Although not directly seen as a medical condition, tinnitus can have a profound impact on a sufferer’s daily life. Tinnitus is developed as a symptom of hearing loss. The cause can be from long-term hearing damage or as a by-product of aging. If a patient discovers they are suffering from a hearing impairment, it’s essential to visit a hearing instrument specialist to get this evaluated as soon as possible. As part of the diagnosis, they may prescribe a hearing aid.
How hearing aids help with tinnitus
If you experience a loss of hearing, hearing aids can help to minimize the symptoms by amplifying the sounds around you. Because hearing loss can be caused by a number of things from exposure to noise or even aging, you may experience a limited ability to hear certain frequencies. But when you begin to wear hearing aids, you can begin to listen to these sounds again. As a result, those who use hearing aids to treat their hearing loss, the symptoms decrease. As the brain is receiving more of a natural stimulation from the environment around them, it’s likely the person will pick up additional noise from surroundings, thereby masking the tinnitus. Because the person suffering from tinnitus can experience a wide range of symptoms, the hearing aid works to amplify the external sounds, so the buzzing or ringing in the ears is not noticed as much, and can be treated as background noise. Because someone with tinnitus may only be able to focus on the noise in their ears and nothing else, wearing a hearing aid can be beneficial.
The best types of hearing aids for tinnitus
As the variety of hearing aids are more comprehensive than ever, this means that someone suffering from tinnitus can choose a hearing aid that suits them. Choosing the right hearing aids depends on various factors, such as your lifestyle as well as your budget. Because the ringing in the ears may only affect just one ear, only one hearing aid might be necessary, but if the tinnitus affects both ears, bilateral hearing aids can be more beneficial. There are traditional hearing aids that can help with tinnitus, but there are a few other options that can be as impactful. Open-fit hearing aids improve amplification buy a small tube or speaker placed within the ear canal. Other hearing aids have been produced with a sound generator, which provides low-level noise to help the sufferer get used to the tinnitus, known as the habituation process. Other manufacturers provide a more comprehensive set up with their hearing aids and play devices boast technology that plays white noise, pink noise, shaped noise, masking techniques, and even stress reducing approaches, the contemporary hearing aid does a lot more than amplify the noise around you.
How hearing aids can help with a combination of therapies
It’s not just the hearing aids that can support someone suffering from tinnitus. Hearing aids are being used as one part of a treatment method that encompasses sound therapy, counselling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as an alteration of lifestyle to minimize the symptoms. In some cases, medication can be dispensed to reduce the symptoms, or treating the underlying cause can help an individual come to terms with their tinnitus. For example, a buildup of earwax can increase tinnitus symptoms, and removing this earwax can help. A blood vessel condition could be another underlying cause, which could require medication or specific treatment to address the issue. Medication may also be another cause, and this is something that needs to be discussed with your hearing instrument specialist at the initial appointment. When going to a hearing instrument specialist for a hearing test, it’s important that you know your medical history, as this can easily pinpoint the direct cause.
As tinnitus can be a frustrating problem, it’s important that you book an appointment with to get the ball rolling. Your hearing instrument specialist doesn’t just test your hearing, but they can provide you with the best way to progress upon diagnosis of a hearing problem. On occasion, the underlying cause can be apparent, and the professional will be able to give you a specific course of action to help. But if a HIS recommends you use a hearing aid equipped with masking features; this could be the start of a better life living with tinnitus.
You can contact the Beck Hearing Aid Centre at (888) 618-3778 if you have any questions or to book an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist.
