Help for Tinnitus: Tried Neuromonics, Now Trying Oticon — Where to Go Next?

[Michael01]

I live in Grafton, in Northern NSW, Australia and have had tinnitus for a number of years.

First I was using a device called Neuromonics, which helped, but due to the issues I had getting them repaired when something went wrong I was forced to stop that.

Now I'm trying a device called Oticon which my local Audiologist seems to think will re-train my ears to ignore it, but I have my doubts.

Any advice on where to go from here? As I feel this thing is sucking all the enjoyment from my life in general and I feel extremely frustrated and annoyed with the whole situation. I am also disabled, so I rely on the goodwill of the family and community transport services to get around to medical appointments, which limits my options somewhat.

I also can modulate my tinnitus by various jaw movements and also suffer from chronic migraine headaches which started as around the same time, and recently jaw aches, so maybe TMJ? I've seen my local dentist about this and nothing seemed to be found wrong...

 

[DebInAustralia]

Hi Michael,

What changed for you to become bothered again?

What was the cause of your onset?

I'll have to look up that device. Never heard of it.

Neuromonics didn't habituate me. I think for me it was a matter of habituation, lowered volume, stem cells, distraction from serious illness.

I'm looking into mindfulness and hypnotherapy. I am hoping to learn how to NOT care about the noise in the hopes that the perceived volume diminishes.

 

[Michael01]

Neuromonics did help, but the hassle of getting them repaired was unacceptable, as the guy didn't seem to understand that I need these things at all times. Being without them for weeks on end is simply unacceptable,only to have them break again,as soon as I got them back several times. And practically as soon as I stopped using Neuromonics, within a week the tinnitus flared up again.

 

[Michael01]

Is it possible to pinpoint the cause cause on tinnitus? I've been struggling with it for a number of years with limited success on Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.

My ears and I am concerned that one of my other conditions is causing it, as I also struggle with a constipation condition that causes my nerves to tingle uncontrollably, chronic headaches and now aches in my jaw.

This thing is destroying my life, as recently my ears seem to generate random backgrounds sounds in response to everyday noises, and I just want it to go away, but if something else in causing it Tinnitus Retraining Therapy isn't going to help, as I see it.

 

[Sironketchup]

There is not much you can do, maybe Lenire would be your best shot.

Neuromonics by the way looks like a scam. The website also does not look professional.
How much did they charge you?

 

[Michael01]

Over $3,000 and it did work,for a time, at least at masking the tinnitus.

Until recently when my ears started developing other sounds alongside my usual tinnitus which couldn't be masked and have me more than a little bit worried, as my ears seem to be becoming extremely sensitive to some background sounds, which no-one seems to be able to figure out what's going on with that. Not sure about the other option you mentioned as it's not released in Australia yet.

 

[Michael01]

Hey been living with this damn thing for almost 3 years and until recently I was able to manage it with the help of music through my headphones. Then my ears started projecting other highly annoying sounds along with the music so that killed that.

Now experimenting with TRT and it's having very little success.

I don't know what to do anymore and I feel like I have no life left. I also suffer from severe chronic headaches and I worry that those could be contributing to it, as lately I can feel something moving inside my head, but trying to persuade my doctor to give me a referral to have that checked out is proving impossible. I just don't know what to do anymore...

 

[Michael01]

Recently I've been noticing that in response to certain sounds, my ears generate a high-pitched ringing noise. Is this hyperaccusis, or just tinnitus? I've had tinnitus for years and this is a relatively new development, so not really sure what to do about this, but I'd like to do something, as it's extremely annoying. Or is there anywhere I could find out what's going on with this?

 

[ajc]

Recently I've been noticing that in response to certain sounds, my ears generate a high-pitched ringing noise. Is this hyperaccusis, or just tinnitus? I've had tinnitus for years and this is a relatively new development, so not really sure what to do about this, but I'd like to do something, as it's extremely annoying. Or is there anywhere I could find out what's going on with this?

It's called reactive tinnitus. Common and not anything to be worried about.

 

[Michael01]

Common and not anything to be worried about.

So is there anything you can do about it? As this sound is not pleasant to listen to, and just about any sound can set it off. It doesn't seem limited to any one sound in particular.

 

[Michael01]

Hey. I'm in the process of getting myself an appointment with a Dr. Brian Williams to hopefully do something about my tinnitus, regarding getting it under control, and I was wondering if anyone knew anything about him?

His website is: https://www.entclinicsydney.com.au/

 

[DebInAustralia]

I've tried both Oticon hearing aids and Neuromonics to try to reduce my tinnitus to something I can tolerate.

Nothing so far has worked.

So are there any successful devices anyone else has found to help?

Could you give notched sound therapy a go?

 

[Michael Leigh]

It's called reactive tinnitus. Common and not anything to be worried about.

Tinnitus can react to sound especially when it is noise induced, due to oversensitivity of the auditory system often caused by Noise trauma which results in hyperacusis. It has nothing to do with Reactive that some people regard as a separate condition from hyperacusis. There is no such thing as reactive tinnitus. It is a term that was made-up in tinnitus forums many years ago.

Michael

 

[Michael01]

My ears are suddenly making a pulsing, ringing noise under my normal tinnitus.

Is this tinnitus as well, or does anyone know what's going on here? As I said, this wasn't there at the start, it only suddenly happened a few months ago out of nowhere, and it has me severely worried about what could be causing it, after I'd been using a masker for a few years,t hat can no longer mask out these sounds.