Hyperacusis and Hearing Aids

I read a post recently that referenced some improvement in hyperacusis using hearing aids. I have mild hearing loss consistent with age, worse on the left, and 100% word recognition scores. An audiologist suggested giving me “a touch” of amplification and acknowledged that this approach is counterintuitive because I am already hearing sounds as too loud.

I also have tinnitus, worse on my left side. I am concerned about aggravating the tinnitus and hyperacusis using amplification. If the brain is turning the volume knob up to compensate for my mild hearing loss, perhaps a touch of amplification might help?

My tinnitus seems to worsen with exposure to everyday, normal sounds which also concerns me using amplification. Thank you in advance.

 

Your audiologist has the right idea for you to use hearing aid(s) since you do have hearing loss. They will help to treat the tinnitus and hyperacusis to some degree but should be introduced slowly to your ears and auditory system to cause the least amount of irritation.

In my opinion wearing hearing aid(s) with white noise fitted would be better for treating the tinnitus and particularly the hyperacusis. These devices are available but it's important the white noise can be adjusted via a volume control by you, the user and not pre-set by your audiologist, as this can cause irritation and could spike the tinnitus and aggravate the hyperacusis.

One of the best ways to treat hyperacusis is to introduce sound enrichment to help desensitise the oversensitivity to sound.

Therefore, your audiologist is on the right track but my suggestions of using dual purpose hearing aid(s) with white noise would be better for treating both the tinnitus and hyperacusis.

I wish you well,
Michael

 

Thank you for the response. I believe that you previously indicated in a previous post that amplification might not be a good idea but I would have to find the old post and look at the context. I am using above the ear sound generators now and some believe that the fact that my hearing loss is only minor coupled with the hyperacusis means that amplification would not be advisable.

 

@Athens, you can still use hearing aids, but they have to be adjusted accordingly due to your hyperacusis. In other words, minimal amplification in the beginning, and of course only where you actually need the amplification. And the amplification can potentially be adjusted later on once your hyperacusis, hopefully, eases.

That's my personal experience with it.

 

I don't quite understand what you mean by amplification so please explain. As I have already mentioned, one of the best ways to treat hyperacusis is using sound enrichment by wearing white noise sound generators that are specifically meant for the purpose. The white noise can be incorporated into hearing aid(s). These units are known as dual purpose. The white noise and hearing aids can operate individually or together. The volume of the white noise should be kept below the tinnitus and not gradually increased as some audiologists advise patients.

They believe in treating the hyperacusis first by slowly increasing the white noise but unfortunately, this often aggravates the hyperacusis and tinnitus. I was not taught this method by my hearing therapist. I was advised to always keep the white noise below the tinnitus and not to increase it. I found it worked for me and my hyperacusis was completely cured in two years. People have contacted me who have been advised by their audiologist to gradually increase the white noise as mentioned above to treat the hyperacusis. They have found it makes their hyperacusis and tinnitus worse.

However, when they have tried method of setting the white noise below the tinnitus they find this preferable as it doesn't make the hyperacusis and tinnitus worse. Please go to my started threads and read the posts mentioned below. They explain how to treat hyperacusis and tinnitus and how to use white noise generators with or without hearing aids. They should be introduced slowly.

Hyperacusis, as I See It. What Is TRT and When Should It Be Started? TRT, as I See It. Answers to Hyperacusis and Habituation.

Michael

 

By “amplification,” I am referencing using hearing aids that will amplify sounds for folks with hearing loss rather than wearing low tech sound generators that do not amplify sounds but just have pink or white noise. The concern that I have is that I am already hearing sounds as too loud and, therefore, the hearing aids will amplify sounds even more and might cause an aggravation of the hyperacusis and tinnitus. She was only going to give me “a touch” of amplification given that I only have mild hearing loss and also have hyperacusis.

I am currently using above the ear sound generators and listening to pink noise. I have been directed to set it at 6 dB (at least) and I struggle with setting them correctly. It is my understanding that setting them too low may also adversely impact these conditions. The audiologist that I am currently working with is different from the one who recommended amplification with hearing aids. I am working remotely with my current audiologist.

 

Have you used hearing aids for hyperacusis?

 

@Athens, yes I use hearing aids with sound therapy, lowest possible amplification for my moderate hearing loss, for a minimum of 4 hours every day. Signia.

I use them usually one when I'm home and resting, or at my office which is quiet.

 

Thank you for the clarification. Follow the advice of your audiologist as it's best to have one teacher, otherwise you will be pushed into different directions and this is not helpful. Whether you are wearing dedicated white noise generators, standalone hearing aid(s) or combined hearing aids fitted with white noise generators, you should introduce them slowly to your ears and auditory system.

Wearing hearing aid(s) as your audiologist has advised I believe is the right thing to do. Unless hearing is at it's optimum your tinnitus will not reduce. The reason being hearing loss can make tinnitus worse. However, once it's corrected the tinnitus will reduce over time. Introduce the hearing aids slowly by wearing them for one or two hours then taking them off for the same duration, as mentioned in the posts that I have advised you to read. Set the volume/amplification of the hearing aid at a level that is comfortable for you.

All the best,
Michael

 

My current audiologist did not think it is advisable because my hearing loss was only minor and I have 100% word recognition scores. An earlier audiologist recommended the hearing aids for amplification and I am reconsidering it because I am not improving at all after just over six (6) months of sound therapy.

 

How long have you had hyperacusis?

 

Has this improved your hyperacusis?

I read recently another member here saw marked improvement from hearing aids. That will be my next step in treatment if I’m still struggling with this by June.

 

@Athens, around 26 months.

@chinup, for me I believe it does, yes. I am usually more ear fatigued in the evenings, and the hearing aid gives me a little bit of amplification needed in the frequencies I have hearing loss at + pink noise in the ear (below the level of tinnitus).

My hearing aids are adjusted in correlation to the sound sensitivity.

 

I'm not very familiar with hearing aid technology, but know a bit about audio through music production. It seems to me that hyperacusis sufferers with (relatively) normal hearing could benefit from a device (hearing aid, electronic earplug) that would let lower volume sound through unaffected, while toning down higher dB sounds through compression/audio limiting. I wonder if some hearing aids can be programmed to do that?

The closest thing I could find to my idea, OTC, are these 3M Peltor EEP electronic earplugs. Unfortunately, they amplify lower sound and have a set decibel limit to 82 dB, which is too high for most hyperacusis sufferers.

3M™ PELTOR™ Electronic Earplug, EEP-100

Us hyperacusis sufferers are obviously a small group, but I'm thinking it could be relatively simple for someone to develop such a device and thus make a profit. Maybe that could be something to pitch to a company / research audiologist?

I guess the "hyperacusis device" trialled at the University of Miami resembles my idea. I wonder what happened to it.

Hyperacusis Device Holds Promise

EDIT:

I've kept researching on active earplugs / sound reduction earbuds and came across these from Etymotic:

Etymotic - Music Pro Elite

Has anyone tried them? Once again, they sound interesting for tinnitus/hyperacusis sufferers, but would be even better if the volume threshold for reduction could be adjusted. Surely that would be possible for someone to develop?

 

My ENT said just the opposite: amplification is not recommended, since it will worsen your hyperacusis and will not add any extra functionality to your hearing, since you already have perfect word recognition scores.