Two years ago, I got a hearing aids for both ears and for the first year or so, everything was fine. Then one day while wearing only the left aid, I began to retch. I very quickly pulled out the hearing aid and the retching stopped. This then began to happen every month or so, then every week and then every few minutes after putting the aid into my ear. Now it is instantaneous - I put the aid in and retch immediately. This did not happen when only using the right aid.
Went to the audiologist who said that it was a medical matter and then to my doctor who after consulting colleagues drew a blank and therefore referred me to ENT. The problem became so bad that I’ve had to stop wearing the aid.
Meanwhile, the right aid developed a fault and after having it repaired, the instant I put it in, I bagan to retch and so I had to stop using that one also.
At my ENT appointment yesterday the consultant said that he had never heard of such a conditition, but was nevertheless able to reproduce the symptoms in both ears by simply inserting some sort of probe. The only solution that he could offer was another pair of HAs that do not have the moulded pieces which fit into the ears but he will also raise the matter with senior colleagues…
I cannot believe that I am the only person who has had this reaction to wearing a hearing aid and wonder if any of the contributers here have encountered a similar problem?
Sorry…No. I’ve never had a patient have this issue.
BUT, I think I might have a suggestion as to what is going on.
The auricular branch of the Vagus nerve runs through/close to the ear canal. This is what is stimulated if you stick a q-tip or any other implement into your ear and it makes you cough…it’s sometimes called the Arnold’s reflex. Some people have very sensitive reflexes, some have none. The Vagus nerve also provides nerves to the digestive system (stomach and intestine) as well as your heart and larynx. So, it’s possible that, for whatever reason, your reflex has gotten amplified somehow and now, instead of simply coughing or having a tickle in your throat, you gag/retch.
I don’t have a solution…but at least now you have a pretty good idea of what could be causing it.
Thank you for your input but I should have said that the consultant did raise the Arnolds issue but since there has never been the slightest indication of a cough, he dismissed the idea. I should also have said that on a number of occasions, usually when I was carrying a cup of coffee, I couldn’t get the HA out quick enough and consequently threw up.l
I don’t think the cough has to be a part of the reflex. When I was doing some reading, it said that some individuals had a gag response instead of the cough/tickle.
Just because it doesn’t fit with their expected response doesn’t mean that it isn’t the underlying cause.
In seldom cases, to plug eartip deep into the ear canal may cause upper back neck and shoulder pain (nerve in left ear canal may cause right upper back shoulder/neck pain, and nerve in right ear canal cause left side pain), I found this about 15 years ago when I was trying to develop the eartips for HA.
Perhaps you can give it a try, to purchase a pair of low cost full shell silicon ear plug (hearing protection or swimming plugs, please try to search the key words “Doc’s Pro plugs” to view the similar product pictures, I can’t pose URL, Sorry!)
cut out the small nubble (the part plugged into the ear canal), put these two modified ear plugs into your ears at the same time, and wearing them for a couple hours. if they will not make you retch, I think you can consider to make the custom ear molds.
Forgive my ignorance and the quality of the photos, if they appear, but aren’t these custom moulds on the HAs?
Edit: Cant post photos since I haven’t reached the required minimum of 15 posts. However, my HAs, Danalogic 71s do have moulded end pieces. Are these different from what you are referring to?
I do not mean to offend, but if the problem is sporadic, tactile hypersensitivity can be a symptom of drug withdrawal. Insight drawn from recent experience-- flies can be infuriating.
do you have any problem using a iPOD/mp3 type device with just the foam earbuds? when you say inserted how far are you talking? after these episodes do you have a metallic aftertaste on your tongue? does it seem like you have to use more salt then you use to in order to get the same taste as you are use to? can you produce the problem by sticking your fingers into your ears? since the probes produced the same effect I don’t think it’s a ‘hearing aid’ problem directly.
Please don’t worry about it, I haven’t reached the required minimum of 15 posts too. hope Admin will not mind me, I uploaded a few information and picture’s link on youtube, so you can browse them on youtube.
watch?v=vIjg0RF3NQ0
(copy the code vIjg0RF3NQ0 and paste it after “any youtube video URL watch?v=” and then press enter key)
Basically, the HA eartips/plugs/dome/custom molds are develped to avoid the feedback tone occurred, to change or modify the plug/mold will not change the HA sound quality, if it is possible, please identify which ear mold (i.e. #1, #3, #4… #30 ) in All American Mold web page is similar to your molds?
please try to view the All American Mold #2 picture (URL below)
goo.gl/gYCcL
If you would like to give it a try, I think you can ask your audiologist to shorten the nubble (as short as possible), and please let me know whether it work (the retching stopped), Thanks.
P.S. a little thing about me:
it is hard to me to learn foreign languages, but I always like to develop something very special.
I developed the world’s first and thinnest AM radio in 1983, dimensions: 8 cm x 5 cm x 0.32 cm (in thickness)
In 1992, developed world’s first economic RITE (Receiver/Speaker In The Ear, BTE), I sold the patent to a Japanese firm, and approx. 250,000 Japanese users use this HA.
I also study the medical biotechnology (such as hearing hair cell regeneration, cancer treatment etc.) since 1995.
Abstinence is a great cure!
