Where to Buy Wearable White Noise Sound Generators?

I would like to start TRT as ordered by audiologist, but no information was given to me where can I buy a wearable white noise sound generators.

I am pretty lost and don't even know where to look for them.

Maybe there is some possibility for shipping overseas?

On the photo I've uploaded there is a pair which was given to me to try out, but I know neither the name nor the company that produces such.

 

I'd just get wireless earbuds and use your phone.

 

Looks awful. And how much they want for this miracle of science?

 

Contact Michael Leigh, he knows a lot about such things and about ear problems in general, and is very helpful.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/members/michael-leigh.3134/

 

Thank you for your kind comments @Irish and for advising @Pawel to contact me and I will try to help. I have had TRT twice, the full treatment and not a scaled down version of it.

HI @Pawel

I want to make you aware that TRT follows a strict protocol and needs to be administered correctly for a person/patient to gain maximum benefit from it. By the sound of things, the advice that your Audiologist has given you makes me believe you are starting out completely on the wrong footing. Firstly, if your Audiologist is going to be treating you with TRT then he/she should be able to advise where to purchase the white noise generators.

There are two parts to TRT. Counselling and the wearing of two white noise generators and using a sound machine at night by your bedside. Please note: Some people believe white noise produced through a phone or other device and played through headphones, earbuds is the same as white noise played through white noise generators. Let me assure you this is not the case. White noise played through earbuds or headphones sounds crude and abrasive compared to white noise generators, which are intended for this purpose. I have used white noise generators for many years and continue to do so. The sound is smooth and regulated and doesn't cause irritation to the auditory system which cannot always be said for white noise played through headphones or earbuds.

Please read the posts below and I hope they will be of some help. I will paste a website link at the bottom of the page, giving information where white noise generators can be purchased in the UK.

All the best
Michael

What is TRT and when should it be started?

I have talked about TRT in many of my posts. One tinnitus talk member recently told me that I have mentioned it no less than twenty five times. He went on to ask, am I an Audiologist promoting my practice in this forum purely for business purposes? Another member was quite disgruntled and told me to stop mentioning it because where he lives the treatment is expensive and can’t afford it. It just goes to show one never knows what is going on behind the scenes when you think no one is watching.

I understand and empathise with people that are unable to afford this treatment or any other to help one’s health but don’t feel this is a good enough reason for me to stop mention it when I believe it can help, having had TRT twice in the 20 years that I’ve had tinnitus. I am not an Audiologist. I just consider myself like many others at tinnitus talk, who want to help people that are having a difficult time coping with this condition, as I was once helped many years go when I first got tinnitus.

Some people have been sending me private messages asking if TRT cures tinnitus? A member mentioned having two sessions with their Audiologist and was shown some slides, and told that anxiety can make tinnitus louder. Understandably this person wasn’t sure if this was TRT, and then asked if it’s something they could do on their own? As I have mentioned I have had TRT twice and I also have the Tinnitus Retraining Therapy book, written by Professor Pawel Jastreboff and Jonathon Hazell. It is available at Amazon should anyone wish to purchase it.

It is the reference book that Hearing Therapists and Audiologists follow when practicing TRT with their tinnitus patients. There are two parts to the treatment. Counselling and sound therapy. Sound therapy is supplied by wearing two white noise generators and then using a “sound machine “ at night by the bedside for sound enrichment. If hyperacusis is present the sound therapy will also treat it. Throughout the TRT book there is no mention that this treatment cures tinnitus. TRT or Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, is what it implies: Through regular counselling sessions there is a gradual retraining of the way a person thinks about tinnitus and to treat it as non life threatening.

At first the therapist discusses with the patient how the tinnitus makes them feel and how it has impacted on their life. Often people say they have lost interest in the things they once liked doing, which is perfectly understandable. The main goal here is to gradually help them look at life differently and with a more positive outlook. Over time the negative thinking that is often associated with tinnitus and hyperacusis is gradually dispelled and demystified.

The Hearing Therapist does this in a controlled and precise manner so that the patient feels relaxed and not pressured. In many instances the tinnitus is gradually pushed further into the background making it less prominent. Therefore, it must be stressed and understood, this treatment takes time. To complete a course of TRT takes approximately twelve to twenty four months and in some cases longer. The duration of each counselling session is left to the discretion of the Hearing Therapist. Typically, these can last up to one hour or more. The amount of appointments required will be different for each patient, but it is quality rather than the quantity of the counselling that really matters.

There are a few misconceptions about this treatment and the way it is administered that some people misunderstand which I want to address. If a patient is given one white noise generator to wear this is not TRT. When two wngs are issued and no tinnitus counselling is offered on a regular basis, it is not TRT. I am not saying that a patient will not gain any benefit from the above treatments; I only want to state they do not follow the proper Tinnitus retraining therapy protocol.

