Tinnitus. It’s a ringing, buzzing, or hissing in your ear that’s so annoying.
Not sure it helps, but if you experience tinnitus know that you’re not alone.
Around 20% of Australians and more than 70% of people with hearing loss report having some level of tinnitus.
It’s not a specific disease or illness. The causes of tinnitus include hearing loss, stress, ear injury or infection, medications, circulatory issues – or simply getting older.
No cure for tinnitus – but there are treatments that can work
Unfortunately, there’s no 100% cure for tinnitus.
Deafness Forum of Australia reports that, though it’s been an under-researched area of health, there have been some developments in tinnitus treatment.
Tinnitus treatments that may make a difference to your perception of those annoying noises include:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Relaxation techniques that help reduce stress (mindfulness, for example)
- Using sound generators to both mask and break the loop of stress associated with tinnitus (Neuromonics treatment, is one example)
- Amplification to stimulate the ears and brain (hearing aids)
Often a combination of these approaches can really make a difference.
Hearing aids can help relieve tinnitus symptoms
In our clinics, we find that most people who suffer from tinnitus also have a significant hearing loss.
We also see that by treating their hearing loss, many patients find some relief from their tinnitus.
The findings from a well-respected research paper on tinnitus found that people who had their hearing aids fitted by a hearing professional were:
…nearly twice as likely to experience tinnitus relief than respondents fit by hearing care professionals using minimalist hearing aid fitting protocols.
In other words, a hearing aid that’s fitted to suit your hearing loss can really make a difference.
Not only will a well-fitted hearing aid relieve the symptoms of your tinnitus, but it will also help you hear and communicate better in everyday situations.
But what about at night when tinnitus can be most annoying?
The best treatment for tinnitus might be hearing aids you can wear 24/7
Most hearing aids need to be worn during the day and taken out at night. But it’s often when we go to bed that tinnitus causes us grief, preventing us from falling asleep easily.
That’s why we like the sound of Phonak’s Lyric hearing aids. They stay in your ears day and night. This makes them unique.
Since you never have to take the Lyric hearing aids out, even at night, they can help you sleep better.
Combined with a tinnitus management program, it’s a recipe for relief from tinnitus.
We’ve discussed the features of Lyric before here.
You might also like to watch this video which talks about how Lyric hearing aids can help people with tinnitus.