Can Hearing Aids Be Used to Cure Tinnitus?

One of the most common causes of tinnitus is hearing loss. So, does this mean that hearing aids for tinnitus will help eliminate the symptoms of tinnitus forever? Read on to know the answer to this question and others.

Link between Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

Tinnitus is the ringing, buzzing, whistling, roaring or clicking sound you hear which does not have an external source. For many patients, tinnitus is a symptom of hearing loss. Tinnitus can develop when hearing loss is caused due to aging, exposure to loud noise or sudden trauma. Hearing loss prevents external sound stimuli to reach the brain. In the absence of external sound stimuli, your brain picks up internal head noises. A range of factors such as stress, smoking, alcohol can trigger or worsen tinnitus symptoms.

How do Hearing Aids Help?

Hearing aids for tinnitus are highly effective when tinnitus is accompanied by hearing loss. Hearing devices augment the volume of external sounds and increase the auditory stimulation received by the brain. Hearing aids help cover tinnitus sound. They help the brain to focus on external sounds and make it difficult for the brain to pick up tinnitus sound. By masking tinnitus sound and augmenting outside ambient sounds, hearing aids make it easier for patients to follow conversations, speak over the phone or watch TV. As a result, patients feel less annoyed, frustrated and socially isolated.

Tinnitus without Hearing Loss

People who don’t have hearing loss can also experience tinnitus symptoms. For such people, instead of a hearing aid for tinnitus, an audiologist may recommend a therapeutic noise generator. This device looks like a hearing aid and produces calming sounds such as sounds of nature, white noise, pink noise etc. that help divert a patient’s attention away from tinnitus sound. With the help of a tinnitus sound generator, a patient becomes less aware of tinnitus and feel less distressed.

Whom to Consult?

Hearing aids are not a cure for tinnitus, but they do help reduce symptoms. If you’re experiencing tinnitus symptoms, it’s best to get your ears checked by a qualified audiologist for accurate diagnosis and treatment. An audiologist will look into your ears, perform a thorough hearing test and ask questions about the effects of tinnitus distress on your lifestyle to determine the best management strategies for you. A comprehensive treatment plan will also include tinnitus education, patient counselling and additional management tools such as psychotherapy.

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Created on Aug 28th 2019 04:47. Viewed 335 times.

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