woodbutcher

Well-known Member
I have a question about hearing aids. (That's a tool, right?) For a long time, I've had tinnitus. At least, I thought I had it, because I heard a sound like crickets all the time in the background. But, about 9 months ago, my hearing in my right ear changed drastically when I ran out of Singulair for three weeks because my doctor and my mail-order pharmacy clashed over a refill. So, I went to an ear-nose-throat doctor who put me through a half-dozen tests and diagnosed noticeable hearing loss in my right ear. I asked if I needed a hearing aid, and she said it was too soon to tell. She told me to come back in three months for another test. It looks like she is waiting to see if it gets better. Now, it's been three months. There have been some changes, but not much improvement. My family doctor says it's just tinnitus, and a hearing aid won't help. I'm thinking he's right. In addition to the cricket noise, the right ear has a constant roaring sound. Anything that amplifies sound comes through sounding harsh in that ear. I'm not looking for medical advice, just practical, usable information from people with experience in this area. I've found this forum very helpful in the past with that.
Butch
 
I have tinnitus pretty bad. My doctor said it will just probably get worse. Loud noise is painful. Hope someone posts something helpful on here.
Richard in NW SC
 
For what its worth, and what your paying for!!lol. I too have tinnitus, I also wear hearing aids, I do not experience an increase in the level of "tinnitus sounds" when wearing the hearing aids. I was told the tinnitus is nerve damage that we hear as NOISE in the ear. Part of our hearing problem is we need more decibels/volume/higher or Lower pitch to overcome this "noise" that is always there. I got hearing aids because my Grandchildren's higher pitch and softer voices. They help, but I still miss some. Also sometimes the backround noise also being amplified still drowns out the conversation or sounds you are desirering to listen to. I'm sorry to say you are probably in the downward spiral, its never going to get better, only worse. just my opinion, when you find the silver bullet let us know, I;m not the only one in this fix. gobble
 
I got tinnitus 10 years ago. I was walking past a fire alarm when it went off and got the full decibel load in my ear. As luck would have it at the time I was taking medication that apparently softened the tiny hairs in my inner ear and made them vulnerable. 1st few years I would actually get woken up at night the roaring was so loud. After about 8 years I was sure I would never be rid of it and the sound began to change and get worse. Last year I just happened to try taking GINKO BILOBA (a natural supplement) after reading about it. For me IT WORKS, its amazing. The ringing is still there but it's muffled and only like 1/3 of the volume. I take about 3 or 4 tablets per day.
 
I may try that, I just always figured those "natural cures" advertised in magazines were "snake oil salesmen".
 
I've had tinnitus in some form since I left the Marine Corps.

Years ago, a hearing specialist made a VERY convincing speech that my hearing would never be better than it was at that point in time so I'd better take care of it. Which I do. I have ear plugs and earmuffs scattered all over and any time I'm in an environment with noise, I put them on or in. Power tools, including impact wrenches, air ratchets, sanders, up to and including tractors, mowers, etc., I protect my ears. Even in church if it gets too loud. And my hearing doesn't seem to have gotten worse.

Now for a helpful tip for veterans. Anyone with military service in their background can get an almost automatic 10% disability from the VA for tinnitus. In my case, as with most veterans, it started with all of the jet engines and gunfire I was exposed to in the Marine Corps. Nobody thought about hearing protection back then. The thing is, nobody can prove you DON'T have tinnitus 'cause you're the only one that can hear it. When I was evaluated, I was coached in advance by my American Legion rep. He said ALL that you tell the doctor is that it is equal in both ears, constant in both ears, and has been that way since you left the service. Don't say it comes and goes, don't say it's worse in one ear than the other, just that it's been constant in both ears since you were in the service.

10% disability pays only about $150 per month, but it all helps and it gets you established with the VA, and paves the way for more serious issues from military service.

My 2 cents for the day.
 
I'm 66 and had it since my 20s from working around stamping presses. I have the same symptoms you describe. I used ear plugs back in the 70s but got ear infections that didn't clear up till I found the right ENT doc.....25 years later. A lot of damage was done and my hearing continued to deteriorate even after I got out of the factory setting. I'm at 85-90 db across all the frequencies. Tinnitus does NOT go away and hearing aids only help by bringing other sounds in so it's not so noticeable. I get email ads for something that is supposed to stop it, but I don't believe them. I think you'll have to live with it and protect what hearing you still have. I just got a new set of aids this year because after 4 years the old ones just didn't do the job any more and I needed something more powerful. And no matter how good they are it isn't even close to natural hearing. Good luck, Butch.
 
