Tinnitus is a condition in which a person hears a persistent noise in one or both ears. It is estimated that approximately 50 million people in the United States suffer from tinnitus. There is also evidence of people suffering from tinnitus that dates back as far as ancient Egypt. If you experience tinnitus, hearing aids can help.
Tinnitus is caused by a problem with the auditory nerve. However, there is little doctors know about the cause of tinnitus beyond that. Most tinnitus cases are subjective, meaning the persistent noise is only audible to the sufferer. However, 1% of cases are objective, meaning they are caused by issues with the body’s circulatory or musculoskeletal system. Most cases of tinnitus include hearing loss, cerumen impaction, blockage of the ear canal, trauma to the head or neck, ear infection, sinus infection, and/or ototoxic medication.
Because there isn’t a lot of information available about the cause of tinnitus, treatments are limited. However, there is one treatment that is known to help, and that is the use of a hearing aid.
When you think of conditions that benefit from the use of hearing aids, you probably think of conditions related to hearing loss. However, that is not all hearing aids are good for. Most modern hearing aids are made with Bluetooth functionality and a companion app. This app usually has the ability to produce manual sound therapy to the hearing aid, which can help treat tinnitus.
Even if your specific case of tinnitus does not involve sound therapy or masking, a hearing aid can still be helpful to you. A hearing aid can increase your awareness of environmental sounds and background noises. With a heightened awareness of these sounds, your brain can put less focus on the constant noise of tinnitus.
If you are struggling with tinnitus and looking for answers, consider trying a hearing aid. At Coastal Hearing Care, we can assist you in the process of getting set up with a hearing aid. To schedule an appointment with us, call 941-229-2122. Our office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and we are located at 5860 Ranch Lake Blvd, Suite 110, in Bradenton. We hope to help you with your tinnitus.