Do you hear ringing in your ears? That’s called tinnitus (TINN-it-us). Tinnitus can sound different to everyone – some people hear it as humming, others hear it as whistling, and some hear it all the time while others hear it some of the time. In the same regard, some people are able to ignore their tinnitus, while other people find it bothersome – to the point where they can’t fall asleep or focus during a conversation.
Tinnitus can be a result of several different things; Sometimes tinnitus is caused by a medical condition, can be a side effect of a medication, or can be associated with tinnitus, to name a few examples. Unfortunately, unless your tinnitus is caused by a medically treatable condition, there is no “cure” for tinnitus. However, there are treatment options; The most common treatment option being hearing aids! In many cases, hearing aids alone can help relieve tinnitus – no special tinnitus programming necessary! Hearing aids bring more sound stimulation into your brain, which can help to prevent your brain from focusing on the tinnitus!
In some cases, hearing aids on their own may not provide the relief that you’re looking for. In these cases, your provider has the ability to activate a masking sound in your hearing aids. Several of the hearing aid manufacturers – Phonak, Signia and Starkey, to name a few – offer this option to add in a masking sound in your hearing aids! When this is enabled, the hearing aids emit a low-level sound directly into your ears, similar to a white noise machine. This noise can be tuned to your comfort level to provide the most relief for your specific tinnitus, and the volume can even be controlled by the wearer!
Gardner Audiology, In Citrus Park, Tampa, FL, works with all of the major hearing aid manufacturers, and the providers are knowledgeable about tinnitus and hearing aids. If you have tinnitus, and are interested in trying hearing aids to find some relief, please contact Gardner Audiology at 1-800-277-1182, or visit gardneraudiology.com to schedule an appointment.
