Can You Have Hyperacusis Whilst Also Being a Hearing Aid Candidate?

About a week or so ago, I had a standard audiogram which determined that I had hearing loss in the high frequencies. The audiologist said that it was a bit worrying, and that within a year or two, I'll likely be a hearing aid candidate.

I find this strange because I have hyperacusis. Mild hyperacusis, yes. But still hyperacusis. And I've read worries/stories on other threads about showing false improvements on audiograms due to their hyperacusis/sound sensitivity.

How can I require a device to hear better, when sounds are also too loud? It seems contradictory to me.

I'm actually starting to think that my TTTS, Phonophobia, and health anxiety/possible hypochondria is just playing with me, and maybe I just think I have hyperacusis.

Can anyone help me out?

I don't have a copy of the audiogram.

(Again, this isn't about whether or not hearing aids can help with hyperacusis. This is about whether or not someone can both have hyperacusis and need hearing aids.)

 

Very strange, this morning I was thinking about a related idea. If hyperacusis is hidden hearing loss, then it stands to reason that if that hearing loss becomes more obvious, the patient may be interested in a hearing aid or a cochlear implant. Maybe someone smarter than us could shed light on the role of hearing aids in hyperacusis. And by that, I don't mean in masking, but actually therapeutically helping the problem by a reduction in central gain because the auditory output is adequate. My understanding is that they are quite flexible to the point where one can tailor them to help the hearing loss, but not aggravate the hyperacusis, but I'm not sure.

I will say this about hyperacusis. I don't think you can have it and be unsure. Maybe mild sound sensitivities, but true hyperacusis is impossible to deny. Given that you have measurable hearing loss, it wouldn't surprise me at all if you had at least mild hyperacusis. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think TTTS shows up as hearing loss?

 

Yes. Reality can be unforgiving.

 

HI @aot

It is quite possible for a person to have hyperacusis and hearing loss and need hearing aids because both conditions are separate. As I see it, there are two types of hyperacusis and the most common is caused by exposure to loud noise and will focus on this for the moment. As I have written many times in this forum, unless hyperacusis or over sensitivity to sound caused by exposure to loud noise and a person develops tinnitus; unless it improves by itself over time or is treated using sound therapy, normally wearing white noise generators to help desensitise the auditory system, the person will always have some problem with over sensitivity to sound and often their tinnitus will spike even after habituation has been achieved.

Some people with noise induced tinnitus have hearing loss and some don't. It depends on whether your hearing loss is significant enough for you to really need hearing aid/s and will they improve your hearing? I have corresponded with people by email, at forums and on the telephone and been informed, that some Audiologists are quick to tell them they need hearing aids the moment they learn the patient has noise induced tinnitus. The price of hearing aids can be expensive and going by what I have been told, it seems there is an ulterior motive by some Audiologists to recommend hearing aids and the person doesn't really need them. Although their audiogram may show some hearing loss at certain frequencies it maybe questionable whether the person really needs them. Perhaps if you have difficulty hearing someone during conversation or having to turn up the TV volume or stereo when listening to music, this may be a good way to determine whether hearing aid/s will be of benefit.

Please click on the link below and read my post Hyperacusis, as I see it. There is information on how to treat the condition using self help and what professional help involves. There is a condition called: Vestibular hyperacusis. This is where the sound can cause a person to fall, lose balance or experience dizziness and will probably require more professional help.

Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

 

I don't think it does, no.

 

I asked this to my ENT last month, and a person is usually NOT a good candidate for a hearing aid until they have hearing loss of around 45 - 50 dB across all frequencies (low frequencies too).

If you get a hearing aid it will amplify sound and the hyperacusis will kick in nastily. So... very bad. That's what my ENT said.

 

OK, here's a question born out of both curiosity and paranoia:

Is there any danger in getting a hearing aid?

I'm hoping that a year from now, if I play my cards right, my hyperacusis will be gone.
Leaving this:

A non issue. (Thank you for your input, Juan)

But since hearing aids are sound amplifiers, would they leave me more prone to hearing damage? Say I drop a pot or something. Since the hearing aids will make the noise louder, will I be more likely to have a spike?
And of course it's not like I can wear plugs while also wearing hearing aids.

 

I am not familiar with hearing aids, but I think some of them have a limiter, you can adjust them so they don't amplify noises that are already loud.

Anyway, the best would be asking an audiologist that works daily with hearing aids, fittings etc

 

I think it's totally possible. After my trauma I found normal speech to sound foggy and hard to make words out, but speak too loud and my eardrums would go haywire. It was a cruel, delicate balance.

You should really get a copy of the audiogram. I'd also take the audiologists words with a grain of salt, for reasons covered ad nauseum on this forum. Especially without having the audiogram for reference.

Have you noticed yourself hard of hearing in any way, particularly hearing speech? How bad are the dips on the audiogram?

I've had 3 audiograms done now and found I performed best on low tinnitus days. I'm sure the louder tinnitus has to make it harder to pick out the fainter pure tones, even if your ears ARE picking them up. Was your tinnitus raging during this test?

 

@Tweedleman

Making an appointment with a different Audiologist tomorrow, get a copy of that one.

From what I saw of it, the dips were pretty bad. Like I said, a year from now I'll be a hearing aid candidate. The tinnitus was loud, yeah. But only when he put the headphones on. Otherwise, a good tinnitus day. Not bad at all with headphones off.

Going through a bad tinnitus day right now, actually.

 

Personally I would stay away from hearing aids, especially those which can also mask tinnitus.

After 14 years of mild tinnitus and hyperacusis and 2 years of severe tinnitus and hyperacusis I've come to the conclusion that giving your ears as much rest as possible is better. Why would you constantly want to torture your ears with noise or amplified noise when the cause of tinnitus and hyperacusis was in fact... noise?

And no, I don't overuse earplugs.

 

Have you lost any hearing as a result of the long-term tinnitus and hyperacusis? What triggered your hyperacusis 14 years ago?

 

@Midas Tinnitus should never be masked really if your goal is to habituate your mind to it.

Hearing aid with integrated noise generator, or masker as some would refer to, should be set to a volume and tone slightly lower than your tinnitus.
To desenitize you are supposed to heat both sounds, and the sound you use should be a tolerable sound. Its not supposed to be torture as you describe it. The noise you use should be of a neutral or positive type that doesn't bother you.

@aot To reply to your initial thread. Yes, hearing aid can help you even with mild H. I have mild H, and a moderate hearing loss. I use hearing aid - around 4 hrs a day at this point - most of the time with soft pink noise as "noiser". But you need a close dialogue with the practioner in order to set them right, and start to use them slowly and progress use over time as you get used to it. Remember, due to H you want less amplification in the start, so the correct setup is essential!

 

A bit unrelated to the post and I didn't know how else to reach you with some questions in regards to your hearing loss as I suspect I could be experiencing the same thing?