When should TRT be implemented or started?

The following is based on my own opinion and therefore is not professional medical advice. The onset of tinnitus can be quite an emotional roller coaster for a lot of people, and I believe a person needs time for this to settle. Many people habituate within the first 6 months to one year of the onset of tinnitus without any treatment. If a person just has tinnitus without any additional symptoms, such as dizziness, deafness or balance problelems. I think a period of six months should elapse before starting a long-term treatment such as TRT.


Someone recently asked me: What happens in TRT sessions?

I feel this question deserves an appropriate answer but I’m unable to do that in a few sentences so please bare with me. Whenever I mention TRT and the benefits that a person with tinnitus is likely to get from it, someone says to me: The treatment cost a lot of money and many can't afford it. One person even had the effrontery to ask me not to mention TRT in any of my posts because of its cost. Then I was asked if I’m an audiologist trying to promote my TRT business through tinnitus talk. For the record, I am not an audiologist nor do I work in the medical field.

It is unfortunate that many things in this world are only obtainable if a person is able to pay for them and this is especially sad when it includes healthcare. I was fortunate to have TRT treatment twice and live in the UK where we do not pay for our healthcare. However, TRT is not available at many UK hospitals - although there are usually alternative treatments and devices such as hearing aids and white noise generators that are given free that help tinnitus patients.

I believe the reason TRT is not more readily available here is due to its cost and the duration of the treatment. Therefore, if people in the UK want to try TRT and it's unavailable at a hospital where they live and they are unable to travel the distance to a hospital were it is available; their other option is a private tinnitus clinic which again cost a lot of money and will be comparable to other countries across the world.

If a person is referred to a hearing therapist for TRT (tinnitus retraining therapy) and they also have hyperaucusis (sensitivity to sound) that often accompanies exposure to loud noise, it will also be treated. TRT or tinnitus retraining therapy is exactly what it implies. It is a retraining of the mind or the way a person thinks about their tinnitus and the impact that it has on their life. In my opinion, ninety percent of how a person is able to cope and overcome tinnitus is in the mind and this is why tinnitus counseling is so important when the condition is severe.

A person’s emotions can be seriously affected and their ability to carry out everyday tasks. Things such as going to work, relaxing or to go for a leisurely walk can become very difficult. It can put immense pressure on a person’s relationship with their partner and friends because one feels no one understands what they are going through. Through regular counselling sessions with a Hearing Therapist trained in TRT, the patient learns not to look at their tinnitus as non-life threatening nor to be constantly afraid of it and to be monitoring every little change in its perception.

The Hearing Therapist does this in a controlled and precise manner so that the patient feels relaxed and not pressured. Over time the negative thinking that is often associated with tinnitus and hyperacusis is gradually dispelled and demystified. Therefore, it must be stressed and understood, this treatment takes time and is something that cannot be rushed.

The second part of the treatment requires the patient to wear two white noise generators for up to ten hours a day. They are first put on in the morning and the white noise set to just below the tinnitus, and then left alone. It can be tempting to turn up the volume when out on the street as traffic noise can make it difficult to hear them. Please don’t do this. Constantly adjusting the wngs volume will delay the habituation process. Over time the brain habituates to the white noise generators and pushes the tinnitus further into the background where it becomes less noticeable. This cannot be successfully achieved if the wngs is repeatedly adjusted throughout the day.

While the auditory system is being treated with white noise it is gradually being desensitised and treating the hyperacusis. White noise generators should not be used when going to sleep at night. When retiring one should use a sound machine by the bedside and the volume adjusted to a level just below the tinnitus. The sound machine should be set to play throughout the night until morning and this provides the brain and auditory system with sound enrichment.

To complete a course of TRT takes approximately twelve to twenty four months and in some cases longer. The duration of each counseling session is left to the discretion of the Hearing Therapist. Typically, these can last up to one hour or more. The amount of appointments required will be different for each patient, but it is quality rather than the quantity of the counseling that really matters.

There are a few misconceptions about TRT and the way it is administered that some people misunderstand which I want to address. If a patient is given one white noise generator to wear this is not TRT. When two wngs are issued and no tinnitus counseling is offered on a regular basis, it is not TRT. I am not saying that a patient will not gain any benefit from the above treatments; I only want to state they do not follow the proper Tinnitus retraining therapy protocol.

Post to a forum member

If you have been listening to white noise through headphones even at low volume this could be the reason your tinnitus has been getting worse. Since your tinnitus was originally caused by loud noise; providing there is no underlying medical condition making your tinnitus worse, the usual reason is "sound". Either using headphones (even at low volume) or being in an environment where sound is irritating your auditory system.

