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sleeplessinftwayne

Too much noise!!

sleeplessinftwayne
14 years ago

My Tinnitus has been getting much worse lately and DH gets a bit out of patience when he is asked to repeat himself. It has taken a long time for him to get that I am not joking about not being able to hear him over the noise. He has been a lot better about it recently and suggested I see an audiologist.

I went to the one listed by my insurance provider. The upshot was I can't get rid of Tinnitus but it can be masked with digital hearing aids. That wouldn't work at night so I would still need something to mask noise when I try to sleep. I am leaning to the type of intercom that can be plugged in outside (beside the pond) and also plugged in in the bedroom and the sound of the water fall would come over the electrical lines. Recordings are too much like recordings and just annoy me. Have you done something like this? Any suggestions?

I am leaning toward one of the newer Digital types of hearing aids that fit behind the ear with a transparent stem that carries the sound in to the ear. With a different haircut it would be almost invisible. There seem to be all sorts of hook-ups that make it attractive, like blue tooth, I-pod, Digital television, Digital telephone, remote controls, memory for types of sound to block out, etc., but there are more basic units that are less expensive and don't have the option of those types of hook-ups.

Do any of you have Tinnitus? How do you deal with it? Do you have a hearing aid that helps reduce the noise? What does it do? I'm so tired of reading lips. Does it require an Audiologist to set it up for you? Do you have the kind that lets you replace the mic with a stronger mic as you age?I would be interested in hearing (bad pun,I know)about your experiences, both positive and negative.

Comments (4)

  • annedickinson
    14 years ago

    I have tinnitis and here are some things I've learned. Some things I've tried and some I haven't but I thought I'd toss them all into the pot.

    Include Vit B3 and Ginkgo Biloba - however check with a Dr regarding these as they can be harmful for some people.

    Cut out Caffeine and Quinine as both stimulate blood vessels in ears.

    Incude soy daily (this has made a big difference for me)

    Put one heating pad on hands and one on feet at the same time.

    Bio-feedback training!!! This also worked wonderfully for me.

    I still have tinnitus, but I don't usually notice it any more. It's there but my mind has been trained to not "hear" it.

    If I am really tired or upset I notice it. I am even drinking a bit of coffee now with no negative side effects that I'm aware of.

    Good luck.
    Anne

  • hardin
    14 years ago

    I don't have Tinnitus, but I do wear a hearing aid and have since I was 4. One of the best makers of hearing aids is Phonak. I have had 2 of them, the first lasted me 17 years, and when it died on me, I chose Phonak again, but this time I got a digital. It is awesome. The great thing about digitals, is they can be programmed to your specific hearing loss, as far as volume and tones. I have a hard time hearing the 'high notes' so to speak. I went with a stronger aid so that as I lose more hearing I can adjust the 'strength' and be able to keep using the same one. The cost of them can vary depending on the different models they make. You can even get them in colors too. When I was younger I never wore ponytails because I didn't want any of the kids to make fun of me. Now I don't really care, and I ordered one in PINK. :)

    They do have to be programmed by the audilogist, but it is very simple and doesn't take long. You can go back and have it readjusted if needed. Sometimes it takes a while to adjust to wearing one, and learning to notice the differences in tones. The type I wear is the BTE (behind the ear) where the mold goes into my ear, and the rest fits behind my ear attached by the clear tube. They are SO much smaller than they used to be. You should have seen my first one, it was HUGE and there was no hiding that one.

    Good luck, Vickie

  • catherinet
    14 years ago

    Sandy, have you seen an ENT who specializes in tinnitus?
    Are you on any meds that might cause it?
    I have pulsatile tinnitus. That means I can take my pulse by just looking at my watch. I hear my pulse all the time.
    I had regular tinnitus alot after I had a bad case of the flu and pneumonia.
    The pulsatile tinnitus started up about 3 years ago. It drove me crazy. But after I had special MRIs to make sure there wasn't anything funky in my brain vessels, I'm able to tolerate it more.
    It does seem to get worse when I eat too much salt.
    My ENT did say that tinnitus usually presents itself when you are starting to lose some of your hearing, and it helps to get a hearing aid.
    I told him "If I just didn't have this buzzing in my ear, I'd be able to hear better." and he said many people who are beginning to lose some of their hearing say that about tinnitus.
    Oh....he also said that if it got worse, he would recommend being checked for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
    That's when you have too much fluid around your brain, even though it doesn't increase the pressure in the brain.
    Do you have any balance problems?
    I think if I were you, I'd see a tinnitus specialist, and make sure you don't have any vascular problem causing it.
    Sorry I can't recommend any certain hearing aid.
    Good luck to you. Buzzing/ringing in the ears is a real pain!

  • sleeplessinftwayne
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I can't remember when I didn't have tinnitis. I always assumed everyone else heard the same things I was hearing. I didn't recognize it as unusual until I read a description of it somewhere. Then it was 'Is that the reason I have a hard time understanding people on the phone?' and why I can never understand recorded voices. It might explain why I would be concentrating on something so hard I didn't hear what someone was saying to me. One of the odd things about my hearing is that I can understand what is said in another room but not close by.

    I've put off getting the hearing aids for now. I'm trying to see if any of my meds are causing it. No results at the moment although it seems allergies make it worse. Does anyone know what else can cause it? Giving up coffee would be horrible.

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