cochlear implants and tinnitus

[1Dar]

Hi , does anyone have a cochlear implant and still have bad tinnitus?

[Happyrosie]

you might want to look at the website of Tinnitus UK and look at their page on cochlear implants. You could give their helpline a ring too.

[1Dar in reply to Happyrosie]

Hi thank you for replying to me. I live in Australia and we don’t have any help lines here. Do you have a cochlear?if so does it help much with your tinnitus?im feeling pretty desperate at the moment. 🌞

[1Dar in reply to 1Dar]

I’ve just come back onto the chat line after a break of 4 years!,

[Cavalier1]

Yes I have one and it really helps with tinnitus on that side! Still have trouble with my other ear though when I have flaresnof the cochlear hydrops which deafened me bilaterally 3years ago. I love my cochlear implant and hear well with it on that side.

[Aesop2]

Greetings 1Dar I have just been to see my audiologist. Interestingly she mentioned just this very surgical procedure . In the United States insurance previously would not approve the cochlear implant unless you went deaf in both ears ! But recently ( in the last 2 years) due to the massive numbers of people developing one sided tinnitus and subsequent deafness it has become approved as a treatment . When I inquired further about the results they had 2 patients in their practice both having received implants one patient was pleased with it and the other was not . The average age of the patient suffering with sudden tinnitus and hearing loss in their practice is 30 years old ! However the ages of these particular cochlear implant patients were 47 and early 50's . It did not eliminate the tinnitus rather it did help with the deafness .

My hearing in my affected ear is steadily albeit slowly as compared to many declining every 3 months . I was told I will most likely continue on this path until I am deaf in my right ear . I use a phonak device with a masker 20 to 23 hours a day . I have been prescribed SSRI s and Buspar which do not help other than to make me feel exhausted. My best advice is see an audiologist. Get your hearing checked every 3 months and start the process of getting approved for a device. Find out which surgeons in your area perform the surgery . Go and see them talk to them about their results . Continue to seek answers here from us . Good luck and don't give up . Just learning to live with tinnitus is what I've made my mind up to do but that doesn't mean I will give up learning about what has worked for others !

Cheers

Aesop2

[1Dar in reply to Aesop2]

Hi Aesop2, thank you for your reply. Sounds like you have been on a journey like I have. I had a grommet put in my ear about 8 years ago which resulted in tinnitus. I then had the grommet taken out, then put in and taken out again!,, after this I had a bone removed from my ear. Then…..I had a cochlear implant put in, but it was very painful so I had it removed. During this time I was getting more depressed and frustrated. I now have another implant and it’s fine and definitely helps with my hearing. I live in Australia and my private health fund pays for everything , even the audiology which is great. It’s been a challenge for sure, but I think and hope the worst is over. Do you have a hearing aid in your other ear?

It’s a horrible thing to have ….i only hope one day someone will come up with something. Thanks again for taking the time to write to me. Take care 🌞🌞🌞🌞

[Aesop2 in reply to Aesop2]

Hello ! As of now I do not have a hearing aide fitted for my other ear . However when I suddenly could not hear the masking sound in my affected ear I panicked!! I first thought there was something wrong with the device but after a brilliant thought I placed the device in my good ear and voila ! I could hear the bloody noise hissing away like a pissed off snake ! Ha! I then had my audiologist adjust the masker program ( which she can do over the phone as its connected via wifi thru an app) and I could then hear the sound in my affected ear again ! I've had to get the masker noise adjusted 4 times since I started down this road . I am one of the lucky ones who gets some relief if the masking noise is placed in either ear . At some point I may end up wearing it in my good ear in the event that I do lose hearing completely in my affected ear . I sincerely hope you pursue the cochlear implant pathway . I am anxious to hear what you find out and the results surgeons in Australia are seeing . It sounds quite promising to say the least .

Take care

Aesop2

[Aesop2 in reply to Aesop2]

Ps sorry in my distracted haste I failed to thoroughly read your post . So you already have an implant . It would be an interesting thought to maybe pursue having a hearing aide with a masker put into your good ear . Maybe this will help Sincerely

Aesop2

[1Dar in reply to Aesop2]

Hi thanks for your message. I got a bit confused when you started to talk about maskers but that’s just me. I have a lot of pain in my right ear, which is hard to take. I am in a private health fund and they pay for any hospital stays and cochlear implants. So we are very lucky. I am due for a new one now. I’ve had tinnitus for over 7 years now , it’s been touch and some days I just want to bury my head in the sand! Take care !

[BassetLover]

Hi I have a friend who has a cochlear implant and she also has bad Tinnitus

[1Dar in reply to BassetLover]

Hi BassetLover has your friend had her cochlear for very long. My cochlear masks the tinnitus but does not eliminate it unfortunately. Thanks for messaging me!

[PABLR]

I have a cochlear implant in my left ear. I would say the tinnitus has improved since the implant. However it it is known that implantation per se does not guarantee improvement. Some people improve, some, but not many, get worse, and some stay about the same. my pre-surgery notes literally said, Tinnitus may improve, get worse or stay the same. The thing that is more generally agreed is that wearing the implant makes it easier to forget about or ignore the tinnitus while you are wearing the sound processor. Because of the way sound is processed it does a better job than a hearing aid generally does. Ironically the tinnitus in my right ear has got worse, but that is totally unrelated to the surgery!

[1Dar in reply to PABLR]

Hi PABLR ….thank you for your message. My hearing has improved since the cochlear, but because I have had so many operations on my ear I cannot wear the cochlear all of the time. I am struggling at the moment and ears are so sensitive. I do wear a hearing aide in my left ear. Sorry to hear you are experiencing tinnitus in your right ear. Having tinnitus stops me from doing a lot which I know is wrong! Take care and thanks again!

[Aesop2]

1Dar Question : does the hearing aide in your left ear have a masker ? Or is it just a hearing aid?

[1Dar in reply to Aesop2]

It’s just a hearing aide , it doesn’t have a masker. I’m struggling big time at the moment , like all of us! Do you wear your cochlear implant for most of the day? 🌞

[Aesop2]

Hello Yes I do wear my phonak hearing aide with the masker all the time . I think since your cochlear device ear is so sensitive it would be greatly helpful to get the masker program added to your hearing aide device that you wear in the ear that does not have the cochlear implant . Mine can have the masker program adjusted via wifi at anytime . I am slowly losing my hearing in my bad ear so I've had to get the masker adjusted several times just so I could hear it . But here is my point . The device works just as well in my good ear ! The masker emits a high pitched hissing sound . Im thinking you may get some relief by hearing it in the other ear . The one that doe not have the cochlear device placed .

[1Dar in reply to Aesop2]

Hi you certainly know a lot of information about hearing aides and cochlear implants! Because I have had so many operations my ear is quite sore but I have to battle on! If you would like to private message that would be fine!

[1Dar in reply to Aesop2]

I’m having heaps of pain in my ear, have had a MRI shows rheutism and scar tissue . You don’t have any pain do you?