Does Anyone Have Experience with General Hearing Aids/Tranquil & TRT?

[dfl]

I am actually going to give TRT a try (meeting is in NY on Tuesday) with Dr. Susan Adams- she says they like to use general hearing aids- has anyone every tried noise generators & TRT? (excuse if there are a thousand threads dedicated to similar questions)

 

[Cheza]

I am actually going to give TRT a try (meeting is in NY on Tuesday) with Dr. Susan Adams- she says they like to use general hearing aids- has anyone every tried noise generators & TRT? (excuse if there are a thousand threads dedicated to similar questions)

There aren't a thousand threads about TRT, but somwhere close. There is one thread that covers a lot of information. Your question, and possibly some questions you haven't thought of yet, might be covered in it.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-retraining-therapy.43/

I don't know about hearing aids personally, except some people do obtain relief with them. Depends on the damage inflicted, I suppose.

 

[LadyDi]

Hi @dfl TRT has been widely discussed and debated on this board.

Me, I went the Neuromonics route. A sound therapy like TRT but they differ quite a bit, it seems.
Search this board for TRT and Neuromonics and you will find plenty.

You are searching for a way to help you manage your tinnitus and that is a positive. Sound-based therapies have brought relief to many, including me.

 

[Bertman]

If I recall correctly these are the noise generators that dr nagler recommends, and I think may be the ones your doc mentioned.
https://generalhearing.com/consumer/tinnitus-products/tranquil-ii/tranquil-ii-ote/

The reason dr nagler recommends these is because you are not paying extra for the hearing aid part. With that said if money isn't as much of a concern you can also check out resound, starkey, oticon and widex hearing aids. Some of the models these brands offer have tinnitus noise therapy built in that can be more customizable (i.e. a broader range of sounds) so it may be worth looking at their websites. I don't think you can go wrong with the general hearing ones though. Best bet would be to discuss all your options with your doc.
Best.

 

[dfl]

thanks all for your replies- I am back in LA for the first time since I have T- hanging with my children for the first time since I have T and it is fascinating- they empathize as much as they can, but I can tell they are a bit tripped out by the place that T can take me

 

[Inge]

I am actually going to give TRT a try (meeting is in NY on Tuesday) with Dr. Susan Adams- she says they like to use general hearing aids- has anyone every tried noise generators & TRT? (excuse if there are a thousand threads dedicated to similar questions)

Yes i have used hearing aids as masking devices for the last 6 months and it has helped me a lot. The volume has gone down a lot and i get relief while wearing them. It is more calming to listen to a constant broad white noise static than my T tone. I recommend it.

 

[suera]

Yes i have used hearing aids as masking devices for the last 6 months and it has helped me a lot. The volume has gone down a lot and i get relief while wearing them. It is more calming to listen to a constant broad white noise static than my T tone. I recommend it.

Do you have hearing loss? I have been searching for a masking device but I don't have hearing loss in the normal range 0-8KHZ and my tinnitus is in the 12-14KHZ, I was told you can't get devices that have white noise in those ranges, does yours cover those ranges? Thanks.

 

[Inge]

Do you have hearing loss? I have been searching for a masking device but I don't have hearing loss in the normal range 0-8KHZ and my tinnitus is in the 12-14KHZ, I was told you can't get devices that have white noise in those ranges, does yours cover those ranges? Thanks.

I do not have hearing loss. I got the hearing aids solely as a masking device. My T is in the 6-8 khz range. Yours is much higher and I dont know if it can be masked. find a clinic where they offer tinnitus treatment. Random ENT and audiologists will tell you to just learn to live with it.

 

[glynis]

I used maskers in both ears for a number of years and now hearing aids with masker setting and would not be without them...lots of love glynis

 

[Cheza]

they empathize as much as they can, but I can tell they are a bit tripped out by the place that T can take me

If you really want to trip them out, play this YouTube video for them. It's an excellent video to demonstrate how intrusive and varied tinnitus can be.

The beginning is just intro info, so start at 0:37, and adjust the volume reasonably low.

 

[suera]

3:52 is closest to mine.

 

[Cheza]

3:52 is closest to mine.

I wish they would play that "Sounds of Tinnitus" video during health classes in high school, so kids would understand that tinnitus can be more severe than just a simple little whine or hum or buzz in the background, like on the "Can you hear that" video. On a good day, I can hear the tone in this video. Today, the noise in my head completely obliterates it.

 

[Sgguy46]

@dfl how is TRT....

 

[dfl]

hey @Sgguy46 I am a few days into it and trying to get used to wearing sound generators (that are like hearing aids)- don't know why, but I think that in general my stress about having t is high and so it is a burden- have to remind myself- even with TRT- it's about giving time, time and not rushing to see if I am doing better or not.

 

[RaZaH]

Well, you are being proactive about this , I feel that is very important, especially at first.
Best of luck and be sure to update us on your progress

 

[Sgguy46]

Everybody's stress about having severe Tinnitus is high. At your stage i was having panic attacks, depression, sleepless nights and i stayed in my bedroom all day. So @dfl if all you feel is stressed you are ahead of me. I am going to be fitted with TRT soon i think. I hope they help me.

 

[Steve]

@dfl I used noise generators at first but I didn't use them under proper supervision so never quite understood what I was supposed to be doing - it was well before I found good resources to help out. That little bit of help and guidance from a specialist can make all the difference.

They are very useful, sometimes just having them there to provide a break from having to listen to your T alone is bliss. I'm having a spike myself at the moment so I use sound enrichment to just help phase it out and lower the stress. My only thing is that I prefer to listen to different sounds so I use non-occluding earphones with a selection of tracks on my phone. There is a cable and device involved so it's not as convenient but the variety works better for me; if you want to try that I have a selection of sounds I can send you.

 

[DebInAustralia]

Hey dfl..have you read back to silence threads?

 

[Inge]

I had to wear in ear maskers for about 9 months until my T got better. While wearing it my anxiety went down as it was less annoying to listen to a steady static sound than the warble sounds of T. Good luck with your trt. If you stick with it it works.

 

[DebInAustralia]

Whatever you can do to reassure your brain that the noise is unimportant will help you habituate. Good luck with trt..acupuncture..hypno ☺

 

[Atlantis]

hey @Sgguy46 I am a few days into it and trying to get used to wearing sound generators (that are like hearing aids)- don't know why, but I think that in general my stress about having t is high and so it is a burden- have to remind myself- even with TRT- it's about giving time, time and not rushing to see if I am doing better or not.

Have you got used to the sound generators? Do you think they are helping? What brand did you end up buying?

 

[dfl]

hey @Atlantis I have the general hearing sound generators (GHI) - I wear them day and night, but I can't tell if they are helping at this stage- my t really seems to have gone up a notch in general- more of a full brian swirling electrical sound- my TRT specialist said there is a chance it can seem to go up at first-- staying positive and surviving by following the example of so many awesome people in this forum has been the most help

 

[Danny Boy]

hey @Atlantis I have the general hearing sound generators (GHI) - I wear them day and night, but I can't tell if they are helping at this stage- my t really seems to have gone up a notch in general- more of a full brian swirling electrical sound- my TRT specialist said there is a chance it can seem to go up at first-- staying positive and surviving by following the example of so many awesome people in this forum has been the most help

It's worth trying the supplements listed in this thread-

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/phosphatidylcholine-is-working-for-me.11743

If you get them, let us know if they are helping you.

 

[LadyDi]

Hi @dfl, have been wondering how you are doing with your TRT.

If this helps: with some sound therapies, it is not uncommon for things to feel worse before they feel better. Your tinnitus is reacting to that constant stream of new noise being pumped in. Also, it can make your hearing seem much more sensitive. I know this was the case for me with Neuromonics. The first two months were a bear. I was told I would not feel any improvement until at least three months -- and that was about right. Again, Neuromonics is not exactly the same as TRT, but they are similar.

So: Hang in there. Neuromonics is a one-year program, if done properly. I have seen many people on this board get frustrated with Neuromonics or TRT after a few months and stop wearing their sound devices. You need to be patient and stick with it. Your clinicians should be giving you lots of support and coping skill suggestions during these early months, to get you over the hump.

Good luck. You'll make it.

 

[Lloyd Carter]

@dfl Can we get an update on how you're doing with the TRT? Hoping for a positive response!

 

[Michael Leigh]

@dfl
I have had TRT twice in the 20 years that I've had tinnitus with good results. For TRT to work properly, counselling must be provided by a hearing therapist or audiologist. Counselling helps to take away and demystify the negative thinking, that many people associate with tinnitus.

Two white noise generators need to be worn up to 10hrs a day. At night a sound machine should be used by the bedside to provide sound enrichment, as it's not advisable to wear WNGs while asleep. Treatment usually last from 12 to 24 months sometimes longer.

In my opinion, white noise generators should be used, especially if the person has hyperacusis, which is common with tinnitus. I don't think hearing aids alone will provide enough sound enrichment. They are beneficial if a person has hearing loss which has caused tinnitus. White noise generators are available, that also have a hearing aid built into the same unit. These are called dual purpose devices.

Michael

 

[HighStrung]

Hi folks,

I just got my Tranquil II OTE maskers today. They way my Otoneurologist explained the program is that they're supposed to train your brain to ignore the tinnitus by convincing it via constant harmless pink or white noise that it's not dangerous and doesn't need monitored. It is supposed to take 9 months on average. They're very expensive: $2400 US for the pair.

You start out wearing them for 3 hours a day, and sleeping in them all night, adding an hour a day until you're wearing them all the time you're not showering or swimming.

My experience so far today: Wore them for an hour this morning, took them out. T volume was very low for hours. T got loud, put them back in for 2 hours. T was quieter, but not quiet upon removing them.

When they're in, the relief is almost instant. The volume can be adjusted up or down 1 decibel at a time. They're very small, very light, very comfortable, and seem very fragile. Hopefully they're not.

I'll keep you all updated on my progress in this thread. I won't be using them this weekend, as I'm going camping waaaaaay out in the boonies away from all electricity and cell phone towers to test out the EMF theory my DO advances. For more on that you can read my thread in Introduce yourself.