Why are my domes only comfortable when I'm streaming directly into my ear?

I have Phonak Audeo Lumity 90 ric aids and wear domes (I think the medium size as the small are tiny) and there is barely a minute in the day when I DON’T feel discomfort when wearing them - its both the feeling of the HA on top of the ear, and the domes in the ear - particularly the righthand side.

The only time where I don’t seem to notice the discomfort is if I am streaming directly into the ear (ie TV, ipad, phone calls, etc). Is there a rational explanation for this i.e. does the direct sound make a difference to ear pressure or something like that?

It’s driving me nuts - I have tried Phonak Slimtips which just kept “creeping” out of the ear and my audiologist is adamant that I will find custom molds more uncomfortable (I did have a skeleton mold with my NHS aids years ago and I didn’t wear them at all because I found them both uncomfortable and they were never programmed correctly (I have moderate/severe Reverse Slope loss in both ears).

Any thoughts would be welcomed - I’ve read posts on here where people say they forget they are even wearing aids - I’d give anything to get to that point but 18 months since having these aids its got no better.

I know when something irritates me I find it difficult to take my mind off the subject, until something distracts my thoughts. Could it be when you are streaming or watching TV, you are more focused on whatever you are watching, and less on your irritation? Just a thought.

1 Like

That’s pretty much what my audiologist says and I realise there is something in that, but literally I can be responding to emails or doing other work and the discomfort is ever present. I’ve even developed a sort of facial tic in trying to relieve the discomfort on the right side