By Michael Provost
Michael Provost, just before he and his Riverine Troop departed on a nighttime mission on the Tigris River in Iraq in 2009.
I spent more than two decades in the U.S. Navy as a Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC).
During that time, I was routinely exposed to loud diesel engine noise, explosive detonations, small arms fire, and crew-served automatic weapons fire. Like all SWCC, I sustained a volume of high G-force sub-concussive impacts attributed to driving high-speed combatant craft during foul weather conditions, often at night.
I first noticed high pitched ringing in my ears nearly a decade ago, in 2015, when I was 34.
Tinnitus is a mysterious condition. It’s difficult to explain my symptoms because only I can hear the high pitched ringing in my ears. It was a constant source of irritation and distraction, and I felt it contributed to feeling overstimulated.
The first doctor I spoke with about tinnitus explained to me there was nothing I could do and I just had to live with it. This was very disappointing because at that point my symptoms were at their peak.
In March 2022 I honorably retired from the U.S. Navy. I was 40 years old, with 21 ½ years of service. After I retired from the military I began working with a high-performance electric boat company, which was based in Sweden, so I was familiar with the Scandinavian approach to quality, design, research, sales and marketing. Through the Scandinavian professional network I had the unique opportunity to meet with a Duearity Sweden employee and see their tinnitus device in person.
When I learned of Duearity I was intrigued because up to that moment I was under the impression there was nothing I could do to treat my tinnitus symptoms. Duearity was founded by a tinnitus patient who invented a device, called Tinearity G1, that supplies white noise to the ear through bone conduction.
The G1 device and treatment protocol resonated with me on a personal level due to my struggles, but I also saw the potential benefit it could provide to the veteran community. Specifically, I was interested in bringing it to the awareness of Special Operations veterans given the predominance of tinnitus diagnosis within our community.
This photo shows live fire training on the Salt River in Kentucky in preparation for Provost’s Iraq deployment in 2006. Provost is manning the port (left) side twin M240 machine guns.
After additional research and discussions I made the decision to join the Duearity Americas team, where I eventually became president. On day one of employment, and under the guidance of an experienced audiologist, I began using Tinearity because I wanted to see for myself if it would reduce the severity of my symptoms.
It took dedication, time, and commitment to the treatment protocol, but I was able to reach a point where I no longer view my tinnitus symptoms as overly bothersome. I was very regimented and used the device for 100 consecutive days for four to six hours per day, as instructed. After about 100 days of regimented use I no longer felt like I needed to wear the device every day. After about 120 days of use I stopped using the device altogether.
I’ve reached the point where my brain and body no longer view the ringing in my ears as a threat and it resides in the background at a reduced volume and intensity.
I wish I would have known tinnitus habituation can be achievable. For me the G1 device combined with cognitive behavioral therapy was the catalyst for change. I’ve also benefited from white noise at night while sleeping.
That said, an audiologist trained in tinnitus treatment can provide tinnitus sufferers several different pathways and a menu of options for treatment. In my experience there is value in meeting with an audiologist or ENT who is specifically trained and familiar with tinnitus treatments.
I’ve recently left Duearity Americas and returned to the water. While I still act as a consultant for Duearity, I have decided to focus on my maritime training and services company Virginia Maritime Solutions. I’m also proud to continue to serve our nation as a government contracted Waterborne Security Boat Instructor teaching fleet sailors how to protect high valued assets.
To the younger military generation I would say wear your hearing protection, but understand there is only so much you can do. In wartime and during aggressive training things happen that will expose you to loud noise, and that’s just part of the job and your sacrifice to our country. And please, if you do have tinnitus symptoms seek help from an audiologist trained in tinnitus treatments.
Michael Provost lives in Virginia.
Products and services are not endorsed by Hearing Health Foundation.
The Latest Blog Posts
These findings show that even with appropriate amplification via hearing aids, children with hearing loss still have trouble processing certain aspects of sound, particularly the basic pitch of voices. These objectively measurable brain responses may explain children with hearing loss struggle more in noisy or echoey environments.