It’s generally not clear what’s causing tinnitus (a buzzing or ringing in your ears). However, there is one thing researchers agree on: you are more likely to experience tinnitus if you also are suffering from hearing loss. Up to 90 percent of individuals who suffer from tinnitus also have hearing loss according to HIAA.
Your lifestyle, age, and genetics can all play a role in the development of hearing loss as you most likely know. Often, mild instances of hearing loss go unnoticed and hearing loss, in general, isn’t always evident. Worse, even a slight case of hearing loss raises your risk and likelihood of developing tinnitus.
It’s Not a Cure, But Hearing Aids Can Help Treat Tinnitus
Tinnitus doesn’t have a cure. However, your symptoms can be decreased and your life can be improved by using hearing aids to treat your hearing loss and tinnitus. As a matter of fact, one study showed that up to 60 percent of tinnitus patients saw relief when they wore hearing aids, with 22 percent showing appreciable relief.
A traditional hearing aid can basically hide the ringing or buzzing associated with tinnitus by improving your ability to hear outside sounds, which basically drowns out the ringing. And, fortunately, traditional hearing aids aren’t the only option as more advanced treatment methods are being produced.
Tinnitus Symptoms Will be Reduced by These Types of Specialty Hearing Aids
Hearing aids work by collecting natural sounds from the world around you and amplifying them to a level that allows you to hear. This simple technology is crucial in teaching your hearing to receive certain stimulation by boosting sounds like the rattle of a ceiling fan or the rabble of a dinner party.
You can take an even more complete approach to your tinnitus management by enhancing hearing aids with other techniques, like stress reduction, sound stimulation, and counseling.
Fractal tones and irregular rhythms are even being used by some hearing aid makers. These rhythmically inconsistent tones can distract from the persistent and regular tones tinnitus sufferers experience.
Other specialized devices try to blend your tinnitus in with the natural sounds you’re hearing. Your condition and ear have very personal needs and this technique will use a customized white noise that will be dialed-in by your hearing specialist.
All of these strategies, from white noise therapies to sound therapies, utilize specialized hearing aid technology to distract the attention of the user away from paying attention to tinnitus noises.
Hearing aids can improve quality of life and lessen symptoms of tinnitus even if there isn’t any cure.
References
- https://www.hearingloss.org/wp-content/uploads/HLAA_HearingLoss_Facts_Statistics.pdf?pdf=FactStats
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17956798
- https://www.ata.org/managing-your-tinnitus/treatment-options/hearing-aids
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6197965
