The Tinnitus Journey Continues

Well, it's been over a year since my last post... and I am still on the tinnitus journey. I finally subscribed to the services of an audiologist from Treble Health (Dr. Ben Johnson's telehealth service) and have been using Phonak in/over-the-ear hearing aids/sound generators for over six months. I can say that the hearing aids have helped with my hyperacusis... I no longer am bothered by short exposures to street/car noise or normal household percussive sounds (lids snapping, cutlery or pottery clanging) but I still am bothered by louder sounds (like loud, laughing conversations). I wear the hearing aids 3-4 hours per day at a low amplification level at the higher frequencies where my hearing loss occurred (above 4 kHz). I also wear ear plugs when I am in an environment with loud sounds.  

I wish I could say my tinnitus has reduced, but it hasn't... if anything I seem to notice it being louder than last year. But I do have days where I don't really notice it all that much. I think that means my brain is habituating the sounds - which is the goal in all this. 

I have been participating in 2X/month group Zoom sessions as part of my Treble Health service. Those sessions consist of group discussions with other tinnitus/hyperacusis sufferers, led by one or more of Treble Health's audiologists. and I have learned through those sessions that the biggest components of bothersome tinnitus management are (a) consistent use of sound therapy, (b) tinnitus education and (c) stress management/reduction. Good sleep hygiene is another important component - I have noted that sleep quality is directly associated with how easily I can live with my tinnitus. 

Tinnitus sucks, and if you have it you may think it's never going to get better. But believe this one fact - it will eventually ease if you follow a program of sound therapy, tinnitus education (from a good reliable source of information - not the Internet!) and stress management. There are better days ahead. 


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