How Hearing Aids Treat Tinnitus

Tinnitus is often linked to hearing loss. While not everyone who has tinnitus also has hearing loss, the majority of them do. As such, hearing aids can help many people with tinnitus. They help by addressing the hearing loss, which can be a factor in what causes tinnitus. There are also combination devices that play sound to contribute to habituation, which helps you to adjust to the sound of tinnitus. If you think you have tinnitus or hearing loss, you should see a hearing care provider. They can take a look at your ears and test your hearing, as well as helping you to find the right treatment.

The relationship between tinnitus and hearing loss

Hearing loss is closely linked to tinnitus. Not everyone with tinnitus has hearing loss, but most do. You might not realize that you have hearing loss, even if you experience the symptoms of tinnitus. Losing your hearing is usually a gradual process, so it’s easy not to notice it until it gets bad. Even then, people you know might notice it before you do. You might also pick up on the fact that you’re having trouble hearing but blame it on the tinnitus. Hearing loss leads to tinnitus because your brain is missing essential information and ends up working overtime trying to get it.

Treating hearing loss with hearing aids

Getting fitted with hearing aids is a common way of treating hearing loss. You can choose hearing aids that work for your level of hearing loss and for your lifestyle. Wearing hearing aids helps you to hear better, which can be a good way of relieving the symptoms of tinnitus. It also improves your quality of life in a number of ways. Hearing loss can cause you to struggle in noisy environments, while tinnitus is often worse is quieter environments. Both problems can make it hard to concentrate. Hearing aids can improve both issues, and open-fit hearing aids are especially good for tinnitus sufferers. They allow sound to be transmitted to the ear, without blocking out background noise, which can be important for relieving tinnitus.

Combined hearing aids

Another option for those with hearing loss and tinnitus is combined hearing aids. These amplify the hearing and also feature a sound device. The purpose is of this extra feature is to provide low level sounds that helps you get used to the sound of tinnitus. The aim is to help the tinnitus become background noise that you don’t notice. These hearing aids are sometimes used as part of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT).

Getting fitted for hearing aids

You can talk to a hearing health professional about getting fitted for hearing aids. When you have your hearing tested, it will show you if you need hearing aids and you can receive advice on which ones are best for you. Many people with tinnitus benefit from wearing special combination hearing aids, but you might find that standard hearing aids help to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus. Make an appointment with a hearing care provider to find out more.