Many people think listening to white noise through headphones is just the same as using white noise generators. I assure it is not. I keep telling people this but those, that think they know better can't wait to voice their opinion saying I'm wrong. White noise played through headphones is unregulated and can irritate the auditory system even at low volume. I am not saying everyone will be adversely affected, but one takes a risk using this crude method of sound therapy.

HI Daniel R

I do not recommend you listen to white noise through any type of headphones including bone conduction headphones. I am very experienced in this area for I have had TRT twice, the full treatment and not a stripped down version of it. I have been wearing white noise generators for 22 years and have had various types. BTE (Behind The Ear) which closely resemble hearing hearing aid, and the smaller and more discrete In-ear type that fit in the entrance to the ear canal.

Despite what anyone in this forum might tell you or any Audiologist, Hearing Therapist says Daniel; playing white noise through headphones is not the same as when it is played through proper white noise generators that are designed for this specific purpose. White noise played through headphones sounds: crude, harsh and unregulated compared to white noise generators, which supply a smooth, gentle regulated sound into the ear canal and auditory system.

I know $3000 is a lot of money but the ear is a very delicate and sophisticated organ and needs to be treated with care. If you want the best from TRT, then I advise you to use the proper devices that are intended for this treatment. White noise generators have to be worn continuously for up to 10hrs a day. Headphones will look rather cumbersome in comparison and as I said, the white noise emitted from them is crude and harsh and you risk making your tinnitus spike or made worse. The white noise volume on headphones cannot be finely tuned/set like the volume on white noise generators, please trust me on this.

I wish you every success with TRT. When you start it I strongly advise you to keep away from tinnitus forums. If you do visit them I advise you not to mention to anyone that you are having this treatment. My reasons are explained in the post below, please click on the link.

Michael

http://www.puretoneretail.net/tinnitus.html

 

They look like analogue A &M or Bernafon tinnitus maskers (before the term "white noise generators" came into use)

What part of the world are you in?

 

Wow, perfect timing to read this information from Michael Leigh. I actually have an appointment coming up on February 14, 2019 at a hearing specialists to discuss white noise generators. Widex Zen program. I have noised induced tinnitus & hyperacusis for 6 months and looking forward to committing myself to this program IF it’s recommended. Thank you.

 

Wearing white noise generators alone is not usually enough @Cape crusader Unless you have regular counselling the WNG may not be effective in treating your tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Michael

 

Do you really, and honestly, think that listening to a little white noise plus "counselling" is going to cure hearing damage? Really?

 

Depending on the quality of the counselling, it can be extremely beneficial. I was lucky, where I went as I was connected with a very good tinnitus clinician who has been doing it for 20 years. It helped me greatly, and provided me with some good information that I wish I had known years previously.

 

For instance? What was the good information?

 

I'll just add to me original note, that she additionally gave me a lot of much needed support along with some beneficial information.

I list my original experience with the clinician in more detail in my original success story, which you can view here.

I'll just list some of it in point form:

- Helped give me information how H and T is closely tied to the limbic system in the brain. We went over different strategies for handling fear and anxiety around sound. Once I did this, I started to get better and my sensitivity went down. It was hugely beneficial.

- Gave me lots of information about different types and kinds of hearing protection, and when they would be needed. This is beneficial to me, as I sometimes work around a lot of different loud sound environments.

- Talked about how I can still listen to music - but not through headphones (I wish I knew and did it sooner).

- Connected me with a ENT within the hospital who could help keep my ears clean as I have issues with ear wax build up.

- Has given me lots of support through email, especially during those early days when I had questions.

- Helped get me connected with a couple TRT clinicians. One worked out well, but in the end I didn't end up needing the white noise devices after the trail period.

Those are just some of the highlights, and I am just speaking for myself. But I just wanted to show that there are beneficial and supportive T and H clinicians out there. I wish there was more.

 

It is this sort of negative thinking that will prevent you or anyone benefiting from using white noise generators and counselling TRT. TRT done properly works but having a defeatist attitude is an assured way that no form of tinnitus treatment will work for you.

It is for this reason I advise anyone having tinnitus treatment, to keep away from tinnitus forums and if they do, don't discus their treatment, as negative thinking people can prevent them from making improvement.

Michael

 

Whilst I agree with you, TRT should not prevent research to actually treating tinnitus rather than managing emotional responses to it. It’s a common condition with a high unmet need and progress should be made.

If the medical field was made up of folk like you, who highly praise TRT we would never get anywhere.

I like how you spend time supporting people, but pressure is building to treat this growing prevalent condition that causes a decreased quality of life.

 

Thank you for your kind comments.

