Sound generator advice please!

[Pepper2020]

Being quite new to this (9 months)

I have T in my left ear, a constant hight pitched ring!!, constant headaches and neck pain with ear fullness and problems with balance and nausea.

GP has put me on Propranolol to help with the headaches and anxiety, so far so good, the headaches have reduced in intensity. The audiologist has given me an in ear sound generator to help habituate to the T, the problem is I still hear the T, even when I put volume up to its highest, is this normal? And when I wear it it makes it worse, I only put it in when it's at its worst as I was told I don't need to wear it all the time, to be honest I'm a bit put off using it. Should I be wearing it more often to get used to it? Any advice on how to use this thing??

I am also waiting for an appointment to the Bolton Balance Clinic, will let you know how that one goes,!!

[Jaamees]

Hi Pepper2020: my audiologist told me that the objective is not to drown out the T, that the volume of the sound generator should be kept below the level of the T and the longer it's on the better. I am relying solely on a desktop sound generator for now and I can report positive results. I still hear the T if I listen for it. The sound generator is helping me not to listen. Best to you!

[Rustreloaded]

I have T, mostly in my left ear too although sometimes it just seems like it's in my head, mine was caused, I believe, by taking an ototoxic drug. I was issued a sound generator on 7th Feb and told to wear it as much as possible, which I do. So far it's made no difference whatsoever but I'm being seen again on 23rd March so will discuss with the audiologist at that point. I use it on the lowest setting. I think if you are only using it when your T is at its worst then you're asking the device to do a much bigger job than it was intended to - like only taking a pain killer when you're already in agony. The point is that at the time the T is at its worst you are already so acutely aware of it so any gentle noise distraction aimed to habituate you is not going to be able to distract you. I'm not sure that sound generators are the panacea everyone is hoping for, but following my audiologist's advice I'm wearing mine all the time and expecting it to take a long time to see any beneficial effect as it's about retraining your brain to cope with the T, not curing it. Good luck and hope you get some relief from it soon.

[Pepper2020]

Thank you both for your reply, and it makes perfect sense what your saying, I understand it better know. I will wear it more often and try to get used to it.

Wish the audiologist had explained it a bit better!! I too have only had it a couple of weeks.

Thanks guys and good luck

[Charliemydog in reply to Pepper2020]

Hi pepper 2020 i’ve Got sound generator in both ear’s I wear mine for at least 10 hour’s a day; it can take 6 months to 18 months even longer I was told before u get any benefits , i’me Used to mine now had them in since Oct 2019 they do mask my tinnitus hang in there

[John-Essuman]

Mate if its that bad and as it's in one ear you have to let your doctor send you for an MRI scan to rule out any possibility of tumour, I had to go for one just to put my mind to rest and change medication as I was allergic to setraline which actually caused my tinnitus so try letting doctor change medication am on martazipine and its actually good sleep well at night good luck

[Rustreloaded in reply to John-Essuman]

Hi John, have you had a medical opinion that the setraline caused your T? I ask because mine started 3 days after upping the dose of citalopram - 14 days at 10mg and then increasing to 20mg - 3 or so days later the T started. Do you have it in both ears or just one, the ENT consultant says that as mine is largely in one year it's unlikely that it was caused by the citalopram - the BTA chat line also seemed to poo poo the idea of it being caused by the Citalopram but I'm damn certain it did, it was so closely aligned with my upping the dose and I've never had T before.

[Pepper2020 in reply to John-Essuman]

Hi John I had MRI in Nov last year, came back clear, ENT shipped me back to the GP and audiology, that's when I was put on Propranolol by GP for the headaches and given sound generator by audiologist. I am waiting for appointment with the balance clinic.

As an afterthought I was on Omeprazole for acid reflux earlier in the year which I still suffer with, can that cause sudden T onset??

[John-Essuman]

Yes that could possibly be the case, I have never had T before either but after the first week of setraline the noise started. I hope you have done your research on T because some think its in the ear but actually its complications in the brain waves sending sound to the brain that is not working properly so ask for all the help you need, search Ian Tunner and how far he went to get cure ok take care