Tinnitus is often considered a joke problem for those who only have experienced temporary tinnitus. But for those who have to live with tinnitus’ constant phantom sounds, whether their tinnitus presents as a ringing noise, static, roaring, whistling, or other repetitive sounds, tinnitus is anything but funny.
At this time, there is no cure for tinnitus. Anyone offering a cure is very likely taking advantage of the fact that many people are seeking help to manage their tinnitus. However, you may be able to manage your tinnitus by using hearing aids.
Connection Between Tinnitus And Hearing Loss
Some people may be hesitant to use hearing aids to treat their hearing loss, believing that their hearing is in good order. However, it is not unusual for hearing loss to gradually develop, leaving time for your body to adjust to your lower hearing capacity. There is also research which confirms the strong connection between hearing loss and tinnitus.
This research mentions that it is possible that tinnitus occurs as part of specific inner ear damage, which is why some people have hearing loss without tinnitus, and others have tinnitus with no hearing loss present.
Whether you have hearing loss along with your tinnitus or not, you can still utilize hearing aids to help manage your tinnitus.
How Hearing Aids Can Help Manage Tinnitus
As tinnitus can cause a significant amount of emotional and physical distress in those experiencing tinnitus, researchers have made a point at studying the various modalities which could help. And even without hearing loss present, researchers have found that hearing aids are an exceptional tool in helping those with tinnitus.
Some of the specific ways hearing aids can help manage tinnitus are:
- Auditory stimulation – Tinnitus can become more noticeable when hearing loss is present since your ears receive less input from the world around you. With hearing aids, you can hear more sounds like the hum of a computer, footsteps, and other sounds that will help make your tinnitus much less noticeable.
- Reduces strain – It can be very straining to live with tinnitus, especially as moderate-to-severe tinnitus can drown out sounds you want to hear. By using hearing aids regularly, you can reduce the strain of listening around your tinnitus.
- Act as a masker – Some hearing aids also have the ability to act as a sound generator, masking the sound your tinnitus makes. With a more pleasant sound in the background, like water flowing in a river, you can more easily ignore and forget your tinnitus.
- Improves communication – Tinnitus can make speech, whether your ability to hear or your capacity to speak, difficult. With hearing aids, you can cut through the noise of your tinnitus to hear what others are saying and reply appropriately in return.
Hearing Aids That Have Tinnitus Support Built-In
Not all hearing aids come with tinnitus support. With the help of an audiologist, you will be able to find hearing aids which can help you manage your tinnitus. Some hearing devices you may want to consider are:
- ReSound LiNX 3D – With ReSound LiNX 3D hearing aids, you can stream your tinnitus relief directly from your phone. Use the ReSound Relief app on your phone to help control what sounds are being streamed to your hearing aids. You can also utilize the relaxation exercises as well as guided meditation programs.
- Starkey – A number of Starkey hearing aids can come with tinnitus support built in, from Invisible-In-Canal hearing aids to the larger Behind-The-Ear hearing aids. With Starkey’s Multiflex Tinnitus Technology, you can have greater control over your tinnitus-soothing sounds.
- Widex Zen Therapy – A four-part tinnitus relief program, Widex hearing aids which have Widex Zen Therapy enabled can allow you to choose from soothing fractal tones which lessen the impact of your tinnitus. There is also an app you can use to control not only the sound but receive tinnitus counseling and relaxation help. Also, Widex hearing aids come with helpful amplification to help you overcome hearing loss.
- Oticon Opn – You can opt for Oticon Opn hearing aids with enabled Tinnitus SoundSupport. This sound support can be controlled from your phone, allowing you to create personalized tinnitus sound relief profiles that will allow you to ignore your tinnitus.
By working with a qualified audiologist, you can find the right type of hearing aids for you that will help you manage your tinnitus.
