Post Your Experience with Earplug or Hearing Aid Molding?

Many members of this forum have been fitted with custom earplugs and hearing aids. As the title says - has anyone in this forum ever experienced any issues during/after the molding process with an audiologist?

I recently underwent vestibular testing and was so uneasy when the audiologist was swabbing my ear canals with the abrasive skin prep gel and shoving gold-plated electrodes in. To anyone reading who's worried about similar testing, I think it was just a case of this particular clinician being a little rough - her colleague helped her out with one of the electrodes at one point and was so much gentler. Don't be like me, just vocalize your discomfort! Until it comes to caloric testing, then we just grin and bear it... I ended up with some irritation and pain for a few days, but no real harm done as far as I can tell.

Of course that's a fully different process than getting custom molds made, but I'm a little apprehensive of anyone getting in my ears regardless, even a professional - or especially a professional, I haven't had the greatest time with them this year. It's probably just my paranoia, I even get a little anxious about water running in my ears in the shower. Pre-tinnitus me would have a good laugh at that.

Anyways, I'd love to hear anyone's experiences with it, good, bad or uneventful.

 

I got my custom molded earplugs about a year ago now. If I remember correctly, the molding process didn't have much more sound than the swelling and removal of regular foam earplugs. This is of course only my personal experience and might differ from anyone else's.

I have been using mine regularly (weekly, sometimes daily) since I got them. Well worth the price in my opinion!

 

I got custom Westones about 3 months ago. The molding did make my tinnitus spike, I feel like the putty was stuck to my eardrums or something. It did subside after about a week.

Well worth it as the customs have made my life so much better. They pop in and out easily and I'm still able to understand everyone. I don't know how I survived without them.

 

I've had the molding done twice and it's very quiet. The second time I specifically asked her to make the molds as deep as possible to minimize the occlusion effect so she put the little foam stopper pretty deep and it was painful so she pulled back. That side was a bit irritated for a day or two but that's it. No spike in tinnitus or anything.

I'd like to hear other people's opinions on this, but I would ask about getting molds done with a bite block (holds your mouth open) because I felt like mine didn't have the greatest seal and were made without.

One audiologist wanted me to smile, talk, etc while the mold was setting to make a better fit but I thought that was wonky and asked for them to be redone. To me it makes more sense to have the earplugs take up as much volume as possible (which is generally what you get with a bite block). I'd rather sacrifice a bit of comfort for more protection. Would love to hear other people's thoughts on that.