I too have a 10% due to hearing loss and ringing of the ears. They also gave me hearing aids but then told me not to wear them if around loud noises and well tractors are in the loud noise thing so I only wear them once in a while
 
If your a vet call the V.A. the only thing you have to loose is nothing but if they say service connected good chance of getting a 10% which means a few $$. I did and they also gave me hearing aids which does help some with the ringing of the hears
 
I have floating crystals in both inner ears. It produces a constant ringing. Absolutely nothing can be done, no meds, nothing. Welcome to old age. Along with constant ringing, I sometimes have vertigo. I was diagnosted as having BPPV.

I think this is what I have. It causes other issues as listed.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). This condition causes an intense and brief but false sense that you're spinning or moving. These episodes are triggered by a rapid change in head movement, such as when you turn over in bed, sit up or experience a blow to the head. BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo.
 
The ENT I went to told me my problem might be caused by those floating crystals, but for some reason, she never made a definite diagnosis.
 
Thanks, Mike. I'm at the point where I question all the advertising about cures for hearing problems. And I also wonder if some of the doctors I've seen don't receive kickbacks for selling hearing aids. I appreciate all the responses.
Butch
 
I had BPPV and tinnitus both. The doctors told me no cure. I dropped one of my blood pressure drugs and both went away. My blood pressure is now running normal and I no longer have that ringing in my ears. I don't have to be careful getting out of bed either.
 
Hi Butch;

I have the ringing/rushing noise kind of tinnitus all the time, and the cricket sound type once in a while. Mine is worsened by too much fat in my diet (a day or two of pizza and ice cream will do it), and by ibuprofen. When I asked my regular doctor if these things could really be responsible, he got out a file that had a list several pages long of things people have noted as causing or increasing tinnitus.

I wear hearing aids in both ears (when I'm not doing something that could damage them, or knock them out of my ears). Mine don't magnify the tinnitus. In fact, they seem to sort of suppress it, or maybe mask it. I like my hearing aids a lot because they allow me to participate in conversation when there is background noise. Before I had them, I often had to try to guess what people were saying at social events, in restaurants, etc. Background conversation, particularly if there was also music playing, would leave me just about totally deaf. I'm afraid I came across as slow witted much of the time (by the way, I'm not).

You really need to look into hearing aid(s) if you're having trouble keeping up with conversation. Shop around---hearing aids are different, and those who sell them usually push only one or two brands. Deafness is much different than low vision. People don't hold low vision against you, but they'll get irritated with you, or just write you off for not being able to hear them. What I once heard, and later found to be true, is that if you're old and deaf (or very hard of hearing), you will initially seem stupid, and eventually be stupid.

Stan
 
I have had in my left ear for years and have learned to live with it. Mine was caused by the number of years I drove truck with window rolled down 90% of the time.
 
Dad had it, bothered him greatly, he couldn't take all day noise. His one ear went deaf over nite more or less, and started howling.

Don't know of dad ever followed up enough to really know for sure, old Germans and doctors ya know... I think they believed he had a mini stroke bringing it about.

Something else to look forward to.....

Paul
 
I went to the mayo website and found out what I had, then tha ENT runs tests to confirm it. Not on any meds for BP or anything. I have to live with my floating crystals and ringing.
 
My tinnitus used to sound like a room full of florescent lights turned on. :shock: But after taking the ginko for a year now that sound is significantly reduced to where I rarely even think about it anymore. Nothing to lose but a couple of bucks for trying it.
 
See an ENT Dr. they sometimes will give a scrip for Zannax, it will help you cope with it. This ear noise can drive you nuts. I was talking with two other guys waiting to go to a meeting. 2 of us were combat vets other guy never left US, care to guess which one got the 10% from the VA.
Led
 
I think the ENT took care of anything that could have been living in there. She put me through one test where the lab tech squirted hot water into my ears(one at a time). Then did the same thing with cold water. The inner ear is a very sensitive area, so the hot water may have just been very warm. But it was in a place where water doesn't usually get into.
Butch
 
I'm glad you found the way to stop the BPPV and tinnitus. If there is something triggering mine, I haven't found it yet.
 
I've had ringing in my ears for years and pretty much adapted, however I recently experienced the amplified hearing and roaring sound. Went to ENT who did hearing test and diagnosed Meniere's Disease. He gave some meds that have helped. Last hearing test was better. Might google it and ask your ENT.
 
Thanks for all the responses. Many of the descriptions of your hearing problems exactly match the experiences I've had. I'm always impressed by the common sense approach to problems posted in this forum. After I read an article called Peoples Pharmacy in the Dallas newspaper about a man who had a similar problem that was improved after taking niacin tablets for his hair loss, I started taking niacin. So far, it hasn't helped. (By the way, it didn't help his hair loss, either.) But I plan to try the Ginko-Biloba. I think I'll look around for an ENT who'll let me know what's going on. I hope I don't have to take the hot-water-in-the-ear-test again.
Butch
 

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