Hearing Aid Reviews and Referrals?

[Silent Lucidity]

Hello, I wanted to ask if anyone has any experience with hearing aids to help with tinnitus. I am looking into the possibility of getting one. I'm having trouble finding definitive results and or research. I did learn that my insurance provider will cover up to $1,00.00 USD. So that is good news, if a hearing aid is the route I need or choose to go. They also stated that it comes with a 30 day trial period. This way you/I can try it out and if it doesn't work, fit, or seem worth the cost for the improvement or decrease of quality of life, you do not get charged until after the 30 day trial period. If the customer is not satisfied, just return it to the ENT and there will be no charge for the hearing aid.

Any ways,.... Any helpful info regarding, the use of hearing aids with Tinnitus. Brand names, types, designs, prices, success and or fail stories. Feel free to post any info on the subject that you may have. Opinions are always welcome.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Tinker Bell]

Do you mean white noise generators for only tinnitus or hearing aids with white noise options for hearing loss and tinnitus?

I do not doubt that hearing aids work in the short and long term for hearing loss, but I am not sure if they reduce tinnitus for everyone. I am also unsure if white noise generators offer significant benefit over listening to continual white noise via a sound machine.

 

[Silent Lucidity]

Do you mean white noise generators for only tinnitus or hearing aids with white noise options for hearing loss and tinnitus?

I do not doubt that hearing aids work in the short and long term for hearing loss, but I am not sure if they reduce tinnitus for everyone. I am also unsure if white noise generators offer significant benefit over listening to continual white noise via a sound machine.

What I was told by my ENT is that there are hearing aids specifically for Tinnitus and hearing loss. They stated to me that it can't be any hearing aid. It has to be digital and have the ability to be plugged into a computer or sound machine. Then they can adjust the sounds that you have trouble hearing, and this is supposed to leave what you can hear at normal levels. In theory, the tinnitus is caused from hearing loss (in my case) and the amplified sounds that I do not hear should alleviate the tinnitus and allow my hearing to be closer to normal.

They stated a typical hearing aid just for hearing loss will amplify all sounds, including those I already hear just fine. This becomes overwhelming to most and can and usually makes tinnitus worse.

I posted this question because it seems that not a lot of people with tinnitus use hearing aids. I wondered what the reasoning for this was. I assumed at first that it was the cost. The more I ask around and read, its also because of the unknown and the lack of exposure with people suffering from tinnitus and hearing loss.

I hope this explains a little more.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Silent Lucidity]

Do you mean white noise generators for only tinnitus or hearing aids with white noise options for hearing loss and tinnitus?

Please be aware that I have no clue what I'm talking about and can be 100% incorrect in this subject. lol I'm just trying to ask questions, educate myself, and hopefully find information out for a few others out there willing to try different treatment options.

 

[Tinker Bell]

What I was told by my ENT is that there are hearing aids specifically for Tinnitus and hearing loss. They stated to me that it can't be any hearing aid. It has to be digital and have the ability to be plugged into a computer or sound machine. Then they can adjust the sounds that you have trouble hearing, and this is supposed to leave what you can hear at normal levels. In theory, the tinnitus is caused from hearing loss (in my case) and the amplified sounds that I do not hear should alleviate the tinnitus and allow my hearing to be closer to normal.

They stated a typical hearing aid just for hearing loss will amplify all sounds, including those I already hear just fine. This becomes overwhelming to most and can and usually makes tinnitus worse.

I posted this question because it seems that not a lot of people with tinnitus use hearing aids. I wondered what the reasoning for this was. I assumed at first that it was the cost. The more I ask around and read, its also because of the unknown and the lack of exposure with people suffering from tinnitus and hearing loss.

I hope this explains a little more.
Thank you for your time.

All hearing aids are adjusted to the specific user's hearing loss. Simple amplification across all frequencies would be awful, even without tinnitus. Maybe very old hearing aids amplified all frequencies, but it has not been like that for quite a while according to everyone I have talked to with hearing aids.

I tried a hearing aid a few months ago. It was not plugged into a computer, it was wireless. The audiologist adjusted it with their computer, and I would have been able to adjust it with my phone if I bought it.

I'm holding off. Was kind of hoping I would simply get used to both my hearing loss and tinnitus, but at this point I am planning to get one next year.

I absolutely understand, too, how overwhelming and confusing all of this can be! I think many people with tinnitus do not use hearing aids because they do not have enough hearing loss to warrant the expense. Or enough hearing loss that the aid would really even help. Also, often the hearing loss is often high frequencies and not all hearing aid models cover frequencies above 8k.

What hearing loss do you have? Mine is 6k and up have dropped to under 70dB.

