Can Tinnitus be Relieved with Hearing Aids?

Tinnitus is a low frequency humming in your ear, a buzzing, or a cicada-like noise. The severity of the condition depends largely on your level of noise exposure and your age. Many people live for long periods with mild tinnitus while others require help to alleviate the difficult background noise that affects their concentration.

These days there are several ways you can respond to tinnitus, the first is by giving your ears a rest and avoiding loud noises for a period. If this doesn't work and you still need help contact your audiologist for a hearing test and a possible device. There are also alternative therapies available that can prove helpful. 

What causes tinnitus? 

The ear is made up of three parts, there is the outer ear, or pinna, the middle ear, the tympanic membrane, and the inner ear, the cochlea. The cochlea is a delicate snail-shaped structure that contains tiny hair cells. These hair cells create movement in relation to soundwaves for the brain to interpret. 

When the cochlea of the inner ear is exposed to loud noises, above 80 decibels, for extended periods the delicate hairs cells become damaged. The brain then receives incorrect signals about the sound being produced and creates background noise to compensate.

Treatments for tinnitus 

Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus yet, although some medical scientists are working on new techniques that could one day result in a tinnitus cure. Until then, we have to be satisfied with tinnitus treatments, but there are several of them that work effectively. 

Can a hearing aid help? 

If you have severe tinnitus or mild tinnitus coupled with some hearing loss, your audiologist might recommend a hearing device. A hearing device will not only work well to alleviate the symptoms of hearing loss but they can reduce your tinnitus by increasing the effect of background noise making you less aware of the condition.

If you have one or more of these hearing conditions it's a good idea to talk to your audiologist about possible options. These days hearing devices can be small and discrete; they are also more functional and more sensitive than they were in the past. 

What hearing aid is best? 

There is a wide range of hearing devices available today and you must choose the right one for your set of conditions. Consult with your audiologist and take a hearing test, they will then advise you on the best possible route forward. You will probably choose a hearing device that is optimized for tinnitus.