It’s often not clear what’s causing tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing in your ears). However, there is one thing experts agree on: you are more likely to experience tinnitus if you also are suffering from hearing loss. Up to 90 percent of people who are afflicted by tinnitus also have hearing loss according to HIAA.
As you probably realize, your genetics, age, and lifestyle can all be involved in the advancement of hearing loss. Frequently, mild instances of hearing loss go unnoticed and hearing loss, in general, isn’t always obvious. 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 Manage Tinnitus
Tinnitus has no cure. However, hearing aids can treat both hearing loss and tinnitus in ways that can reduce symptoms and improve one’s quality of life. In fact, one study showed that as much as 60 percent of people suffering from tinnitus saw relief when they used hearing aids, with 22 percent showing significant relief.
When you can suddenly hear outside sounds better because hearing aids have boosted the volume, your tinnitus symptoms will be drowned out. Luckily there are other, more sophisticated solutions beyond just conventional hearing aids to treat the symptoms associated with tinnitus.
Types of Specialized Hearing Aids to Reduce Tinnitus Symptoms
Hearing aids work by collecting natural sounds from the environment around you and amplifying them to a level that allows you to hear. This basic technology is crucial in training your hearing to receive certain stimulation by amplifying sounds like the rattle of a ceiling fan or the hum of a dinner party.
You can enhance those amplification efforts by the combination of other strategies, like counseling, sound stimulation, and stress reduction for a more complete approach to treatment.
Fractal tones and irregular rhythms are even being used by some hearing aid makers. The consistent tone of tinnitus can be interrupted by the irregular tones of these inconsistent rhythms.
Blending the normal sounds you hear with your tinnitus sounds is the objective of other advanced hearing aid options. Your condition and ear have very personal needs and this approach will use a customized white noise that will be dialed-in by your hearing specialist.
All of these approaches, from white noise therapies to sound therapies, use specialized hearing aid technology to distract the attention of the user away from paying attention to tinnitus noises.
It’s true that there is no cure for tinnitus, but for at least some people, hearing aids help decrease symptoms and improve your quality of life.
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