 

[Silent Lucidity]

I tried a hearing aid a few months ago. It was not plugged into a computer, it was wireless.

yes, that's what I meant. They have the ability to plug it into a computer and adjust it. I guess there are digital and analog or something.

What hearing loss do you have? Mine is 6k and up have dropped to under 70dB.

My right ear is ok. db threshold of 20 from 4 khz and above. My left ear is at 50 db from 4 khz-8 khz.

thank you for your response. I learned more from your reply than I have searching Google for 20-30 minutes. lol

 

[Tinker Bell]

yes, that's what I meant. They have the ability to plug it into a computer and adjust it. I guess there are digital and analog or something.



My right ear is ok. db threshold of 20 from 4 khz and above. My left ear is at 50 db from 4 khz-8 khz.

thank you for your response. I learned more from your reply than I have searching Google for 20-30 minutes. lol

All hearing aids can be adjusted by the audiologist, so no need to look for a specific tinnitus one. My grandmother has had her hearing aid customized by audiologists for the past 20 years. The only tinnitus add on is white noise. One brand (Widex) offers zen tones if you prefer that to white noise.

You can turn the white noise on and off. During my trial, I did not use the white noise very much. Just hearing more was such a change that adding white noise kind of bothered me.

As far as I can tell, most open ear models are similar in design. There is a small piece that fits in your ear, a clear wire and the piece that fits behind your ear and stores the tiny batteries that have to be replaced often. I thought it would drive me crazy, but I actually forgot it was there by the third day of my trial. It was surprisingly lightweight and stayed in place.

I hope this is helpful!

 

[Silent Lucidity]

I hope this is helpful!

very helpful. I will look into that brand. thank you.

also I was able to find a video on youtube that had 7 khz white noise and it really helped drown out the ringing sound with very little volume. I find that noise that does not match my ringing sound, becomes overwhelming very quickly. I think its due tot he fact that I have to turn the volume up so high to mask the ringing. I was trying to find just the tone of the ringing that I hear so I could show my wife what I hear. I stumbled across a 7 khz white noise and it was kind of nice. I only used it for a few minutes.

I hate noise, so masking takes away the annoying ringing. I enjoy silence so much, this is kind of an ironic slap in the face. I find masking the ringing to be just as annoying as the ringing after a few minutes. I'm working on controlling my cognitive behavior and the way I look at tinnitus. My fear, is this will not get any better. Possibly worse. I already can not stand it, and I have a long life ahead of me. So I need to find a way to cope or some treatment option to help with everything.

 

[Tinker Bell]

very helpful. I will look into that brand. thank you.

also I was able to find a video on youtube that had 7 khz white noise and it really helped drown out the ringing sound with very little volume. I find that noise that does not match my ringing sound, becomes overwhelming very quickly. I think its due tot he fact that I have to turn the volume up so high to mask the ringing. I was trying to find just the tone of the ringing that I hear so I could show my wife what I hear. I stumbled across a 7 khz white noise and it was kind of nice. I only used it for a few minutes.

I hate noise, so masking takes away the annoying ringing. I enjoy silence so much, this is kind of an ironic slap in the face. I find masking the ringing to be just as annoying as the ringing after a few minutes. I'm working on controlling my cognitive behavior and the way I look at tinnitus. My fear, is this will not get any better. Possibly worse. I already can not stand it, and I have a long life ahead of me. So I need to find a way to cope or some treatment option to help with everything.

Just be sure to keep the white noise below your tinnitus, it will help your brain get used to the noise.

I can relate, too, sometimes the white noise annoys me more than listening to the ringing in my head.

I started CBT with a therapist a few months after my hearing loss. I truly feel like it helps me cope with my anxiety, which in turn helps me stay calm and not panic about my hearing loss and tinnitus.

If you check out the Doctor's Corner here on TT, there is a CBT therapist who has tinnitus. He has threads with advice.

Also, under the Success Stories the back to silence thread is another good read that incorporates some CBT concepts.

 

[mache_salinas]

Hi there,
I know the thread is kinda old but I found it while looking for some information about hearing aids cause I have a loooot of questions about it.

Today I saw a Tinnitus specialist and I re confirmed the mild hearing loss I have on my ear with T (right ear). The Dr recommended me a hearing aid of the brand AGX, this tiny thing is VERY pricey. It does exactly as you explained in the previous reply, can be controlled from a smartphone, amplifies sound and can mask the T with some white noise or similar. I am not sure if this would really help since other doctors told me that the hearing loss I have is so mild that I don't need a hearing aid and tbh I felt the Dr just wanted to sell me this really expensive device. Would you please tell me if the hearing aids you are wearing have helped you with your T, or in what ways? Is it really worth it? Can i just avoid wearing a hearing device and still successfully manage my T?

I can try it for a month and even if I don't find it useful I can return it but won't get all my money back, and again is really expensive.