{"id":575,"date":"2020-09-10T11:20:13","date_gmt":"2020-09-10T02:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-aids-and-amplifiers-for-tinnitus\/"},"modified":"2020-12-01T09:55:08","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T00:55:08","slug":"hearing-aids-and-amplifiers-for-tinnitus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-device\/hearing-aids-and-amplifiers-for-tinnitus\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Aids and Amplifiers for Tinnitus"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are around 50 million people in the United States that suffer from some form of tinnitus. However, the FDA has still not been able to approve a single drug or therapy to cure the clicking, whistling or whining sound that plagues so many people on a daily basis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s not to say that there are no treatment options for tinnitus at all; in fact, we\u2019ve explored various therapies in other blogs, such as sound therapy, masking and natural medicine. It does mean, however, that you are not guaranteed the treatment will work for you &#8211; it\u2019s all about finding the solution that fits your lifestyle and is the most effective for your individual tinnitus profile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There have been multiple studies on how hearing aids can help tinnitus, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to be focusing on today &#8211; how hearing aids and amplifiers can give you relief from your tinnitus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Hearing_Loss_and_Tinnitus\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> Hearing Loss and Tinnitus<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Features_in_Hearing_Aids_and_Amplifiers_that_Help_Tinnitus\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Features in Hearing Aids and Amplifiers that Help Tinnitus<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Amplifying_the_sounds_you_want_to_hear\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.1<\/span> Amplifying the sounds you want to hear<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Tinnitus_masking_features\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.2<\/span> Tinnitus masking features<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Can_Hearing_Aids_Make_Tinnitus_Worse\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> Can Hearing Aids Make Tinnitus Worse?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_Type_of_Hearing_Aid_is_Best_for_Tinnitus\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> What Type of Hearing Aid is Best for Tinnitus?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_Much_do_Hearing_Aids_for_Tinnitus_Cost\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">5<\/span> How Much do Hearing Aids for Tinnitus Cost?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Hearing_Loss_and_Tinnitus\">Hearing Loss and Tinnitus<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It may seem like a big leap to go straight for hearing aids purely to treat your tinnitus, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/actiononhearingloss.org.uk\/information-and-support\/tinnitus\/tinnitus-causes\/#:~:text=Most%20cases%20of%20tinnitus%20are,hearing%20loss%20is%20called%20sensorineural.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">two-thirds of tinnitus sufferers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also have some form of hearing loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is because the two often arise due to the same triggers, such as exposure to loud noise or as a result of the normal aging process. Although it is possible to have tinnitus with no significant hearing loss, it\u2019s always a good idea to visit your physician or audiologist when you first notice the signs of tinnitus to see if it is linked to a degradation in your hearing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might not be aware that having hearing loss might even exacerbate your tinnitus. This is because the sound (which can vary from high-pitched whining, to clicks, chirps and whistles) will block out environmental noise. This has the dual effect of making your tinnitus appear louder (as you have no background noise to drown it out) and worsening your hearing loss, as things become more difficult to hear over the ringing in your ears.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case, choosing personal amplifiers (PSAPs) or hearing aids for tinnitus could be an effective option to help you manage your symptoms. Let\u2019s look at how they help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Features_in_Hearing_Aids_and_Amplifiers_that_Help_Tinnitus\">Features in Hearing Aids and Amplifiers that Help Tinnitus<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amplification devices (PSAPs) and hearing aids for tinnitus can be a great way to both help you deal with your hearing loss while reducing the frustrating symptoms of tinnitus. There are two main ways that they do this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Amplifying_the_sounds_you_want_to_hear\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amplifying the sounds you want to hear<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PSAPs and hearing aids both work to make hearing easier for you by making noises around you louder. The difference between the two is that hearing aids are FDA registered medical devices for people with hearing impairment, and PSAPs are not. Often they share common features, but PSAPs are not regulated by the FDA, and are not meant for people with hearing loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can help with tinnitus sufferers because it makes it easier for them to hear the sounds they want to hear. The result of this is that, as the environmental sound is louder, the tinnitus is harder to perceive. Tinnitus is no longer the loudest sound that you hear, as it is punctuated by all of the sounds around you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18353195\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25-year study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (we go into more detail on this in our tinnitus and hearing aid studies blog) found that 67-69% of tinnitus sufferers reported \u201csome improvement\u201d in their tinnitus after being fitted with hearing aids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Tinnitus_masking_features\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tinnitus masking features<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some PSAPs and hearing aids also come with a tinnitus masking feature. This is a tool that creates constant background noise, such as white noise or ocean sounds, to hide the tinnitus. On some devices, you can calibrate your tinnitus masking sound to the same frequency as your tinnitus, making the masking even more effective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With constant or frequent use of tinnitus maskers, your brain learns to tune out the unpleasant noise, leaving you with relaxing background noise instead. A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3830003\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2013 study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> found that 71-88% of subjects found that a masker helped reduce their tinnitus symptoms &#8211; we\u2019ve got a whole blog on tinnitus maskers here if you want to find out more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Can_Hearing_Aids_Make_Tinnitus_Worse\">Can Hearing Aids Make Tinnitus Worse?