Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 11/24/2008

Question
QUESTION: It's been 2 1/5 months since i was exposed to a rocket explosion which caused a reduction of about 1/3 of my hearing ability.  I tried a hearing digital aid and the volume helps, but the distortion is a little worse.  the distortion is diminishing slowly.  Is there anything I can do to eliminate the distortion? Will it get better with time?  Will an analog hearing aid help the distortion?

ANSWER: Hi Glenn,
Unfortunately, distortion is a symptom of nerve damage.  Sometimes, hearing loss due to acute trauma recovers over time as the nerve heals; this may take a few months.  Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can do to eliminate the distortion.  Sometimes hearing aids only make the distortion worse by amplifying sounds.  Digital hearing aids have advanced technology not available in analog aids and therefore, your better choice. I must tell you, however, that many people who experience distortion choose not to use a hearing aid at all.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology


PS...Glenn...BTW, as far as the hearing aid is concerned...if if does help, you may want to consider weighing the advantages over the distortion.  Consult your audiologist to see if any adjustments can be made.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My Audiologist says I should exercise my voice along with the distortion to train my brain to ignore the distortion.  However, if the nerves are damaged, would it not be better to let them rest and heal by avoiding noises?  If so, for how long?

Answer
Hi Glenn,
I'm now a bit confused.  Exactly what type of distortion are you talking about?  It seems your audiologist is referring to the "occlusion" effect - the feeling that you are speaking in a barrel with your hearing aid on.  That is a different type of distortion than that caused by nerve damage. The occlusion effect does take some adapting and, over time, you do get used to it. As far as noise, yes, you should avoid loud noises, but if set properly, the hearing aid actually cuts down on loud noises through something called compression.  Compression keeps all sounds within a comfort zone, so sounds should not be loud.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology