Can Hearing Aids Stop Ringing in Your Ears?

It is estimated that, on average, one in every seven people have tinnitus, which works out to millions of people globally. Sometimes tinnitus is temporary, other times it is intermittent, but tinnitus can also be permanent and constant. Tinnitus is categorized as a ringing, humming, buzzing or throbbing heard by the person, but it comes from an internal source, not an external one. 

Even with such a large amount of people having tinnitus, there is no current cure, but there are numerous ways that tinnitus can be managed and relief provided. Often, the best plan to manage tinnitus will include a hearing aid. Tinnitus and hearing loss can be connected, but neither is a 100% indication that the other is present. Although it is possible to have tinnitus without hearing loss and with average hearing, it is more common for hearing loss to be present where tinnitus exists. 

Is there a cure for tinnitus?

Since there are so many triggers for tinnitus, and it presents in many ways, there is yet to be a cure found for tinnitus. Instead, you can work with an audiologist to create a tinnitus management plan. 

Your tinnitus management plan will have a range of methods, often including stress management, sound masking devices, lifestyle changes and even cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). 

What causes tinnitus?

Tinnitus can be present in people from all backgrounds. There are some things that are shown to trigger tinnitus, including aging, loud noises and some medications. Injury to the head, neck, ears and some neurological disorders can also be triggering. 

Although most of the time, when we talk about tinnitus, it is assumed to be a ringing in the ears, it can also present with other sounds, including:

• Roaring
• Swooshing
• Buzzing
• Clicking
• Throbbing
• Ringing
• Music

If the person has a combination of hearing loss and tinnitus, it can be particularly challenging to communicate effectively, rest well or go about their daily lives. Often the hearing loss isn’t noticed until an appointment with an audiologist happens. 

How do hearing aids work?

The technology that makes hearing aids work is relatively simple, and yet the results are astonishing. 

The microphone on the hearing aid will receive a sound, and that sound is converted into a digital signal. The amplifier within the body of the hearing aid will amplify the strength of the digital signal. The speaker will then produce the amplified sound down into the ear. 

Digital hearing aids can be customized to meet the needs of the user. Usually, after a hearing test is completed, the hearing aid will be programmed to the unique requirements – and that includes masking tinnitus. 

Can hearing aids help tinnitus?

Some studies have shown that people who have tinnitus can see some level of relief by using a hearing aid. While hearing aids aren’t explicitly designed to help treat tinnitus, there are some benefits that have been noticed. 

Improved communication

Tinnitus can impact how easy it is to communicate with those around you, especially for those who have loud buzzing, humming, or swooshing noises. One of the key benefits of using a hearing aid for tinnitus is the improved ability to communicate. 

Masking and Attentional

Hearing aids can increase the level of outside noise to the extent that it conceals (masks) the tinnitus sound. This makes it much more challenging to notice tinnitus and allows the brain to concentrate on outside stimuli. Hearing aids have a potent masking effect on people with hearing loss at the same frequency as their tinnitus.

Auditory stimulation

The quantity of auditory input received by the brain rises when the loudness of external noise is increased. Soft background noises that might typically go unnoticed could help to stimulate the brain's auditory circuits.

Hearing aids are part of sound therapy, and there are several reasons why this can work. 

Retrain the brain

Hearing aids are part of sound therapy. Sound therapy helps to retrain the brain to focus on noises other than tinnitus. The habituation of reclassifying the sound of tinnitus to something unimportant and concentrating on externally generated noises can be very helpful to help reduce the impact the ringing, humming, or buzzing of tinnitus has. 

Hearing aids can be a powerful tool when it comes to helping those with tinnitus manage to reduce and ignore the ringing or other noise that they hear. 

However, once tinnitus has been diagnosed, it is possible to have a great management plan. If you have a ringing or other noise, even intermittent, then contact: Rocky Mountain Hearing & Balance on this phone number: (801) 685-3456