Can Hearing Aids Help with Tinnitus?

Have you ever experienced a constant buzzing, ringing, or hissing noise in your ears? If so, you may be one of the millions of people who live every day with tinnitus. This common hearing condition affects many people and ranges in severity. Tinnitus can be a minor annoyance or become a major obstacle in your daily life.

While there is no cure for tinnitus, doctors have developed several treatment plans that help individuals cope with their symptoms and lead happy, successful lives. Here, we examine one of these treatment options, hearing aids, to learn more about how they can help individuals living with tinnitus.

WHAT IS TINNITUS?

Tinnitus is a hearing condition that is characterized by the perception of a sound that doesn’t actually exist. Individuals with tinnitus may hear a consistent buzzing, ringing, roaring, or pulsing in their ears when there are no external stimuli sounds.

Tinnitus can vary in severity, meaning it could be just a minor annoyance for some people, while becoming a major life obstacle for other people. Tinnitus can get in the way of your daily activities and make communication, even a simple conversation, much more challenging and unenjoyable.

TWO TYPES OF TINNITUS

Tinnitus is classified into two main types: subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus, the much more common version, is the version of tinnitus that is only heard by the person experiencing the condition. This is often caused by issues with the auditory nerves or the part of an individual’s brain that interprets sound.

Objective tinnitus, on the other hand, is s form of the hearing condition that can actually be heard by another person. For example, when an audiologist performs a hearing exam, they may be able to hear the noise. Objective tinnitus is often caused by blood vessel issues or muscle contraction within the ear.

WHAT CAUSES TINNITUS?

Tinnitus is often a challenging hearing condition to pin down and understand because it has many distinct causes. While tinnitus is not a disease itself, it is a symptom of an underlying condition, which may be relatively serious. This is why it’s critical to seek out an audiologist or doctor if you believe you have tinnitus.

1. Age-related hearing loss.

Over time, our senses may degrade with time, including the quality of our hearing. The most common cause of tinnitus, in fact, is related to older age and the gradual decline of an individual’s hearing health.

2. Ear wax blockage.

While ear wax is perfectly natural and even beneficial for your ear health, too much can become blocked up in the ear canal and lead to hearing issues. At times, ear wax blockage can cause tinnitus. However, this can usually be remedied by an audiologist during an ear wax removal treatment.

3. Exposure to loud noises.

Repeated exposure to loud noises, such as machinery, construction equipment, or live music, can eventually cause tinnitus and other hearing conditions. This is why it’s so critical to wear ear protection (ear plugs or earmuffs) when you know you’ll be around loud noises.

4. Meniere’s disease.

This inner ear disorder can cause dizziness, vertigo, and hearing issues such as tinnitus. Generally, Meniere’s disease only affects one ear and sets in at an early age. While this is a chronic condition, there are treatment options that help patients manage their symptoms.

5. Acoustic neuroma.

This noncancerous (benign) tumor is generally very slow growing and not life-threatening. However, acoustic neuroma may push against your vestibular nerve, which can then impact an individual’s hearing or balance. Radiation and surgical removal are two common treatment options for acoustic neuroma.

CAN HEARING AIDS HELP WITH TINNITUS?

Yes. For many patients, hearing aids can be an effective treatment option for managing the symptoms of tinnitus. Because age-related hearing loss is often the cause of tinnitus, a hearing aid can be effective at addressing both hearing issues. Of course, it is important to consult an audiologist or doctor before moving forward with a hearing aid.

In addition to a hearing aid, some individuals use tinnitus maskers, which are similar to hearing aids and emit a small sound that “masks” the tinnitus symptom. This can help cover up and distract you from that buzzing or ringing noise. Some individuals even use hearing aids and tinnitus maskers in tandem.

TINNITUS TREATMENTS

While there is no complete medical cure for tinnitus, there are several options available that can help people manage their symptoms. Once managed, most people can live normal and productive lives despite having tinnitus. The most effective tinnitus treatment plan must be based on the individual’s needs. Since tinnitus is caused by so many unique factors, the cause must first be identified and diagnosed. Then, an audiologist can determine the most effective path forward for the patient.

In addition to hearing aids, sound therapy can also be an effective treatment method. For others, simply using a noise canceling machine can help to soothe the symptoms of tinnitus. Audiologists have even developed an advanced tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) that helps train your brain to cope with tinnitus sounds.

CONCLUSION – CAN HEARING AIDS HELP WITH TINNITUS

If you’re experiencing a persistent buzzing or ringing in your ears, you should know that you don’t have to suffer needlessly with this condition. Also, realize that you’re not alone. Millions of individuals experience tinnitus all over the world and audiologists have crafted various treatment options to help these people live happy and productive lives. Tinnitus does not need to limit your life and your ability to communicate.

While there is no cure for tinnitus, there are many treatment options available. For many individuals, hearing aids can be an effective way to help manage your tinnitus symptoms. This is especially effective for individuals who have tinnitus linked to age-related hearing loss. Regardless of the cause of your tinnitus symptoms, it’s crucial that you work with a trained audiologist to understand the cause of your hearing condition. From there, they can begin to develop a treatment plan tailor-fit for your needs.