Hearing aids are prescribed by audiologists for patients who have identified as having hearing loss and sometimes, this hearing loss is with associated tinnitus. It could surprise you, but having a hearing aid fitted with your audiologist can be the thing you need to help you to alleviate your tinnitus symptoms. Hearing aids could be everything that you need to be effective on your tinnitus, or they could be an accessory to a hearing care package that can help you all around. An appointment with the Audiology and Hearing Aid Center can make a difference to your hearing, so it’s important to book an appointment with an audiologist today.

Hearing loss and tinnitus

Some people with normal hearing can still experience tinnitus, but hearing loss is often a factor with underlying tinnitus. A lot of people don’t notice when their hearing starts to fail them, because it’s a gradual and difficult process to deal with. It’s also common for people to assume that tinnitus is the cause of their hearing difficulties, when really, it’s just a symptom. Tinnitus is usually related to the deprivation of sound – or hearing loss – and the aim of fitting the patient with hearing aids is to correct the loss. This then comes with the possibility of reducing the tinnitus that is being experienced. Tinnitus has the power to render the sufferer anxious, lonely and feeling like they are the only ones to ever experience it. Sometimes, it’s mild enough to pay no attention to, but if it’s affecting your hearing then it’s already a serious issue.

Hearing aids and tinnitus

There are studies that have looked into the quality of life for those who deal with tinnitus and then there are others that study how a hearing aid has reduced the tinnitus and improved that quality of life. Bilateral hearing aids are often the hearing help of choice when reducing the effect of tinnitus as they are more beneficial when it comes to the reduction of symptoms.

Open fit hearing aids

The traditional ear mold is the hearing aid that most people know about, but open-fit hearing aids use a very thin tube that is placed in the ear to deliver sound. This can allow amplification without blocking other external sounds and this can also reduce the risk of an occlusion effect. If you are using open-fit hearing aids, you are likely to help the symptoms of tinnitus as you’ve made sounds louder in the ear so can overcome the whistling noise created by tinnitus. Some audiologists will fit hearing aids with only slight hearing loss if it will overcome the symptoms of tinnitus.

Combination devices and tinnitus

There are some manufacturers out there that have created a hearing aid with a sound generator and this amplifies sound while also providing low level sounds to help you to get used to the tinnitus sound. Tinnitus is annoying, but sometimes you can cover it and work with it, rather than eliminate it completely.

How to get a hearing aid

If you are struggling with the symptoms of tinnitus, you can book an appointment with an audiologist at the Audiology and Hearing Aid Center. You can have a hearing test – don’t worry, it’s totally painless – and get the results on an audiogram. It’s here that your audiologist can discuss with you the level of hearing loss that you are experiencing as well as what the next steps could be. You will also have a separate appointment to fit the hearing aid and talk you through how to look after it and what to do if you need to bring it in for repairs.

You can get hearing aids that are sold by private dispensaries, but it’s not advisable. For a hearing aid to work, you need the right one for your specific hearing loss, you need it to be fitted properly and you will need to have undergone the right testing. It’s not advisable to cut corners and if you want some more information on board certified audiologists, talk to your friends, family, doctors and even your insurance for review and opinions.

Hearing aids can help to quiet the constant ringing in your ears, giving you back your lease on life and helping you to get back out there with friends and at work. If you need any further information about tinnitus relief, an appointment with an audiologist or simply to discuss your hearing needs, please don’t hesitate to contact the Audiology and Hearing Aid Center at (920) 486-6922 today. Our experienced staff will be more than happy to assist you.