Hearing aid and tinnitus

[AnotherSENMess]

Was fitted with a hearing aid last week, a full mould, and since then my tinnitus (same ear) is worse/louder by the day. I am currently getting used to both wearing the hearing aid and the ability to hear on that side again, but the tinnitus is driving me crazy. Is this normal? Or should I go back to audiology? And any tips if it is normal, please

Bump

I have spoken to audiology, have a joint appt next Tuesday with an audiologist and someone with a special interest in tinnitus, and am not to wear my hearing aid in the meantime.

But has anyone any suggestions of how to cope with the tinnitus in the meantime/until it settles down? It is normally at background level in my left ear, it is now foreground noise in my left ear and slightly louder than background noise in my right, meaning I am struggling to hear people as well as finding the constant loud noise extremely annoying.

Do you find low level background music / radio / TV helps as a distraction for your tinnitus?

It's so individual, it's hard to advise, but I understand it's incredibly difficult to cope with. Out of interest, do you know what caused your tinnitus?

No idea what caused it, menieres disease has been suggested, but wearing my hearing aid seems to have aggravated it beyond belief. Have had it at a low level for years, but now is horrendous :( Am finding any noise is making the tinnitus worse, but silence is making it harder for me to cope because there is no distraction. Currently wishing there was an equivalent of paracetamol for a headache or stematil for nausea, but for tinnitus - and tempted to take both paracetamol and stematil to see if they help!!!

tinnitus.org.uk/treatment-and-management-of-tinnitus-1

This has some ideas/leaflets about managing tinnitus without sound which could possibly be helpful?!?

When mine is bad it is stress linked so I have various things I can do to destress - having a headphone playing low level music in the ear(s). but if music is making it worse then some of these relaxation suggestions may be worth a go...

Thank you Ineed, lots I knew but is good to be reminded of. I am going to try a quiet sleep app later and hope it is quiet enough not to aggravate the tinnitus more but loud enough to help me. And try to get back to ignoring it.

This is possibly a stupid/insensitive qusstion, if so apologies and please ignore.

Is it definitely tinnitus? Have you checked no-one else can hear it? I ask because when MILs hearing aids are badly adjusted/not quite in the ear properly you get this awful high pitched feedback whine that we can all hear.

I have tinnitus (no hearing aid). I saw a hearing therapist who really helped me to learn some coping strategies. Have you seen anyone to have that conversation yet?

ItsAll Not a daft question in the slightest, but it is definitely tinnitus. My hearing aid hasn't been on/worn since yesterday afternoon, and isn't to be worn now until I have my appt on Tuesday and am reviewed. I also know the pain of hearing aid feedback whine from other people hearing aids (although it is worse for the wearer of the aids), wish it was that, would be much easier to solve.

Speckledy, I honestly haven't needed one. Up until I had my hearing aid fitted Thursday afternoon my tinnitus has been totally manageable. Now the tinnitus is horrendous, I am struggling to hear at all (one ear had near perfect hearing on Thursday) and I am extremely uncomfortable - not to mention anxious about any long term issues.

Just to be clear: although I am blaming the hearing aid for it, I am not blaming the audiologist. I am frustrated with the situation, not the HCP.

It's just a thought. I found it extremely helpful to be talked through the physiology and psychology of tinnitus, and particularly the link with anxiety.