WHAT IS TINNITUS
Tinnitus is normally a ringing sound you hear without any obvious source, although there is no cure for tinnitus hearing aids can help.
Tinnitus is more common than most people think, over 11% of people aged 18 years and over say they have ringing in their ears.
This ringing in your ears, or sometimes felt in the middle of your head, can make it harder to hear people in conversation or even stop you from getting to sleep, as for most in a quiet room is when tinnitus affects them most. This can lead to sleep deprivation which will have negative effects on your mental health.
Tinnitus isn’t always just a ringing sound it could also be:
– Buzzing
– Crackling
– Humming
– Fuzzy
HOW CAN HEARING AIDS HELP WITH THE RINGING SOUND?
Hearing aids can amplify the natural sounds around you, making it easier for your brain to focus on something else rather than your tinnitus. This works by masking the tinnitus sounds almost like distracting your mind from it.
There are some hearing aids that are specifically designed to help people suffering from tinnitus. The hearing aids play white noise or different sounds to help relieve the symptoms and help them get back to themselves.
Very rarely hearing aids may make your tinnitus may seem worse, although most of the time this could be due to the settings or type of hearing aid you are using.
If you feel your hearing aids are worsening your symptoms of tinnitus it is best to speak with your audiologist who can recommend a different solution.
ARE HEARING AIDS THE ONLY OPTION TO HELP WITH TINNITUS?
Hearing aids are only one option to help with relief from tinnitus, there are other tinnitus management options that an audiologist can take with you. This includes sound therapy, counselling, and education.
If you are suffering from tinnitus which is impacting your day-to-day life, it would be a great idea to explore these options with your audiologist to find relief from tinnitus, helping you become you again.
Hearing Choice near Banbury can offer treatment advice for tinnitus, ear wax and ear infections can sometimes be the cause so we will examine your ears first to determine the ideal treatment plan for you.