Many people are aware that hearing aids are an effective tool for managing hearing loss and giving back some hearing ability, but they may not know that hearing aids can also be effective as a form of sound therapy for tinnitus.
Tinnitus is an audiological and neurological condition. People who suffer from tinnitus complain of a ringing, humming, clicking or buzzing sound in their ears with no external source. It affects millions of people, and many find that wearing hearing aids reduces the annoyance of tinnitus.
How Do Hearing Aids Help with Tinnitus?
Hearing aids function as sound therapy tools. In general, sound therapy works by using ambient sounds to cover up or mask ear ringing, effectively redirecting your brain’s focus away from the tinnitus sounds. Hearing aids do this by amplifying background noise. You can even turn up the background noise setting on your hearing aids to make this effect more prominent. Furthermore, many hearing aids have white noise settings or other specialized sound therapy features programmed into them that are specifically designed to mask tinnitus.
Hearing aids also help relieve tinnitus by enhancing auditory input to the brain. This benefit is especially noticeable for those who are experiencing tinnitus as well as hearing loss; since tinnitus and hearing loss are often linked, clearer hearing can make the tinnitus seem less noticeable.
Will I Still Hear the Ringing in My Ears While Wearing Hearing Aids?
You might still hear tinnitus while wearing hearing aids. Some patients notice an improvement immediately after they begin wearing hearing aids, while others take a few months. Overall, though, hearing aids are widely effective. The goal is for your brain to become used to the noise and give it less attention, and this can take time.
Do Hearing Aids Cure Tinnitus?
Unfortunately, no. Hearing aids do not cure tinnitus. Hearing aids are an effective management tool for many people experiencing tinnitus; however, there is currently no cure.
Tinnitus management, such as hearing aids, will, however, improve quality of life and communication by reducing the severity of tinnitus, allowing you to hear sounds and voices that tinnitus covers up. Call San Diego ENT today to make an appointment and discuss whether hearing aids are right for your tinnitus management.