I agree that TRT should not prevent research and I am not aware that it has. Tinnitus is a very common condition, that most people are able to live with without it impacting too much on their lives. When it becomes severe and debilitating it can seriously affect a person's quality of life and their mental and emotional wellbeing.

Although some people might not like what I'm about to say I believe it to be true. If a person is able to work, attend school, college, university etc then they do not have "seriously debilitating" tinnitus. This is not to say their tinnitus isn't troublesome, indeed it can be. But thankfully it hasn't reached the stage where it has incapacitated such a person where they cannot do every-day tasks.

The fact of the matter is this: Tinnitus is just one of many medical conditions for which there is no cure at present. It has been around for thousands of years and dates back to the Egyptians, when the first medical account of it was recorded. Fortunately, there are treatments available today that can help a person to have a better quality of life. Medication, counselling, sound therapy, hearing aids etc.

A lot depends on the individual and their outlook on life. When I developed tinnitus 23 years ago and was having a difficult time coping with it like many people do, I read a newspaper article that helped to change my outlook on life. It mentioned: 19 out of 20 medical conditions cannot be cured but most can be treated, to help a person have a better quality of life. It didn't happen overnight but from that day forward my attitude to tinnitus changed. Even when the tinnitus increased to insurmountable levels in 2008, I never lost my focus and determination. It took 4 years to habituate for the 2nd time but I done it with the help of positive thinking, TRT, medication and sound therapy.

Michael

 

@Michael Leigh,
It's true, my dad has tinnitus and can hear over driving/outside noises and is not bothered by it at all. If a treatment came out tomorrow, I can say with certainty he would not seek treatment and just go his day by day.

Myself, and I’m not new to tinnitus, have a completely different attitude. I keep up to date with research, and would pay in the thousands for a reduction or elimination of it.

2 people. Same conditions. Different emotional responses.

What’s kept me positive is the emerging field of research. I tend to approach with caution (things like Neuromod for example) but I have actually came to enjoy reading papers, science, theories.

At other times, I wish I was like my Dad.

 

Thanks @Juan for taking a small bit of hope I had with sound generators. Of course I’m not looking for a cure, but if they could give me a small bit of relief then I believe it’s worth a try. It’s called HOPE.

 

Thank you for telling that story @Paulmanlike . Like you said, two different people two different responses.

I’m always amazed how I’m the only one in my family that has T. My grandfather worked in a mine for 8 years with no hearing protection and hunted when he was younger and never protected his hearing. He’s got poor hearing now as a senior, but no T. The auditory system is a very funny thing.

I also enjoy reading the news research papers as well. One day I would like to get involved more, but I try and help how I can now. Especially as that’s the double edged sword, people learn to adapt to T and move on.

 

TRT, WNG, CBT etc are tag names, brands, for actions you can take just with common sense. You have to be around sound, but not around loud noise. That's the balance you have to strike.

If you just buy a couple of different headphones and try them out on the street you will find the one that is best for you (Bose, Grado, Beats, Bowers & Wilkins, Sennheiser.. there are lots of brands and models). You can just play white noise, music or whatever suits you best on the street to reduce the dynamic range with outer sounds. You can combine them with earplugs below if needed. You just have to find a combination that is best for you.

At home you can just have TV and white noise on a hi-fi equipment, on speakers.With very severe hyperacusis there will be sounds on TV that will be unbearable even at the lowest volume, and the background noise maybe can take the edge off the high pitch sounds maybe.

The best way to build your tolerance having extreme hyperacusis is being in nature without earplugs, just walk along the beach, or go to a park. That's the fastest way to recover, and it is uplifting to be in nature and outside home. One has to be exposed to normal situations, and sometimes there is going to be noise, but as long as it is not very loud, you will be ok. But on the contrary one does need hearing protection to walk through city traffic, as there will be fast and unexpected sounds that are very loud.

The things I read here by the TRT salesmen are just false. And I can tell you out of personal experience, it is not something I read on a book. I went to a TRT doctor, I went to counselling and all those things, having severe hyperacusis. After years I have carried on, worked a full time job bearing the pain, and I have tried to live a full life to the best of my possibilities.

But it angers me that some people are trying to scam people suffering from hyperacusis or tinnitus with false promises, and trying to charge them in some countries hefty amounts of money for just white noise and some little chat with a psychologist. This is NOT going to cure hyperacusis. It is like saying someone who needs knee surgery to go visit a psychologist and put cream on his knee. It is that sort of nonsense!

To sum up, see that I provided specific examples of what to do, and I can give you more detailed tips if you can explain situations that you find hard to deal with. Read through the posts of the TRT salesmen and try to find any specific advice about hyperacusis. There is none, because they are just salesmen.