Risks of Wearing White Noise Generators (WNGs) / Maskers

[Lilah]

Hi Dr. Nagler,

I have read several accounts on this forum where people wore WNGs/maskers for a couple of years as directed (as part of their treatment, etc.), however their tinnitus became much louder after having stopped treatment. Also, these people were no longer habituated. What causes a person to get increased tinnitus once having stopped treatment? Is it a brain issue?

Also, I have read stories where people essentially have not stopped wearing WNGs. Will I grow a life-long dependency on WNGs?

Is it better to not wear WNGs at all? I have read that people who do not wear glasses actually have better eye sight.

Thank you,
Lilah

 

[Dr. Nagler]

Hello @Lilah -

Thank you for your inquiry.

I am away taking care of a family matter. I should be back in Atlanta by next week and will respond then. I apologize for not being able to get to it sooner.

Regards -

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.

 

[Dr. Nagler]

Hello again @Lilah -

Your questions are excellent. Unfortunately the answers are a bit complicated because it all depends on exactly what you are trying to accomplish with the devices and on exactly how you are trying to accomplish it.

In the most general terms it might help to keep in mind that the auditory system exists to hear! (Yea, I know. It's obvious.) Anyway, while you might think that environmental silence serves to give the auditory system a rest, that is really not the case - because environmental silence will cause the auditory system to strain to hear that which is not there! And in so doing, it will turn up the gain and magnify the tinnitus, which is the only sound it can access in silence. So wearing broadband sound generators set at a soft soothing level is in that sense healthy, at least from an auditory standpoint. I am not by any means saying that everybody should run out and buy broadband sound generators. All I want to convey is that your concerns about them being harmful in some way are unfounded, provided that if you do decide to get them, they are used properly as part of a supervised treatment protocol.

Hope this helps.

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.