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing aids and PSAPs are generally found to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">help<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tinnitus, not make it worse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, on rare occasions, some hearing professionals have found that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.audiologyonline.com\/ask-the-experts\/why-does-amplification-sometimes-exacerbate-11384\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">amplification devices can worsen tinnitus<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is most often temporary and will stop as soon as you stop using hearing aids or PSAPs. This could be due to a number of factors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Auditory fatigue &#8211; <\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, rather than amplified background noise drowning out the tinnitus, it can make it worse. This occurs when there is greater strain on your auditory system; for example when you are struggling to hear a conversation in a loud environment. This could mean that your tinnitus perception gets worse. In these cases, it\u2019s best to limit your use of hearing aids for a couple of hours a day until you get used to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Decreased sound tolerance (hyperacusis)<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some people have much lower thresholds of loudness comfort, so amplification can end up being uncomfortable for the user. If you think that you are sensitive to loud environments, then make sure your audiologist is aware of this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Reactive tinnitus <\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although this is rare, some people find that masking noises can aggravate their tinnitus. This could be due to tinnitus that was caused by prolonged exposure to moderately low-level sounds, or due to a decreased sound tolerance. To deal with this, set your tinnitus masker to the lowest level possible, and then increase it as you become accustomed to the sound.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"What_Type_of_Hearing_Aid_is_Best_for_Tinnitus\">What Type of Hearing Aid is Best for Tinnitus?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing a hearing aid for tinnitus will be down to personal choice and will depend on both the severity of your tinnitus and what therapies are most successful for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have found that masking therapy is useful for you, then make sure you choose a hearing aid or PSAP with this feature. Some hearing aids provide various different types of masking sound, so you can choose the one that makes your tinnitus less audible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some hearing aids also offer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.audiologyonline.com\/articles\/notch-therapy-new-approach-to-18365\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notch Therapy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is tailored to your specific tinnitus frequency. Researchers posit that this can help your brain \u201clearn\u201d to ignore tinnitus until it is no longer perceived as disturbing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you find that simple amplification of general noise is more effective than masking, then you might be better off choosing a simple PSAP, or personal sound amplification device. These devices also amplify sounds around you for louder volume, which can help to drown out the tinnitus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_Much_do_Hearing_Aids_for_Tinnitus_Cost\">How Much do Hearing Aids for Tinnitus Cost?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing aids can cost thousands of dollars, so although it\u2019s worth it when you suffer from both tinnitus and hearing loss, it is undeniably a large financial commitment. Talk to your hearing specialist to find out how to get the best price for the hearing aid that will have all the features you need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PSAPs, on the other hand, are much cheaper, costing as little as a couple hundred dollars. If you don\u2019t think you suffer from noticeable hearing loss but want an affordable way to treat your tinnitus, this could be the best choice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Olive Smart Ear <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a high-quality PSAP that provides personalized amplification features that may help you manage your tinnitus symptoms by amplifying environmental sounds. Although it is not made to specifically treat any tinnitus symptoms, if you\u2019re looking for a PSAP as a hearing device, why not take a look at our website?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As always, if you are worried about your tinnitus, or if you think that you are starting to suffer from hearing loss as well, contact your physician as soon as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><b>The information in this guide has been written using the following reliable sources:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/actiononhearingloss.org.uk\/information-and-support\/tinnitus\/tinnitus-causes\/#:~:text=Most%20cases%20of%20tinnitus%20are,hearing%20loss%20is%20called%20sensorineural\"><b>https:\/\/actiononhearingloss.org.uk\/information-and-support\/tinnitus\/tinnitus-causes\/#:~:text=Most%20cases%20of%20tinnitus%20are,hearing%20loss%20is%20called%20sensorineural<\/b><\/a><b>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3830003\/\"><b>https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3830003\/<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.audiologyonline.com\/ask-the-experts\/why-does-amplification-sometimes-exacerbate-11384\"><b>https:\/\/www.audiologyonline.com\/ask-the-experts\/why-does-amplification-sometimes-exacerbate-11384<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18353195\/\"><b>https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18353195\/<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hearing aids are often recommended to help treat tinnitus, but why? We look at how hearing aids for tinnitus can help reduce symptoms, and what to look for if you want to try them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":814,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1,5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-device\/hearing-aids-and-amplifiers-for-tinnitus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hearing Aids and Amplifiers for Tinnitus - Olive Union\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hearing aids are often recommended to help treat tinnitus, but why? 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