDEX Zen"; however,  it costs $500 more than the RESOUND LINX 2.

The only negative, besides my insurance not covering any costs, is when I take the device out of my ear my T is soaring super loud, so i will definitely have keep it in my ear ALL the time (except for sleeping and showering).

I encourage people who have "catastrophic" Tinnitus to check out your options with an audiologist specifically trained in Tinnitus. My audiologist happens to also have T so she really understands. Obviously everyone is unique and different , so what works for me may not necessarily work for you, but people with horrible T are desperate to try anything.

Best wishes.

[bethtretrault]

Thank-you, thank-you. Sometimes I just want to remove my head.I'll check Richmond, va area. Maybe wait til after the surgery?

[mcrue]

My audiologist was Sally from Michigan Ear in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

She is terrific.

[jaqiday]

I use background music to mask my tinnitus. Personally I use mellow electronic music with no voices. I keep my ipod on 24/7.  Since my surgery (5 months post op) the sound has changed from a loud ringing to a different quieter ringing that intensifies with certain sounds. I now use an earplug in my good ear when around loud noises such as hair dryer or vacuum or grandkids or just stick my finger in my ear until it quiets down. 
You just have to find a way to 'ignore' it which we all know isn't easy.

[alabamajane]

Agree Jaqiday,, not much you  can do to alleviate it,, you just have to learn to adjust to it and find "stressors " that cause it to increase.  Such as, caffeine, stress, fatigue, loud noises , some medications etc.

It is most important to protect your "good" ear also. As you suggest, using an earplug with loud noises such as hairdryer, loud music, lawn mower, grand kids  ,, any thing that will damage what hearing you have left.

It's irritating at times sure, but at times, I don't realize I have it. But it's constantly there,,,,

Good luck to all trying to deal with it.
Jane

[mcrue]

There is no "cure" for Tinnitus but there are some things that can be done on some people to alleviate it. My audiologist, who has been living with Tinnitus for 7 years, said that "masking" rarely works in the long run.

According to her experience, you need a combination of a quality hearing aid combined with a good sound treatment (not masking). This is exactly why my audiologist didn't "turn up the volume" high enough on my sound treatment therapy (which is built-in to the hearing aid) to "equal-out" the sound of my Tinnitus. Actually, the sound-therapy volume is a few notches LOWER than the sound of my T (so it doesn't mask out the T).

As a result, I hear a "mix" of the T and the sound therapy, which creates enough distraction (and is a significant component of TRT - Tinnitus Retraining Therapy). 

Plus, the hearing aid alone greatly reduces that "fullness" in the ear feeling I had due to my hearing loss. 

Neuromonics does not have a hearing aid component. It is strictly "sound therapy" which works on neuroplasticity. As I mentioned earlier, everyone is unique and different; however, in my specific situation my RESOUND LINX2 device has worked fabulously (and quite frankly saved my life).  I can also change the music on my hearing aid via an Ipad or Ipod (which I don't own yet).

I hope everyone finds something that helps alleviate their Tinnitus. My audiologist said even if I become SSD (single-sided deaf) in my AN ear, that there will still be devices available to help with Tinnitus.

I don't sleep with my hearing aid on, so when I awake my T is very loud. Also, when I'm in environments where the sound is louder than my sound-therapy, then I can really hear my T.

I wish everyone suffering from T the best of luck. Trust me when I say I know how you feel. Please keep hope alive, and continue the search for something out there that will work for your specific T from a trained audiologist who may be able to make your T better.

[Archer]

I'm not on the forum often but check in to catch up once in a while.  I don't share this often as no one seems to understand it when I do but I thank God every day for Tinnitus.  I am SSD from AN removal in 2002 and found I am NFII in 2011.  As my hearing in my "good" ear recedes I often wonder how it may be some day when it is totally gone.  I cannot imagine absolute total quiet.  I get claustrophobic at night just thinking about it.  So I am thankful I will have the one pitch of ringing in one ear, another pitch of ringing in the other, and the ever present sound of my neighbor's lawn mower in both ears.................Hmmm?  I wonder how he mows his lawn in January with 4 feet of snow on the ground.   

[alabamajane]

Interesting perspective Archer for something most try to stop.

Mine is not "screaming" loud and most of the time it is bearable. I understand where you are coming from especially being NFII,,, it would be a scary situation to be deaf in both ears. Can you have any treatment now that will enhance your chances of not losing it entirely in "good" ear??

Best wishes go to you,,, and keep the irritating tinnitus going!! 

Jane

[Debbie N.]

What is NFII? 
My tinnitus seems to have gotten worse now, 7 months post-surgery.  I also have TMJ, which affects it too.

[Archer]

Alabamajane,
I had GK done a year ago by Dr. Lunsford at UPMC.  So far so good.  6 month MRI looked good with the tumor darkening and losing size so I hope to hear when my Grandkids graduate college in 22 years. . Thanks for the good wishes!

Debbie N.
NFII is basically having ANs in both ears.  Mine just developed about 10 years apart.  I'd have probably treated #1 differently had I known #2 was coming.  Live and learn.