Tinnitus, commonly known as “ringing in the ears,” affects around 50 million Americans to some degree. Tinnitus is a sensation of sound that presents itself as a ringing, buzzing, humming, hissing, or roaring sound. For some people, they may experience the symptoms of tinnitus occasionally while others experience it all the time.
What Causes Tinnitus?
Although it is still uncertain how tinnitus begins, there are a few causes. Including:
- Exposure to loud sounds
- Sudden impact noises
- Stress
- Ear or sinus infections
- Certain medications
- Natural aging process
- Head or neck injury
Often times, those who have tinnitus also experience some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss can make tinnitus seem worse because your world is already quieter, meaning you will be able to hear the ringing in your ears more profoundly.
What You Can Do
If you have hearing loss and are experiencing symptoms of tinnitus then the best option for you is to wear hearing aids. Hearing aids will provide your ears with the proper amplification, reducing the impact of tinnitus. There are also many hearing aid manufacturers who have created special tinnitus masking hearing aids. These hearing aids will play relief sounds, such as white noise or soothing ocean-like sounds, to distract your brain from any of the symptoms of tinnitus.
Many hearing aids for tinnitus are Bluetooth connective and can be paired to your iPhone or Android. Through an app on your phone, you can select different soothing sounds to play when your tinnitus worsens, providing you with relief whenever you need it.
In addition to wearing hearing aids with a tinnitus masking feature, many audiologists and hearing specialists recommend trying sound therapy. Sound therapy is a useful tool in managing the symptoms of tinnitus as it will help you focus your attention elsewhere, instead of on the ringing in your ears.
When paired with sound therapy, hearing aids for tinnitus can help you live your life free of the annoying and debilitating ringing in your ears. If you have tinnitus, it’s time to try hearing aids. Make an appointment with your local hearing professional and they will help you find a pair of hearing aids that will provide you with relief from your tinnitus.
