Ringing in The Ears Can be Relieved by Hearing Aids

Man who got rid of tinnitus using a hearing aid on a hammock with his wife.

Most estimates put the number of people impacted by tinnitus in the millions or about one out of every seven people. In some countries, the numbers are even higher and that’s pretty alarming.

True, tinnitus isn’t always recurring. But if you’re coping with chronic tinnitus symptoms it becomes imperative to find a remedy as soon as possible. Fortunately, there is a remedy that has proven to be rather effective: hearing aids.

Tinnitus and hearing loss are related but separate conditions. It’s possible to experience tinnitus with normal hearing or to have hearing loss without also developing tinnitus. But the two conditions coexist often enough that hearing aids have become a practical solution, managing hearing loss and stopping tinnitus all at once.

How Can Tinnitus be Managed by Hearing Aids?

According to one study, 60% of individuals with tinnitus reported some amount of relief when they began using hearing aids. Approximately 22% of those surveyed reported considerable relief. In spite of this, hearing aids are actually made to treat hearing loss not specifically tinnitus. The benefits seem to come by association. So if you have tinnitus and hearing loss then that’s when your hearing aids will most successfully treat the tinnitus symptoms.

Here’s how tinnitus symptoms can be decreased with hearing aids:

  • Everything gets a little bit louder: The volume of certain frequencies of the world become quieter when have hearing loss. When that occurs the ringing in your ears becomes a lot more noticeable. It’s the loudest thing you hear because it is not diminished by your hearing loss. The buzzing or ringing that was so prominent will be masked when your hearing aid boosts the outside sound. Tinnitus becomes less of a problem as you pay less attention to it.
  • It gets easier to have conversations: Increasing the volume of human speech is something modern hearing aids are particularly good at. This means carrying on a conversation can be much easier once you’re regularly using your devices. You will be more engaged with your co-worker’s story about their children and better able to participate with your spouse about how their day went. When you have a balanced interactive social life tinnitus can appear to fade into the background. Sometimes, tinnitus is intensified by stress so being able to socialize can helps in this way also.
  • Your brain is getting an auditory workout: When you experience hearing loss, those portions of your brain charged with interpreting sounds can frequently suffer from stress, fatigue, or atrophy. Tinnitus symptoms you might be experiencing can be decreased when the brain is in a healthy pliable condition and hearing aids can help keep it that way.

Modern Hearing Aids Come With Several Advantages

Modern hearing aids are smart. To some extent, that’s because they incorporate the newest technologies and hearing assistance algorithms. But it’s the ability to customize a hearing aid to the specific user’s requirements that makes modern hearing aids so effective (sometimes, they recalibrate according to the amount of background noise).

Customizing hearing aids means that the sensitivity and output signals can conveniently be calibrated to the particular hearing levels you might have. The better your hearings aid works for you, the more likely they are to help you cover up the buzzing or humming from tinnitus.

The Best Way to Get Rid of Tinnitus

Your level of hearing impairment will determine what’s best for you. There are still treatment options for your tinnitus even if you don’t have any hearing impairment. Medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, or a custom masking device are some possible options.

But, if you’re one of the many people out there who happen to have both hearing loss and tinnitus, a set of hearing aids might be able to do the old two-birds-one-stone thing. Stop tinnitus from making your life miserable by treating your hearing loss with a good set of hearing aids.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.