Is it common to feel a sense of pressure or fullness in the ear due to hearing aids?

Hearing Aids
#1

I have a fullness or pressure feeling (imagine an earplug you can hear through) in the R ear, which suffered SSNHL 9 months ago. It seems to go away when I remove my hearing aids, or wear airpods pro instead - until recently i thought it might be eustacian tubes, but I’m beginning to doubt that because the hearing aids make it more noticeable by far, unless they amplify a feeling that’s tolerable without hearing aids, if that makes sense.

Anyone with similar experience that can share what helped? antihistamines, decongestants an nasal sprays haven’t addressed it either.

#2

Do you have vents in your hearing aid molds? You will feel plugged up if you have not got any vents, or if they are small. Mine are small as my hearing is complicated to treat and feel plugged up

#3

Thanks - yes, they are widex round, single vent domes, Although they aren’t particularly tight or large in my ear canal. Could this cause the issue?

#4

It’s called “the occlusion effect”
Just use the search button from right here on hearingtracker to find out more about this and it’s solutions, it’s easy enough to fix with a more open dom(which unfortunately looks like your outside the limits) or custom molds with the correct sized vent.

https://forum.hearingtracker.com/search?q=occlusion%20effect

#5

Thanks!! so it’s the dome feeling like that much pressure, like an earplug or finger? it seems to come and go as well. interesting. My R ear is mild to moderate, which shows vented as possible for sure…is it ever common to use two different domes, one vented, one not, or one more vented than another??

#6

Yes as your audiogram is not identical.

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