Hearing Aids

[Dmc75]

Hi am new to here and have sshl with tinitus I am booked in for a hearing aid do they help with tinitus. Thanks

[perlcoder]

Hello,

Sorry to start with an obvious question, but SSHL is obviously potentially a serious condition. I am assuming that you have a proper diagnosis and recommendation for a Hearing Aid test and prescription by a qualified provider. If not, you really need them.

Assuming "yes":

As with everything T-related, we are all different and we respond in our own way to interventions such as Hearing Aids. For most (I think the vast majority of us, but that is just my impression), they do help with T. The trajectory does vary though.

Some of us experience immediate relief from the aids alone on Day One. This can be even better if the aids have a built in T-masker tuned to your frequency for when times are tough. This was my case.

Others take a while to feel any benefit.

A final category, very well known, is that for some people the immediate effect of the aids is to exacerbate the T to some degree. This generally wears off with time and the aids do help with the T.

Best wishes.

[Caradoc1a in reply to perlcoder]

I'm wondering about getting to sleep. Does T seem even worse after taking the hearing aids out. I've got a hearing aid fitting soon. Thanks

[perlcoder in reply to Caradoc1a]

Hello,

Obviously, I can speak only of my own case, which in this respect may not be typical.

For me, sleep has always been the worst of my problems with T. The issue is not falling asleep - for the whole of my life, with and without T, that has always been easy. I fall asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pillow, and I could probably sit back and go to sleep here in my chair at 9.30am if I wanted to.

Unfortunately since my T deteriorated in 2017, once I am asleep, the quality of that sleep will certainly be worse, usually much worse, after my HAs (or the earphones I use on my laptop in the evenings), are out. My T is very predominantly left-sided, and my the T on that side is very unpleasant and will often awaken me.

I emphasise, that from what I read here and elsewhere I am not typical and I certainly would not let my experience dissuade you from the very significant benefits that HAs usually bring - not just for T but for your life in general.

I am currently experimenting with the Soundcore A20 sleepbuds (expensive at £125 if not on offer, but a lot cheaper than the competing Ozlo at £300). One can side-sleep comfortably in them and play a variety of sounds. My aim is to prevent the silence of the night leaving my T free to invent whatever sounds it chooses. I may write a report on my experiences here eventually, but it is too early to express any conclusions.

Best Wishes

[Caradoc1a in reply to perlcoder]

Thank you - I will investigate!!

[EarHealth2024]

I held-off hearing aids for 6 months after developing Tinnitus and wished I hadn’t. I find they do help by creating higher sound outside of my head. Best of luck

[Jaycey]

I found wearing a hearing aid very helpful. T is greatly reduced. Good luck with your appointment.

[happyrosie1]

I’ve found that hearing aids help because the phantom sounds in your head are quieter as the real world is clearer.

Don’t expect the T to disappear necessarily but to be less intrusive. I don’t notice the T being louder when I take them out.

[D-w-L2023]

I've had tinnitus for over 30 years and started wearing hearing aids after a hearing test a year or so ago showed I'd lost frequencies above about 7k.

TBH they have made no difference to my tinnitus but they're great for listening to podcasts and making phone calls.

[TinnitusSWP]

Good morning I have suffered with T for 15 years , in December I was fitted with NHS Hearing Aids, I had them in for 7 hours before removing them for sleep, I found my T had worsened being the loudest it has ever been, and has been ever since, I have not tried the HA's again for fear of my T getting even louder. I was not warned this may happen!