Got Hearing Aids, Experienced the Sound of Silence

I had made a writing on an earache had come from nowhere. Not once but twice in less than two months, the infection in the right ear same ear as tinnitus, the combination had me climbing the walls. So I made an appointment with an audiologist to find how much hearing loss I had acquired since the ear infection. A loss of 20 percent.

The audiologist suggested hearing aids, ok, but will they actually help?? You can try them, we offer full money return.

Ok, so how much are they?

2000 euros (falls over backwards banging head). So I had to wait 2 weeks to have my right ear checked again due to a residue from ear drops. In the meantime searching for 2000 euros.

Next trip back my ear was good so they fit the aids, tuned them to my hearing. Whilst sitting there the audiologist asked if I could hear my tinnitus. Strangely I couldn't until she asked. But it was very faint. After leaving and handing over the 2000 euros I went home. That evening I couldn't hear the ringing hissing tinnitus. When I finally removed the aids the silence was, "what the hell, it's very very quiet."

Five days later still silent. But not today, the damn ringing is back, although it's there, it's very faint.

Why? I ask.

 

I'm no expert but from what I've read they tune them to be enhanced at the frequency you've lost/where your tinnitus is and then your brain is happy.

 

Well my brain hadn't been happy for 2 years with the tinnitus so the aids have helped I've to listen for the ringing which I'm trying to avoid

 

I think this goes with the phantom limb theory.
Your brain created a sound to replace the lost frequency, but now that it's back, it's not making it up.

I am very happy for you! Just one minute of silence is a relieve for me so I can't even imagine days of it haha.

I hope you will get even better and enjoy total silence soon.

 

Thanks but now this morning I can hear the ringing woke up to stuffed up head. The ringing is there and not faint

 

Hang in there. Any kind of progress is good.

 

Hearing aids seem to help me today. I was miserable with static, especially my left ear. I turn them way up at first and then back them off later. I even operated a tractor for a short while.

Of course hair cell regeneration would be the best but until then???

 

Hi, how are you doing these days? Are the hearing aids still helping?

 

They are helping because after the 2nd month the audiologist installed an app with white noise so on days that the tinnitus becomes too loud I click on the white noise and forget about the tinnitus. A good investment.

 

That’s great, and when you’re not using the masker, would you say that the hearing aids have caused your tinnitus to drop in volume when you have them in?

 

I would say the volume of the ringing has dropped to where it's very quiet. But I've had it go up one time from consuming massive quantities of whiskey.

 

@Elmer B Fuddled
Do you know what pitch your tinnitus and hearing loss is at?

 

My hearing tests showed that high frequency I couldn't hear. At that time the tinnitus was at a 5/10 a week later I went back for another test as the tinnitus was much quieter and the same result hearing loss at high frequency my hearing had become more serious because of 2 ear infections that took a considerable amount of time to heal, plus the doctor not noticing anything wrong with the ear.

The hearing aids have given me a better outlook and being able to use the masking app has proven to be very helpful. It's now 3 days of silence, plus no whiskey, damn it.