Tinnitus Worse with Oticon More 1 Hearing Aids

I have had noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears since 2012. The tinnitus is loud and multi tonal.

I have severe hearing loss in one ear and I’m trialing Oticon More 1 hearing aids in both ears with the BiCROS system. My tinnitus is louder with the hearing aids in and I’ve tired them at the lowest amplification for three weeks and it was still louder.

Does this mean hearing aids won’t help me or do I need to try them for longer?

I’m 22 and sad that I have to deal with this for the rest of my life.

 

You have had noise-induced tinnitus for quite some time @Ulaid. Using hearing aids with this type of tinnitus for the first time requires the right approach, otherwise there is the risk of irritating the auditory system and therefore, they should be introduced slowly to help prevent this.

Your tinnitus started in 2012. If you were fitted with hearing aids then and have worn them for many years, I will assume the problem you are now experiencing, has only occurred since upgrading to the new Oticon hearing aids that use the BiCROS system?

Whilst the BiCROS system seems to be a good idea and will probably be helpful to a lot of people, including those that have noise-induced tinnitus with hearing loss, I think the best approach is to return to basics as if you were wearing hearing aids for the first time. The reason being your better ear is now being supplied with more sound amplification and hence, this could be the reason you are experiencing an increase in your tinnitus.

I always advise people that have noise-induced tinnitus with hearing loss to introduce hearing aid(s) slowly. Those that don't have hearing loss and want to use white noise generators the same applies.

Select the lowest amplification on the Oticon hearing aids and wear them for just one or two hours, then take them off for the same duration. After the elapsed time put them on again for another 1 or 2 hours. Do this throughout the day. If you notice any increase in the tinnitus, reduce the wearing time perhaps to 1 hour or as little as 30 minutes at a time and see how you get on. Try this for one week.

The idea is to slowly increase the wearing time so the least amount of irritation is caused to the tinnitus. Experiment and see what works best for you. If you still find that you cannot cope with the hearing aids, then it's possible they aren't right for you and you probably will have to go back to your original hearing aids that you have been using.

Best of luck,
Michael

 

Thank you for your response, I haven’t been wearing hearing aids at all unfortunately. This is the first time.

So I should start with 1-2 hours for some weeks and then increase to all day? And what if I still struggle after months of this? Do you think my tinnitus will react to all hearing aids? And if so, what should I do because my EMT doctor said I have to live with this but my hearing is so poor on my right side?

Thanks for replying. It means a lot. I also use sound enrichment with a white noise machine on a low volume.

 

In order to try and help you, please provide some more information. Since 2012 you have had noise-induced tinnitus with hearing loss. I am surprised that you haven't been wearing hearing aids all this time. Back then I will assume that you had tests at ENT which revealed you were hearing impaired. Were you ever referred to an audiologist and advised to wear hearing aids to improve the hearing loss?

Noise-induced tinnitus usually improves with time. Since you now have severe hearing loss in one ear, is this caused by an underlying medical problem within that ear, or has your hearing just got worse over time?

Over the years have you regularly been using headphones, earbuds or headsets? This is important because anyone that has noise-induced tinnitus risks making it worse by using these devices. Not everyone will be affected but many are. If you have been using headphones or earbuds, and your increased hearing loss isn't caused by an underlying medical condition, it's possible the use of headphones or earbuds made your hearing worse.

People that have noise-induced tinnitus often experience some oversensitivity to sound, which is also known as hyperacusis. This can improve by itself over time, or in severe cases treatment is required with the help of white noise generators and counselling with an audiologist.

Are you oversensitive to sound? Does your tinnitus spike? If your tinnitus spikes, this is usually an indication that hyperacusis is present and needs to be treated. Therefore, introducing hearing aids to an auditory system that is oversensitive, whether one is using conventional hearing aids or using BiCROS system, can be problematic because the underlying problem which is having (hyperacusis) oversensitivity to sound needs to be treated.

If you are oversensitive to sound or certain sounds (without using the hearing aids) or experiencing spikes in your tinnitus, my advice is to see an audiologist to get this treated. Please click on the link below and read my post: Hyperacusis, As I See It. It explains oversensitivity to sound in more detail.

All the best,
Michael

Hyperacusis, As I See It | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

It will still be awhile, but hopefully some of the treatments in the research section will make it through trials and be released. Ideally some will help with tinnitus and some will help with hearing loss or both. So you may not have to deal with this for the rest of your life, or at least in the capacity you do now.

 

If you are on a 30-day trial period, during which time you can return them, you should think carefully lest you miss the return window. If that doesn't apply or you would keep them anyway, then it's a matter of getting used to them.

I have read that the Oticon More 1 has a tinnitus mode: a white-noise generator, or maybe even various possible sounds meant to work with tinnitus. If it is possible to turn off the hearing aid function and just use the white noise function then you might try that, and set the sound level to just perceptible. Wear them like that for a month, then very gradually increase the sound just a bit for a few more weeks. If that goes well, then try the hearing-aid function on a very low amplification level to see how that goes.

I don't have experience with hearing aids yet, but I have some experience with a sound generator which initially caused an intolerable increase in my tinnitus even though I was using them for only about 15 minutes a day. I couldn't continue for more that 5 days before I had to stop for a few days (4 times.) Later, I started using them again at a level that was just perceptible, and I could use them all day long, day after day. So, a gradual introduction can make all the difference on how well you can tolerate them.

 

Widex & Oticons failed for me. I have an appointment on Friday for potentially trialing Phonak for 2 months. Plenty of time to see if it will help...

 

Thank you all for replying. I’m wearing the hearing aids at the lowest setting and will slowly increase it. I really appreciate people responding.

 

Good luck, seriously! I am for anyone who can get help in any way!

 

I suggest wearing the hearing aids for 1 to 2 hours, then take them off for the same duration. See how you feel. Then put them on for another 1 to 2 hours. Do this throughout the first week or 2 weeks. If everything is fine. On the third week slightly increase the volume and wear the hearing aids for 3 hours, take them off for 1 or 2 hours, then put them back on. Do this throughout the day as before and for the the rest of the week.

The 4th week, see how you feel and if everything is fine increase the volume again and try wearing the hearing aids for 3 to 4 hours and see how you feel. Take them off for 1 or 2 hours then put them back on. Continue as before but try experimenting to see what's right for you.

I suggest using just the hearing aids first and turn the white noise off the hearing aid. The idea is to slowly get your ears used to using the hearing aids.

Since this is the first time you are using hearing aids and you have had noise induced tinnitus for a number of years, they need to be introduced gradually to your auditory system. If you have hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound), this indicates that it needs to be treated. The hearing aids could reduce the hyperacusis but there is no guarantee and therefore, as I have previously mentioned hyperacusis will need to be treated either by self help or seeing an audiologist.

Unless the hyperacusis is treated, the risks of the tinnitus spiking and being oversensitive to sound could become an ongoing problem.

Michael

 

Thank you Michael. I will do as advised.

 

Best of luck @Ulaid. This takes time and you might experience oversensitivity to sound and spikes. Take a break if you must but keep on trying,

Go to my started threads, print and read the following articles that will help to instil and reinforce positive thinking: The Habituation Process, How to Habituate to Tinnitus, Tinnitus and the Negative Mindset, Acquiring a Positive Mindset, Will My Tinnitus Get Worse? From Darkness into Light, Tinnitus, A Personal View.