New to hearing aids. which type for low and mid frequency loss?

Hearing Aids
#1

Hi All,

I am meeting an audiologist for the first time on Friday following my sudden hearing loss in the right ear few weeks ago. For no apparent reason, I found myself with 35db loss at 500 and 1K hz, aural fullness and raging tinnitus. Rest of the audiogram is ok up and including 4k hz. Left ear has been unaffected.

I know close to zero about hearing aids, other than what I have researched over the last few days. As far as I understand from my own research, low to mid frequency losses benefit for some type of “occlusion effect” , like close vents or moulds. I was thinking to discuss with my audiologist the possibility of trialling a Signia Active or similar. I would like to ask if any of you with similar losses has any recommendation of what worked / not worked for them? I thank you in advance, Daniela

#2

A few weeks ago is not very long.
Have you seen a doctor about this? Steroid injections?

Sometimes these things are temporary.
Tinnitus can be nerve racking. Try not to think about it. Sleeping with a fan on or something that makes a little noise to distract you from the tinnitus.

Any properly got hearing aid can help you. Something over the counter might be best.

Hang in there.

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#3

Hi Raudrive, I appreciate your response.

I have had oral steroids and had an MRI (negative), plus a CT angiogram for which I should get my results tomorrow when I meet with the ENT. Unfortunately I developed a pulsatile tinnitus which is extremely noise reactive and disturbing. It feels like a vibration and makes even external sounds “pulsate” - so bizarre! My voice sounds strange (low volume?), I have somatosensory tinnitus when I walk , go up the stairs etc. It is indeed very difficult. Early days for me, it will be a long road I guess.

As there seems to bee no underlying physical or vascular problem, it may all be due to hearing loss/nerve damage, I suspect. I hope hearing aids will provide relief to the symptoms , as there is no cure and my life has literally ground to a halt.

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#4

About 5 years ago I went through what you are going through now. I had/have the same symptoms. Pulsatile tinnitus, etc. My ENT sent me for a CT and angiogram and I even ended up in a neurosurgeons office. Bottom line was they could not find the reason. Good thing was they were able to rule out cancer or a tumor or anything serious. Bad part was you just have to live with it. so now I use hearing aids.
Over these past few years I did find a doctor on Youtube who had tinnitus and he figured out it is mostly your brain focusing on the sounds and it becomes a habit that you need to break.
Learn to forget about it and focus on the other sounds around you. It has been extremely helpful to me but may not a 100% solution.
Pulsatile tinnitus is a good bit different from any other tinnitus. I suspect there is something related to fluid buildup that may be behind this. I studied medicine at Columbia for a few years long ago but never finished. Family troubles. but at least I learned enough to help me hopefully get at the root cause.
As for you, be glad they didn’t find a serious cause. You will get used to it over time. Go for long walks and focus on sounds around you, not on yourself. Force yourself to stop focusing on your self, your hearing. I am certain all you do every moment right now is think about the tinnitus sounds and all that is doing is reinforcing the tinnitus. You have to break that self-focus link.

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#5

Hi Asymmetrical,
Although we don’t have the same exact loss, and not for the same length of time, I can identify with your situation. It’s validating for me to read that 35 db in 2 frequencies has really affected you a lot.
This morning, I had my old hearing aid from 2014 adjusted to match my current audiogram, while I wait for the new hearing aids I ordered to arrive. The difference on paper wasn’t that great. the biggest change was at 3000 hz, which went from 10 db to 30 db.
When the adjustment was made, I felt a rush, like more energy, within less than a minute. I can hear a lot better in that ear now!! It actually helps me to make better use of my good ear, because it’s not being as overloaded with trying to focus on half of what my right side should be doing.
The ENT I saw today also said that it looks like I have Eustacian Tube Dysfunction in my left ear, which may clear up with some allergy medication…worth a try. Although, it was noted that looking back, I had a similar pressure problem in my ears last time they were tested in 2021. She also encouraged me to wear hearing aids, and said they work best if you always wear them. She said the left was optional, but if I want, it won’t hurt anything.

I tried Sony over the counter hearing aids recently, and I returned them after a few days. There was not enough power in the right, and the left didn’t really sound right either. I am waiting on some custom made IIC aids, Oticon Owns…they may be invisible, depending how they fit. I don’t have experience with Signia Active.

The ENT also noted another score of mine that I hadn’t noticed: the Word Recognition Score, or being able to listen and repeat words correctly. It was 100% in both ears at a volume of 65 db. She noted that in 2023, it was 55 db, and going back further, in 2014, it was 100% at a volume of 40 db for many years. Based on that score, she felt it was fine for me to wear 2 hearing aids, in my case.

#6

The audiologist will have some good information, I bet. I would not want any hearing aid that is occluded, unless it was fit very deep in the ear. Plug your ears with your fingers and talk. That is occlusion (i hate it). The tinnitus may be the new normal, but ask the pros when you see them. Hearing aids do make tinnitus more bearable, less noticeable. So it probably will not make you crazy, like some of us. He, he, he, Bwahahaha.