Most estimates put the amount of individuals affected by tinnitus in the millions or around one in every seven people. In some countries, the numbers are even higher and that’s pretty alarming.
Sometimes tinnitus is temporary. But if you’re dealing with persistent tinnitus symptoms it becomes crucial to find a solution as soon as possible. Luckily, there is a remedy that has proven to be really effective: hearing aids.
There are some links between hearing loss and tinnitus but they are actually distinct conditions. It’s possible to have tinnitus with average hearing or to have hearing loss without also getting tinnitus. But the two conditions occur together often enough that hearing aids have become a dependable solution, treating hearing loss and stopping tinnitus in one fell swoop.
How Can Tinnitus be Helped by Hearing Aids?
According to one study, 60% of people with tinnitus noticed some measure of relief when they started using hearing aids. For 22% of those people, the relief was considerable. But, hearing aids aren’t made specifically to handle tinnitus. Association appears to be the principal reason for this benefit. So if you have tinnitus along with hearing loss then that’s when your hearing aids will most successfully treat the tinnitus symptoms.
Here’s how hearing aids can help get rid of tinnitus symptoms:
- Everything gets a little bit louder: The volume of certain wavelengths of the world become quieter when you’re suffering from hearing loss. When that occurs the ringing in your ears becomes much more noticeable. Hearing loss is not reducing the ringing so it becomes the most pronounced thing you hear. The buzzing or ringing that was so prominent will be obscured when your hearing aid enhances the external sound. As you pay less and less attention to your tinnitus, it becomes less of an issue.
- Conversations become easier: Increasing the volume of human speech is something contemporary hearing aids are particularly good at. This means carrying on a conversation can be much easier once you’re regularly using your devices. You can keep up with the story Carl is telling at the restaurant or listen to what Nancy is excited about at work. The more you interact with others, the more social you are, the less you’ll detect your tinnitus. In some cases, tinnitus is intensified by stress so being able to socialize can helps in this way too.
- The enhanced audio stimulation is keeping your brain fit: Hearing loss has been shown to put a strain on cognitive function. Wearing a hearing aid can keep the audio centers of your brain limber and healthy, which as a result can help decrease certain tinnitus symptoms you might be experiencing.
The Advantages of Modern Hearing Aids
Modern hearing aids are smart. They include cutting edge hearing assistance algorithms and the latest technology. But it’s the ability to customize a hearing aid to the distinct user’s needs that makes modern hearing aids so effective (sometimes, they recalibrate according to the level of background noise).
Whatever your particular hearing levels are, personalized hearing aids can easily be calibrated to them. The better your hearings aid works for you, the more likely they are to help you cover up the humming or buzzing from tinnitus.
What is The Best Way to Get Rid of Tinnitus?
This will probably depend on your degree of hearing loss. If you haven’t had any hearing loss, you’ll still have accessible treatment options for your tinnitus. That could mean custom-made masking devices, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or medication.
However, hearing aids may be able to take care of both situations if you have tinnitus and hearing loss at the same time. Managing your hearing impairment with a good pair of hearing aids can often stop tinnitus from making your life miserable.