Most estimates put the number of individuals affected by tinnitus in the millions or about one out of every seven people. In a few countries, the numbers are even higher and that’s pretty alarming.
True, tinnitus isn’t always recurring. But if you’re dealing with persistent tinnitus symptoms it becomes crucial to find a solution as soon as you can. One of the most beneficial of such solutions is already quite common: hearing aids.
There are some connections between tinnitus and hearing loss but they are in fact distinct conditions. It’s possible to have tinnitus with normal hearing or to experience hearing loss without also getting tinnitus. But the two conditions occur together frequently enough that hearing aids have become a dependable solution, treating hearing loss and ending tinnitus all at once.
How Can Tinnitus be Helped by Hearing Aids?
According to one survey, 60% of individuals with tinnitus observed some amount of relief when they started using hearing aids. Approximately 22% of those surveyed reported significant relief. However, hearing aids are not designed specifically to handle tinnitus. Association appears to be the principal reason for this benefit. As such, hearing aids appear to be most effective if you have tinnitus and hearing loss.
Here’s how tinnitus symptoms can be reduced with hearing aids:
- Everything gets a bit louder: When you have loss of hearing, the volume of the world (or, at least, specific wavelengths of the world) can fade away and become quieter. The ringing in your ears, in that situation, is much more noticeable. It’s the loudest thing you hear because it is not diminished by your hearing loss. A hearing aid can increase that ambient sound, helping to mask the ringing or buzzing that was so forefront before. As you pay less and less attention to your tinnitus, it becomes less of an issue.
- It becomes less difficult to have conversations: Amplifying human speech is something contemporary hearing aids are particularly good at. So once you’re using your hearing aids regularly, having conversations becomes much easier. You can follow the story Carl is telling at happy hour or listen to what Nancy is excited about at work. The more you connect with others, the more social you are, the less you’ll notice your tinnitus. Socializing also helps decrease stress, which is linked to tinnitus.
- Your brain is getting an auditory workout: Hearing loss has been proven to put stress on mental function. Tinnitus symptoms you might be experiencing can be decreased when the brain is in a healthy flexible condition and hearing aids can help maintain this.
Modern Hearing Aids Come With Several Benefits
Smart Technology is built into modern hearing aids. To some extent, that’s because they incorporate the latest technologies and hearing assistance algorithms. But the efficiency of modern hearing aids is accomplished in part because each device can be customized and calibrated on a patient-per-patient basis (they can even detect the amount of background noise and automatically adjust accordingly).
Customizing hearing aids means that the sensitivity and output signals can easily be adjusted to the particular hearing levels you might have. The better your hearings aid works for you, the more likely they are to help you drown out the humming or buzzing from tinnitus.
What is The Best Way to Get Rid of Tinnitus?
This will likely depend on your degree of hearing impairment. There are still treatment solutions for your tinnitus even if you don’t have any hearing loss. Medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, or a custom masking device are some possible solutions.
However, 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 treating your hearing loss with a good set of hearing aids.
