Most estimates put the number of individuals affected by tinnitus in the millions or around one in every seven people. That’s… a lot of people, both in actual terms and in relation to the overall population, and in some countries, the amount of the population who experience tinnitus is even more startling.
True, tinnitus isn’t always recurring. But if you’re coping with persistent tinnitus symptoms it becomes imperative to find a solution as soon as you can. One of the most effective of such treatments is already rather common: hearing aids.
Tinnitus and hearing loss are connected but distinct conditions. It’s possible to experience tinnitus with average hearing or to have hearing loss without also developing tinnitus. But if you’re going through the two conditions together, which is fairly typical, hearing aids can handle both at the same time.
How Can Tinnitus be Managed by Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids have, based on one survey, been documented to give relief of tinnitus symptoms for up to 60% of participants. Approximately 22% of everyone surveyed reported significant relief. However, hearing aids are not manufactured specifically to treat tinnitus. The benefits seem to come by association. As such, hearing aids seem to be most practical if you have tinnitus and hearing loss.
Here’s how tinnitus symptoms can be reduced with hearing aids:
- Outside sounds are enhanced: The volume of certain frequencies of the world become quieter when have hearing loss. When that occurs the ringing in your ears becomes much more obvious. Hearing loss is not decreasing the ringing so it becomes the most pronounced thing you hear. A hearing aid can increase that surrounding sound, helping to drown out the buzzing or ringing that was so forefront before. Tinnitus becomes less of a problem as you pay less attention to it.
- It becomes less difficult to have conversations: Contemporary hearing aids are particularly good at identifying human speech and raising the volume of those sounds. This means carrying on a conversation can become much easier once you’re routinely wearing your devices. You will be more engaged with your co-worker’s story about their kids and better able to participate with your spouse about how their day went. The more you interact with other people, the more social you are, the less you’ll detect your tinnitus. Sometimes, tinnitus is intensified by stress so being able to socialize can helps in this way too.
- Your brain is getting an auditory workout: Hearing loss has been shown to put stress on mental function. Using a hearing aid can keep the audio centers of your brain flexible and healthy, which as a result can help reduce some tinnitus symptoms you might be experiencing.
The Benefits of Modern Hearing Aids
Modern hearing aids are intelligent. To some extent, that’s because they integrate the newest technologies and hearing assistance algorithms. But the efficiency of modern hearing aids is attained in part because each device can be customized and calibrated on a patient-per-patient basis (they can even sense the amount of background noise and automatically recalibrate accordingly).
Whatever your specific hearing levels are, customized hearing aids can conveniently be calibrated to them. The better your hearings aid works for you, the more likely they are to help you drown out the buzzing or humming from tinnitus.
What is The Best Way to End Tinnitus?
This will most likely depend on your level of hearing impairment. If you haven’t had any hearing loss, you’ll still have available treatment options for your tinnitus. Cognitive behavioral therapy, a custom masking device, or medication are some possible options.
But, hearing aids might be able to take care of both situations if you have tinnitus and hearing loss at the same time. Stop tinnitus from making your life miserable by managing your hearing loss with a good pair of hearing aids.