Masker — Making Tinnitus Worse?

[Emmi]

Hello guys,

I have a masking device (those little hearing aids with a hissing noise) since a few months, but stopped using it because it made my T worse, which I found very weird since it was only adjusted at 5db.. so really not loud enough to cause any damage, but still my T was definitively worse while I was using it (I could hear it in the kitchen, usually I can't do that because of a loud fridge and other electric devices)

now my father thought that we could try it again with the masker having the same frequency as my T (around 9,5khz), so that my brain would kind of think that this tone is now generated and that it does not have to do that anymore (so that the T stops).. i think that is kind of the theory behind residual inhibition?!

So, I wanted to ask if anyone had made the same experience with their T getting louder after using the masker? And if so, is that maybe only initially and many people stop using it because of that? Do you think if the frequency of the masker is the same as of the T that it could result in resolving the T?

Sorry this was super crappy English, I hope you could understand what I wanted to say.

THANK YOU
Emmi

 

[glynis]

Hi Emmi,
You could have reactive tinnitus so reacts to sound that might be irritated by white noise maskers.
Some people do benifit from them as I did but now wear duel purpose hearing aids.
Maskers are best put in your ear first thing set below your tinnitus and not to adjust them again all day.
Your brain will focus on the lower masker sound to help your brains natural filter not to hear your tinnitus and see it as a threat and push your tinnitus to the back ground so over time when you don't wear them you won't be bothers by your t sound.
......lots of love glynis

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Emmi maskers are now called white noise generators as tinnitus shouldn't be masked, which means to use a sound to cover up the tinnitus. Providing white noise generators are adjusted correctly, they shoudn't irritate the auditory system. The wngs volume should be set just below the tinnitus. If your tinnitus is made worse using them, in my opinion the wngs are not correctly adjusted. There is also the possibility you have hyperacusis and if that isn't treated the tinnitus will remain a problem. The best course action is to be seen by a hearing therapist.

 

[JasonP]

Hello guys,

I have a masking device (those little hearing aids with a hissing noise) since a few months, but stopped using it because it made my T worse, which I found very weird since it was only adjusted at 5db.. so really not loud enough to cause any damage, but still my T was definitively worse while I was using it (I could hear it in the kitchen, usually I can't do that because of a loud fridge and other electric devices)

now my father thought that we could try it again with the masker having the same frequency as my T (around 9,5khz), so that my brain would kind of think that this tone is now generated and that it does not have to do that anymore (so that the T stops).. i think that is kind of the theory behind residual inhibition?!

So, I wanted to ask if anyone had made the same experience with their T getting louder after using the masker? And if so, is that maybe only initially and many people stop using it because of that? Do you think if the frequency of the masker is the same as of the T that it could result in resolving the T?

Sorry this was super crappy English, I hope you could understand what I wanted to say.

THANK YOU
Emmi

Hey Emmi, my maskers can do that too. I think you should try the wide band hearing aids that go up to 12khz and see what happens...hang in there.