How I Fixed It

This is my success story:

It was four years ago that I got tinnitus from an ototoxic medicine. At first, it wasn’t much of an “eeeee…eeee”, and I could tolerate it. But eventually it became a major issue when I got a sinus infection. Then it became much louder. I couldn’t bare it, finding it almost impossible to sleep.

In desperation, I saw a psychiatrist, who prescribed me a drug called “Remeron”. This drug is great for sleep. I love it and still take it.

At first I went through a learning phase, trying to understand and fix my tinnitus. I joined the ATA. I read books by Jastreboff and Hazell. Then I found Tinnitus Talk, which served as a great resource for learning news about tinnitus and sharing experiences. Eventually, after about 500+ posts, I decided I was done with that and I stopped visiting this website.

I'm just dropping by today, because I'd like to share my story. Habituation isn’t my “success story” – I never quite got to that point. Tinnitus certainly became less and less an issue with time. But after 4 years the buzzing still bugged me. Logically, I understood tinnitus is non-threatening, and I thought I understood the psychology of habituation. But somehow it wasn’t quite happening for me.

I am happy to say that wearing hearing aids has given me relief from tinnitus. I had read that perhaps 90% of people who have tinnitus can find some relief by wearing hearing aids. I have two Widex Dreams, which are for people with slight hearing loss. But what works best for me is to wear only one hearing aid in the ear that has tinnitus. When I take it out, the buzz comes back,….but I’m so used to it, it’s only mildly annoying.

It's been really that simple for me:
Hearing Loss -> Tinnitus
Hearing Loss + Hearing Aid = No Hearing Loss -> Less Tinnitus

I love this little hearing aid!

 

Hi Karl,
Good to know that your hearing aid helps u to mask ur T. I too use Widex dream in-canal hearing aid in my right ear but it's useless bcoz I can still hear my T loud even while wearing it. Such loud and extreme is my T. Infact when I wear it in right ear I feel that T is finding its way out of left ear. Don't see any sort of habituation coming my way.

 

@Karl - Your tinnitus was constant, meaning always the same volume and basically the same sound? I think people with that kind of tinnitus probably can be helped with hearing aids. But when your tinnitus can be mild one day and screaming for the next four days, then moderate for a day or two, then screaming, then mild, and who knows what it will be the next day, absolutely no predictable pattern, and with several different sounds that take turns being dominant, I don't think a hearing aid will help us.

Glad you made it to the light, though. Congrats!