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Hearing aids and tinnitus

Posted , 8 users are following.

kelsey0817
kelsey0817

Hello!

Just a little background, I have had Ménière's disease for about 6 years but was only diagnosed 2 years ago (I am 25 years old). I just had my first baby in December and this summer has been the worst summer I have ever had with Ménière's. It uses to be I would get an attack once or twice a year, then maybe just in June and July, but since June I've had one almost every week (with the exception of the past 2 weeks thanks to seeing a chiropractor regularly now).

When I saw my ENT in July they did a hearing test and recommended looking into a hearing aid in the next year or so since my brain will adjust to it better while I'm young. This whole summer I have had pretty much chronic tinnitus so I'm guessing it will probably continue. This may be a silly question, but how does having a hearing aid effect the tinnitus? Is it amplified because of the hearing aid or not bothered by it?

Thanks in advance! And I'm also glad to have found a community of support as we all journey through this smile

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • Bluesmann
    Bluesmann kelsey0817

    Posted

    That's a great question as I have put earbuds in to listen to music and if I take the good one out my bad ear barely hears any of the music. Hope some who have hearing aid respond

    Also what do you mean by an attack of mennieres I pretty much have pressure and a low hum like the ocean in my one ear constantly so I've just gotten used to it

    Thanks

    • kelsey0817
      kelsey0817 Bluesmann

      Posted

      Sorry, by attack I meant a vertigo attack.

      I also can't use ear buds for the same reason, I can still hear out of my ear but it sounds way different. Muffled almost.

    • Bluesmann
      Bluesmann kelsey0817

      Posted

      Same here very muffled and the low end I can't hear every now and then I get a good day and can actually hear on phone out of it but it's rare

  • dan40016
    dan40016 kelsey0817

    Posted

    My hearing aid does not make any difference at all. I have had tinnitus for many years.

    My aid helps with things like TV or conversations with a few people. Does not help with crowds.

    Have you had a brain scan or an EEG?

    Seizueres have the same symptoms an Meniere's. I know this from experience.

    Good luck.      Dan T.

    • kelsey0817
      kelsey0817 dan40016

      Posted

      Thank you for your response, that's good to know! I used to only have tinnitus before a vertigo attack but now it is constant.

      I did have a CT scan before I was diagnosed and they didn't find anything wrong thankfully.

    • dan40016
      dan40016 kelsey0817

      Posted

      It would be good if you were having seizures insted of Meniere's. There are good meds. for seizures. Nothing I was given for Meniere's ever did any good. Probably because I did not have Meniere's.

      Ask a nurologist - see if the doctor thinks it is worth having an EEG.

      That is the test that showed my seizures.

      Dan T.

      Dan T.

    • kelsey0817
      kelsey0817 dan40016

      Posted

      Oh really? I never knew that. Very interesting! I will have to look into that, thank you for the info!
  • lana56327
    lana56327 kelsey0817

    Posted

    My hearing aid does help the tinnitus.  I don't notice it much when wearing the hearing aid unless I stop and think about it.  My audiologist told me that in his experience, about half of Meniere's patients find the hearing aids help the tinnitus.  It also helps with my hearing, of course.  My tinnitus is like an electronic hum and is very noticeable to me when things are quiet.  The hearing aid seems to block it.

    • Bluesmann
      Bluesmann lana56327

      Posted

      Good to know what type of hearing aid of I may ask I know there are so many different ones I had a friend try the one the screws into the skull with success but said it picks up sound from the left side and delivers it to your good ear so he did not like it

      Thanks

    • lana56327
      lana56327 Bluesmann

      Posted

      I have an over the ear type made by Resound.  My audiologist can adjust it via his computer to decrease/increase background noise etc.  I know they make some specifically for tinnitus, but I needed help hearing so I got the regular one that helps with that.  But it also helps with the tinnitus.  My hearing aid has a dome that fits in the ear canal and a thin plastic tube connects it to the device right behind my ear.
    • Bluesmann
      Bluesmann lana56327

      Posted

      Interesting. At times I put a foam earplug in and it seems to make my good ear more clear

      Is your hearing aid able to tweak certain frequencies or just a straight up hearing aid? I'm not that familiar with them but have been doing some reading

  • angela79369
    angela79369 kelsey0817

    Posted

    My ENT said that betahistine will help with reducing the tinnitus. Im on 32mg x3 a day. It still flares up louder for weeks on end then quietens a bit. Im thinking that your new baby might be quite loud on occasions? In my opinion and experience, this increases tinnitus and menieres symptoms. If you can get some ear muffs/defenders to help lower the amount of loud sound you're getting, not ear plugs. Hopefully your loud tinnitus will reduce, in my experience with this disease it fluctuates from 'i can ignore it' , to 'downright annoying' to 'getting worried a spin is on its way'. Ive mentioned on here before about a book 'self help for menieres' by 'Meniere Man. It helped me to understand what's going on in my ear and knowing the warning signs of a spin. I can't answer about hearing aids but I'm interested in seeing the answers you get. Best of luck.

    • kelsey0817
      kelsey0817 angela79369

      Posted

      She is actually a very quiet baby for the most part thankfully! I will definitely look into the book, thank you so much for the suggestion!
  • dymond
    dymond kelsey0817

    Posted

    HUN IM NOT SURE ABOUT ANY AIDS.ALL I CAN SAY ITS BEEN HELL SINCE JUNE I HAVE AN EPISODE EVERY DAY AN BLURRED VISION
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